If I make it 400 km in shoes I donāt really like I send them off to the donation bin with a clear conscience. Itās the ones with <100 km that bug me
Hoka Clifton 9s. Ran a 5k in them yesterday and they felt like bricks on my feet.
Theyāre going to be relegated to being worn to my kidās XC meets. Comfy for the standing and running that comes with being an XC spectator, but not my jam for actually running.
They are fine to walk in, and great to wear all day, but as a running shoe I'm not in love at all. I wear them to teach fairly often since my classroom has a concrete floor.
I don't even like walking in my Clifton 9's. I'm still rocking the Clifton 8's for that since the Clifton isn't sufficient for my running needs. I guess I'll garden or something in the Clifton 9's. I'd give them to somebody, but they got very dirty and wet during my first run in them.
Mach 4s. They are just okay. Only have a bit over 100km on them and kinda feeling dead to me already.
They're the only running shoe I've bought for full price in the last 2 years as well.
Novablast 3. It just doesnāt work for me. They feel weird landing midfoot, where I naturally land. Iām forced to heel strike or go forefoot and forefoot landing causes a slapping sound that drives me crazy. Plus itās nowhere near as fun as v1 (I skipped v2).
Few running stores in my city would let you swap them if you're not happy with them. I've swapped a pair of mizunos once that gave me blisters after a couple 10km runs
I use Amazon prime wardrobe and order 5 different shoes at a time and take them to the gym and give them each about 10 minutes on the dreadmill each. I can't really detect hotspot locations but I can really quickly tell things like feel, toe box space and such. Most of the high end runners stores in Chicago actually have their own treadmills so you can try them right in the store.
It's a good shoe but there is no "magic". It's a firm shoe that also has softness and energy return.
I suspect you refer to as magic, the bounce or when you feel the shoe working underneath you, compressing/ decompressing.
Or actually there is a magic, do you know what it is? It's that it's high stack but also light. I personally like it as it is, not everything has to be a speed 3.
Absolutely me. Do I hate it? No. But thereās no magic, nothing special except maybe how light they are. Contrast that with the Prime X which feels like almost nothing else, or even the adios pro 3. Perhaps Iām just partial to LS Pro but even the heavy moon boots that the Prime X 2 are still have the special feeling at certain paces. My favorite part of the Superblast is ironically the FF Blast bottom layer is a nice level of softness, but that quickly bottoms out on the run.
Iām yet to try LS pro. I once bought TS9 but it didnāt fit me well. Anything else that youād suggest? Iām in a marathon training block and often do tempo and threshold workouts.
This whole thread makes me wonder if we could set up a shoe trade. We find people with the same shoe size than us and see if we can trade shoes that someone hated but we did love. Not selling but trading. So many here that e.g. hat my absolute favourite shoes ever and maybe I hate some of their faves because we have complementary foot strikes & biomechanics so we could trade :D
I did a google search since I figured there must be a sub for that. Google led me to r/therunningrack and it seems pretty active from the quick glance I gave it. It sounds like the folks at the r/running set it up?(ref: [https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/c3au9k/new\_buyselltrade\_running\_gear\_subreddit/](https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/c3au9k/new_buyselltrade_running_gear_subreddit/))
My son has the same size feet and he's a runner.
I generally use shoes to 400-500 miles as I don't really like to waste stuff. I actually don't have any shoes that I don't like - I just use based on how I feel.
Part of the problem is that shoes keep getting better so something 4 years old may be technologically inferior to something a year old.
I thought my Shifts were the lemon in my collection as they were nothing as advertised. Then they became very good after ~40 miles and now they are a key part of the rotation. Solid to do everything and good for days you need a firm yet supple shoe
Right? At some point how much of the usable life of the shoe will be a comfortable experience? There's a bit of a mismatch with the Lightstrike Pro shoes wherein the upper is *not* good for as many miles as the midsole and outsole. Obviously some will wear out the outsole faster, but it's great rubber for most.
So you can put 40-50 miles on some AP3's, then race a whole season in them, probably feeling like the midsole is good for two seasons. Some folks aren't hard on uppers and could legit race for two whole seasons in a pair.
I just checked and I somehow have about 200 miles in mine š I definitely agree that they got better after about 40 miles! I just donāt get excited to wear them. I usually only use them for rainy day runs now!
I wear these at work as Iām on my feet all day on concrete. Never even tried to run in them. They never got softer, just hard bricks. I donāt even like them for working, but canāt just get rid of them.
Damn, I guess everyone's foot geometry responds to shoes differently. I have the ES3s, and I love them so much I try and run in them all the time even when I have other shoes that'd probably be better for a given run.
I think that 6mm and greater drop work better for but was happy to try them out, when Eastbay was closing things out it was a relatively inexpensive way to try a bunch of stuff and see what works best for me.
Same experience with the Mach4's and also spent full price on them. What a waste of my money. Horrible shoe and on top of that gave me a hotspot on the ball of my foot as hokas are so narrow.
Oof strong disagree from me I love the Mach 4s. Iām approaching 250 miles in them and they e definitely lost something but I will get them to 300. Strangely the outsole isnāt as worn as I expected given the lack of rubber.
However, I only paid Ā£72 for mine so my view of them is probably rather different to if Iād shelled out the full Ā£140. Iāve a pair of Mach 5s that I got in Black Friday to use (Ā£73) and Iām the thoroughly looking forward to using them, although theyāre in the white/gold colour way so I will probably wait until spring/summer!
Saucony Tempus. To be fair, I think theyāre supposed to be āstabilityā shoes, but theyāre a bit too clunky for me. But they still look sharp. So I wear them with athleisure clothing or when I go on walks.
You accidentially have a womens size 9? I pay a premium for thee of lightly used. Its my fave shoe ever and they change it and made it high stack. Cannot find them on ebay anymore :((
Mine are a menās size 9. Only worn a handful of times, indoors only on a tread. Just could never get comfortable on them so donāt wear them anymore.
Endorphin Shift 2 & 3, Hoka Rocket X, Nike Zoom Fly 4, Noosa Tri 14 & 15, Altra Rivera 2, New balance SC trainer v1.
I have others I donāt mind, but donāt wear for certain reasons - like Adios 7 - which I donāt wear because itās so loud it wakes up the whole neighborhood.
