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If you’re looking for the best running shoes for men, you may find there are a wide variety of top rated models to choose from and it’s not always clear which are the best for your needs. To help you select the best running shoes for your particular lifestyle, we’ve put in the footwork and logged the hours testing numerous models, such as our pick for the best Nike running shoes, the best running shoes for beginners and the best running shoes for flat feet and for highly arched feet.
Our top pick, the ASICS Men’s Gel-Venture 6 Running Shoe, is a smooth and lightweight running shoe with removable sock-liners for orthopedic customization. The rear foot GEL technology dampens shock and helps maintain a smooth mid stance transition, making it a great choice for trail running.
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Ideal feet cushioning for smooth transitions, great stability and light weight make these ASICS a top pick among the best running shoes for men.
Designed to go toe to toe with the world’s best shoes for trail running, while still offering the light weight and energy transfer characteristics of a track shoe, these GEL running shoes from ASICS are a great choice for general purpose training and fitness running. Whether you’re training for a trail run or ultramarathon or doing intervals at a local track, these durable and well-designed shoes are worth a look.
While they’re not specifically billed as running shoes for flat feet or to help with over-pronation (the tendency to roll your feet inward while running) they feature removable sock liners that can accommodate a range of orthotic pads, offering room for customization. If you like music while you’re on your run, take a look at the best headphones for running.
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This neutral running shoe is comfortable and flexible, with good breathing and great energy transfer characteristics, making it among the best running shoes for men.
If you primarily work out on smooth surfaces and are looking for an all around running and training shoe, these neutral running shoes from Under Armor are among the best running shoes for men we’ve tried. They have bouncy rubber soles with great energy transference, giving you plenty of “bounce” from one stride to the next. This cushioning extends into the forward part of the shoe as well.
These are not designed to correct for runners with flat feet, but they do offer a good balance between flexibility and support, with a rigid mid foot that helps allay fatigue during longer runs, and the lightness and bounciness to make for great short-distance running as well. If you’re not sold by these shoes, take a look at these best running shoes instead.
Award: BEST LIGHTWEIGHT
WHY WE LIKE IT: These classic inspired Nike running shoes for men offer breathable uppers and lightweight foam cushioning, along with a reinforced heel and overlays, offering durable, comfortable performance.
These Nike running shoes are consistently ranked among the top rated running shoes for men since 2019, with great reviews from track athletes and fitness running enthusiasts alike. Nike is definitely in the running as the best running shoe brand on the market. They’re designed with lightness and efficiency in mind, and have a good amount of bounce as well as ample shock absorption thanks to foam midsoles and structured rubber outer walls.
Along with rigid mid foot overlays, these, like nearly all the best Nike running shoes for men, come with a reinforced heel and knit uppers for breathability. The result is a remarkably light shoe that still provides support and impact cushioning over long distances.
Award: BEST FLEXIBLE FIT
WHY WE LIKE IT: With the brand’s dynamic fit materials, these running shoes do a better job of molding to a runner’s foot, making them among the top rated running shoes for larger men and for those with wider feet.
These running shoes for men are billed as having a dynamic fit, meaning they adapt to the form of the wearer’s foot while you break them in. This is especially useful for larger men and for those with wider than average feet. While the Saucony Iso running shoes don’t correct for under pronation due to flat feet, nor for overpronation due to high arches, they may be more comfortable for men with flat feet, because they offer more stability than most neutral running shoes.
Designed for road and track running, the Saucony “EVERRUN” sole material offers excellent bounce and energy return characteristics, helping you to conserve energy on longer runs. This makes these a good choice for runners looking for the best running shoes for beginners. Track your run using one of the best running watches too.
Award: BEST SLIP-ON
WHY WE LIKE IT: Mixing style with performance, these Adidas running shoes have an elastic closure and a unique design, plus lots of cushioning and flexibility.
While the style may be unorthodox compared to most of our picks for the best men’s running shoes today, these patterned slip on Adidas make a unique aesthetic statement and offer good performance at the same time. The large rubber soles provide plenty of bounce or energy return, and the flexible uppers are very lightweight and breathable.
They aren’t the most supportive running shoes for plantar fasciitis, and likely won’t be the best running shoes for flat feet, since they’re neutral running shoes without orthotic correction. However, they do a good job of absorbing impact and cushioning your strides on hard surfaces. All you’ll need for a comfortable workout fit is the best clothing apparel.
Award: BEST CASUAL LOOK
WHY WE LIKE IT: Plenty of support with sculpted mid foot saddles and smooth, synthetic leather uppers, these are among the best running shoes for those looking for a more casual look. They’re supportive enough to be rated among the best running shoes for flat feet as well.
For those looking for general purpose trainers or the best running shoes for flat feet, these PUMA men’s running shoes are a good jack of all trades solution. They accommodate orthopedic inserts well and offer plenty of support with well-designed rigid mid foot saddles.
Along with PUMA’s popular styling cues, the synthetic leather uppers on these running shoes add to the feeling of firm, supportive structure. While they’re not as breathable as the mesh and woven uppers of the Nike running shoes on our list, they may be more abrasion resistant and thus a better choice for trail runners.
Award: BEST FOR NEUTRAL RUNNERS
WHY WE LIKE IT: These high tech neutral running shoes for men combine multiple layer mesh uppers with lightweight cushioning and Brooks’ “segmented crash pad” sole design, offering a virtually ideal mix of bounce and absorption for road and track running.
These Brooks shoes, long considered among the top rated running shoes for men in Reddit forums and professional runners’ reviews, are designed to offer a mix of stability and speed that makes them great for road running, treadmill and track usage and general cross training as well. Breathable and flexible, they’re among the most comfortable running shoes we’ve tested for men with average-to-large feet.
They have complex, multi-material soles with what Brooks calls their trademarked “segmented crash pad,” delivering high impact absorption without sacrificing energy return. This makes these some of the best running shoes for beginners. They’re suited to mile-and-above distances and are breathable enough to wear on long track events.
In order to narrow down the field and bring you the best of today’s top rated running shoes, we looked for stability, support, energy return and comfort characteristics.
We only considered running shoes with specifically designed soles for stride impact absorption and energy return. That meant at least some “give” and some bounce had to be involved. Highly cushioning shoes were given priority, while we also wanted to select some ultra-lightweight shoes such as the Nike running shoes on our list.
We selected only shoes that were available in the most common men’s running shoe sizes, and we required that they have room for an orthotic insert, so as to be flexible enough to meet the needs of the best running shoes for flat feet and also high arches.
We limited our selection to shoes that were capable on track but not so flimsy as to be unwearable off the track. That meant full coverage uppers and at least some heel cushioning. Rigid mid foot saddle construction and rigid heel backing were each considered a plus as well.
