Mateo also praises Novablast 3, “This is one of my daily trainers. It’s a super reliable shoe that I can rely on for easy jogs, high-tempo workouts and even long runs.” While it’s not designed for speed, the 30mm of responsive foam underfoot makes it capable of picking up the pace, he says. It’s also a great choice for half marathon and marathon runners who don’t want a more expensive, carbon-plated shoe.
This shoe provides stability without aggressively altering your foot strike (aka which part of your foot hits the ground first as you run), says Norris. “The support is great for runners who may overpronate (when your ankles roll as you land) or have low arches, but don’t want a traditional stability shoe that affects their gait too much.” The midsole features lightweight foam, which keeps this shoe from weighing you down over any distance. The previous version of the Gel-Kayano won the SELF Sneaker Award for Best Shoe for Runners at Every Level, thanks to its minimal and not too much approach to correction and support.
The Gel-Nimbus 25 offers a cloud-like ride thanks to several things. It has a higher stack height (40.5mm of shoe material between your foot and the ground) than its predecessors, is lightweight and has cushioning in the midsole (similar to that of the Novablast). It also offers a softer outsole, a new breathable knit upper and overall less weight. “It’s so plush and soft, your foot just feels like it’s being hugged at every point of the gait cycle,” says Mateo.
Both Norris and Mateo recommend this shoe for race days and workouts where you want to push your pace. “The midsole foam is so bouncy and light and combines with a carbon plate and aggressive rocker geometry to make you feel unstoppable,” says Mateo, who ran her current half and full marathon personal bests in this shoe. It feels like a racing flat with only a 5mm drop between the heel and toe height of the foam, but offers tons of cushioning overall with a stack height of 39mm. Norris highly recommends this well-cushioned (but not too high) shoe for runners who find other carbon-coated shoes too unstable.
Do you want to run long and go off-road? Then the Trabuco Max can be a great choice. Their high stack height (28mm of cushioning under the heel) will keep you comfortable, absorb shock and protect your feet as you travel over all types of terrain including rocks, roots, gravel and mud. The outsole has lugs that follow an uphill and downhill pattern to help you grip the ground no matter which direction you’re headed.
If Novablast and Metaspeed (which our experts already love) had a baby, you’d get Superblast. “The midsole combines a large piece of lightweight and responsive foam and the bottom layer has a soft foam that inflates. Despite the 45mm stack height, there is no wobble. that bottom layer of foam helps stabilize the upper, and the sidewalls wrap around the foot like a bucket seat,” Matteo says. There’s no carbon plate, but in Mateo’s experience running with the shoe, the glue that holds the two foams together adds stiffness without adding much stiffness. “You’re not going to get the same look of a plated shoe on tired feet, but this multitasker can handle long, easy runs as well as hold up on race day,” says Mateo.
The Glideride 3 is a solid choice for the half-marathon enthusiast, combining responsiveness with cushioning to support speed and distance—just what you need during a 13.1-mile race. The curved roll bottom helps you push smoothly with each step, and the cushioning in the midsole provides a springy rebound without weighing the shoe down. “This shoe makes running and recovery runs easy and light and smooth, even if your feet are tired. It can also work for longer rides as it has plenty of cushioning,” says Norris.
The Materacer is one of the lightest Asics shoes, weighing only 5.5 oz. Perfect for fast track training or race day, this air shoe will feel minimal on top. It feels like it propels you forward underfoot, thanks to the carbon plate and shape that promotes a rocking motion. Guidesole technology helps keep your ankle joint stable so you conserve energy as you run—plus, it has less foam cushioning than some other Asics options, which can mean more speed.
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