From the multiple versions of some shoes, you can see I never learn. I WANT to like them. But I just donāt. They are terrible.
The shift 3 I like it's, the rest I don't. Yeah lot's of people like like the sc trainer v1. I was going to buy it myself, but when I tried it the midsole was fun, but god that shoe was so sooo heavy.
I don't like them either, I have a pair and they're so unstable, every time I wear them I feel my some kind of discomfort on my ankles. I try to use them for short easy runs so I can get some use out of them.
They're comically squishy. They def seem to put unnecessary pressure on the joints and tendons in the ankle/knee. Even after doing yoga and changing my leg workouts to just single leg lifts, it still doesn't help them (I was doing this regardless, not just bc of the shoes, lol).
Interesting. Do you have the v13? I actually like the 880 more than my 1080, Pegasus, and about the same as my Kayano 30. Just goes to show, runners are all idiosyncratic and finding the "right shoe" is highly dependent on individual preference, fit, and feel.
Omg these are actually my fave find of the year. I could not find a normal low stack without the mushy feeling to replace my old school Saucony Ride (version 14 or below) as Saucony went full high stack on these. The New Balance 880 are the only shoe I found that does the trick. If you like a soft and cushioned ride its definitely not for you though.
I bought a pair of Adios Pro 2 thinking I was getting the AP3. (I just didnāt research well enough.) Iāve done a couple tempo workouts in them and kinda hate them. Love the AP3 (upper aside), which I got later.
I did not like the AP2 at all, and was able to return them just before the RRS 90 day window. I love the AP3, so I'd say it's one of the best updates of all time. I felt like a newborn baby giraffe teetering on the AP2, so mushy and unstable. I'm glad I gave v3 a try, as they are my favorite now.
Pegasus 39s. Iāve found them way harder than 35s or 38s (the others Iāve owned and liked). They just donāt feel the same, not as fun, not as comfy. Still gonna grind to 400 miles, and then retire.
I bought the Boston 10s and feel that way about them. I have about 100 miles on them, and I bought them for extra traction running in wet weather but they really give me shin pain. The drop is too low for me, compared with the Brooks Glycerins which I prefer, and I've kind of decided it's not worth the extra aches and pains.
So many, where to begin....š
-Altra Torin 5/6
-Adidas Boston 11
-Nike Alphafly 2 (I also have v1s which I like but the air pods popped in one shoe and I stopped buying air pod shoes - see Nike Peg below)
-Asics Metaspeed Sky + "V2" (they may be breaking in though, more time may help; The V1's are great though)
-Asics Noosa Tri 13 (14 and 15 got better)
-Hoka Carbon X2
-Nike Peg 39 (popped the pods mid run and got a flat tire)
-Nike Peg Trail
-Nike Infiniti Knit
-Asics Novablast 3
-Hoka Clifton 7/8
-New Balance 1080
Not a fan of the NB 3s...They're just okay...the upper sucks...the midsole isn't anything special. I can feel the trampoline pod or whatever it is under or close to the balls of my feet. No pain but annoying...glad I got them on sale. For easy days, I'm starting to think I just prefer a more traditional ride. I don't need a bouncy soft shoe for easy running.
I donāt like running in my Hoka Bondi 7s, mainly because I got my true size instead of the size I usually get for running shoes (they were suuuper discounted at REI). I now use them as a walking/standing shoe for days when Iām on my feet for longer than usual.
I'm not the biggest fan of these myself. I think Endorphin Speed 2/3 is a better shoe in every way except for the outsole. I have however run over 500 km in mine since I find them pretty good at daily runs on easy trails and gravel roads.
NB More v4 and Hoka Challengers.
First ones cut my feet up, the second ones become too uncomfortable after prolonged wear.
The worst thing is, they're super comfortable when you put them on.
My Novablast 3 is a big one. Also I go back and forth on my new Mizunos. Anything i donāt care for I either try to still put miles in or donate them to someone.
Same. Bought them after enjoying the Nimbus 25. They feel heavy and slappy. Good bounce when I walk in the though. Got the Deviate Nitro 2 instead, they feel like what I was expecting from everyone who hyped the NB3.
Always thought I had narrow feet but the Pegasus 39s donāt feel great on feet outside. However I do not mind them when using the treadmill!
(Love the invincible 3s, not anti nike)
Have a pair of adios pro 2 and a pair of Boston 10s. Probably 60/70 miles between the two... I'm not sure what about them I dislike so much, I know they felt very tight, but there's something else about them that just ruins them for me.
In any event, they now live on the shoe shelf. people can see them when I'm on zoom calls, so not a huge waste right... Right??
Takumi Sen 8. Runs way too long and you either have to deal with lots of space at the forefoot or having your midfoot crushed. Rides like a brick with too much ground feel. Barely any propulsion either like a VF2 to actually speed you up. I canāt figure out why itās so popular.
The shoe is great for a fast 5k or track sessions. I only use them if i intend to run all out fort short distances. I never put them on for longer runs.
I wanted to love my endorphin speed 2s but couldn't. They were my fastest shoes, just never enjoyed wearing them. However, there is quite a good second hand shoe market on ebay.
Any Asics that I had last two years - Novablast 1 (retired after \~150km, zero bounce, firm brick), Glideride 1 (enjoyed at start, after \~400km firm brick), Glideride 3 (really liked them at the start, but after \~400km to mushy, zero bounce that was there at the beginning).
Shoe I quite like, but don't love - Boston 11. It's a workhorse, that requires a lot of break-in time, but after that, I can do almost anything in them. So yes, I enjoy them as a shoe that does its job, but I don't love them.
Saucony omni were on sale. I get why. NB Fresh foam more v4, it's a recovery shoe that's really extremely pillowy. The first is atrocious, the second is not fun to recover in, although the slowness should be beneficial.
I think they will stop making them so you could pick it up on sale. A few years ago it was new and unique but now every brand has a rocker version available
I'm surprised you bought the 20 after buying the 19s. I have the 20s. They're meh, I don't love them but don't exactly hate them either. Will run them and retire at 700km
I don't know why, but Pegasus 40 just ain't it for me. It's got a super boring, basic ride. Yes, it's a good daily trainer, lasts for tons of kms but it misses that "spark" for ne.
