Running Shoes

[east or bust]

Thought about posing this question in the PR's running thread but don't want to cunt that up. Getting back into it and my old pair is not being friendly with my knees. My brother was telling me he picked up a pair of Adidas pureboost shoes and likes them?

Anyone using these and would like to share their thoughts?

I'm open to other shoes as well, especially pairs that are kinder on the knees.. realize there are lots of other factors that would influence that.

[dtown]

I'm in pair 2 or 3 of these, love them but don't have knee problems (guess that doesn't help much)

https://www.mizunousa.com/product/ru...ategory=100388

[undertow2]

Been there and done that... When I first started running I bought a pair of Asics (expensive) that were comfortable as hell in the store... By my third run the outside of my knees hurt like hell... I wrapped with a buddy who is a big time runner and he asked if I went to a running store to ge fitted for shoes... I had no idea what he was talking about and he gave me the name of his store... I went there and they put me on a treadmill and videoed my stride and than had me hit a gel pack that showed how I ran and where my weight hit... I ended up in Sauconys due to my stride and never again had pain issues...

Just like ski boots running shoes are the same... Think Nikes are super cool looking, but they do not make a shoe for how I run... Brooks and Sauconys do so hit a running store and have them fit you... It is expensive, but your feet and knees will thank you...

[GeezerSteve]

"Kinder on the knees" is woefully vague. What is the specific knee issue? Overpronation? Supination? Arthritis? I-T band issues? Something else?

[smartyiak]

Hoka. I've had about 10pairs....mostly Clifton and ATR (trail Clifton). Best thing ever. Running warehouse usually has them on sale.

[galibier_numero_un]

I'm a big believer in going to a shop that records your foot strike while on a treadmill.

You'd be amazed how differently you hit the ground with different shoes, and (obviously) no two individuals are alike.

Multiply a little wiggle by hundreds of thousands, and the effect should be obvious.

... Thom

[Ocean]

Not all running shops are the same. There is a lot of skill in watching somebody run on a treadmill and working out what is going on. Even in a shop with a good reputation, some staff are likely to be better at it than others.

I've been wearing Hokas since I saw the early versions on sale in Chamonix five years ago. I would say that if you are the kind of runner who can run on soft surfaces without injury, but have problems on the road, then the extra padding of Hokas will probably help.

Some of the newer Hoka shoes are not as well designed as the older models which were produced before the owners sold the business, be careful not to buy one of the models with a hard seam that presses against your Achilles.


(Edit: I have used Adidas Pureboosts, not in the same league as Hokas. I think the Pureboost foam is more about increased rebound than energy absorbtion? That said, lots of manufacturers are now copying Hoka, so some of the newer Pureboost shoes may be more Hoka like).

[galibier_numero_un]

Not all running shops are the same. There is a lot of skill in watching somebody run on a treadmill and working out what is going on. Even in a shop with a good reputation, some staff are likely to be better at it than others.

Agreed, but a shop that does not have a treadmill with a capability of shooting videos of your foot strike is much less likely to end up putting you in an optimal shoe for you. Even the uneducated eye can (for example) see excess pronation in a video.

Another benefit of a treadmill video is that people fall in love with brands and styles. Graphically displaying how the shoe works for you can help the sales staff break through preconceptions and brand prejudice, so the customer ends up with something that has a higher probability of success for them.

Since you love your Hokas so much, may I recommend a pair of 220cm downhill skis for your next foray into tight trees? That makes about as much sense as a universal recommendation of Hokas for someone you've never seen.

... Thom

[Dantheman]

When you find a pair that work for you, buy 10 more. Shoe company SOP is that within two years they will have dropped that shoe from their lineup or redesigned it into something else entirely.

Personally, I like to buy shoes on Zappos. All orders are free shipping with free returns for up to a year. You can "buy" 10 different shoes in 3 different sizes each and spend a week trying them out on a home/gym treadmill for extended periods, find the keeper and send the rest back.

[mall walker]

Another vote for having someone knowledgeable analyze your pronation/stride/etc. This did wonders for me.

And yeah as Dantheman said, when you find a good pair, buy a lot.

Personally I have had great luck with Asics but that is 100% because they give me the proper amount of support where I need it.

[Skistack]

Get the red ones.

[Sirshredalot]

FWIW, I have used those Adidas and liked them. I like the heavily padded shoes in general, and have often used a motion control shoe in the past. I tend to overpronate and get shin splints. My local running shoe store stopped carrying the Adidas stuff, so I'm considering ordering some more online. YMMV. Get your fit and the shape of your stride checked out.

[bodywhomper]

When you find a pair that work for you, buy 10 more. Shoe company SOP is that within two years they will have dropped that shoe from their lineup or redesigned it into something else entirely.

Personally, I like to buy shoes on Zappos. All orders are free shipping with free returns for up to a year. You can "buy" 10 different shoes in 3 different sizes each and spend a week trying them out on a home/gym treadmill for extended periods, find the keeper and send the rest back.

This has also been my strategy for buying shoes.

I'm going to go through the zappos process again soon. I have almost run through my last pair of the brand/style that fits which I've been using for about 6 years (5 pairs in total). I'm bummin on the whole thing of finding a new shoe.

