I ran a half marathon race in the Cloudmonster 3 Hypers this morning, and while doing so crossed the 200 mile threshold with these shoes.

I’m battling knee issues after running my marathon a couple weeks back, so rather than use the Sonicblast 2’s for this race like I was planning to (just to see how they perform over 13.1) I decided to go with one of my “old faithful” shoes.

The “old faithful” category consists of shoes that I feel comfortable running a competition 10k to half marathon distance, in basically any situation or environment, and that I feel confident can help keep me safe and sound during any potential injury/pain complications.

The list has changed many times throughout the year and is currently headlined by the Cloudmonsters, and also features the Mount to Coast C1’s, Saucony Triumph 24’s, New Balance 1080v15, ASICS Novablast 6, Hoka Clifton Pro, and the surprise banger from 361, the Ventus 2. This obviously leaves out some of the best shoes around (Specter 3, Megablast, Dynafish, etc.) but those shoes are ones that I am more likely to strap on when I’m feeling good and wanting to try to win and/or PR.

I also recognize that people are going to be shocked to see those Hokas on there, but here’s the deal, y’all, the Clifton Pros are the best Hoka shoes of all time, and are SERIOUSLY underrated thanks to shoe reviewers criticizing them for their outdated midsole materials (which is valid, but the performance is top notch, old foam of not). I’ve used those shoes to run half marathons in the morning and then walk around a city for the rest of the day. Put 47,000 steps on them in one day, a month or so ago. They felt plush and comfy, stable and secure, and I was walking significantly faster than everyone in my group all day. They are good. Don’t believe the shoe influencer hype. Believe people like me, who have no benefit from click-baiting you. 🤝

Today was just about finishing and not hurting myself worse. Mission was accomplished and I still finished in the top 10% of racers, so I’m going to count that as a personal victory. The wife dominated in her Specter 3’s and finished right alongside me. It’s a family affair celebration today.

Anyway, let’s talk about these insane shoes and how they have officially moved up to #1 on my list of the best shoes of 2026.

As you can see from the pictures, they look damn near brand new. I have 202 miles in these and 110 miles in my white/turquoise pair, and neither pair has any sign of degradation or material breakdown. I’ve run through gigantic, full shoe covering puddles (including today, multiple times), extreme heat and very hot asphalt, and rocky and gravel covered terrain. They are still springy, energetic, and stable feeling as hell.

The absolute same can be said for my Mount to Coat C1’s (200+ miles in my purple pair, 200+ miles in my Badwater C135 pair, and zero miles in my black pair, as I’ve been saving them for a rainy day) but while the C1’s are shoes that you can just run competitively in all day long, the Cloudmonsters provide a significant energy boost and really help propel the stride in a way that puts it slightly above the C1 in my book. And that’s saying something, because I’ve now run four half marathons in the C1’s and a full marathon in them, and I believe that they are some of the best “do it all” shoes of all time. That’s how good these Cloudmonsters are, folks. They are very possibly the best all around 10k to half marathon shoes on the planet, and that includes all of the most aggressively plated and technology-laced shoes out there. Sure, the Dynafish and Red Hare Ultras are phenomenal and game changing shoes, but the Cloudmonster Hypers can do everything those shoes do, while also keeping your foot and leg stable enough in the process to let you run hard and fast on mile 12, rather than have to be concerned about your pronation, supination, or just general foot fatigue taking over.

This has been a year of phenomenal running shoes. Shoes that have changed we thought fast shoes could be or what long-range performance shoes could be. Most of these game changing shoes have come from completely unexpected or entirely new companies. That’s pretty damn cool. I already can’t wait for the things we are going to see released in 2027.

Current 2026-released shoe rankings, as of mid-September:

🥇 On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
🥈 Mount to Coast C1
🥉 New Balance SC Rebel

What do you get when you cross the Megablast with the Novablast 6? You guessed it, you get the Megablast Lite, Megablast Junior, or its more formal name, the ASICS Sonicblast 2.

Took these out for 8.8 miles this morning, on my usual undulating and hilly neighborhood terrain. There was some light rain a couple of times throughout the run, and similarly to the Novablast 6, the outsole of these was extremely effective and impressive in the slightly slick conditions. 64-66 degrees, no wind, mostly overcast. 7:51 average mile time.

Fit:

These are very clearly influenced and inspired by the race shoe/speedy-fella upper of the Megablasts. They are slightly more substantial and thick than the MB upper, but it’s a very similar fit and feeling. Plenty of volume and room in there, and with a very thin, lightweight and breathable upper material. The padding around the heel and ankles is nice and effective, though I did have to try a few different levels of synching down on everything before I got a proper lockdown around my ankles. That lightweight material can sometimes be a double-edged sword, where the lightness is helpful on the weight side of things, but a negative when it comes to stability and a proper lockdown. My feet generally fit just fine into most shoes, so since I did experience a little trouble here it may be something others experience as well. Before buying or keeping these, make sure you can get that proper lockdown around the ankles. The heel lockdown, on the other hand, was just fine. The tongue is very lightweight as well, and I did experience some slight slippage of the tongue at around mile four. I do believe that I possibly just hadn’t locked everything down well enough, as I noticed the tongue issue when I noticed the ankle collar instability as well. I’ll update this portion after another run or two in these. I did also use a runner’s loop/knot, and I think there’s a chance that these are built where they may actually get a better lockdown with standard lacing. More to come on that.

Other than these issues, they are extremely comfortable and extremely voluminous in the upper. This is of course a great thing for some people and a negative for others, so if you have narrow feet or low volume feet you’ll likely need to be sizing down a half to possibly a full size (depending on your needs). If you have big, beefy feet, these will be right up your alley. I could have potentially sized down a half size, which is not something I ever have needed to do before. The width and base was perfect for my feet, and definitely had that SuperBlast 2 or Megablast “Goldilocks” amount of platform width and stable-firm cushion feeling, that has made those some of the most beloved shoes of all time.

Ride:

Truly the love child of the Megablast and NB6. We’ve got that supportive, yet firm and lively foam, we’ve got that fantastic rocker geometry that aides very well in your toe-off, we’ve got the trampoline pod, which felt like a gimmick to me for the NB6 until I actually tried them and realized it was a brilliant innovation. The trampoline pod feels even more aggressive in the Sonicblast 2, which is possibly a result of the very non-aggressive, yet very powerful and exciting plate that the shoe features. It’s some kind of fork or rod situation, rather than a full length plate, but the “special sauce” between the foam, pod, and plate does a phenomenal job in aiding the longer run potential, keeping up the stability, and allowing for some significant speed.

The New Balance speedy shoes have that Speedroll rocker component that some people don’t love, so I think the Sonics could be a good plated “labeled as a daily trainer but are actually extremely perfect for race day, so don’t let running Reddit make you feel like you always need Alphaflys or R3s or whatever new professional race shoe is the hot trend” shoe for anyone who just doesn’t like the fit and form of the SC Rebel. Personally I love it, but you already knew that.

These are also not quite as light as the SC Rebel, but I think the build of the Sonicblast 2 could handle long runs significantly better than the Rebel. They are much more substantial in pretty much every way. I think the SC Rebel is a secret weapon for 5k-15k distance races, and I think the Sonicblast 2 could be a secret weapon for anything between a 15k to half marathon distance. For the record, I believe that the SC Rebel could also crush a half marathon and I intend to find out in two weeks at the Beaverton Half Marathon.

Final thoughts on the Sonicblast 2:

Long story short, these are fun as hell. If the NB6 is the fun as hell daily trainer, and the Megablast is the fun as hell half to full marathon non-plated race-day shoe, the Sonicblast 2 sits nicely in the middle as a very solid and fun as hell option for 10k to half marathon distances, and with the stability and consistent energy return/output to hit those distances with some real pace and speed. Not once during my run did these shoes do anything other than aid me in my stride, and help keep me fast. Even when my lockdown wasn’t great, I didn’t pronate at all, which really demonstrates the stability that the plate brings to the table. Impressive geometry and build quality here by ASICS.

My criticisms of this shoe are mostly around price ($190 is high) and use case. I had the same concern with the New Balance SC Rebel, but those shoes were so ridiculously good that they were immediately worth the price and also worth the slightly confusing “SC Rebel vs. SC Elite” dual-release crap that NB pulled on us.

The issue with the Sonicblast 2 is that for 90% of runners this shoe isn’t worth choosing over the spectacular Novablast 6. It’s cheaper, more padded and aimed at daily miles, while still being an uptempo shoe and also fun as hell. Additionally, for most people who want the NB6 as a trainer and then an ASICS shoe for their race day option, the Megablast is a better shoe. If the Sonicblast 2 was $20 cheaper I may feel differently, but it is so close in price to the Megablast that it is hard to sell the Sonic over the Mega, considering how ridiculously good the Mega is.

All of this being said, for someone like me who likes to spice things up and go on different types of runs with different types of shoes, mainly to keep things interesting and to keep my runs exciting, there is absolutely value to this shoe. The NB6 is great, but I can’t get more than 6-7 miles out of that shoe before it needs a breather. The Sonic 2 functioned extremely highly all the way through my run, and wasn’t anywhere nearing the point of cushion fatigue or propulsion drain or failure. And since this shoe really does feel like the Megablast Junior, it lets me get that Megablast experience without needing to actually put miles on my Megablasts. I’m a big fan of that, as I can keep the Megablasts in optimal condition for long race days, and use the Sonicblasts for training, long runs, and some speedy 10k race day efforts. Truly these are going to be fantastic 10k to half marathon shoes for a hell of a lot of people. Mark my words.

Score: 8.8/10

The New Balance SC Rebels are the superior “plated speedy trainer” shoes for 2026, but the Sonicblast 2’s performed extremely well and were very, very fun to strap on and take off with.

I went into this review the same way that I went into the SC Rebel review, “confused about use case and hellbent on finding things I dislike about these shoes.” It was essentially impossible to find anything unlikable about the Rebels, other than price, and the Sonics are also damn near perfect. Too expensive, like the Rebels, but they are functional, innovative, and fun as hell.

It’s a great time to be an enjoyer of “uptempo trainer-to-race-day” shoes!

Obviously these are not new shoes and many people already have their thoughts and opinions on them, but here are mine:

The ATR’s are, by far, the best version of the Evo SL that exists.

Obviously this is my opinion, based on my needs and experiences, but these are actually relatively stable, secure, have phenomenal outsole grip, and are pretty damn water repellent. We’ve got the sawtooth laces, we’ve got a pull-tab on the heel AND the tongue, we’ve got the runner’s loop lace hole (which the EXO model doesn’t have for some reason…well, if we’re being honest here, the reason for that is that the EXO’s aren’t actually running shoes and are truly just meant to wear around town to look “cool and sporty,” which I absolutely do), and we still have the fun-ass poppy midsole that made the Evo SL a hit in the first place.

I’m still recovering from my marathon, so today’s journey was a mix of running and walking, but because these are Evo SL’s the running portions were fast and lively. Great energy in these, which I wasn’t necessarily certain would be the case due to the added weight.

I’ve had a few people ask to see what the “hilly and undulating terrain” looks like on my runs so I’ve included a few pictures. Also included a picture of my EXO’s for a weight comparison.

Since these are some of the best known shoes ever at this point I’m not going to do my usual full review, but here are the good parts and bad parts of this model:

Pros:
Stable and less pronation-causing than the standard or woven models.

The lugs are tiny and don’t make you feel like you are running in actual trail shoes, but they fully grab the road and can handle terrain and wetness that the regular SL’s cannot.

Very secure lockdown with the sawtooth laces, firmer upper and runner’s loop hole.

Water beaded right off the shoes and they were not wet or water logged at all once I returned home.

Cons:
The 38 gram weight gain from my EXO’s to the ATR’s is significant, and is a con, but at the same time these can handle wet conditions, have top tier outsole grip, and come with added stability, so the weight gain is worth it.

The pull tab on the tongue is great, but that tongue is the worst of all of the tongues in the SL series. It didn’t slip down at all, but it sits LOW on the foot, so if you have lace bite or tendon concerns or issues, there’s absolutely a chance that these won’t work for you. Normally I’d fall into that category, but I was able to tie them a few different ways and find the least invasive option. Not sure if they shortened the tongue to save weight or something, but yeah, not good.

The water repellent upper works great, but similar to the EXO, the upper feels “plastic” and rigid against the foot, so you’ll need some socks that can help pad your foot to alleviate that discomfort. It’s been a long time now since I ran in the original SL, and I think the upper was fine on that, but yeah the ATR and EXO are pretty damn uncomfortable on the top of my foot. Probably a material situation, as both are more firm and overlayed than the standard model, but yeah. Go sock-less and you will die in these.