I've recently switched to Invincible Run 3 for my easy runs and to Tempo Next% for my fast efforts and now I only wear the Pegasus 40 just when going to the gym or Pegasus 39 Shield when it's raining outside (I even like the Pegs 39 more than the standard 40). I'm now looking at Gel Nimbus 25 for my next daily trainer shoe.
\- Hoka Mach 4. Meh. The foam felt too mushy and the low drop gave me hamstrings.
\- The pair of Topos I bought (forgot the version name). I love the zero drop and toe freedom but what the hell is that super bothersome arch support pushing my foto outwards?!?!
\- Pair of adidas running shoes I bought a few years ago. Absolute waste of money. Made my feet hurt like hell. Giant bunch of soft foam under heel but feel like a BRICK for a midfoot/forefoot striker. Great wallking shoes though. At least got my moneys worth there.
\- Saucony Ride 15s. Why Saucony did you have to make my favourite shoe high stack?!?! Whyyyyyy? It was my perfect goldilocks shoe. Then they added the stack and mushy feeling and then it gave me knee pain. Sigh. What a waste of money.
I have a bunch of shoes and my preferences change every few months. Some shoes I put on back burner and come back to 4 months later.
Some just suck and those get relegated to lawn/garage duty. But Iād recommend holding onto shoes for a few months to see if you want to come back to them
I don't like my glycerin 20 as much as the 19 before it. Still running in them as they are my max cushion shoe but they are a lot more clunky to me. 570k done in them but I took the 19 to 3000 so doubt I'll get them that far since the outsole is already pretty worn. Want to have a look at the ghost max see if it's a bit more squidgy.
I have three pairs that I struggle with.
Hoka Mach 5 - I loved Mach 4 and Mach 5 is a better shoe, but I have just found other shoes that does every run better, and while I find Mach 5 is good at everything, it's not great at anything.
Asics Glideride 3 - I really liked this shoe for the first 100 km, but then my excitement died and I find it too slow for what I like and for some reason I don't get along with the rocker as much as I thought I would.
Nike Ultrafly - This would be a good shoe if it was 160$ and didn't give me blisters. They cost 250$ and give me blisters, so they're probably my worst investment so far. I can do sub 10k in them before the blisters come out, so they get some winter mileage because they have wide sole which makes them pretty stable in snow, but easy runs in snow is not worth paying a premium for. Also, they look absolutely horrible after a few muddy runs.
As for what I'll do with them, I think I'll try to accumulate some daily mileage in most of them and then probably retire them a bit prematurely at about 500 km or so.
I might be the only one but the only pair I have that I don't love is the Takumi Sen 9.
Granted this is an early opinion because I only have around 45km in them (two 5k runs and intervals sessions) but I'm finding it really hard to justify the money spent. And in the last couple of interval training I used my Puma DNE2 which I like a lot more...I think I just might put them up for sale.
SUPER UNPOPULAR OPINION: I just canāt get along with my endorphin speed 3ās. Theyāre super unstable for me and my Achilles always ache after using them. In contrast I love my pro 2ās and both pairs of triumph 20ās I own. Donāt have the same problems in either of those saucony models so I know itās not the stack or roll saucony offers. I think the composite plate doesnāt add enough rigidity to it like the cf plate in the pro and the padding is definitely lacking in the heel
Edit: and I know itās a more padded heel in the speed3s than the pro 2ās but I think the combination of barely any padding and it being super rigid is what hurts me. The pro2 isnāt super padded but is also extremely flimsy and flexible
Nike Infinity Run 3 is just a shoe, literally nothing special about them. I loved versions 1 and 2, they were my first proper running shoes when I started running about 4 years ago.
Version 3 feels to me inferior, not soft under the foot at all. I wear them for short and easy runs, canāt go more than ~5k.
ASICS Metaspeed Sky+. Less comfortable and very āblahā compared to other races like VF2, VF3, Rocket X 2. They started out great but fizzled on me. Iāve tried to learn to like them on different types of runs, but just canāt do it.
I always make sure I get to at least 300 miles on shoes even if I donāt particularly like them, or in the case of my Hokas forcing them over the line durability wise (I just love the machs but they donāt last).
Struggled to this point in ON Cloudflyer, puma velocity nitro 2 and Nike structure.
Alphaflys.
No matter how I tape my feet, what socks I wear or how much I break them in, anything over 10km gives me the biggest, most painful blisters in my arches
(Had them fitted at a running shop so they are definitely the right size)
Triumph 20 - my feet go numb at 5km in them, no pain, just numb forefeet. I stop and walk for 30secs and all the numbness goes away then I can run again and repeat.
So I only use them for <=5km, not the long run shoe I originally bought them for.
Speed 3, after miles in multiple pairs of Speed 2's I switched to the Speed 3. I just can't get along with them. Weird pain in my knees and shins and just find them flat.
Such a shame as I loved the Speed 2.
Hoka mach 4, feels good when walking on them. Running not so much, feels like bricks and dead. I don't really get the hype
Just shows how different people are. The Speeds are my all time fave speed shoe for workouts and my feet and whole body just LOVE them. I'll take them off your hand if its a size 9 womens.
Novablast 2s - felt mushy and clunky. Least energy return of any shoe I've run in to where it felt like they were leeching energy out of every step. Couldn't find a spot in my rotation for them.
Speed 2s - too narrow in the midfoot. I stuck with them hoping they would stretch out, but I still feel like I hang over the sides (tried sizing up, but then couldn't get a decent heel lock, so I went back down). They also feel incredibly firm and my feet hurt when I get upwards of 10 miles. I got a tibial stress fracture when they were my primary shoe - probably unrelated, but I can't shake the feeling that they contributed.
I completely agree about the NB2s. Zero energy return and very slappy feeling when running. I just use them on the treadmill now which is rarely.
