When people ask me about the running shoes that I would recommend to them, especially if they’re new to running, I often tell them to go with what feels comfortable. That might sound like an oversimplification, since there are other factors at play in choosing the right shoe such as price, category of shoe, and what kind of running you’ll be doing. But comfort is a good place to start. Everyone has their own unique foot shape and needs, and despite what the shoe hype or Instagram ads might tell you, there is not one single shoe that will work for everyone. David Salas, a doctor of physical therapy and contributor to the review site Doctors of Running, agrees and adds, “Try a couple of different kinds of shoes on your feet and just see what generally feels the best for you.” I’m also a big proponent of trying a few different sizes of the same shoe. I typically wear a women’s nine in regular shoes, but in running shoes I go for a half-size larger at 9.5 because I’ve always found that my feet swell or go numb in too tightly fitted running footwear. (It also helps prevent microtrauma to your toenails — I’m speaking from experience as a former Division I collegiate runner.)
If you’re getting back into running again, think about what shoes have worked for you in the past. “Figure out what aspects you liked, whether it was a certain fit or if it was a certain amount of cushion or if it was a certain feeling,” says Nathan Brown, a physical therapist at Pineries Running Lab. “Try to describe that and use that to decide what your next shoes are, and if you can, go test them out.”