Minor con here, only because they obviously aren’t fooling anyone since these are EVO SL’s, but these are not trail shoes. Use these on technical trails and you will die in these.

Verdict:
I went over eight miles in these today, both fast-paced walking and moderate speed running, and they were fun as hell. I will be using these in my rainy season rotation, regularly.

Outside of rainy season, they are cool and fun, but I will not use them, as there are just better options.

If you want a more stable, grippy, and/or weather-handling Evo SL, I highly recommend these!

8.1/10

Just wanted to take an opportunity to give a very large shoutout to my personal favorite "All Around Use" shoe of all time, the Saucony Ride 18. Daily miles, long and short runs, walking, wearing for standing in one spot at a concert or event, and everything in between. For me, personally, these shoes were revolutionary in my life, which is probably not usually a statement people make about these particular shoes. 

In early 2025, when I first got more serious about running and learning how to actually do it regularly, I had no clue what the right shoes were, or what was right for me. I mostly ran in Hoka Speedgoat 6's for the first few months, even on pavement and sidewalks, because my form was so poor that I tore up the outsole of anything that wasn't meant for a trail. I ran my first 5k in Speedgoat 6's, I ran my first 10k in Speedgoat 6's, and I ran a non-trail half marathon in Speedgoat 6's as well. It was my first ever half marathon race, and I was all nerves and adrenaline, and since I didn't know better, I figured those very stiff, very narrow, low stack, low shock absorbing shoes would work just fine. I got through it and performed better than I thought I would, but I soon realized that I needed to find actual road running shoes, so I could save my joints and limbs from the guaranteed destruction that a life in only Speedgoat 6's would surely lead to. Friends don't let friends run on roadways and sidewalks in trail running shoes. 

I tried the first iteration of Evo SL's and destroyed them and my ankles in the process. I tried Vomero 18's and Vomero Plus's, and definitely felt like I could actually run in those, but didn't find a ton of joy in them (V18's are just so heavy and bulky feeling, and I have over 200 miles in V+ at this point, but they are not quite for me, and that's okay...it's maybe because I'm 125-135 pounds, depending on how much beer I'm consuming, and have a small amount of pronation support needs...those shoes cause me to be wobbly and pronate more than I do in like any other shoes...and that's okay...it's okay, guys).

Then, one day, I came across the salmon/red/white colorway of the Ride 18's at my local Champs Sports, on sale for like $69.99, so I tried them on. I instantly felt like I found a shoe that I could actually try to become a "runner" with. Gorgeous fit, simple and very practical vibes and style, PWRRUN+ midsole foam (the new IncrediLUX and IncrediRUN foams are technically better and much more advanced, but the PWRRUN+ is, for me, one of the best midsoles of all time), and extremely impressive durability and stability. They aren't the most exciting or transcendent shoes ever, but for me they are kind of perfect in all ways.

Once I discovered the Ride 18's, I bought six pairs of them, because that's how I am (yes, it's probably OCD) and I started using them every day. I've run three half marathon races in the 18's, and even used them for an Outlast Challenge (six 5k's in six hours, on what ended up being somewhat complex trail runs in some parts), and they've performed spectacularly every time. 

Now that I've gotten into trying any and all of the new shoes that come out, and experiencing the larger landscape of the running shoe world, I've definitely neglected my Ride 18's quite a bit. I was nervous to try the Ride 19's because I thought they may make the 18's obsolete for me, but thankfully the Ride 19's are among the most disappointing shoes I've tried this year, so we can all pretend like those don't even exist. 

After running a marathon on Sunday, I knew that I needed to commit to a shoe that felt familiar, stable, and reliable for this week, so that I can recover. I have some patellar tenonitis happening in my right knee, so I've been sticking with walking and very light quick-step jogging to keep my activity up, without immediately going back into hardcore training mode for my next couple of 10ks, upcoming half marathon, and Portland marathon, all within the next month (I may have gotten overzealous with my Fall race scheduling). The Ride 18's have been a life saver in this capacity, and I have worn them all week for everything from strolling around the grocery store, to mid-paced walks and light jogs, to standing around at my kid's football practice, and everything in between. I'm going to see Dave Matthews Band at The Gorge on Friday, and to Bumbershoot Music Fest in Seattle on Sunday, and guess what shoes I'll be wearing those days? Yep, you guessed it, the Ride 18's. 

ANYWAY, this has been my ode to these shoes, and to the fact that they are, at least for me, the greatest "All Around Use" shoes of all time. Feeling my body struggle a bit after the marathon has been pretty anxiety-inducing, so knowing that I can strap the Rides on and immediately feel confident and secure in whatever movement I need to accomplish, is a very big deal. You can literally get these shoes for $70 when Champs or Foot Locker are having big sales, so if you ever want to just pick up some shoes that can handle everything and be boringly perfect, I cannot recommend them enough.

10/10 shoes.

I've got Sonicblast 2's coming to test out (will be waiting until after I'm recovered from the marathon, I think I’ll use them for my next 10k race as my test environment because I’m reckless) and since it's now just apparently the rainy season here in the PNW, I've got Evo SL ATR's coming, because I need some water proof-ish shoes to wear in the downpours. I'll give a review of those soon, as I'm very interested in seeing how they perform, as they are supposed to be more stable, durable and supportive than the original Evo SL's. 🍻

Ran my first marathon up in Vancouver, Washington this weekend! The event also had an evening 5k the night before, so obviously we had to do that too.

The wife and I each took first in our age groups for the 5k, which was awesome.

Knowing I had a marathon to run 12 hours later, I was not planning to try to run hard in the 5k, but let me tell y’all, these New Balance SC Rebels are just too good and too much fun to run in. Once I started running, I just naturally kicked into gear, and had the most joyous 5k run I’ve ever had. They are light, stable, cushioned as can be, and extremely propulsive.

I now have 43 miles in these shoes, including this 20:15 5k, and I can say that my first run wasn’t a fluke. These are absolutely and indeed within my “Top 3 Shoes of 2026” tier.

Like I said before, I originally wasn’t sure who these are for, but what I’ve realized is that these are top-end daily trainer shoes for days where you want to have a little extra fun, stellar protective and cushioned up-tempo 5k and 10k shoes, and now that I’ve had enough time in them, I am willing to say that these are pure secret weapon half marathon shoes. The integrity of the material, build and midsole is still 100% the same quality and level as the first steps in them, and the light weight and rocker geometry aid significantly in pushing through those later miles. I’m going to use these for my half marathon in a couple of weeks and will report back. They are snappy and speedy, but the way they are built also just allow them to performs wonderfully and in an extremely stable way at a moderate pace. Kind of the perfect daily miles-to-half marathon shoe. That mark on the bottom in the picture above is just a clump of dirt, and not any sort of outsole degradation. They have held up immaculately well on the outsole.

My wife ran her 5k in her Topo Specter 3’s and she killed it. She hardly runs (maybe 12 miles per week), but she’s extremely compact and strong, so apparently she just gets to show up and be athletic and win medals. Some of us are not that way. Some of us train for a marathon and then fall apart 18 miles in. More on that below.

Didn’t see a single other person wearing the Specters or the SC Rebels, which was a surprise, since this is a heavy Boston qualifier event, so I figured there would be a few of the many people who flew in for the marathon who would want to do a shake-out 5k the night before, and who would also be shoe geeks like us. There were definitely a lot of legit runners for the 5k, but most people were wearing Adios Pro’s or Alpha/Vaporfly’s, so I guess maybe those were the “more serious” runners and I’m just the guy “there for the beers and after-run pizza.”

Anyway, that was a lot of fun, and while the Specters will likely end the year in my Top 10 shoes rather than Top 5 (there are just so many good shoes this year, man) they’ll definitely be a top 2-3 for my wife. I’ll be sure to share her list at the end of the year, along with mine. She also likes barefoot shoes, so I discount her opinion slightly on running shoes, because you barefoot people are nuts. No offense.

Well after running the 5k and then eating pizza and having a couple of IPA’s, I got a semi-decent night’s rest, got up at 5:30am, and eventually made my way over to my first marathon. I ended up choosing this one because it’s a month or so before the Portland Marathon, and I figured it would give me a chance to understand the logistics of a marathon before I do the original marathon that I had planned my early fall around. If you told someone that I figured that the best way to prepare for my marathon was to run another marathon, they’d say, “yeah that sounds like something he’d think was a good idea, for some reason.” I also liked the idea that this is a popular Boston qualifier each year, so there would be enough good marathoners around that I’d feel no pressure to compete with anyone but myself. And compete with myself I sure did.

The Mount to Coast C1’s were a great choice. They are wide, stable, and firm-but-cushioned enough to absorb the shock and pressure over the 26.2 miles. The fact that they are really meant to just kind of hold up forever and not breakdown at all, is a huge bonus for a newbie marathoner. The drop is small, the rocker is not very pronounced, and they are heavier than what many people would prefer for a marathon (249 grams for men’s size 8.5), but they are extremely stable and support the run the whole time. Never once did I feel like my shoes were holding me back or causing any issues whatsoever. That is a big win. They aren’t going to launch you forward, which I would have appreciated later in the run, but they are truly the ideal shoes for going for a long time and getting through whatever distance you need to get through. If they ever release a plated version of these specifically for marathons and ultras, I will buy 10 pairs on release day. Also, for the record, the outsole on the C1’s just kind of look unused at all times. Absolutely baffled by how they hold up. Possibly the best outsole of the year, right up there with the Tracksmith Eliot Ryder (a shoe I love but never use because it feels like running in dress shoes).

If you are a first time half marathon runner or marathon runner, and your goal is to finish and not tear every joint and ligament in your body, these are your shoes. Tell them I sent you. You will get no discount and they will say, “we don’t know who that is,” but that is not the point. The point is that these are truly special shoes.

As for the marathon itself, I was great on the first 13.1 (1:43:37) and I was still cruising through miles 15-16, but once I got to 17-18 I hit the proverbial wall, as happens to many folks, and my body was ready to just be done moving for the day. Was it the hard 5k the night before? Was it being forced to share a hotel room with my nine and 16 year olds, because the hotel didn’t have the suite that I had reserved available, for some reason, and then they shoved us all into a single King room? Was it my 16 year old loudly watching YouTube on his phone until 4am? It couldn’t have been the pizza and beer. We all can agree on that.

Honestly I think the fact that the furthest distance I’ve ever run in one day being 18.6 miles, was the culprit. I am a quick 5k, 10k and half marathoner at this point, but my body was just nowhere near ready for the full 26.2 miles. And that’s okay.

There’s no failing in running, because we are choosing to do it. If we are running from a raging bull, and it catches and decapitates us, we have failed from running from the bull. If we are running from zombies during the zombie apocalypse, and they catch us and decapitate us, we have failed from running from the zombies. If we don’t go as far during our daily runs as we had planned, or don’t place or PR in a 5k or 10k race, that’s not failure. Nobody is decapitated because of that. If we don’t complete a half or full marathon, not only is that not a failure, it’s probably just your body saying, “hey I want you to stay alive, so let’s cool it on the exhausting activities, yeah?” That’s probably a win, more than a loss, if we’re being honest.

This is the part of the marathon where I was extra thankful for the C1’s, as they are also excellent walking shoes. Had I needed to change my approach while wearing Vaporfly’s or some other heel-less super racer shoes, I would have had a much harder time. Instead the C1’s just said, “hey, good job, buddy, let’s figure out how to get to the finish line.” So, over the last eight miles I walked about three, and used my adrenaline and extreme desire to consume the delicious IPA at the beer tent (free for runners!) to slow-jog my way to the finish line. 3:57:37. 🤘💪🍻

I am not someone with severe stability needs, but I do overpronate a bit. I’ve been working on my form and strength training for the last year, so I’ve been able to curtail my over-pronation for the most part (there are still a few shoes that I just cannot hang with, like the Evo SL, and even the Vomero Plus to an extent).

All of this to be said, I had snagged a pair of these Forever Runs a couple of months back, and then entirely forgotten that I had them. Is that a sign that I’ve been buying too many shoes? There are people out there who might say so. In my defense, I had set them right next to a very similarly colored pair of Vomero Plus’s, and since I so rarely reach for those shoes anymore, these just kind of got lost in the shuffle. I’m sorry, Puma. I’d ask for your forgiveness, but you already have my money, so I assume we are all square.