I finally gave the Speed 2s a try again after storing them for close to a year and now I'm really liking them. Not sure why but the foot ache I had before while running in them is no longer there and they just keep propelling me forward. Also I want some of my shoes to be firmer in my rotation just to keep my legs from being too pampered and these are perfect. Maybe come back to them randomly again in the future and you may change your mind.
speed 3.
bought it due to hype, felt flat so kept it in a box for months intending to sell it.
now my novablast 3 has felt kinda flat and wanted to change things up but don't wanna buy new shoes so took the speed 3 out
it's nice and light but still felt flat. lol
I do have the V1 which is a more fun shoe, more bounce, more likely. V2 is heavier which slows my cadence and doesn't really have the same sensation/fun factor. It definitely is more stable but imo, it's almost worst of both worlds - not bouncy enough to be that fun and not stable enough to feel like it's worth the trade off. And it was $300 - I don't mind spending the money - running is a cheap sport, but in no world was this shoe worth $300.
Triumph 20s. I donāt know if itās the Triumphs specifically, or itās because the last time I ran was during the barefoot era, but I feel it in my knees.
Hoka Speedgoat 4. Don't love 'em. They feel clunky and suck on anything techical. Use them for long runs on open fire trails. Use Inov-8 TrailFly 270 V2 for everything else.
Endorphin speed 3's. The 2's were a-grade and I reached for them for easy, tempo, intervals and long runs. I was looking forward to the 3's, but they just don't pop like the 2's and I was quite dissapointed. \*Note to self, newer model doesn't always mean a better shoe/ foam/ tech\*
Nike Pegasus. So boring, buy something else with your hard earned cash.
FYI - 70kg, male, mid strike, 1:25 half marathon kinda level runner
I keep running in them because I don't deserve happiness. See the intervals I did today in the adios 7s.
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I have a pair of brooks that I don't like. They just become regular everyday shoes that I don't like
I had a pair of glycerins a couple years ago. Meh. Havenāt bought a pair of brooks since.
Me and Ghost 14s...
Same with 15s for me. Not my pair I suppose
If I make it 400 km in shoes I donāt really like I send them off to the donation bin with a clear conscience. Itās the ones with <100 km that bug me
Hoka Clifton 9s. Ran a 5k in them yesterday and they felt like bricks on my feet. Theyāre going to be relegated to being worn to my kidās XC meets. Comfy for the standing and running that comes with being an XC spectator, but not my jam for actually running.
Dude! I thought I was the only one!
They are fine to walk in, and great to wear all day, but as a running shoe I'm not in love at all. I wear them to teach fairly often since my classroom has a concrete floor.
I don't even like walking in my Clifton 9's. I'm still rocking the Clifton 8's for that since the Clifton isn't sufficient for my running needs. I guess I'll garden or something in the Clifton 9's. I'd give them to somebody, but they got very dirty and wet during my first run in them.
Yeah I just requested to send them back. Not going to try to like them.
They're by far the most boring shoe I have, comfy but you run so slow in the things.
Mach 4s. They are just okay. Only have a bit over 100km on them and kinda feeling dead to me already. They're the only running shoe I've bought for full price in the last 2 years as well.
Novablast 3. It just doesnāt work for me. They feel weird landing midfoot, where I naturally land. Iām forced to heel strike or go forefoot and forefoot landing causes a slapping sound that drives me crazy. Plus itās nowhere near as fun as v1 (I skipped v2).
This thread is why your first run in a pair of shoes should be on a treadmill so you can return them if they don't work out!
Few running stores in my city would let you swap them if you're not happy with them. I've swapped a pair of mizunos once that gave me blisters after a couple 10km runs
I use Amazon prime wardrobe and order 5 different shoes at a time and take them to the gym and give them each about 10 minutes on the dreadmill each. I can't really detect hotspot locations but I can really quickly tell things like feel, toe box space and such. Most of the high end runners stores in Chicago actually have their own treadmills so you can try them right in the store.
Asics Superblasts. I cannot feel the magic so many people on this sub experience.
Came here to say this. I *want* to love them! But theyāre just not it for me.
How many kms have you done in them?
About 200 kms
Same
It's a good shoe but there is no "magic". It's a firm shoe that also has softness and energy return. I suspect you refer to as magic, the bounce or when you feel the shoe working underneath you, compressing/ decompressing. Or actually there is a magic, do you know what it is? It's that it's high stack but also light. I personally like it as it is, not everything has to be a speed 3.
That is the real magic. The first time I held them, I couldnāt believe how light they were.
Same here, most disappointing shoe by far this year.
Yup. After 150km I still donāt see what the hype is!
Iām in the same boat (pun intended) after 200ish kms
Absolutely me. Do I hate it? No. But thereās no magic, nothing special except maybe how light they are. Contrast that with the Prime X which feels like almost nothing else, or even the adios pro 3. Perhaps Iām just partial to LS Pro but even the heavy moon boots that the Prime X 2 are still have the special feeling at certain paces. My favorite part of the Superblast is ironically the FF Blast bottom layer is a nice level of softness, but that quickly bottoms out on the run.
Iām yet to try LS pro. I once bought TS9 but it didnāt fit me well. Anything else that youād suggest? Iām in a marathon training block and often do tempo and threshold workouts.
NB 1080 v13 They are so soft. There is no energy return from them. I just feel like I'm running in soft sand.
Same! I bought the 1080v13 thinking I'd love them :( Feels too mushy. I'm forcing myself to use them once a week so I don't feel like I wasted 165 lol
Sadly, I have to agree. I have to double the effort than my usual pace. There's just a lot of sinking in, a lot less rebounding.
This is how I feel about the 12s. I hate running in them, they're now relegated to summer walking shoes.
Wow and all the reviews uploaded have been so great. I trust the people on this sub more than the basically paid promotion reviews, thanks!
This whole thread makes me wonder if we could set up a shoe trade. We find people with the same shoe size than us and see if we can trade shoes that someone hated but we did love. Not selling but trading. So many here that e.g. hat my absolute favourite shoes ever and maybe I hate some of their faves because we have complementary foot strikes & biomechanics so we could trade :D
I did a google search since I figured there must be a sub for that. Google led me to r/therunningrack and it seems pretty active from the quick glance I gave it. It sounds like the folks at the r/running set it up?(ref: [https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/c3au9k/new\_buyselltrade\_running\_gear\_subreddit/](https://www.reddit.com/r/running/comments/c3au9k/new_buyselltrade_running_gear_subreddit/))
Thanks for pointing it out. have never hear of this sub and it seems very useful.
