Our expert ran dozens of miles to review the best running trainers for men, just in case your new year’s resolution calls for an upgrade. Copy link. twitter. facebook. whatsapp. As the author of The Runner’s Code and Running: Cheaper Than Therapy, I’ve long been obsessed with running shoes. I’m also running my fourth marathon in April, making me the perfect candidate to try out this year’s best running shoes for men. I’ve spent the winter months pounding the pavements in all conditions, wearing the latest models from Nike, Adidas, ASICS and other famous brands.

It was hard work, but fun, enabling me to try out the latest running technology, which advances bit by bit every year. You can read my reviews further down but, if you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick look at my top five:. “All running shoes are different, but they can be categorised to help make it easier for us to choose the right ones for the right purpose”, says Ben Mounsey, a 42 year old full-time athlete with over 30 years of running experience. Ben has represented Yorkshire, England and Great Britain across fell, trail and mountain running disciplines and is an executive at Sportsshoes.

“Generally speaking, these are the three main categories. The first are cushioned/neutral shoes, which are built for high mileage road running for the neutral runner. The second kind are support/overpronation shoes, with support suited to the over-pronator, while also offering cushioning suitable for high mileage road running. The third category is racing shoes, which are built for the faster paced runner looking for a race day shoe.”.

You can read more advice from Ben, with explanations of technical terms such as pronation, in the FAQ section at the bottom of this feature. And if you’re kitting yourself out, we also have guides to the best running head torches and the best running headphones. Our thorough, real-world tests will always help you find the best product at the best price. No manufacturer ever sees copy before publication and we do not accept payment in exchange for favourable reviews. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more.

I was looking for which shoes offered the best midsole cushioning, which is so important to protect the runner from both impact injuries and the steady creep of longer-term damage. Stability is also vital, so I was on the lookout for shoes that were designed to stop excess motion of the feet and ankles without compromising on movement. Those protections are important but we still all want to run well and impressively, so I wanted to find the shoes that were most responsive, meaning the one with the best ‘rebound’ effect underfoot.

I considered heel-to-toe drop – roughly speaking the difference in the thickness of the sole from the heel to the toe. Then there are the smaller details that are still very important. Is the upper likely to bind, chafe or bunch? Do the laces lockdown well when you tie them? Are the laces likely to fray quickly?. I also considered how they faired over different distances and in different conditions. To put them through their paces, I ran on pavement, grass, concrete and hills in the dry and in the rain. It was an exhausting but fun project.

Female readers should head to Rebecca Astill’s guide to running shoes for women. £260, New Balance. Best overall, 10/10. We like: the super-generous energy returns. We don’t like: the stone-collecting chasm in the sole. You never get a second chance to make a first impression and the moment I first stood in these plush shoes was such a joy it ranked with the first time I heard The Beatles. I felt so tall and so balanced and then, as I set out on my first trial run, so bouncy. They are so springy and lively it really was like running on comfortable trampolines.

Thanks to their rocker profile, these shoes’ brilliance became more palpable with every step: as the front of my foot landed I felt the strength and balance and when my heel hit the ground I could hardly miss the extraordinary propulsion. The slender carbon fibre plate means the lightweight feel of these shoes doesn’t come at the price of poor energy return. Quite the contrary, actually: these babies give so much energy it feels almost like cheating to wear them. But I won’t tell if you won’t.

I’ve been running for a quarter of a century and I never imagined it could be made so easy. They absolutely blew my mind and I can say without a moment’s hesitation that these are the greatest shoes I’ve ever run in. Currently £68, Sports Direct. Best value, 9/10. We like: responsive midsoles. We don’t like: the loud colouring. My first reaction to these was that their garish colour and space-age design won’t be to everyone’s tastes. It’s all a bit ‘look at me, everyone!’ for runners, who are often introverted souls. But it only took a few runs in the park on a wet day to tone down the vibe a bit and I’m glad I stuck with them, because these really were something special.