The Best Daily Trainer Running Shoes in Summer 2023
The daily trainer is the foundation of your training. Here are the best options to help you build fitness and chase your next goal.
Running is a beautiful ritual. The early morning wake-up calls, the rhythmic pitter patter on asphalt, the routes we've done so often we can run them backward. And the humble daily trainer is the backbone of that; it's the shoe we reach for to build that consistency over time. Here are the best daily trainers to keep those legs turning over everyday in comfort, style and speed.
The Best Daily Trainers in Summer 2023
Picking a daily trainer is a deeply personal thing. It's like a Sleep Number mattress. Some like their shoes firmer, some softer, some wider, rockered, non-rockered, stylish, low-key. We've rounded up all the best options across categories to serve up the 10 best daily trainers on the market today.
1. On Cloudsurfer ($160): Best Overall Daily Trainer
The On Cloudsurfer is a brand-new daily trainer fresh off the presses from the red-hot Swiss running brand. In development, the On design team used modeling software to find the best cloud pattern for energy return and impact absorption, landing in a new, less cloud-like formulation called CloudTex Phase. Whereas the old CloudTec was larger, more pronounced and more immediately felt on the ride, the Phase is smooth riding and understated, perfect for daily aerobic-paced miles. The EVA blend Helion foam is soft and slightly responsive, providing a ride that's versatile enough for everything you'll want to tackle during marathon training—though you'll likely want a snappier tempo shoe for speedwork.
On Cloudsurfer
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2. Hoka Clifton 9 ($145): Best Cushioned Daily Trainer
The Hoka Clifton 9 is a cushioned and comfortable daily trainer for cruising through hundreds of miles with ease. The Clifton uses Hoka's tried-and-true compression molded EVA in the foam that's been slightly reworked to soften up the feel. The ride is cushioned and controlled, great for easy miles and relaxed efforts. A solid covering of outsole rubber on the bottom of the platform will ensure the Clifton keeps on chugging for as long as you'll have it along for the ride, which should be at least 400 miles for most runners.
Hoka Clifton 9
3. Saucony Ride 16 ($140): Best Traditional Daily Trainer
The Saucony Ride 16 is a traditional feeling daily trainer with a firm and slightly responsive ride. While newer entrants to the everyday running game like Cloudsurfer are bringing the tech, the Ride sticks to good old EVA foam and a comfortable upper. If you prefer the feel of old school running shoes without plates and super bouncy foams, the Ride 16 is a great option that balances a traditional construction with a modern ride. The EVA-based PWRRUN foam, while being a classic compound, can keep up the pace no matter how hard you push it.
Saucony Ride 16
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4. Nike Pegasus 40 ($130): Best Daily Trainer from Nike
The Nike Pegasus 40 is another classic daily trainer that prioritizes simplicity over tech. The Pegasus uses a full-length React foam midsole, which is a slightly firm material, and pairs it with two Zoom Air units in the platform. The air units add structure to the midsole so it's not overly soft and squirrely—so don't expect a ride in here like the Alphafly. What you get in the Pegasus is a classic look and feel that's great for the demands of running as well as the demands of life—travel, work, school pickups, whatever life has to throw at you.
Nike Pegasus 40
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5. Tracksmith Eliot Runner ($200): Best Looking Daily Trainer
The Tracksmith Eliot Runner is a stylish trainer from the Boston-based performance running brand. The Eliot blends aesthetics with athletics, using a full-length dual-foam PEBA midsole that's lightweight, highly responsive and comfortable for both running and walking. The top layer of the foam is supercritical PEBA, meaning it's been injected with gas to make it softer and bouncier—perfect for achieving a comfortable step-in feel and when walking. The weight savings from using PEBA instead of EVA allow a heavy-duty rubber outsole that's almost as robust as a trail shoe (Editor's note: I went hiking in the Eliot Runner on vacation in the mountains and the underfoot experience and grip were both fantastic. I also managed to keep them mud-free).
Tracksmith Eliot Runner
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6. Saucony Axon 3 ($100): Best Affordable Daily Trainer
The Saucony Axon 3 is a cushioned everyday running shoe that happens to come in at $100. The Axon uses Saucony's PWRRUN EVA foam, the same compound in the Ride 16 and other shoes like the Kinvara, Endorphin Shift and Tempus (partially; more on that below) It also made our list of the best affordable running shoes due to the performance that outstrips the price. The firm and slightly responsive EVA performs just as well as the foam in shoes like the Nike Pegaus, even without the legacy recognition.
Saucony Axon 3
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7. Brooks Hyperion Max ($170): Best Lightweight Daily Trainer
The Brooks Hyperion Max is a rockered, non-plated uptempo shoe that can pull double duty as a daily trainer. Because it doesn't have a plate, the ride is friendlier at slower paces than other uptempo and plated shoes. The midsole is made from Brooks' DNA Flash foam, a supercritical compound that's slightly firm and highly responsive. For efficient runners looking to build strength, the Hyperion Max is a great alternative to super trainers for fast long runs.
Brooks Hyperion Max
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8. Altra Torin 7 ($150): Best Zero Drop Daily Trainer
The Altra Torin 7 is a zero drop running shoe that prioritizes natural running form and foot position. The Torin is Altra's daily trainer and has a moderate amount of EGO Max foam cushioning—30 in the heel and forefoot (zero drop). The foam is soft with some bounce, but the shoe remains stability from the wider platform and outsole covering. If you've never considered a zero drop shoe, the Altra Torin 7 is a good option for your first—the amount of cushioning and upper set up give it a feel similar to other daily trainers while keeping the zero drop geometry.
Altra Torin 7
9. Saucony Tempus ($160): Best Stability Daily Trainer
The Saucony Tempus is a stability shoe that uses foam rather than plastic guide rails to create a stable platform. A firmer PWRRUN EVA cradle creates the stable outside of the midsole, while a softer and bouncier core of PWRRUN PB PEBA foam provides cushioning and pop for a fast and fun ride. The Tempus is unique in that it's the only stability shoe to use PEBA foam, making it the best option for an exciting ride in a stable package.
Saucony Tempus
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10. Asics Novablast 3 Wide ($140): Best Daily Trainer for Wide Feet
The Asics Novablast 3 is a soft and cushioned daily trainer that uses ASICS' FF Blast Plus foam. As one of the top daily trainers on the market, ASICS also offers it in a dedicated wide fit that's accommodating for runners with high volume fit. The ride remains comfortable and friendly, and the comfortable upper and durable outsole are also unchanged. The only fit different the standard version is that those with wider feet will be more comfortable over the long haul.
ASICS Novablast 3
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Final Thoughts
The daily training shoe is the foundation of a running shoe rotation—and of a training block. Just as relaxed running makes up the majority of a training schedule, the daily trainer will handle the brunt of your training runs. With great options from every major brand, there's a perfect daily trainer out there for you—no matter how soft you like your mattress.
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