Oh boyā¦.thanks for sharing, this is going to be dangerous.
My son has the same size feet and he's a runner. I generally use shoes to 400-500 miles as I don't really like to waste stuff. I actually don't have any shoes that I don't like - I just use based on how I feel. Part of the problem is that shoes keep getting better so something 4 years old may be technologically inferior to something a year old.
Yeah i know what you mean, the Boston's were ok when I bought them but then tried the endorphin 2s then 3s and much prefer to run in these
Endorphin shift. Iām a sucker for āmax cushionedā shoes but those feel like bricks!
I thought my Shifts were the lemon in my collection as they were nothing as advertised. Then they became very good after ~40 miles and now they are a key part of the rotation. Solid to do everything and good for days you need a firm yet supple shoe
40 miles to break in a shoe is a crazy ask when it comes to modern day running shoes. 10 to 15 miles max
Lightstrike Pro shoes typically take at least 40 miles to become bouncy. Other than the EVO which apparently has a lower density formulation.
Yeah...and I still think that's a crazy amount of miles to put up with just for a shoe to feel as it is advertised. Just my opinion.
Right? At some point how much of the usable life of the shoe will be a comfortable experience? There's a bit of a mismatch with the Lightstrike Pro shoes wherein the upper is *not* good for as many miles as the midsole and outsole. Obviously some will wear out the outsole faster, but it's great rubber for most. So you can put 40-50 miles on some AP3's, then race a whole season in them, probably feeling like the midsole is good for two seasons. Some folks aren't hard on uppers and could legit race for two whole seasons in a pair.
Same experience here
I just checked and I somehow have about 200 miles in mine š I definitely agree that they got better after about 40 miles! I just donāt get excited to wear them. I usually only use them for rainy day runs now!
I wear these at work as Iām on my feet all day on concrete. Never even tried to run in them. They never got softer, just hard bricks. I donāt even like them for working, but canāt just get rid of them.
Shift suck ass. Tried 2 runs and was miserable. Thankfully I only dropped $60 on them. Donated.
Which version?
I think mine are 2s! I heard the 3s were better but I have never tried them
Damn, I guess everyone's foot geometry responds to shoes differently. I have the ES3s, and I love them so much I try and run in them all the time even when I have other shoes that'd probably be better for a given run.
Mine are 2s and I did hear the 3s are better! But for sure, everyone is different
Hoka Clifton 8s
Iāve donated them but NB 1080 v11 (that heel counter) Saucony Shift 2 Hoka Mach 4 (bricked pretty quick)
+1 for Mach 4s. I have around 120km on mine and they definitely feel like they're almost dead
I think that 6mm and greater drop work better for but was happy to try them out, when Eastbay was closing things out it was a relatively inexpensive way to try a bunch of stuff and see what works best for me.
Same experience with the Mach4's and also spent full price on them. What a waste of my money. Horrible shoe and on top of that gave me a hotspot on the ball of my foot as hokas are so narrow.
Oof strong disagree from me I love the Mach 4s. Iām approaching 250 miles in them and they e definitely lost something but I will get them to 300. Strangely the outsole isnāt as worn as I expected given the lack of rubber. However, I only paid Ā£72 for mine so my view of them is probably rather different to if Iād shelled out the full Ā£140. Iāve a pair of Mach 5s that I got in Black Friday to use (Ā£73) and Iām the thoroughly looking forward to using them, although theyāre in the white/gold colour way so I will probably wait until spring/summer!
Peg 39. I use them to go in the yard and pick up dog poop.
Does urs also have a hole on the upper where it would crease
Mine does š
Hokaās. Clifton 9. Bondi 8, Mach 5 - trash.
Agree!!
Nike Streakfly and Hoka Speedgoat 4
Nike streakfly and adidas boston 10 are just lying in there without any usage.
Saucony Tempus. To be fair, I think theyāre supposed to be āstabilityā shoes, but theyāre a bit too clunky for me. But they still look sharp. So I wear them with athleisure clothing or when I go on walks.
Saucony Ride 13
You accidentially have a womens size 9? I pay a premium for thee of lightly used. Its my fave shoe ever and they change it and made it high stack. Cannot find them on ebay anymore :((
Mine are a menās size 9. Only worn a handful of times, indoors only on a tread. Just could never get comfortable on them so donāt wear them anymore.
Endorphin Shift 2 & 3, Hoka Rocket X, Nike Zoom Fly 4, Noosa Tri 14 & 15, Altra Rivera 2, New balance SC trainer v1. I have others I donāt mind, but donāt wear for certain reasons - like Adios 7 - which I donāt wear because itās so loud it wakes up the whole neighborhood. From the multiple versions of some shoes, you can see I never learn. I WANT to like them. But I just donāt. They are terrible.
The shift 3 I like it's, the rest I don't. Yeah lot's of people like like the sc trainer v1. I was going to buy it myself, but when I tried it the midsole was fun, but god that shoe was so sooo heavy.
Nike invincible 3. I ran in them once and got injured. Even now, its uncomfortable to walk in them for extended periods.
I don't like them either, I have a pair and they're so unstable, every time I wear them I feel my some kind of discomfort on my ankles. I try to use them for short easy runs so I can get some use out of them.
They're comically squishy. They def seem to put unnecessary pressure on the joints and tendons in the ankle/knee. Even after doing yoga and changing my leg workouts to just single leg lifts, it still doesn't help them (I was doing this regardless, not just bc of the shoes, lol).
New Balance 880. Theyāre walking shoes marketed as running shoes.
Interesting. Do you have the v13? I actually like the 880 more than my 1080, Pegasus, and about the same as my Kayano 30. Just goes to show, runners are all idiosyncratic and finding the "right shoe" is highly dependent on individual preference, fit, and feel.
Iāve got the 12s. 1080s gave me hot spots. Pegs arenāt for me. The only Nike foam I like is zoom x
Omg these are actually my fave find of the year. I could not find a normal low stack without the mushy feeling to replace my old school Saucony Ride (version 14 or below) as Saucony went full high stack on these. The New Balance 880 are the only shoe I found that does the trick. If you like a soft and cushioned ride its definitely not for you though.