I love the idea that stability shows exist that can at least achieve the majority of the same level of function as neutral shoes. In the past, stability shoes seemed to be manufactured to highlight how much less cool people with stability needs are than those without those needs. I feel like that pushed a lot of people into using neutral shoes, who couldn’t actually handle them, and a grand ol’ plethora of injuries and very short-lived running careers followed. I also love the fact that many manufacturers are building stability elements into “neutral” shoes (wider bases, stability wrapping/printing on the upper, firmer rail supports on the outer portion of the midsole), so people who aren’t quite in need of a full-on stability shoe, or aren’t ready to admit that they need one, can still run in shoes that won’t destroy their limbs.

Some of my favorite shoes of the year (On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, Mount to Coast C1, 361 Ventus 2, Eliot Ryder, Endorphin Azura, etc) all have at least some levels of extra support or stability built in, but are still considered “neutral” shoes. A little extra stability and support goes a long way, so great job to those companies for giving us mild-stability-needing folks the ability to run in “real” shoes.

The Forever Run Nitro 3’s are full-on stability shoes. Let’s not mistake this fact. They have the extra padding and guidance system in there, and are wide platform shoes. They are essentially the love child of the MagMax Nitro and the Velocity, where they are wide, plush, comfortable as hell, and also built to be supportive and encourage a natural running motion. There is a rocker, but it’s very minimal, and doesn’t do a ton of work for you, but paired with the guidance system, the overall build is extremely supportive of the legs.

For someone like me, these are going to be the ultimate recovery shoes. Plush, but still firm and stable, and built to take a lot of pressure and tension off of the legs. I will say that, after running in the New Balance SC Rebels yesterday, the weight of these and lack of aggressive rocker did take a mile or so to adjust to. Once my body understood that this was not a speed day and that the shoe was not going to do the work for me, my legs and hips adjusted and the remainder of the run was a smooth and easy joyous occasion.

Now, onto today’s run:

Distance: 7.6 miles

Pace: 8:02

Terrain/Weather: Hilly and undulating sidewalk and roadway neighborhood run. 62-64 degrees. No cloud cover. 6-8mph wind gusts. No humidity. Clear air quality.

Listening to: Testing out my Marathon Playlist (everything from Terror to Dave Matthews Band to Cannibal Corpse…need a lot of music to fill 3:30-3:59:59 worth of time, you know?)

Joy level: Moderate-to-High

Fit:

I compared these to the love child of the MagMax and the Velocity, as the width of the upper is definitely less wide and accommodating than the MagMax Nitro 2 (which is basically the most comfortable and well constructed upper ever), and much more similar to a more plush and soft version of the Velocity Nitro 4. They are immediately very comfortable and secure feeling, but with more firmness and stability than the MagMax.

Upper: More plush Velocity Nitro 4
Base: Less squishy MagMax Nitro 2

Just like all Pumas, the tongue, laces and lockdown are exemplary, and should be studied for generations. They do a better job with plush uppers than anyone, and yes I’m fervently including Nike’s Vomero line in there. Pure comfort.

Like I said earlier, they are more narrow than the MagMax, so keep that in mind when you slip your foot in. These do not feel like giant puffy spa day shoes like the MagMax do. They look similar and function similarly, but these are meant to be stability running shoes, and I credit the hell out of Puma for making these legit shoes for legit running.

Ride:

My men’s size 8.5’s of these came in at 273 grams, which is heavy. The MagMax Nitro 2 were around 260, the Saucony Paramount Max is also around 260, the Vomero Plus is around that same range. When it comes to the “up-tempo recovery shoe” world, you are generally going to find shoes to be in this weight range. So, while these are heavy, they are not bad at all for a stability shoe, and the fact that they are able to remain in the same general weight category of neutral shoes, that are generally comparable to them in function, is very impressive. So, they are too heavy, but not TOO heavy. I have been delving more into lightweight and plated shoes, so the heavier shoes definitely feel heavier than they used to. If you usually wear shoes like the ones mentioned above, you wouldn’t even notice these feeling heavy. You’d likely be shocked that a stability shoe could be as light and nimble as these feel.

The midsole is supportive and soft, but not squishy. It’s nicely stable and firm, which is a great thing for these shoes, as it allows them to function more as actual running shoes, and not only stability-focused-pseudo-runners. The outsole is Puma Grip, which is the best grip by far, and is the reason why my late fall, winter and early spring runs are generally mostly in Pumas. It rains here in the PNW, in case you were unaware, and let me tell you, that Puma Grip is a damn life saver on rainy day runs. The stability of these shoes and the grip of the outsole made the run so incredibly smooth and consistent feeling, and it was a genuine treat for my limbs. I feel like I could have done a backflip or something, had I chosen to do so. Or at least kind of flung myself backwards onto my head and neck, and then ceased to be alive. Back flip.

I like a rocker, and it’s the one thing I tend to dock points to Puma on, as they generally have limited rocker focus, but the rocker in these felt more noticeable than the MagMax or the Deviate Pure (which, now that I say it, I think is rocker-less entirely?), so while these are heavy and just naturally a little more bulky because of the stability components, they do not feel overwhelmingly bulky or too bulbous to navigate (learn this lesson, Saucony Paramount Max’s).

Overall thoughts on Puma Forever Run Nitro 3:

I have a marathon on Sunday (and a competition shakeout 5k tomorrow night) so I was excited to run in these and go very slow and stable today, but I ended up going faster than I anticipated. Yes, these are stability shoes, and will be great as recovery shoes for yours truly, but make no mistake, these are running shoes.

Fantastic daily training option for anyone who has mild to moderate stability needs. Also a fantastic option for anyone who has just a tiny, mostly insignificant amount of stability needs, who wants to use these as true recovery shoes, where the shoe helps your feet and legs to use less effort and energy to correct your form on each stride, and get a little relief in that area.

As far as stability shoes go, these are the best that I’ve tried. I haven’t tried that many, so I am no expert, but these are actual running shoes that feature all of the fun that Puma puts into the rest of their shoes, but with a little added guidance and support. Love child of the MagMax and the Velocity (complementary).

Also, for the record, Forever Run is a damn good name, and my initial response was that I wish they didn’t “waste” that name on their stability line, but shame on me, let the stability needers get the cool thing in the running world for once. Hell yeah, stability crew.

Stability Shoe Score: 9.8/10
Overall Score: 8.8/10

Not the first shoe I’d pick up on a random run day, but for recovery or a day where I’m feeling the need for some extra support and guidance to help me get through my run, these are absolute bangers.

I never liked New Balance. Thought they were boring shoes for boring people.

Then they released the FuelCell Rebel v5, which I thought was one of the sexiest looking running shoes ever, and my wife (who is a New Balance, Topo and Altra evangelist) loved her pair, and looked real good running in them.

So, I bought myself a pair of bright pink FuelCell Rebel v5’s, strapped them on, ran seven miles in them, and hated them more with each mile. I was recovering from an injury, and the way they sat against my peroneus tertius (I’m basically a doctor) caused just enough discomfort that I knew these weren’t for me. I beat up the outsole pretty badly during that poor form run, so rather than return a shoe that they’d probably have to throw away, I just donated them (I’m basically a doctor and also a good samaritan….the perfect man? Nope, I’m very short and bald.). The New Balance dream was dead.

Then, some of you may remember that I recently decided to give them another shot, as I needed some shoes to wear to some music festivals, and while I remembered hating running in the Rebels, I also remembered that I was injured at the time and that the injury possibly impacted the experience. So, I got an all black pair and tried again. This time, to my surprise, I still hated them. Felt lifeless, squishy, but not bouncy at all, and unstable for my kind of foot striking. So, there’s that.

Just then, my wife burst through the door like the Kool Aid Man™️ and suggested that I give NB one last try, with the 1080v15. I scoffed and pouted, but reluctantly agreed to try them. Got an all black pair to wear to my festivals, and they were unconscionably comfortable, so I figured I’d run in them. And yeah, finally found a NB shoe that I not only liked, but a NB shoe that restored my faith and excitement in both New Balance, but also in life. Because what is life without large corporations to attach our allegiances to?

Anyway, since the 1080v15’s blew me away so thoroughly, I felt like it was my destiny to try out these SuperComp Rebels. It was an opportunity to come full circle and allow the Infinion midsole foam the opportunity to change my opinion on the Rebel line, now and forever.

Now that we are 412 words into this, you can proceed to the actual shoe review, if you dare…

🏃‍♂️ Distance: 9.12 miles

⌛️Pace: 7:39

☀️🏜️ Terrain/Weather: Hilly and undulating neighborhood sidewalks and roadways. 61 degrees. No clouds. 6mph breeze. 59 degree dew point.

🎧 Listening: “Burn Yourself Alive,” by The Warriors, and then also the new Comeback Kid single multiple times, because obviously. They are touring together in the fall and I shall see them in November. CBK is my #2 hardcore band of all time, behind Terror (the undisputed best hardcore band of all time). 90% of my runs have Terror or CBK happening in my ears, so if you ever encounter me, just know that I’m AMPED up and might start swinging if I’m startled.

🧦 Socks: Swiftwick Aspire Quarter Crew Running Socks

☑️ Joy Level: Peak Joy

👟Fit:

While the 1080v15’s have the immediate “slip on in, the water’s fine,” vibes to them, the SC Rebels are absolutely built for speed and running fast, so don’t be discouraged or just give up entirely when they take a little more effort to strap on. I had to loosen the laces up a little more than I normally do to get my foot into the shoe, but once I was in, that FantomFit™️ upper felt like a dream. Extremely secure lockdown, but forgiving and stretchy enough that I felt zero squishing of my feet, toes, or any hot spots at all.

As seems to be the case with all New Balance shoes, the heel counter and ankle padding are extremely comfortable and stable feeling, and hugged my feet extremely well. I’ve seen some reviewers comment on these shoes as needing you to have a “high ankle” for these to feel comfortable, and I’m here to tell you that I absolutely do not have a “high ankle” and these fit like a dream, so don’t believe everything you see or read (especially from me). The tongue is lightweight but also just padded enough that it’s kind of that sweet spot of fit and function, as far as I’m concerned. The laces were excellent as well, in length and stretchiness, and they allowed me to get a great runner’s loop lockdown without any sort of digging into my foot. Soft, stable, secure. That should be New Balance’s tagline for these. I’ll sell the idea to them for a reasonable price. Someone get me Jim New Balance on the phone, stat!

These do also have a wide option, and while I did not need any added width, I think many NB fans will likely prefer the wider option. I do not have narrow feet by any means, and I always prefer a wider platform, and while the platform on these is plenty wide, that upper might just be snug for some folks. I hate going to a store to try things on, so I get it, but just go to your local Dicks or some large retailer, try these on, and if you find ones that fit correctly, go home and order them from a small shoe retailer that deserves your business.

👟Ride:

Man, what a shoe. I’ll get more into application and all of that later, but based purely on the run experience, these are some of the best shoes I’ve run in this year (and in case you haven’t noticed, I’ve run in a few).

The Infinion™️ foam is some of the best in the business right now (yes I am using the “™️” very often this review, as a joke, and this isn’t me becoming “more official” or anything) and the 1080v15’s have become my go-to “eh, I don’t know what I want to run in today…I’ll just grab these” shoe option, which in my opinion means they are, by definition, top tier shoes.

The fact that these shoes have a plate at all is hidden almost entirely by the midsole and the geometry of the shoe. They are so soft and bouncy, but because of the plate and the rocker design, I don’t feel like I am falling backwards like I did in the FuelCell Rebels. Let these shoes be the death of the FuelCell version of the Rebels (don’t tell my wife I said that). The plate is only really felt as you roll through your stride and push off. That’s when it shines and adds that extra pop. Honestly I thought putting the damn plate practically on the outside of the shoe was a strange choice. Now I get it. It’s less about support and stability, and it’s more about the pop that it provides on toe-off. It still does add some extra support and stability feeling, but it does much more work on the performance and speed end than the stability end.

They are also incredibly light. They are not Dynafish light, but these are lighter than my Specter 3’s, and getting this level of weight in what is mostly considered a “daily trainer” vibe, is insanity. In all sincerity, New Balance is doing things with weight reduction in their shoes, that some other very prominent shoe companies could learn a thing or two from. Looking at you, Wolverine boots. Why do my work boots have to weigh 11 pounds? Oh, it’s because there is metal in them? Okay, nevermind.

I also love me a 6-8mm drop. So the 4mm drop in these did make me a little nervous, but the way these are built, that low drop didn’t cause any weird muscle stuff or fatigue for me, so I can confidently say that the 4mm shouldn’t be a deterrent if you are like me and usually shy away from the ultra low drop/no drop shoes.

I wasn’t aiming to run fast today, as I’m taking it a tad easy this week as I lead up to my marathon on Sunday, but I ended up going fast and also felt very good after the run. Legs felt fresh. Ankles and Achilles felt great. Toes still there. Ego felt solid. Hairline still very bad.