[Ocean]

That makes about as much sense as a universal recommendation of Hokas for someone you've never seen.

... Thom

I said 'if you are the kind of runner that is okay on soft surfaces, but gets injured on the road then Hokas will probably help'. I don't think 'if' and 'probably' is a universal recommendation.

[Ocerty]

This has also been my strategy for buying shoes.

I'm going to go through the zappos process again soon. I have almost run through my last pair of the brand/style that fits which I've been using for about 6 years (5 pairs in total). I'm bummin on the whole thing of finding a new shoe.

Thanx , it is a good idea

[galibier_numero_un]

I said 'if you are the kind of runner that is okay on soft surfaces, but gets injured on the road then Hokas will probably help'. I don't think 'if' and 'probably' is a universal recommendation.

Far too many variables left unaccounted for. It's painting with much too broad of a brush.

... Thom

[hutash]

Get the red ones.

Finally, a useful post.

Red Hoka's work for me, but I'm old and slow.

[ffmedic84]

Agree with some of the other posts. Find a reputable run store to do a gait analysis. Usually a mom and pop compared to the big box ones.

If you can find some Hoka's that work for you that would be my vote. I think the Bondi is too much cushion so see if the Clifton works for you. The Clifton 3 is on sale right now too. I've been running in them ever since knee surgery 3 years ago with success.

The Adidas Boost are also a good shoe. I believe they had an independent study done and were shown to improve running economy by 1% or so.

[smartyiak]

Far too many variables left unaccounted for. It's painting with much too broad of a brush.

... Thom

But it's also amazing how those stores always have the 3 or 4 "perfect" models for your gait.

Many of those stores, until recently, didn't carry brands like Hoka, Altra, and Topo.

For me it was trial and error...unless you wanted Asics, Nike, and/or Saucony, etc.

[galibier_numero_un]

But it's also amazing how those stores always have the 3 or 4 "perfect" models for your gait.

Many of those stores, until recently, didn't carry brands like Hoka, Altra, and Topo.

For me it was trial and error...unless you wanted Asics, Nike, and/or Saucony, etc.

Not sure if that's sarcasm, but in a well stocked shop, you'll likely find 2 or 3 really good matches for your gait - shoes that pass the gait analysis test and not the salesperson test.

... Thom

[east or bust]

thanks for the replies, some great info in this thread for someone as clueless as I. will have to do some research on running shops in my area. I think I'll have better luck finding somewhere reputable in north jerz than here but who knows.

[Dantheman]

FWIW, to my knowledge there are no independent randomized controlled trials that show that gait analysis is effective.

[galibier_numero_un]

FWIW, to my knowledge there are no independent randomized controlled trials that show that gait analysis is effective.

I did some Googling about and was surprised to see this as well. In my experience, it's helped me to create a good short list of shoes - perhaps eliminating some viable candidates in the process (too stringent a filter?).

What I've found interesting about the process involved trying on a shoe that generally felt "right" but which also felt (for lack of a better word) a bit weird. With one shoe in particular, watching the video revealed that "weirdness" as a slight pivoting on the ball of one foot just as I was transitioning full weight to it.

Was it a potential problem? Beats me, but it helped me to connect the dots between my kinesthetic awareness and visible evidence.

... Thom

[creaky fossil]

FWIW, to my knowledge there are no independent randomized controlled trials that show that gait analysis is effective.

I can't imagine there's a lot of replication/consistency involved. most people being tested will switch from habitual/natural to "I'm being watched" sorts of performance alteration. seems to me a modern 21st Century data fetish thing, using gait analysis to sell running shoes.

I think it may be more useful for leg/foot discrepancies, my PT used gait analysis after my ACL recon to work against a favoring sort of off-kilter gait. it showed us how my post-op leg/foot hit the ground differently at strike and through the stride.

does using gait analysis for running shoes choice do any better job than looking at sole wear on the person's most frequently used shoes?

as to shoes, I used to run a lot, 5mi/day regular, 'til both knees got wracked with bone/bone spots. same bodyweight now I as when I used to run. got some Topos for regular wearing 1.5 yrs ago, they make me want to run again. nice open toe box, snug heel, really good feeling shoe.

[XXX-er]

If you are saying some kind of stride analysis is of no value I would disagree

I used to go to a running store chain in vancover and the guys would make you run down the side walk 50 feet and they could see pretty quick I needed a motion control shoe, a had a couple apir of the nike triax which worked,

then I bought a cheap shoes from the local shitty "sports gear" chainstore, where they know < nothing, I got plantar fasicitis and didnt run for a year

when I did get back running I went to a specialty shop where buddy showed me the shoes from the chain store may have been "new" but according to the model designation were 4 yrs old when I bought them and the foam was hard as a rock besides being the wrong shoe for me so cheap shoes were no bargain and it hurt

then he put me on the treadmill in 3 different sets of shoes and eventualy put me in his most corrective motion control shoe (Saucony Stabil Grid) I went thru 2 pair of that same model with no more injury since but also what the shoe did was turn me into a fore foot striker and now I can use a more neutral shoe

but I wouldn't recommend a nike triax or saucony stabil grid to anyone because just like ski boots ... YMMV