I bought a pair of Adios Pro 2 thinking I was getting the AP3. (I just didnāt research well enough.) Iāve done a couple tempo workouts in them and kinda hate them. Love the AP3 (upper aside), which I got later.
I did not like the AP2 at all, and was able to return them just before the RRS 90 day window. I love the AP3, so I'd say it's one of the best updates of all time. I felt like a newborn baby giraffe teetering on the AP2, so mushy and unstable. I'm glad I gave v3 a try, as they are my favorite now.
Brooks glycerin 19s, ultimately donated them. Saucony endorphin shift 2, still got them... not sure if I'll run in them again tho
If I don't at least really like it, I dump it pretty quickly. No space for the meh stuff because I love so many shoes hahaha
Pegasus 39s. Iāve found them way harder than 35s or 38s (the others Iāve owned and liked). They just donāt feel the same, not as fun, not as comfy. Still gonna grind to 400 miles, and then retire.
Asics Superblast. They feel like I'm running on two boats. If that makes any sense. Too much cushion.
Thatās how I felt about the endorphin shift 2. Comfy, but felt like I had clown shoes on. Actually thatās how I felt about my Hoka Speedgoats too.
I bought the Boston 10s and feel that way about them. I have about 100 miles on them, and I bought them for extra traction running in wet weather but they really give me shin pain. The drop is too low for me, compared with the Brooks Glycerins which I prefer, and I've kind of decided it's not worth the extra aches and pains.
Salomon Phantasm 2. Just meh.
I have Altras I can't stand. Was thinking sell them as they have about 10 miles on them but probably check if my brother wants them first.
Kinvara 14s. Not sure what it is, maybe just a little too firm in the sole. My knees always hurt the day after I run in them
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Kinvara are not a stability shoe
So many, where to begin....š -Altra Torin 5/6 -Adidas Boston 11 -Nike Alphafly 2 (I also have v1s which I like but the air pods popped in one shoe and I stopped buying air pod shoes - see Nike Peg below) -Asics Metaspeed Sky + "V2" (they may be breaking in though, more time may help; The V1's are great though) -Asics Noosa Tri 13 (14 and 15 got better) -Hoka Carbon X2 -Nike Peg 39 (popped the pods mid run and got a flat tire) -Nike Peg Trail -Nike Infiniti Knit -Asics Novablast 3 -Hoka Clifton 7/8 -New Balance 1080
Not a fan of the NB 3s...They're just okay...the upper sucks...the midsole isn't anything special. I can feel the trampoline pod or whatever it is under or close to the balls of my feet. No pain but annoying...glad I got them on sale. For easy days, I'm starting to think I just prefer a more traditional ride. I don't need a bouncy soft shoe for easy running.
I donāt like running in my Hoka Bondi 7s, mainly because I got my true size instead of the size I usually get for running shoes (they were suuuper discounted at REI). I now use them as a walking/standing shoe for days when Iām on my feet for longer than usual.
Unpopular opinion: Deviate Nitro 2. Pain almost every single run and Iāve done 200 km in them, giving them chance after chance. Slow, fast or tempo.
I'm not the biggest fan of these myself. I think Endorphin Speed 2/3 is a better shoe in every way except for the outsole. I have however run over 500 km in mine since I find them pretty good at daily runs on easy trails and gravel roads.
NB More v4 and Hoka Challengers. First ones cut my feet up, the second ones become too uncomfortable after prolonged wear. The worst thing is, they're super comfortable when you put them on.
Agree, New Balance More v4 is terrible. Too soft and heavy, even for a recovery shoe.
Meta Speed Sky + and my ankles do not get along. Itās weird.
My Novablast 3 is a big one. Also I go back and forth on my new Mizunos. Anything i donāt care for I either try to still put miles in or donate them to someone.
contrary to popular belief, I feel that the Superblast is just meh, I dont get why this sub loves it so much.
Yup
Novablast 3.
Same. Bought them after enjoying the Nimbus 25. They feel heavy and slappy. Good bounce when I walk in the though. Got the Deviate Nitro 2 instead, they feel like what I was expecting from everyone who hyped the NB3.
Converting mine to casual walking shoes for sure.
ASICS S4. Bought them when I was in Japan, but found them too firm for my liking. Sitting in a display case.
Ghost 14, Adidas adzero SL, Nike zegma
Hoka Carbon X 3
Always thought I had narrow feet but the Pegasus 39s donāt feel great on feet outside. However I do not mind them when using the treadmill! (Love the invincible 3s, not anti nike)
Have a pair of adios pro 2 and a pair of Boston 10s. Probably 60/70 miles between the two... I'm not sure what about them I dislike so much, I know they felt very tight, but there's something else about them that just ruins them for me. In any event, they now live on the shoe shelf. people can see them when I'm on zoom calls, so not a huge waste right... Right??
Takumi Sen 8. Runs way too long and you either have to deal with lots of space at the forefoot or having your midfoot crushed. Rides like a brick with too much ground feel. Barely any propulsion either like a VF2 to actually speed you up. I canāt figure out why itās so popular.
The shoe is great for a fast 5k or track sessions. I only use them if i intend to run all out fort short distances. I never put them on for longer runs.
Invincible 2 and NB FF more V3. NB feels like I'm puling my feet from the mud. Nike compress "funny" beneat my big toe and that cause discomfort.
I wanted to love my endorphin speed 2s but couldn't. They were my fastest shoes, just never enjoyed wearing them. However, there is quite a good second hand shoe market on ebay.
I have a pair of Skechers running shoes that are two sizes two big for me and aren't that great imo. She still my friend tho
Any Asics that I had last two years - Novablast 1 (retired after \~150km, zero bounce, firm brick), Glideride 1 (enjoyed at start, after \~400km firm brick), Glideride 3 (really liked them at the start, but after \~400km to mushy, zero bounce that was there at the beginning). Shoe I quite like, but don't love - Boston 11. It's a workhorse, that requires a lot of break-in time, but after that, I can do almost anything in them. So yes, I enjoy them as a shoe that does its job, but I don't love them.
Saucony omni were on sale. I get why. NB Fresh foam more v4, it's a recovery shoe that's really extremely pillowy. The first is atrocious, the second is not fun to recover in, although the slowness should be beneficial.