These shoes are the “lil’ speedsters” that the FuelCell Rebels tried to be, and succeeded in that goal for some people (many people?), but not for me. New Balance made a snappy, easy riding, cushioned-as-hell daily trainer that has a brilliantly applied plate, top tier foam, and tremendous hybrid race/daily comfort upper, that truly encourages these to be a rare plated shoe that could be used regularly in your rotation.

🤔👀🤷 Overall thoughts on the New Balance SuperComp Rebel V1:

“Who are these for?” “What are these for?” Those are the questions I asked myself as I shelled out $200 for plated daily trainers. After I finished my run, during which I had an absolute blast (even did one of those little jumps where I clicked my heels together because I was so full of joy, and not because that part of the jump was an accident and only happened because I slipped a little), I asked myself these same questions again. I still didn’t really have an answer.

I have been very open about my feelings about shoe companies making “companion shoes” like what ASICS has done with the Blast line, after the “one shoe to do everything, including julienne potatoes” success of the SuperBlast 2. I get it, it’s a business and there is also some truth to having different shoes for different applications, but did we really need to go from the perfect SB2 to the Sonicblast, Megablast and also SuperBlast 3? I say that as someone who would rather lose a finger than my Megablasts, so take my feelings here with a grain of salt. SO, I carried these very intense feelings into the early stages of writing this review.

As a “companion shoe” to the SuperComp Elite, I don’t like these. $200 for a plated daily trainer and then $275 for the slightly different race day shoe? GFY, New Balance.

I am going to choose to review these as a “main attraction” shoe, and pretend the SC Elite doesn’t exist (I say that as someone who is absolutely going to review them in the future, but that’s an issue for future me).

These shoes are fantastic shoes for when you want your daily runs to be a little more fun. You’ll naturally go faster and have a little more pop to your step. Because of the way they are put together I also truly believe that they will be as gentle on your limbs as plated shoes can be. It’s like if your Mizuno Wave Rider 30’s were even more cushioned, and then every boring, stable, but great thing about those shoes was “speed-ified” and “fun-ified.” Honestly I think these will be more gentle and supportive of feet and limbs than the Mizunos, which I realize is a crazy thing to say. I stand by it. The New Balance SC Rebels are like Mizuno Wave Rider 30’s combined with New Balance 1080v15’s, and then everything is just covered in Monster Energy Drink. This is meant to be a compliment, to the fullest degree.

These are going to be great 5k and 10k shoes for people who aren’t going to win the race, but want to be a little extra speedy and have a little extra fun, while also still getting the support and cushion that will likely keep them from injury. These are like Vaporfly’s for slow and aged grandpas. Again, complimentary statement here.

I will update my review of these once I hit 100 miles, because that’ll be the real teller of how good they are, but through one run of just over nine miles, I can confidently say that these would be STELLAR half marathon shoes.

I’m going to use them for my road half marathon in mid-September. I was going to use my Megablasts, but I’m also running a 10k the next day, and quite frankly I believe that these shoes will allow me to be truly competitive in that half marathon, and then still run competitively in that 10k the next day. I’ll report back on that, because if the shoes can perform in that way (which I am pretty confident that they can), then they can officially be removed from the “companion shoe” category entirely, and moved to the “banger, badass half marathon secret weapon” category.

🏅 Score: 9.6/10 🏅

These are officially a top 5 shoe of 2026 for me. If they continue performing this way in a daily miles manner (and make it past 150 miles doing so), and can pass the half marathon test that I’ll put them through in a few weeks, they may end up in the Top 3.

The NEW BALANCE 1080v15 and SC Rebel being the best 1-2 punch in all of running shoes for 2026? Who the hell woulda thought? Not this guy. I love being wrong and growing as a human.

Go team. I’ll let y’all know how my marathon goes on Sunday! 🫡🤝🤘🤞

Big bummer, man. Got these absolutely gorgeous Veloci Featherweights in the mail, and tried them on last night and walked around the house, to get a fit idea and prepare myself to run in them today.

Great, accommodating fit in the heel, ankles, midfoot and especially on the toe box and forefoot. The plate in these is very stiff but extremely comfortable and with the 10mm drop and geometry of the shoe, I feel like these could be some very sneakily fast shoes. Also that outsole is impressive as hell. Sticky and grippy in the right ways. Was very excited to be on the road with these.

Then I laced them up and holy hell guys, what is happening with the tongue on these? Shortest tongue ever. Immediate tendon pain, and I’m extra sensitive to lace bite, but I cannot imagine a single runner who could handle a long run in these shoes, without succumbing to a full inflamed tendon situation. Couldn’t even run in them because of this, as I have my first marathon on Sunday and injuring myself a few days beforehand is PROBABLY not a good decision.

Huge bummer y’all. If they can improve the tongue situation, these could be game changer shoes for fast long run shoes. The build quality is great and the potential here is high and the $200 price point is also high, so as a new brand you have to execute in all areas.

Dealing with the company and customer service has been top notch, so I’ll be returning these and trying the Ascent instead, as they have a much more padded (and hopefully longer) looking tongue.

I will say that I prefer a drop in the 6-8mm range, so the appeal of these for many people, and much of the marketing online having been around their wideness and high drop, doesn’t really matter to me. What I will say is that these shoes are worth trying, even if those things aren’t a selling point for you either.

Thankfully I’ve done enough running in different shoes at this point that I could immediately tell that these shoes, with the current tongue situation, would fully injure me. Building a super shoe/super trainer is hard, y’all. I recognize that. These are almost perfect on the fit side. Just sadly the one gap is too big of one for me to recommend them. Big “hell yeah” to Veloci for what they are doing though, and what they are bringing to the industry.

Hopefully V2 has the tongue figured out because these have the potential to be great.

Will likely have an Ascent review next week!

New Balance SC Rebel review tomorrow. 🫡

Absolutely not. The hype is entirely warranted. Get your hands on these. Honestly that was a great clickbait title, I don’t care what anyone says.

It looks like everyone is getting their Dynafish in the mail this week, and there are a billion reviews out there from other “very, VERY amateur and not spectacular award winning racer professionals” like me, so I’m not going to give some sweeping, long review of these, but here are my thoughts:

I ran a light trail half marathon race yesterday (Used my Mount to Coast “Badwater C135” C1’s for this race distance for the first time, set my PR 1:38:58, and took 1st overall…NO BIG DEAL) but holy hell I was not properly fueled and hydrated leading up to it, and my legs are dead tired today. Also rolled my ankle hard at mile 10, so yeah, my legs didn’t exactly want to run today, but knowing I had the Dynafish waiting for me, my heart was telling me “no,” but my body was telling me “yeeeeessssss.”

Miles: 10.06

Pace: 7:58

Terrain: Undulating and hilly neighborhood sidewalks and roadways

Joy Level: Peak

Fit:
Holy hell these are light. When I first pulled these out of the box, I felt like Will Smith in Men in Black, when he was handed the “Noisey Cricket” for his weapon. I felt like I was about to break those damn things. Fellow millennials, that reference was for you.

Everything is light. The sidewalls, the tongue, the padding. The outsole rubber is phenomenal and strong, and also somehow shockingly light. Truth be told I was worried that they were too lightweight and would just fit poorly, or have strange weak spots from thin material, but yeah I’m telling you nothing new here, and everyone else is saying the same thing, but these are engineered terrifyingly well and the fit is secure and stable.

At 173 grams for my US Men’s Size 8.5, they are 120+ grams lighter than my Vomero 18’s, Winflo 12s, or R.A.D. Mallows, 100 grams lighter than my Gel Nimbus 28s, Vomero Plus or MagMax 2s, 70 grams lighter than my Triumph 24s or MtC C1’s, and 40 grams lighter than my Megablasts or Topo Specter 3s. What I’m telling you is that these things are light. So light that they kind of feel like your entire body might just explode during your first stride in them. I am here to tell you that I have so far not exploded, but I will keep you updated.

Comfortable as hell. Nice, inviting, wide base with plenty of room in the toe box (for me, anyway). Disappear entirely when standing around in them. Function insanely well once activated and do feel like a secret weapon. The secret is out. So they aren’t a secret weapon. A non-secret secret weapon. An open weapon.

Only criticism is one many others have had, where the laces are hilariously flimsy. I chuckled, because the complaints are a-plenty about the laces on these things, and my god they are accurate and warranted. I assume they are so light as it keeps the immediate overall weight of the shoe as low as humanly possible. I am going to swap mine out with some new ones immediately, so I’d love any recommendations of nice laces. Never changes my laces out for different ones before.

Also, for the record, they aren’t “stable” so if you pronate hard or have actual stability needs, these will probably have a similar effect for you that the first gen EVO SL had for me, where they are fun as hell and life changing for 2-3 miles, and then your entire leg flies off after you attempt to take a corner or go downhill. These are stable as hell as neutral trainers, especially for the weight and function, but don’t let me trick you into thinking these aren’t still ultra-lightweight very neutral trainers. I just don’t want to see you hurt (physically or emotionally), my friends.

Ride:
Like I said, my legs were dead today and I had no intention of going 10 miles, and I had ZERO intention of doing so at a sub-8 minute mile pace, but yeah these are lightweight. Have I mentioned that these are lightweight? Pairing the lack of weight with the insane rocker geometry and extremely cushioned but propulsive midsole, these were the absolute perfect recovery shoes. Not what I expected to say for the Xiaonian Dynafish. Recovery shoes that also go fast? We’ve maybe peaked as a society.

They are like a very simplified, much less stable and durable, but also more energetic and lively Superblast 2, or a much more stable and fully cushioned EVO SL. Honestly, these are basically the love child of the SB2 and the EVO SL, where they are fun, stable, and LIGHTWEIGHT. I feel like I haven’t made my point on the weight. I’ll keep working on it.

I did use a runner’s loop/knot for these and it was a perfect choice. I think I’m going to become a runner’s loop/knot guy. It’s just a little added heel and ankle support, and while I’m sure it doesn’t work for every kind of shoe, it caused these to fit like a damn dream. I will say that I am sure these could be pretty unstable for anyone who pronates aggressively, but I’m here to tell you that I cannot wear the regular EVO SLs without collapsing my entire body inward on itself, but these were just fine for me. Much wider base and much better overall stability than the EVO SL, even at the EXTREME lightness of the Dynafish.

Overall thoughts on the Xiaonian Dynafish:
The hype is real and justified. Ever since the EVO SL came out, every daily trainer or “could possibly be a race day shoe but isn’t actually a race day shoe” has been compared to it, and many have been crowned “The EVO SL Killer,” but no other shoes have truly possessed that specific kind of pop and energy boost that made the EVO SL so fun for so many people, and honestly brought an entire new community of people to running. I say this as someone who has always talked maximum shit about that shoe, since it didn’t work for me at all. I have the purple EXO version and I wear them all the time (don’t run in them), so for me to speak kindly and fondly of version one of the Adidas EVO SL, is maybe the biggest accomplishment that the Dynafish could possibly achieve. I’m sure that will translate well on the business side for them.

If you are a neutral runner or someone who doesn’t need a full on stability shoe, and want a lightest of lightweight daily trainer, or race day 5k-10k-half marathon shoe (still not certain that they’ll work well as a marathon shoe, but many people have run marathons in EVO SLs, so what the hell do I know?) these are about as good of a shoe as exists on this planet. And at the $130-$140 price point in the US, they are completely unbeatable.

They are absolutely in my top 5 shoes of 2026, but not yet in my top two or three. Time will tell, as I get more miles in them and understand their limitations. Will definitely do a 100 mile update, very soon! If they hold up and continue being this fun, they’ll absolutely be a top 3 shoe for me for the year. You can slap a guarantee on that one.

Score: 9.6/10

Okay I lied, this was a long review. I got too excited. My second pair of these (from Supwell) arrive tomorrow, as do my Veloci Featherweights, so I’ll have a review of the Veloci shoes up on Tuesday! Then I have no more shoes in the hopper, though I’m thinking I need to try the New Balance SC Rebel, since I hated the functionality of the most recent Rebels so much, and was so saddened because I loved the look of them. 👍✌️

I own three pairs of Vomero Plus, two pairs of Vomero 18, two pairs of Vomero Premium, and two pairs of Pegasus 42. I did try several times to convince myself to buy the Pegasus Premiums, but man, the hype about how awful those are is absolutely real and justified.

Having this robust collection of current Nike shoes, “why on earth would I buy their entry level “paired down” version of the Vomero?” That’s what I said to myself every time I saw the Winflo 12 showing up on review sites, always with rather surprisingly positive reviews. After seeing Supwell give the Winflo a glowing review recently, I figured I’d just see what they were all about. I found my pair for $67, so I figured that was a sign from the gods to finally give these a try.

