The Best Running Shoes—No Matter the Terrain or Tempo

One of the great things about running is that it doesn’t take much gear besides the footwear. And if you’re scoping out the best running shoes for you, we’ve got plenty of suggestions culled from the GQ Fitness Awards of the past, coupled with some additional first-hand testing from editors.

While the rest of your fitness apparel can be basically anything you find comfortable (unless you’re trying to get a big fit off, which we wholeheartedly support), the kicks you lace onto your feet can actually help spur you toward new PRs and avoid serious injuries. Almost every athletic brand carries a full range of running shoes, which makes it even harder to whittle down which pair deserves to grace your sensitive arches and awkwardly sized toes. Running shoe technology is ever-changing and innovations in the sneaker game mean this list will constantly be growing and evolving—sort of like your relationship with the sport itself.

So, whether you’re training to run a marathon in 2025 or just want to hop on the treadmill every now and then, here are the best running shoes for every kind of activity.

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The Best Running Shoes, According to GQ

Best for Most: Asics Novablast 5

For runners of all levels, especially beginners, the Asics Novablast 5 is hard to beat. It performs well no matter your speed, with plush cushioning that gives your feet a soft, gentle ride. Despite how cushy it is, we found that it’s able to snap back with a good amount of energy to propel you farther and faster. Plus, the upper is lightweight and breathable, featuring a thin tongue to give you a comfortable feel.

The shoes feels stable unlike other super-cushioned shoes, and despite being fairly under the radar in terms of looks, they get the job done (i.e. you’ll run as far as you want and end up unscathed). Hell, they’re so good that we even use them at the gym for regular-old workouts.

We will note that they don’t have the best traction, so avoid wet roads when you’re wearing these unless you want to risk a slip. Otherwise, for the price, these are a great pair of daily runners that’ll make you want to lace up and go.

Best Maximalist Running Shoes: Brooks Glycerine Max

Max-cushion shoes have been around for a while now, but recently brands have been experimenting with how far they can take things. Brooks is one of them and, I mean, just look at the Glycerin Max. Cushion is the main point here, and there’s plenty of it in the squishy DNA Tuned foam wedge beneath this shoe’s mesh upper. Brooks is using a nitrogen foam here, which has bubbles inside it that provide squish and rebound—there are larger ones in the heel (more squish) and smaller ones up front in the toe (more rebound). The combo seems to work, and the shoe’s curved rocker profile makes rolling from one stride into the next easy breezy. One thing not mentioned on the spec list: fun. That was the element that came to mind most often while running in this shoe.

Best Everyday Running Shoes: Puma Deviate Nitro 3

This is a hard category to make a call in. There are just so many good, fun, and interesting running shoes in the everyday category right now. And technically, the Deviate Nitro 3 counts as a super trainer for speedier efforts, but I found myself lacing up in it as if not more often for regular ol’ runs, and that versatility is what earned it the win. A lot of that comes down to the nitrogen-infused foam that gives the shoe a bouncy, responsive feel and the carbon fiber PWRPLATE inside of it. These are both adept at creating quick turnover when running fast but, while these features are usually overkill for slower efforts, they don’t feel that way in the Deviate Nitro 3. The fit is spot on in the engineered mesh upper too, leaving little room for complaints. Runners up here included the ASICS Novablast 5 and the Hoka Mach 6.

Best Running Shoes for Racing: Nike Alphafly 3

There are more high-tech race shoes than there ever have been. There are also more people running marathons than ever before. With the recent overhaul of the Vaporfly, the shoe that kicked off the super shoe arms race between brands big and small, the Alphafly has revealed itself to be the best marathon shoe out there. After all, that’s what it was made for—Eliud Kipchoge ran the world’s only sub-2-hour marathon in Alphaflys. Lightness is part of the equation, and the shoe’s Atomknit mesh upper is as minimal as they come. Propulsion is the other part, and beneath the hood the Alphafly has a thick wedge of ZoomX foam and a full-length carbon fiber plate. You don’t want to do your everyday running in this shoe, but it’ll take you 26.2 miles to a finish line, no problem. Close seconds in this category were Tracksmith’s Eliot Racer and the ASICS Meta Metaspeed Sky Paris.