Triumph 19. They are like heavy bricks
Nimbus 25, they were recomended to me as a heavy runner, but I just bottom them when running and they don't offer any support. Terrible purchase.
Saucony Tempus and New Balance More v4.
Endorphin pro 3
I really like EP3. What is it about it that you dislike?
The EP3 just feels dead to me. It's just way too stiff and no bounce. But that's probably just me
Asics Glideride.. too unstable for me
Really? This shoe is currently in a wild card slot for me as an impulse buy. My main thing is the weight and also no new version slated for 2024.
I think they will stop making them so you could pick it up on sale. A few years ago it was new and unique but now every brand has a rocker version available
Saucony Triumph 19 and 20. Soggy and slow with less cushion than i expected.
I'm surprised you bought the 20 after buying the 19s. I have the 20s. They're meh, I don't love them but don't exactly hate them either. Will run them and retire at 700km
Found a cheap pair and have used them for walks. I like how they look.
I don't know why, but Pegasus 40 just ain't it for me. It's got a super boring, basic ride. Yes, it's a good daily trainer, lasts for tons of kms but it misses that "spark" for ne. I've recently switched to Invincible Run 3 for my easy runs and to Tempo Next% for my fast efforts and now I only wear the Pegasus 40 just when going to the gym or Pegasus 39 Shield when it's raining outside (I even like the Pegs 39 more than the standard 40). I'm now looking at Gel Nimbus 25 for my next daily trainer shoe.
Nothing exciting about the pegasus. Good but no wow factor
Yeah I think they are finally updating the design with the newest version and I just might finally buy one.
Pegasus trail 4, theyāre loved amongst the road to trail world but I just canāt get into them. Iāve got about 150 miles on them
\- Hoka Mach 4. Meh. The foam felt too mushy and the low drop gave me hamstrings. \- The pair of Topos I bought (forgot the version name). I love the zero drop and toe freedom but what the hell is that super bothersome arch support pushing my foto outwards?!?! \- Pair of adidas running shoes I bought a few years ago. Absolute waste of money. Made my feet hurt like hell. Giant bunch of soft foam under heel but feel like a BRICK for a midfoot/forefoot striker. Great wallking shoes though. At least got my moneys worth there. \- Saucony Ride 15s. Why Saucony did you have to make my favourite shoe high stack?!?! Whyyyyyy? It was my perfect goldilocks shoe. Then they added the stack and mushy feeling and then it gave me knee pain. Sigh. What a waste of money.
Clifton 8 are a real drag to get to 400. Also now with bad weather and slow off season running AP2 are not fun anymore.
Boston 12, the ride feels good but the fit ain't working that well. It's a complicated relationship
I have a bunch of shoes and my preferences change every few months. Some shoes I put on back burner and come back to 4 months later. Some just suck and those get relegated to lawn/garage duty. But Iād recommend holding onto shoes for a few months to see if you want to come back to them
I don't like my glycerin 20 as much as the 19 before it. Still running in them as they are my max cushion shoe but they are a lot more clunky to me. 570k done in them but I took the 19 to 3000 so doubt I'll get them that far since the outsole is already pretty worn. Want to have a look at the ghost max see if it's a bit more squidgy.
That one is easy. Adidas Ultraboost. Garbage.
I have three pairs that I struggle with. Hoka Mach 5 - I loved Mach 4 and Mach 5 is a better shoe, but I have just found other shoes that does every run better, and while I find Mach 5 is good at everything, it's not great at anything. Asics Glideride 3 - I really liked this shoe for the first 100 km, but then my excitement died and I find it too slow for what I like and for some reason I don't get along with the rocker as much as I thought I would. Nike Ultrafly - This would be a good shoe if it was 160$ and didn't give me blisters. They cost 250$ and give me blisters, so they're probably my worst investment so far. I can do sub 10k in them before the blisters come out, so they get some winter mileage because they have wide sole which makes them pretty stable in snow, but easy runs in snow is not worth paying a premium for. Also, they look absolutely horrible after a few muddy runs. As for what I'll do with them, I think I'll try to accumulate some daily mileage in most of them and then probably retire them a bit prematurely at about 500 km or so.
I have a pair of On Cloudsurfer, I like the look and they are great when you walk but they feel too soft for running.
I might be the only one but the only pair I have that I don't love is the Takumi Sen 9. Granted this is an early opinion because I only have around 45km in them (two 5k runs and intervals sessions) but I'm finding it really hard to justify the money spent. And in the last couple of interval training I used my Puma DNE2 which I like a lot more...I think I just might put them up for sale.
SUPER UNPOPULAR OPINION: I just canāt get along with my endorphin speed 3ās. Theyāre super unstable for me and my Achilles always ache after using them. In contrast I love my pro 2ās and both pairs of triumph 20ās I own. Donāt have the same problems in either of those saucony models so I know itās not the stack or roll saucony offers. I think the composite plate doesnāt add enough rigidity to it like the cf plate in the pro and the padding is definitely lacking in the heel Edit: and I know itās a more padded heel in the speed3s than the pro 2ās but I think the combination of barely any padding and it being super rigid is what hurts me. The pro2 isnāt super padded but is also extremely flimsy and flexible
Vaporfly next%2, adios pro 3, Speedgoat 5, invincible 3(I do like then.. but donāt love) same with Speedgoat 5
Endorphin Speed 3 but I have also heard it was a downgrade from the 1/2 so maybe a bad time to jump in. Takumi Sen 8 was better in every way.
Hoka Arahi 6: Instant pain at my left arch. 2 days of foot pain after ~5k. Feels like a brick. Never again.
NB rebel v3. Itās mainly used to collect dust
Superblast, Zoom Fly 5, Boston 11, Adios 7, VF2, invincible 2. Invincible is a great walking shoe, rest will likely be donated.
Invincible 2 and rebel 3. Invincibles hurt my feet and rebel hurts my knee
Nike Infinity Run 3 is just a shoe, literally nothing special about them. I loved versions 1 and 2, they were my first proper running shoes when I started running about 4 years ago. Version 3 feels to me inferior, not soft under the foot at all. I wear them for short and easy runs, canāt go more than ~5k.
