- Selection criteria
- Differences from standard
- General recommendations
- Factors influencing selection
- Ranking of the best
- Overview
Morning jogging is a guarantee of good mood for the whole day and excellent prevention of excess weight. However, many are forced to give up this ritual because of injuries: fingers, nails, heel, sole arch, ankle, etc. In 90% of such cases, improperly selected shoes are the culprit. If you walk in it for tennis, fitness, basketball (and girls – and on dates), this is doubly the wrong approach. It’s time to figure out how to choose running shoes to be comfortable and maximally functional.
Selection criteria
First, you will need to understand many specific concepts. Perhaps at the moment you do not know what pronation, drop or torsional stiffness is. So, all this is necessary at least superficially, but to study. After all, these are some of the criteria according to which you will be looking for your ideal pair of running shoes.
Size
One of the most difficult criteria. You come to the store with your size 42, and there are mainly foreign models, and each manufacturer has its own size chart with national metrics such as US, UK, Euro, CM, etc. Sometimes even the sales assistants themselves cannot understand all these numbers. What to do? There is only one way out: to measure until you find the optimal option.
If you run more than 10 km daily or train in the mountains, take the model with a large margin: about a size larger than your own. If you are running on flat terrain, then there should still be a small additional space: suddenly your legs swell, or you will need to insert an insole, or in the winter you will have to wear a woolen sock – there can be a huge number of reasons to leave a “spare”. Never buy such shoes end-to-end, otherwise you are guaranteed injury to your toes, heel and nails.
When trying on, be sure to walk around the store: although the sneakers should be slightly larger than your size, you should feel comfortable in them.
Cushioning
For running, it is imperative to choose sneakers with good cushioning. This allows you to reduce the impact load during training, which affects not only the foot, but also the entire body. Today, almost every manufacturer has its own unique cushioning system technology: Boost – for Adidas, Wave – for Mizuno, Gel – for Asics, etc.
Running shoes are divided into the following groups by cushioning zones:
- cushioning in the heel only;
- cushioning in the heel and the toe;
- cushioning over the entire sole surface.
And here it’s time to make an appointment with an orthopedist. Even if you have no deviations in this part (from your point of view), still consult a specialist. Only he will be able to professionally assess your foot and advise you on which cushioning system from the above options you should choose for your shoes.
Only athletes can ignore this characteristic, as they have trained ankles and can withstand heavy loads. Everyone else should definitely choose sneakers with maximum cushioning: gels, skeletons, boosts, and waves.
Drop
The same scary word that many do not even understand. Drop is the difference in height between the heel and the toe (the former should always be higher than the latter). In the technical characteristics, this indicator is usually written as follows: “22mm / 12mm (drop – 10mm)”. This entry means that the heel thickness is 22 mm and the toe thickness is 12 mm. A high drop will provide a smooth roll, which should ideally be done from the heel to the toe, but not vice versa. So choose the maximum value. The minimum drop (about 4 mm) can be for flat sprint spikes. They are suitable for “late running” from the toe (this is trained separately).
Weight
Medium-sized sneakers (41-42) should fit into the weight category of 280-350 g (per shoe). If you are preparing for competitions, the shoes should not be felt on your foot, so choose the lightest possible models weighing from 170 to 280 grams. Sprinters should not buy shoes heavier than 250 grams – their spikes should be practically weightless. Only fans of expeditionary races can choose heavy shoes: off-trail or off-road classes weigh more than 330 g.
This criterion depends on your physical fitness and the type of running you plan to do.
Tread pattern
- Height
The higher it is, the better the shoe’s grip on the track. High tread is ideal for running on rough terrain. Pay attention to the Salomon Speed, Inov-8 X-Talon 212 models, which have a spike height of about 8-9 mm.
High tread sneakers: Salomon Speed (left) and Inov-8 X-Talon 212 (right)
The average tread height (4-7 mm) is suitable for running through forests, hard ground, stones, mountain trails, but only in dry weather. This group includes trail running sneakers. They are wear-resistant on a hard surface; however, if dirt appears, the shoes will not be able to handle the load that will be placed on them.
Low tread (up to 4 mm) requires the most rigid hard surface: choose such running shoes for running on asphalt, stones, and scree. They are not suitable for dirty and rough terrain.
You can ignore zero tread.
- Material
Metal spikes on the tread will allow you to run on snow and even on ice, so feel free to choose such models for winter.
- Geometry
The more intricate the tread pattern, the more it will become clogged with dirt and interfere with the grip on the road. Therefore, when choosing sneakers for running on rough terrain, make sure that the sole is minimally dissected with lines and recesses. These are the Salomon Speedcross 3, La Sportiva Ultra Raptor, Adidas Terrex Skychaser models. On the other hand, more geometric protectors with a tricky and original pattern are quite suitable for asphalt. Examples: Asics GT-1000 4, Mizuno Wave Legend 4.
Torsional stiffness
When choosing sneakers for fitness or walking, it is often advised to twist the sole. If it is very flexible and elastic, this is an excellent indicator, but only for classes in the gym and dates. For outdoor running, this will be a disastrous option, since the foot will feel all the unevenness of the road, every pebble and shaft in its path. This will inevitably lead to injuries and ankle injuries.
Thus, the harder the model is twisted (the higher its torsional rigidity), the safer and more stable it is for running outdoors.
Presence of a membrane
The membrane is a gasket. As for it, neither professionals nor ordinary amateurs have an unequivocal opinion – whether it is needed in running shoes or not.
Advantages:
- optimal protection against water, dirt, sand, snow, and other elements;
- wind protection;
- thermal protection (a great choice for winter running).
Disadvantages:
- thermal protection in summer leads to increased sweating of the feet;
- poor ventilation;
- long drying time.
Sneakers without a membrane will not protect your feet from debris and cold, but they are well ventilated and dry quickly.
Pronation
The mechanics of your foot’s movement during running (whether it is neutral, overpronated or underpron