Didn’t get out of the house until later in the day, because of meetings, so I ran in high UV, zero wind, zero cloud cover, 80 degree weather. For us folks from the PNW, it might as well have been 110 degrees out. We are weaklings. Or at least I am. Anyway, it was warm, and I am someone who is always cold, but even I longed for the oncoming fall weather, during this run. 7.7 miles, 7:38 pace (👀👀🔥), hilly and undulating sidewalks and roadways. I wore white Puma running shorts and a very lightweight and light colored Puma running shirt to help keep me cool, and then I stopped paying attention and put on my thick ass black Nike unicorn crew running socks and my non-breathable black Nike Bowerman TC running hat. So some of me stayed cool at least. Good job, me.

Anyway, about 1/4 mile into the run I realized that these shoes are incredibly comfortable and stable feeling. About 1/2 mile into the run I realized that the fit and feel of these shoes is extremely solid and enjoyable. About 1 mile into the run I realized that the midsole felt similar to the Vomero 18 when I first put them on, but they had rather immediately transformed into the type of midsole feel and ride that I had always wished the Vomero 18 would be (squishy but firm enough to absorb any and all shock and impact, and with enough energy return to allow for an enjoyable run experience, but without the unstable feeling bounce that comes from the ZoomX in the Vomero 18’s, and the even more unstable bounce that comes from the version of the foam in the Vomero Plus.

This is the best daily trainer that Nike has right now, y’all. This isn’t me being a contrarian or shit talker, this is facts and logic. This is science. Sub-$70 shoes (obviously on sale, I’m not sure what the regular price is, but I’m assuming they are like $110 max) that are actually good. What a time to be alive. Now that I have said this, I don’t love Nike’s running shoes. As I’ve worked my way through so many shoes and shoe companies, I think Nike is making inferior shoes to the competition at this point, so these shoes are fantastic, and also they are fantastic for Nike’s. So keep that in mind when you see my score.

Fit:
Far and away the most comfortable and easy fitting shoe from Nike that I’ve put on in a long time (maybe ever). The laces are very nice and simple, the upper is a soft but very comfortable and stable mesh with open holes for breathability, and the tongue is very soft and sits in place nicely during the run, without being too thin or too bulbous. I haven’t tried the Structure line, but compared to the Vomero and Pegasus lines, these feel wide and stable like Nike’s basketball shoes. I have a pair of Giannis basketball shoes that I love, and these have a similar feeling fit upon the initial step in and lace up. For some people, they might not immediately feel enough like “running shoes,” but I’m here to tell you that they will function very well from everyday wear, up to slower runs (10mm drop so good for heel strikers and recovery runs), but that midsole (Cushlon 3.0 - my god they really are running out of names for this stuff, aren’t they?) is also firm and responsive enough that you can absolutely take it up a notch for intervals or some speed training.

The Vomero 18 always felt like they should be able to do this same thing, but they always just felt like bricks to me, and like they were lacking that “pop and energy” that we were promised by the nefarious “Big ZoomX lobby”. The Vomero Plus can handle that wide range of uses, but for me they fall flat and the instability of the build and midsole combination just makes me want to choose different shoes for whatever type of running I’m about to do (much better options out there, in all areas).

Ride:
Now that you’ve gotten over these shoes feeling somewhat like basketball shoes and you are starting to run in them, you’ll quickly realize that these are truer daily trainers than anything you’ve seen from Nike in a while. They have the “old school” trainer vibe, and honestly Nike should probably lean back into that space, since the Vomero line has seemed to quickly go pretty stale (other than the novelty of the Premium still holding our collective attention) for many people, and the Pegasus line is just dead. I say that as someone who wears my Pegasus 42’s all the time as regular shoes. Those things are tanks. Would NEVER run in them, but you get my point.

As with the shoes in the Vomero and Pegasus (and theoretically Structure) lines, the Winflo 12’s are great for heel strikers. I am not a heel striker, which is part of why I don’t experience the full joy or benefit of these types of shoes, but even as a midfoot boy, these worked very well. I felt incredibly supported and cushioned with each step, and I never felt any of the instability that exists for me with the 18’s or Vomero Plus.

The only extremely large criticism I have for these shoes is that, just like with the V18’s, these are comically heavy. They are a little lighter than the 18’s, but still unacceptably heavy compared to the competition that exists in the running shoe world these days. It’s the same reason why I absolutely adore my R.A.D. Mallows, but I only wear them as “walkin’ around” shoes at this point. Daily trainers cannot be 280 grams or higher for Men’s Size 8.5’s. They cannot be 270 or higher, for that matter. I can handle something in the 255-265 range, but once you creep up near 300 grams, you really start to feel that weight in your legs over time. So while these were a surprising joy to run in, my legs felt similarly to how they always felt after a 7+ mile run in the V18’s, and that feeling is dead-tired.

If New Balance, ADIDAS, ASICS, Saucony, and pretty much all of Nike’s direct competitors can produce similarly stacked daily trainers that are 50-60 grams lighter, it’s a pretty clear indication that Nike needs to figure something out.

Overall thoughts on the Nike Winflo 12:
These really did surprise me, even after reading and seeing all of the hype about them. These are considered to be “entry level” running shoes for Nike, and I think it’s really cool that people who aren’t sending themselves into financial ruin from buying tons of $200 pairs of running shoes, can scoop these up for under $100 and have real, high functioning daily trainers. That’s important. So yeah, it’s crazy that these are better functioning shoes than the Vomeros or the Pegasus, but also good job to Nike for not just making their budget shoes the crappy versions of something else.

These are their own thing, and while they share some traits with the Vomero 18’s, the added stability and (in my opinion) superior midsole that the Winflo 12’s possess, make them not only the best value in the Nike shoe game right now, but they are also the best shoe for your daily runs, in general. Hell yeah, Nike.

Score: 7.9/10

Order of best current trainers from Nike:

Winflo 12
Vomero Plus
Vomero 18
Pegasus Plus
Pegasus 42

Also I did include someone else’s picture from the run I did for Rose Endurance this last weekend, since I didn’t get any of my own, and I wanted to remind everyone that I’m an actual human person and not AI like that one guy said. 💪😂

Oh hello again, friends. Just got back from a lovely long weekend in LA, where I went to the Sound and Fury festival, and also amassed five fantastic LA-centric runs.

One of those runs was a “coolest 5k run opportunity of my life” through DTLA, with Rose Endurance (for their Terror merch collaboration, for which I bought one of every item…my poor wallet) and a bunch of important people from the hardcore music world (wore On Cloudmonster 3 Hypers). Very, very cool experience.

Another run was a gorgeous 5.2 miles along the Santa Monica Pier area (wore Puma Deviate Pure Nitro - my very favorite bright-hot-red colorway - these are the shoes I get the most compliments on whenever I wear them in public, which I normally wear as “everyday walkin’ around” shoes).

One was a 7.2 mile run from Exposition Park back to my hotel in Hollywood (wore On Cloudmonster 3 Hypers again). It was 74 degrees, partly cloudy, a nice little breeze, and just perfect weather to run across town. Several strangers gave me genuine, non-sarcastic high fives as I ran by them. California people are nicer than us PNW people. That’s a fact. Here, people usually just look at you like you are a weirdo for running in public.

The other two were both runs from my hotel up to Griffith Observatory and back. Honestly planned on doing something different that last day, but holy hell that’s a fun, gorgeous, and uniquely LA run, so I did just do it twice. Each time I went for 7.8 miles and wore my black New Balance 1080v15’s, and each time I was just more impressed with those damn things. Honestly mad that it took me so long to give them an actual shot. That Infinion foam is something special, y’all. But you all already knew this fact. I was the last to the party.

Anyway, today we are talking about another shoe brand that I have slept on, and regret not checking out much sooner. The VENTUS 2 from 361°.

I knew nothing about this brand until I saw an ad on Instagram, and it wasn’t even for this model. I think the ad was for the Miro, which got my attention because that’s a damn good looking shoe. After checking out their website, I knew I wanted to give them a try, and I debated between the ELEOS 2 and the VENTUS 2, and I was sold by the VENTUS’s dual foam midsole, with the CQT EXTREM3 supercritical PEBA foam on top, which they claimed would give the shoe some extra pop and then their “standard” Primo foam on the bottom to help absorb the beating and allow for longer and smoother runs. Seems like the ELEOS 2 is meant to be a more “regular” daily trainer, and the VENTUS is the upgraded model with more performance-based cushioning and geometry, and two midsole foams, rather than one? I’m still learning about them myself, so correct me if you know more than me. The insole is also their “Comfort Foam” and is aimed at “moisture management and breathability,” so yeah, they have all of the right buzzwords in their marketing. Also they are almost the same price, so I figured I might as well get the “premium, but still reasonably priced” option.

The other thing that sold me on giving these a shot is that they talk a lot about their “Comfort Pressure-Free” tongue, midfoot lockdown build, and smooth, plush foam padding in the heel collar, that helps maintain stability and comfort for long runs. After all of my lace bite injury trauma thanks to Hoka’s Speedgoat 7’s, and ankle and heel injury trauma from Adidas Hyperboost Edges (still sad about that, because the shoe was fun as hell to run in) I figured that these shoes looked interesting and had enough potential, that they’d be worth me trying out a lesser known/smaller brand for the first time.

Today’s run was 7.1 miles throughout my neighborhood (you know, hilly and undulating) in a partly cloudy 66 degree morning. I moved so much this weekend that I had planned on only going about 5 miles today, but the shoes felt so good that I just kept on a-goin’. 7:58 pace, and that came with feeling like I was taking it very easy. For me, usually the cushioned, long run shoes take a little bit of oomph and effort to average under 8-minutes per mile over 7+ miles, but these felt like a dream underfoot, and I felt stable and energetically moving forward the whole time. No heel sink on these (looking at you, UFOs, SB3s and Atmos 2s).

Fit:
Yeah that micro-elastic mesh upper is incredibly comfortable and lightweight. I first thought the shoes looked a little narrow, but once they were on foot they were extremely comfortable and stable, while still stretchy and forgiving enough that I had zero complaints at all. The build quality is exemplary, and these felt so secure on my feet, while also truly having that “I can run for a long-ass time in these” feeling, which usually comes at the expense of a secure lockdown for me. Having that stable feeling and also the feeling of lightness and breathability…chef’s kiss as far as my ideal type of fit, right there.

The other key to the comfort and feeling of security and stability is that tongue. Very soft and also long and large enough that it snugly covers the upper portion of the foot very nicely, but remains softly supportive, instead of digging in or feeling like it is getting in the way. The tongue description is what sold me on these shoes, and it lived up to the damn hype, y’all. Perfectly comfortable up top. Perfect half marathon “comfy boy” shoes, in my opinion.

Ride:
I realize that everyone is using ultra-advanced foams in the midsoles these days, but whatever is going on here in this foam combination, is something special. Walking around in my house, they felt like nice light, springy, comfortable and stable shoes, but the minute I started running, they kicked into gear and the performance element of these shoes really took over. That top layer is ASICS Megablast-ish, and that bottom layer is Tracksmith Eliot Ryder-ish, which is a damn glorious feeling underfoot.

I love an 8mm drop, and the weight is pretty low for shoes that can handle long cruising, but to be honest I am a stack snob (or so I thought) and I am generally not very interested in shoes that have “2” at the beginning of stack height number for the forefoot of the shoe. A 34mm/42mm stack? Oh hell yeah. 45mm in the heel? Now you’re talking.

I realized that I hadn’t even looked at the stack height on these at all before buying them, so I was shocked after my run today, when I finally read that they are 27mm/35mm in stack height. No wonder they felt so nimble and “quick” to me. That midsole kept me from feeling any ground noise at all, which is how I like it. I like cushion and I like to feel like I’m floating a bit, and these shoes absolutely provided that, but with a significant increase in stability and the actual ability to turn and change directions. Wait, is that why my wife likes lower stack heights? Have I just been incorrectly assuming she’s a crazy person? My world is suddenly upside down, thanks to these shoes. Anyway, apparently you can have excellent cushioning and minimal ground feel, and also not need a 55mm stack height in the heel. You learn something new everyday, folks. 🤷

These shoes felt quick, nimble, stable, plush, and sustaining for the entirety of my run. I only went 7.1 in them, but I can already tell that these are truly perfect non-plated half marathon shoes; especially if you want something different than what everyone else is wearing, or if you want to run in something fun and new feeling. They are unique in both function and visual appearance, and for a non-big brand, that’s very exciting.