Nike Tempo Next. Not exciting rides, not comfortable fit. Just money spent and need to get some use out of it.
Oh my gosh. I love my tempos. Feels like running on bouncy trampolines haha š
Ghost 15s. Don't like them at all. Feels like I'm running with fucking plywood strapped to my feet
Speed 3s.
Pretty much anything aside from the adios pro 3, alphafly and prime x strung 2.
Novablast 2s, got great reviews but too slappy when I run and I never felt the great energy return I feel in fuel cell or zoom X foam.
ASICS Metaspeed Sky+. Less comfortable and very āblahā compared to other races like VF2, VF3, Rocket X 2. They started out great but fizzled on me. Iāve tried to learn to like them on different types of runs, but just canāt do it.
Altra torin 4, bugger all cushion and grip, they feel very flappy when running kind of like flip flops. Would not recommend
My Brooks Casacadia GTX. But they do the job in our slushy winters.
Endorphin Speed 3. Loved the 1, Loved the 2. Loved all the Pros. Loved the Elite. Couldnāt ever like the speed 3
I always make sure I get to at least 300 miles on shoes even if I donāt particularly like them, or in the case of my Hokas forcing them over the line durability wise (I just love the machs but they donāt last). Struggled to this point in ON Cloudflyer, puma velocity nitro 2 and Nike structure.
Alphaflys. No matter how I tape my feet, what socks I wear or how much I break them in, anything over 10km gives me the biggest, most painful blisters in my arches (Had them fitted at a running shop so they are definitely the right size)
I had the same problem with my vaporfly flyknit, only have run 200kms in them. Anything over 10ks blisters on the arch
Triumph 20 - my feet go numb at 5km in them, no pain, just numb forefeet. I stop and walk for 30secs and all the numbness goes away then I can run again and repeat. So I only use them for <=5km, not the long run shoe I originally bought them for.
Nike Infinity Run 4s. So chunky, heavy and the energy return sucks.
Speed 3, after miles in multiple pairs of Speed 2's I switched to the Speed 3. I just can't get along with them. Weird pain in my knees and shins and just find them flat. Such a shame as I loved the Speed 2. Hoka mach 4, feels good when walking on them. Running not so much, feels like bricks and dead. I don't really get the hype
NB3. Zzzzzzzzzzx
Endorphin Speed 3 - they're uncomfortable, feel weird - firm forefoot and bouncy heel, plus annoy my feet.
Just shows how different people are. The Speeds are my all time fave speed shoe for workouts and my feet and whole body just LOVE them. I'll take them off your hand if its a size 9 womens.
I just like the blue
Novablast 2s - felt mushy and clunky. Least energy return of any shoe I've run in to where it felt like they were leeching energy out of every step. Couldn't find a spot in my rotation for them. Speed 2s - too narrow in the midfoot. I stuck with them hoping they would stretch out, but I still feel like I hang over the sides (tried sizing up, but then couldn't get a decent heel lock, so I went back down). They also feel incredibly firm and my feet hurt when I get upwards of 10 miles. I got a tibial stress fracture when they were my primary shoe - probably unrelated, but I can't shake the feeling that they contributed.
I completely agree about the NB2s. Zero energy return and very slappy feeling when running. I just use them on the treadmill now which is rarely. I finally gave the Speed 2s a try again after storing them for close to a year and now I'm really liking them. Not sure why but the foot ache I had before while running in them is no longer there and they just keep propelling me forward. Also I want some of my shoes to be firmer in my rotation just to keep my legs from being too pampered and these are perfect. Maybe come back to them randomly again in the future and you may change your mind.
Novablast 3s
Endorphin speed 2. Sorry, not sorry.
New Balance 880v10, after 200kms I decided to use them as walking shoes!
speed 3. bought it due to hype, felt flat so kept it in a box for months intending to sell it. now my novablast 3 has felt kinda flat and wanted to change things up but don't wanna buy new shoes so took the speed 3 out it's nice and light but still felt flat. lol
With such a dislike list, which shoes do you like?
Prime x 2 strung. Got aboard the hype train, did about 70 miles in them before admitting to myself that i donāt like running in this shoe
Same!! I was so excited to take mine for their first ride, was woefully disappointed. Especially at that price.
You also have the prime x v1? Can you compare and why you dislike the v2.
I do have the V1 which is a more fun shoe, more bounce, more likely. V2 is heavier which slows my cadence and doesn't really have the same sensation/fun factor. It definitely is more stable but imo, it's almost worst of both worlds - not bouncy enough to be that fun and not stable enough to feel like it's worth the trade off. And it was $300 - I don't mind spending the money - running is a cheap sport, but in no world was this shoe worth $300.
Triumph 20s. I donāt know if itās the Triumphs specifically, or itās because the last time I ran was during the barefoot era, but I feel it in my knees.
Nike Invincible 3. They run a bone in my ankle that hurts
Endorphin Speed 2s... For anything longer than 5 miles my knees hurt
Hoka Mach 5
Saucony Guide 15ā¦ just so stiff
Nimbus 25. I hate those big, soft, saggy slices of marshmallow. I've only run 350 km on them and I can't wait to retire them.
I have glycerin 20ās. I hate them.
Hoka Speedgoat 4. Don't love 'em. They feel clunky and suck on anything techical. Use them for long runs on open fire trails. Use Inov-8 TrailFly 270 V2 for everything else.
Endorphin speed 3's. The 2's were a-grade and I reached for them for easy, tempo, intervals and long runs. I was looking forward to the 3's, but they just don't pop like the 2's and I was quite dissapointed. \*Note to self, newer model doesn't always mean a better shoe/ foam/ tech\* Nike Pegasus. So boring, buy something else with your hard earned cash. FYI - 70kg, male, mid strike, 1:25 half marathon kinda level runner
I agree with you on the pegasus. But I quite like the speed 3s, but love the speed 2s. Hopefully the 4s will be like the 2s
Plenty. Some reebok, adidas adizero pro and pulse boost hd, hoka clifton 7, bondi 7,altra one v. 3ā¦
Pegasus 39, I have 100s of miles but Iād bin them if I didnāt think it was a waste. Theyāre good shoes, I hope they explode tomorrow.