Wear these to your run club and watch Sheila stare daggers of jealousy at you, until you are a few miles in, and she’s way behind you. To be fair she is wearing her Evo SL’s and has rolled her ankles 600 times.

Final thoughts on the VENTUS 2 from 361°:
Generally, I put these in the same larger category as the New Balance 1080v15, Saucony Triumph 24, and the Mizuno Wave Rider 30. Very cushioned, stable, and geared towards solid and comfy daily miles. That said, they also have an impressive amount of “get up and go,” similar to the Saucony Endorphin Azura or the ASICS Novablast 6, due to that snappier top foam. THEN, add in the fact that these can very clearly function for longer runs and maintain their integrity and comfort, both in the upper and underfoot, and we are seeing shades of Mount to Coast C1 or On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper in there as well. These aren’t quite to that level, but they offer a phenomenal level of legitimate competition to all of these fantastic aforementioned options.

If you want to try something new, and experience something that is familiar in all the right ways, but also unique enough that it’s well worth the very competitive $160 price point, I literally cannot recommend these highly enough. Am officially a fan of this brand. I did it. Go me.

Score: 9.1/10
One of the best daily trainer-to-long-run-handling shoes of the year

Very excited to review these ones for y’all!

I have the 361 Ventus 2 review coming today, the Nike Winflo 12 coming tomorrow (allegedly the secret best Nike running shoe right now?), and the Veloci Featherweight coming next week. Stay tuned.

Took the Badwater C1’s (yes, I recognize that it is basically “stolen valor” running in these, since I could obviously not survive the actual Badwater race) out for 16.2 miles this morning, as I continue to train for my upcoming marathon. Also these are technically called C135’s, but they are just C1’s with a different and more reflective colorway and a slightly “quicker drying” upper. They are C1’s. I’ve closely compared my other C1’s to these, and yeah, C1’s.

I’ve been doing most of my long run training in these shoes, and my aim is to run the actual marathon in my black MtC C1’s, which my nine year old will be covering with shimmery Sharpie pen drawings of cute, big-eyed cats, for race day. It’s a family affair up in here.

This run was just a double loop of my usual 8+ mile neighborhood run, which I usually try to avoid doing, but I was in such a locked in zone today that it was a surmountable challenge for yours truly. I love loops in races, as it helps me separate out the segments and the strategy for each one, but when I’m doing daily runs I try to avoid repeating anything unless I have to. Sadly, when the training distances expand, sometimes you have to take a long, hard look in the mirror and say, “hey, you are going to run two eight mile loops today, and you are going to be okay, and you are handsome.” Today was one of those days. We can do hard things, friends.

It was high UV today and 72-74 degrees, but I was cruising (for me) and sat at an 8:08 pace for this run. Boston here I come (jk, I will be running my marathon in these “illegal” shoes and therefore can’t qualify, and I’m okay with that).

Like the headline says, these are just the most consistent, stable, high functioning, and boring (complimentary) shoes of the year. They function perfectly, and really just accent and highlight the running experience, while not doing anything to take away the natural feeling of it. The stack height is perfect (42mm in the hell is technically high but they do not feel excessively high whatsoever). The midsole is the exact perfect balance of supportive cushioning and moderate springy energy return. They are not bouncy and they are not launching you, but they support the stride so well, and the components work in concert so perfectly with each other, that you will feel like you can push yourself a little faster and a lot longer than you thought you had in you.

Every time I’ve run in the C1’s, now with over 230 miles combined in these and my lavender colorway (my actual favorite, and I use them less often, just to protect them and keep them looking so beautiful), I completely forget about my shoes and feet in general. For some people that might be a negative. Some people want to feel very connected to the ground and feel extreme pop or extreme bounce from their shoe. Some of us, however, would rather just feel like we are in that zone where we are essentially having an out of body experience, and the run is the overall feeling and vibe, and we are truly connecting our internal energy with that of the world around us. Have I mentioned that I’m both a hardcore punk guy and also apparently a giant tree hugging hippie? Okay, this review turned way too existential, sorry guys. The important thing to remember is that I am totally cool and legit, and if I can convince my nine year old into thinking that is the case, maybe I can do the same for y’all! Anyway, yeah, these are shoes for the hippies, the normal folks, and the punks, alike. We can all come together as one.

The lacing is still strong and great on these, the upper material is still extremely stable and secure (and comfortable) and though they look pretty damn ugly now that they are a little dirty and grimy (this colorway specifically is impressively ugly in general, in my opinion), they also would likely look almost new if I took the time to fully clean them. I mean look at that outsole. There is absolutely zero breakdown happening, and as a mild to moderate pronation-king (depending on the shoes…EVO SL’s cause me essentially run with fully sideways feet, for example) I am just amazed at how stable the midsole has remained, and how the wear on the outsole is extremely minimal, and also consistent across the entire platform (rather than just in my usual hot spots of visible degradation). Goes to show how stable and secure these shoes are, and how consistent of a foot strike they encourage.

Most importantly, I still feel the same energy return and comfort from these shoes that I felt on my first run. I’ve noticed that because my form doesn’t break down over time as badly in these shoes, I do less “stomp-running,” which is both good for me and my joints/limbs/pride, but also for the midsole foam and shoes in general. It’s going to be a key reason that I feel extremely confident that these are going to perform at top levels up to the 300-350 mile mark, and likely perform just fine after that as well, up to well over the 400 mile mark. Like I said, these shoes just encourage a symbiotic relationship between the runner, the tools of the run, and the roadway in front of us (hippie talk).

As I near the 200 mile mark in these, I’m reminded that there are absolutely cooler and more exciting shoes that have come out in 2026.

Topo Specter 3, On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper, ASICS Megablast, R.A.D. UFO, Saucony Paramount Max and Endorphin Azura, etc., are all shoes that are more interesting on paper than anything Mount to Coast has brought to market. That being said, there are days where you want the cool new thing with the bonkers technology, foam and geometric design. There are also days where you want a shoe that brings just the right combination of design and technology, where the run itself is highlighted and elevated. That’s where these come in.

These are performance trainers that make the running experience about you, the runner, and the run itself, rather than shoes that make the experience about them. They blend into your experience and carry you through the difficult stretches, whenever you need them to. These are selfless shoes. They want you to be happy, even if it means eating McDonald’s for dinner again, when they really wanted Arby’s this time around. They’ll make that compromise for you, to allow you to experience your joy. Then they will get Arby’s later and eat it in secret in the car, on the way home from the gym. Maybe this is actually an unhealthy relationship for the C1’s, but the point is that these are fantastic shoes, and these shoes deserve an absolute unlimited supply of Arby’s roast beef, and honestly they deserve better than us and we don’t appreciate them enough. My god, just get Arby’s for dinner instead of McDonald’s for once in your life, to make your running shoes happy.

Updated score: 9.8/10 (current top overall shoe of 2026)

Today felt like an appropriate day to double up, as I ran in the ASICS Gel Nimbus 28 this morning, and then spent the next couple of hours galavanting around the house in these absurdly hilarious Allday Knit grandpa sweater shoes from known sweater brand NOBULL.

This was my first ever time trying to Gel Nimbus line. To be honest, since their whole vibe is about squishy gel cushioning and the abject lack of any sort of energy return, I wasn’t exactly waiting in line at midnight on release day to pick these up. One thing I will say is that I think this line seems to get some of the coolest colorways in all of ASICS-dom, every time they release a new iteration of them. The ones I picked up are no exception. Absolutely love this vibe. Makes me feel like I’m at the club, but instead of dancing wildly everyone there is napping. My kind of club experience.

Took these for 8.2 miles this morning, in gorgeously overcast and cool weather, but extremely high humidity for the PNW, so I did sweat far more than usual. Interestingly, this is the first time I’ve noticed my shoes actually not breathing much and feeling warm. Like, first time ever. I was wearing some Puma socks that were by no means moisture wicking or anything of that nature, so there’s a chance that the humid weather and the socks were a main culprit, but if I never noticed shoes feeling warm, and I did notice it on these, that’s definitely something worth paying attention to for anyone whose feet run hot. I did run at a 7:56 pace, which was faster than I thought these shoes would allow. They have no energy return, but are far lighter than I was expecting, and the ASICS build geometry is always good for helping to aid in the run, so these did perform above expectations.

Fit:
Ultimate comfort. My goodness. That scorchingly hot upper is also scorchingly plush and soft, and sock-like. Very nice. The tongue is very thin (which I don’t like), but it wraps the foot nicely and offers even more comfort and luxury. I will say that you’ll want to experiment with the lacing, as I tied mine a bit too snug and had some red marking on the top of my feet (both sides). This could have been a combination of these Puma socks and just tying the laces too tight, but the very thin tongue also doesn’t protect much against lace bite, and as someone extraordinary sensitive to that, just beware. Maybe runner’s knot these and don’t tie them super tightly in the process. The toe box is perhaps a little tapered and may feel a tiny bit narrow for some folks, but the rest is the shoe is wide based and very stable and comfortable feeling. Very high end and comfortably snug upper, in mostly all good ways.

Ride:
I felt like I could run 500 miles in these. You know that song about walking 500 miles and then walking 500 more? It’s about these shoes. I really missed the boat on the previous versions of these, just because of my low energy return bias (technically the MagMax 2’s have low energy return too, and they are maybe the sneaky-best max stack recovery and long run shoe of the year). Apparently low energy doesn’t mean low levels of fun or joy. I need to tell this fact to my nine year old.

The gel is soft and squishy and spa-like, and while you don’t feel the midsole launching you, it absolutely still enables you to keep a moderate pace. In fact, it allows you to keep a moderate pace for a hell of a long time (next week Wednesday I’m going 15 miles in these as part of my marathon training) and feel very little impact on the legs or joints. Again, if you lace them correctly for your feet, there is basically nothing but stable and luxurious cushion under foot. If you lace them too tight like I did, you may feel a little lace bite. Thankfully it was nothing severe at all though.

Overall thoughts on the ASICS Gel Nimbus 28:
These are a real joy to run in, and are different enough and unique feeling enough that they do feel justified in the “actual, true, non-pseudo recovery, but actual, real recovery, and/or run club with your very slow and mostly unengaged in running friends, and/or run to and from the taphouse for a beer” role within your rotation. Honestly, these felt nothing like any of my other shoes, and because of that they have a novelty that I’m very into and one that’ll be a fun option for days where I’m bored of the other options in my closet.

I will say that there’s a vague similarity in the feeling of this gel, and the feeling of the incrediLUX foam that Saucony has in its Triumph 24. The big difference is that the Triumph has that luxurious squish feeling, but also has extremely impressive snappiness to it, and encourages more aggressive and active daily training runs. Okay maybe aggressive is the wrong term, but you get the idea. So, if you are like me and you want as wide of a range of shoes as possible, because you have a significant problem, then absolutely add these to your rotation. Otherwise you can get most everything from the Triumphs or the Paramount Max that you can get from the Gel Nimbus 28.

Score: 8.3/10

Quick review of the “funky sweater dad” shoes from NOBULL:

Okay I bought my wife and I each a pair of these as a joke, because we are going to go on a cruise later in the year and I said we could wear these with our linen pants and shirts and exist in ultimate comfort. I am funny. I swear to you that I am. Also, in retrospect you don’t wear sweater shoes on a cruise. You wear like flip flops, or even better I can wear my stupid Nike recovery slide Croc knockoffs. Okay, anyway, I just wanted to get these, and I got them. I made a choice as an adult and I got them.

So these are very stupid, but are extremely comfortable and somehow literally stable and supportive enough that I feel like I could walk around all day in them. Supportive feet sweaters.

I am not a CrossFit or hyrox guy (my phone initially autocorrected hyrox to gyros, and I am that guy) so I haven’t ever really had genuine interest in the NOBULL brand, but honestly I can already tell that I am going to wear these every single day this fall. Leaves on the ground? Sweater shoes. Overcast skies? Halloween vibes? Watching football and eating a full football helmet of cheese dip? You guessed it, sweater shoes.

When it comes to novelty comfort shoes that are made to be a sock and also a sweater and also probably something you can do squats in, apparently NOBULL is truly the top of the line option.

Score: 🍂🍁🎃🌫️🍃🏈**🫕/1**0

What a day. I’ve finally found a pair of New Balance shoes that brought me joy and excitement, and were actually fun to run in. The 1080v15’s are the real deal, y’all.

I returned the all black Rebels that I tried a couple weeks back and decided to replace them with these all black 1080v15’s. The Rebels bored the absolute hell out of me for running purposes, but did function just fine as “standing just far enough outside of the pit area as to not die at the hardcore festival” shoes. As a result, I decided to upgrade to some higher-end all black NB shoes for this upcoming weekend’s hardcore festival, for which I’m traveling to LA. Gotta have the fancy all black NB shoes when in LA. This is primarily why I prefer being a Portland hardcore fan and runner guy, as I can be pure trash here and I fit right in.

I took these bad boys out for 12 miles this morning, with clear sunny skies, 60-64 degrees temps, low humidity, minimal wind, and my usual hilly and undulating road and sidewalk route. I did consider looping a bit at the end to try to hit the half marathon distance, but my Apple Watch had just died, and if my Run App couldn’t capture that extra distance traveled, did it even really happen? Anyway, the run was a significant joy, and I cruised at 7:58 per mile pace. I needed to pick up the pace a bit over the last two miles to end up with a sub-8 minute pace, and the shoes absolutely aided in that achievement. I didn’t think you had it in you, New Balance. I wasn’t familiar with your game.

Fit:
Far and away the most comfortable NB shoes I’ve ever had on my feet, and that’s saying something considering the only real compliment I’ve ever given to NB is that their shoes are generally very comfortable. I think their shoes are generally pretty ugly and boring, and I get that Shohei Ohtani wears them, but so does my 80 year old father.

The upper is extremely plush and stable feeling, with a perfect softness and stability combo in the heel and ankle of the shoe. Still neutral feeling, but neutral in a way where I can take a corner and not go flying into a mailbox or toddler in a stroller. Fantastic tongue and lacing as well. The base is definitely wide, so I presume the wide and extra wide versions of this shoe are like the absolute perfect shoe for folks with slightly wide, up to comically wide feet. Hell yeah, New Balance. Shoes for the real people in the world. Any time a brand is willing to make shoes that aren’t just for one specific foot type, they score major points with me (which I assume is their main goal as a corporation).

These are going to be great “standing around at the hardcore fest all day, for multiple days” shoes as well. Very cushioned and plush, and not wobbly feeling at all. I guess that’s the main compliment I have for NB at this point. The anti-wobble shoe brand. Don’t get me wrong, I love feeling drunk and disoriented as much as the next guy, but I prefer to get that way through consumption of hazy IPAs and a grapefruit radler or two, and not via my support-less shoes.

Ride:
Very impressive job by NB on the geometric design of these shoes. The 6mm drop paired with this new midsole foam (I guess these have been out for a while so they probably have a newer version already) felt so stable and gently energetic underfoot, and I didn’t feel like any portion of my foot or legs had to work extra hard or to overcompensate for any other portion. After running in the Vomero Plus yesterday, these felt like a damn day at the stability and support spa. There is also absolutely some “get up”’in these shoes. As I mentioned above, when I made the decision to take things up a notch to try to bring my average mile time down, the shoes did their part. In fact, in retrospect, I had already done 10 miles in these shoes before I upped the pace pretty dramatically. I’m even more impressed now. No midsole dying at all during the entire run. Also didn’t feel any weakening or material breakdown in the upper over the 12 miles, so unlike the complete falling apart the V+’s did on me yesterday, these are truly capable of sustained performance for a long run. Excited to get many more miles on these so I can provide y’all with a 100+ mile update.

Only criticism I’ll give here is that this outsole handled the distance well, and I’m not seeing any noticeable wear yet, but these might suffer from some pretty severe exposed foam degradation if you are a heel striker. I have to imagine that roll through will rip that foam apart. Maybe I’m wrong, but if you are a heavier runner, that may be something to take into account. I’m not sure how NB is with warranty claim stuff if that happens quickly, but I know Hoka basically comes to your house and pushes you down if you try to send in a warranty claim, so hopefully NB is kinder.

Final thoughts on New Balance 1080v15:
Yeah these are the best NB shoes I’ve ever experienced, by far. I’ve never coalesced with NB in the past, so my praise is specific to someone who had a good experience with the brand for the first time, BUT I am thoroughly impressed by and excited for my future runs in these shoes.

If we are talking about these versus other highly cushioned daily trainers, I’d put them right up with the Triumph 24’s and Paramount Max in that top tier. I’ve seen some sales going on where you can grab these for under $140. At $170 they are expensive, but they are damn near as good as the Triumphs and better than the Clifton Pro, so at this price point they are still a winner. I am a big fan of the Novablast 6’s, and this may sound blasphemous but I think I honestly would choose these over those. I know, I’m a bad and mean person. Who will think of the poor little shoe companies like ASICS? 😩😱

I’d still probably spend the extra $30 for the Saucony Paramount Max, as those are just fun as hell, but if you are a rational adult these shoes are absolutely perfect for racking up the miles and not hating your life in the process.

Score: 9.4/10

Speaking of ASICS, I’m trying the Gel Nimbus 28’s tomorrow. Stay tuned. 🤘

If you’ve been following my reviews, you know that I like to gently talk smack on the Vomero Plus line, as I’ve just seen so many people wear these in the wrong environments (anywhere that you need any sort of stability support whatsoever, like light trails, or uneven ground, or anything other than a flat, consistent surface) or for the wrong distances (anything over 15k is just not the right application for these shoes), and end up injured.

That being said, I have multiple pairs and when I was first getting very into daily running, these were my go-to shoes. I also have the slime green ones and those all grey ones with like the dark khaki colored accents and swoosh, and yeah, those ones are fly as hell. I prefer my Vomero Premiums from the standpoint of how ridiculous they look and how stabilizing and rehabilitating they feel. The Pluses just feel like I’m constantly wobbling, especially when I’m standing around or slowly walking in them. I really dislike the concept of these being “standing or walkin’ around” shoes for anyone, as the combination of stack height, complete abject lack of stability, and the extremely soft and bouncy midsole, is just begging for ankle or Achilles injuries. For shoes that go up high on the heel and ankles, they have an almost impressive lack of strength and stability to support that area.

While I have my criticisms, I’ve never stopped running in them. I have 97 miles on my slime green V+’s and now over 160 miles on these multicolored fellas. I generally use them for 7-9 miles each time. I go against my own advice and wear them often for my extremely hilly and undulating daily runs, so I’m a hypocrite and an asshole, and also I can confirm, as someone who has used them on the improper terrain, as well as on the correct terrain, they are genuinely amazing shoes when utilized properly. It has maybe just now dawned on me that my criticism of these shoes is because I normally use them in my daily runs and it’s all hills and turns. Am I the problem? What have I become?

In a year (and combined 250+ miles) of running in my two pairs of these shoes, I can confirm the following:

✔️ The fit feels comfortably locked down in the midfoot and toe box, but also sloppy around the heel and ankles. Very fantastic padding throughout the shoe.

✔️ The tongue is goated and is still one of the best in the business. I will always embrace a little extra weight on my shoe if it means the tongue is padded and comfy against my top-foot joints, ligaments and bones.

✔️ The foam is far less springy in the shoes with 160 miles, compared to the sub-100 miles pair. Both are still extremely bouncy, but 160-mile pair are beginning to feel more “sinking bouncy” rather than “energy bouncy,” which is the whole point of these shoes. The sub-100 miles pair are still “energy bouncy,” but also feel less sloppy overall, so there’s a chance that these shoes change dramatically once they hit the 140-150 mile mark. At least for me. As a reminder I am a light person, but I stomp run, so I do degrade things more quickly than some other runners.

✔️ The outsole looks damn near untouched after 160+ miles. It’s so incredibly impressive. It’s also a frustrating thing about these shoes. Upon looking at them you’d be easily convinced that they would work well for light trails or undulating terrain, because of that incredibly impressive outsole. The next iteration of these shoes might as well shave some weight and reduce the outsole coverage a tiny bit. It’s kind of a waste, which I’m sure most people would disagree with me on.

✔️ I have some foam breakdown and visible degradation on the pronation side, which happens to me in general, but it is pretty extreme on these shoes. The UFOs and Specter 3’s also have that for me, and the Specters are still a top tier shoe for me this year, so it’s not a deal breaker as long as it is not causing failure of the shoe during my runs. So far no injuries from this, so we press on. I did feel the beginning of some pulling happening in my hamstring when I wore the Superblast 3’s, but that was more so because of bottoming out vibes, and a lack of heel support underfoot. I’ve noticed a slight amount of this in the Topo Atmost 2 as well.

✔️ I have generally held around a 7:40 per mile pace in these, when I use them for my 7-9 mile runs. I have noticed that over the last few uses, I’ve been closer to 7:50, so that energy bounce is definitely diminishing. I will run in the other pair again soon to compare, but I do believe that these are great and fun shoes when they are new and more rigid, but as they break in (both midsole and materials on the upper) the feel is just sloppy and uninspired.

ANYWAY, I’m here to say that these shoes will always hold a special place in my heart, and they still look extremely good, so from the standpoint of shoes you can just wear forever, these are right up there. I do think they look cool, but if you are going to commit to giant stack Nike shoes, at this point you just gotta fully commit and go with the very dumb and comically glorious Vomero Premiums. And then for your daily runs you need to stop with the V+ (switch to using these only for moderately paced 5k and under daily runs) and upgrade your daily running experience for anything longer than that.

For daily running in the 5k to 15k range, I recommend switching out your V+ shoes for:

✅ Saucony Triumph 24 (or Paramount Max if you are a person of culture like me)

✅ ASICS Novablast 6

✅ New Balance 1080 v15 (review of these coming later this week)

✅ R.A.D. UFO (if you want a similar but better functional version of the V+)
✅ R.A.D. Mallow (these have the good parts of the Vomero 18 and Vomero Plus, without the bad parts)

R.A.D. shoes are basically Nike shoes (Mallow is a better Vomero 18) combined with ASICS (UFO is a better SuperBlast 3) combined with lifting and "Xtreme" culture, and while that is not entirely my vibe, the shoes are tremendous.

🏆 Or just get the shoe that has even better style and colorways, a better upper fit and feel underfoot, and better everything than the V+, the Puma MagMax 2 Nitro (much less bouncy energy return, but you don’t even notice it because of how well the shoe geometry works during the run. You feel stable and lively and finally happy with all of the choices you’ve made in life. Finally. These are also safe to stand around in, unlike the V+!)

Well I finally gave in and tried the Megablasts, y’all. As a Superblast 2 lover, Novablast 6 fan, and a Grade-A Superblast 3 hater, I really wanted to just hold off on trying the Megablasts as long as possible. The time finally arrived, and today I raw-dogged these shoes in a race against 300 other competitors, because if these are so great they should be able to handle a no-break-in-period competition race, right?

Well I took third overall and set my 10k PR, so as mad as I am to admit it, these are at the very least in my top 5 shoes of 2026. I officially get and embrace the hype. I really wanted to hate on these, but they are pretty damn special. Are they $225 worth of specialness? I will come back and confirm that after I run my next half marathon in them. I also feel like I now have to figure out if I am actually wearing my Mount to Coast C1’s for my marathon in seven weeks, or if I wear these things. They’ve truly messed up my whole approach! Up is down. Black is white. We’ve got no food. We’ve got no jobs. Our pets heads are falling off.

Fit:
I read a lot of critique of these shoes being too narrow or tapered in the toe box, and to be honest that was a reason I wasn’t all that keen to even try them out. I can handle a more narrow toe box (just not the MtC H1 for some reason…that one recently disappointed the hell out of me) but for shoes that you would likely want to bust out for a marathon or even half marathon, you need that room for your feet to swell up a bit.

I’m sure those other folks/reviewers weren’t lying about their experiences, but I will say that I didn’t feel any narrow vibes from these. The base isn’t crazy wide like the SB2 or SB3, and the toe box isn’t wide like the SB2’s, but honestly these just fit like a race-based-upper version of the NB6. The NB6 upper is more comfortable and a little more stable (thicker material) but having just run in them the other day, the Megablast fit felt extremely similar in overall vibes to the NB6. So, if you are afraid of the narrow toe box allegations, I would still recommend trying them for yourself before writing them off like I had. I was mistaken in my assumptions.

The upper is that race shoe thin ass material though, so it’s highly light and breathable, and very impressive and comfortable feeling. Solid lacing system and laces, and the heel collar and ankle support sits at the absolute perfect height for my feet, so I had exemplary support and stability throughout my run. These are right up there with the MtC C1 and On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper for the support and stability I felt. I was not expecting that. I love the UFO and especially love the Specter 3, but those do not have great stability and support, even if you have only ever thought about or dreamed about the concept of pronating. Don’t think about it! Too late, those shoes will be fun for you, but will hurt your ankles. I’m so sorry. The tongue is very light and looks and feels floppy as hell until your foot is in the shoe, at which time it sits nicely against your foot and locks in just fine. I like a padded tongue, even if it adds weight, after my lace bite debacle from the Speedgoat 7’s, but the tongue on these is very comfortable for a thin, wimpy tongue.

The outsole is minimal and will absolutely fall apart with time and miles, but these are really meant for well groomed paths, roads and sidewalks, so as long as you stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to, you’ll be just fine (TLC reference for my Gen X and millennial pals). That said, the grip is actually pretty solid, and I was impressed with them only being dirty on the exposed parts after this run, and not scuffed up much at all.

Ride:
I get it. I understand now. Part of the reason I finally tried these is because I have been extremely impressed with the NB6 and that little pod of “the good foam” in the forefoot of those shoes, and the same “good foam” that the midsole of these shoes is entirely comprised of. Very nice cushioning and support, but firm enough that you feel like you can actually run in them, and not just “homerun trot” your way from Point A to Point B. I criticized ASICS to the highest of heavens about what I thought was just them breaking the SB2 into the Megablast and the SB3 instead of just keeping one supershoe in their lineup, but there really is a reason for the existence of this shoe. It is not going to be quite as “do-it-all” as the SB2, but this is a far superior race day shoe to the SB2, and I don’t say that lightly, as my previous 10k PR was with the SB2. I’m excited to try half marathon distance, and depending on how that goes potentially try them for full marathon distance, because even from just this one 10k run, I can feel the upside and potential in these shoes.

I will say that people have criticized how stiff the ride is in these. I ran a race at the Portland International Raceway on Thursday, and we got to run around the track (which was cool), and I wore my On Cloudmonster 3 Hypers for that (I took 1st overall and my darling took 5th overall, so go Team Us Folks™️) and those are far more stiff of a ride than the Megablasts are. So take that for what it’s worth. The Hypers are still my sleeper hit of the year though and are very likely going to end up as my top shoe, depending on how the half marathons, full marathon, and full marathon trail run go over the course of the remainder of the year. Also what the hell shoe do I wear for a marathon trail run? I’m terrified, y’all.

Don’t be afraid of a stiffer ride, folks. High stack plus stiffer cushioned midsole equals comfort and pace. Put that on a bumper sticker.

If I can maintain a sub-7 minute mile 10k pace in these, you can too, or your money back! Sorry for mixing miles and kilometers together there, but I am drinking a beer and eating ribs while writing this, so I need to stick with the maths that I know. So far no bbq sauce on my phone though, so that’s a win.

Overall thoughts on the ASICS Megablast:
If anything these might be slightly underrated, which sounds bonkers, but with all of the shoes out there now, and with everyone wanting to be a contrarian (myself included), it’s easy to write off the big fancy shoes from the big fancy shoe company. These are perfect race day shoes. Use them for your next 5k of 10k. I’ll confirm for you soon, but I assure you that these will also be fantastic for a half marathon. I may also end up confirming for you soon, but I am pretty confident these could handle a marathon very well. I am truly in shambles now trying to figure out if these are actually the right choice for my first marathon, or if I should just commit to the C1.

I believe that I could comfortably sit in a 7:20-7:50 per mile half marathon pace in these, so if I can do that as someone who is by no means the fastest person ever, I think these are truly fantastic race day shoes for all of us in Runnersville.

The Megablasts could also handle daily miles and probably be very fun for those, but at this price point I believe that these are really meant to be a shoe that you break out when you are running in a race. Something that is timed and there are Port Authority tech shirts, finisher medals, age-specific awards, and a beer garden that offers a wide variety of Coors Light.

Score: 9.7/10

Right up there with the Topo Specter 3 and On Cloudmonster Hyper 3 as my top “running a race that involves an MC and a PA system” shoes of 2026. Excited to hopefully get my damn Dynafish soon to see how those stack up!

Full disclosure, I had a pair of these in gorgeous bright slime green a few months ago, but I wasn’t able to test them properly, as I was going through a lace bite injury, which caused an inflamed tendon or ligament (or something) on the top of my foot (thanks HOKA Speedgoat 7’s), and when I tried to wear the Azuras the tongue pushed directly on that spot and I was unable to handle it. Ran one time, ran real fast, was in extreme pain the whole time, returned them, was sad.

Now that my lower body, legs, ankles and feet are feeling as healthy as they have in a long time (knock on all the wood in the Pacific Northwest) I figured it was time to give these another shot.

It’s hot here and the air is all smoke from the wildfires, and I had a lot of wine and German chocolate cake last night to celebrate a promotion at work, so obviously I somehow ran the fastest 7.8 mile loop that I’ve done this summer. Apparently all it takes to be a successful runner is muscle breakdown from heat, poor breathing from bad air, having a wine hangover headache, and a pained belly from overeating. Don’t give up on your dreams, kids.

Anyway I did my usual mid-distance hilly and undulating sidewalk and roadway run, and averaged 6:58 per mile. For me, that’s really fast over nearly eight miles. I was also listening to Pod Save America, which apparently amped me right up. 🤷

Fit:
Now that I’m not injured, that upper fits like a dream. Snug and secure, with quite a bit of stability, but breathable and stretchy enough to accommodate a large swath of foot sizes. I truly think Saucony has the best “Goldilocks” uppers in running, as they are built to handle many different foot types. Even my wife’s tiny yet freakishly voluminous feet fit well in Saucony shoes. She’s way out of my league in attractiveness and intelligence though, so she doesn’t mind me making jokes about her feet; don’t worry guys. The tongue is thin but is way more padded and comfortable than I had remembered.

My only fit concern is that the laces are a little long and they did loosen to the point where I really wanted to stop and tie them again on my right foot, about four miles into my run. Of course I didn’t do that because I was making great time, so I instead just risked severe injury (as one does). They didn’t come undone though, so no harm no foul. If they feel that way again next time I’ll likely just change out the laces. For the record I actually hate changing laces and I am big on “the shoe needs to come with all the correct and fully functioning components” in my opinions on products, but that might just be me being….particular. I’d rather throw myself off a bridge than change out the insole of a shoe, for another sample of my undiagnosed OCD.

Ride:
Yeah these are phenomenal. So glad I gave them another shot. They look absurd and bordering on stupid (probably why I like their look so much) but these feel like the kind of technology and geometry-forward daily trainer that the world needs right now. Everything is either mega-cushioned and ultra-padded (which, to be honest, I usually what I go after) or aggressive race day-coded “supertraining professionals only but also everyone buy these and use them for your local turkey trot against 8 year olds” in nature these days, so it felt really nice to run in something a bit firmer, energetic, geometrically aiding, but also “normal” feeling underfoot. Again, they look like racer shoes but these are just extremely solid, springy, stable, and shock absorbing daily trainers, in the best ways possible.

The rocker geometry, lightness in weight, and firmer midsole absolutely work together to make these speedy trainers, so don’t get me wrong these are absolutely something you can run races in (going to use them for a 10k on Saturday as a matter of fact), but these are just perfectly designed fun daily trainers.

The only criticism, and it’s a real one, is that the outside coverage is really, really bad. As you can see from the picture, a sub-8 mile run tore these up. They are very lightweight $150 speedy trainers in the year 2026, so these are not shoes I expect to give me 400 miles of service, but at this current rate I’d expect to destroy these entirely by 200-220 miles. I am personally just fine with that, but I know that doesn’t work for everyone. So, especially if you are prone to pronation (thank you, I’ll be here all week), just know that you will likely tear that outsole up pretty quickly. An ugly outsole doesn’t mean the shoes are compromised, but if you are losing chunks of foam over time, you’ll need to keep an eye on that to avoid catastrophic breakdown during a run, and a potential injury.

Overall thoughts on the Saucony Endorphin Azura:
I know that people loved these when they first came out, but there are so many shoes releasing lately that I think these maybe fell off a little bit in the zeitgeist. It is also confusing to know what the hell a shoe is supposed to be used for, when one brand has so many variations and varieties.

ASICS has the Superblasts and Megablast and Novablast, with the NB as the “daily trainer” version.

New Balance has just given up on using logic and has a combination “daily trainer/race day/long run/maybe there is a secret plate in here and maybe not” application for every shoe now.

Nike has the Vomero (daily trainer), Vomero Plus (daily trainer and race shoe for people who want to hurt their bodies) and Vomero Premium (my god these are not actually for running, but are so fun and great, so I don’t judge you if you run in them).

Topo has the breakout shoe of the year, and then immediately makes a new version of it with a plate, and I’m sure they’ll have another version with wings or something, shortly.

Mount to Coast, R.A.D., and Tracksmith are at least new enough in the shoe game that they only have a few shoe options, so it is easy enough to decipher which shoe is truly for which function. What a gift.

Saucony has the Endorphin line for speed and races, and the Azura is the “non-plated daily trainer” in that line. Then they also have the highly cushioned and incrediLUX and incrediRUN midsoles line of the Triumph (daily trainer), Paramount Max (uh, also daily trainer but bigger?), and Hurricane (stability daily trainer).

The point being that every company has a billion options at this point, and every company has at least one or two top tier shoes that are advertised anywhere from being a daily trainer to a race day shoe to a super trainer, and everything in between, so it can be very hard to find a shoe that will just function very well and meet your basic needs. SO, here’s the quick and dirty review of the Endorphin Azura:

Fantastic fit. Fantastic ride. A true daily trainer that is little firmer and snappier than Saucony’s other daily trainer option (Triumph 24), but a little more stable and secure feeling. That said, I can already tell that they will not hold up over time like the Triumph, so if longevity is your goal, this is probably not a long term single shoe option. If you need a two shoe daily trainer rotation and you like Saucony, this and the Triumph 24 is about as good of a combination as exists in 2026. If you like Saucony and also want a super luxurious recovery shoe option, that also goes confusingly fast, add the Paramount Max in there as well. Spend all of your money. They say the economy is doing just fine. The world is totally not on fire and we are totally not all doomed. The end.

Score: 8.8/10 (absolutely in the top 5 daily trainers of the year for me, thus far)

Passed the 60 mile mark in the RH9U’s today and wanted to give y’all a quick update:

So far I’ve done 5k up to half marathon distances in these shoes, putting up a 21:33 5k time and a 1:57:08 half marathon time.

First things first, that outsole. Looks damn near unused. Considering how ultra soft and bouncy and springy these are, I’m honestly pretty shocked at how well they’ve held up. Sure, we are only talking 60 miles and six runs, but the multiple layers of foam, bounce capsule, and also the plated portion, should theoretically be working against each other and causing some sort of breakdown somewhere in the geometry or materials of the shoe (at least I’d assume so). Alas, they are just as sturdy, perfectly fitting, fun to run in, and high functioning as they were on that fateful first run.

As I said in my initial review, they absolutely do feel unstable when you strap them on and walk around in them. Huge stack height and crazy midsole combo does not equal stability. There is also zero ground feel because of this, but honestly that’s my jam. I know my wife prefers a stack height of like 3mm total, and wants to be on the actual ground, but that’s because she’s wrong. Beautiful, but wrong. All of this being said, once you are moving forward with momentum (even upper-tempo walking pace) they are activated and begin working their magic. I feel like I can hear that “celebrate good times, come on!” song playing somewhere off in the distance with each stride.

You don’t need that next pair of EVO SL’s or Vomero Plus’s. You need these instead. Trust me, y’all.

I’ll check back in at 130 miles to see if they can continue functioning at this level. I presume that the minute they have any some of material breakdown, they become a ticking time bomb, but until that point I can confidently proclaim that these are some of the best shoes of 2026. Done sleep on Li-Ning/Way of Wade shoes. Great stuff across the board.

Should hopefully be getting my Dynafish shortly, so I am looking very forward to finally trying those out!

Just popping on here to give a well deserved shoutout to the NB6’s, after passing 80 miles in them this morning.

There have been so many amazing shoes released this year, and I feel as though the NB6’s popularity within the current running world has possibly suffered a bit, from more “exciting” competition coming from the other big brands. I also think people are convinced that “daily trainers” are unnecessary, and that they can just use super shoes and giant cushioned recovery shoes everyday, so the excitement around the more simplified “standard/basic” shoes has waned. Maybe I’m wrong, and also maybe I’m mostly just speaking for myself and my attitudes, but I digress…

That being said, after 80+ miles these things are still in phenomenal shape, the upper fit and comfort is still in the top 2-3 of the year, and the foam is showing absolutely zero signs of degradation. For perspective, I was feeling some small signs of breakdown after 50 miles in my Novablast 5’s, and significant foam sag after 100 miles. As a 125 pound runner I’d hope that wouldn’t be possible, but the 5’s, while extremely bouncy and fun for those initial miles, really did struggle over time. I have a good feeling about these 6’s and I’ll update again once I’m at 130 miles.

If you still believe in actual daily trainers, these are some of the best of 2026.