The 10 Most Comfortable Running Shoes On The Market Today
Don't let speed day get all the glory. Here are the 10 most comfortable shoes on the market for when you want to give recovery runs some love—and your legs some TLC.
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When runners think about training for a race, we often fantasize about ripping 800 meter repeats at our 10k pace or perfecting our fueling strategy on a 2 hour long-run. However, the magic of training happens on those days when you're not pushing your limits—when your body has a chance to recover and make those adaptations you've been banking on your hard training days. A great pair of running shoes can make the experience of running in comfort as fun as pushing it on raceday.
The Most Comfortable Shoes on the Market in Summer 2023
The most comfortable shoes have soft midsoles, cushioned tongues, stable platforms and, most importantly, don't goad you into running at a fast pace on your recovery days. If carbon fiber plates reign on race day, max cushioned stack heights are the domain of recovery run days. The ample cushioning in a dedicated recovery running shoe can protect your legs from the pounding impact of landing on the asphalt.
Trainers designed for comfort and recovery runs also tend to have more padded and looser-fitting uppers than speed-oriented shoes. They may be a bit heavier than your daily trainer—and should definitely be heavier than your raceday option—as the padding and cushion adds bulk. Comfort-oriented shoes also tend to have wider toe boxes to allow the foot to be held in a more natural position than a race day shoe, which can fit the foot like casing on a sausage.
Below, we've rounded up the most comfortable shoes on the market to serve a variety of needs. While the focus was on identifying the best shoes for recovery runs, we've also included a few more traditional daily trainers.
1. Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 ($160): The Most Comfortable Overall
The Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 is the king of comfort. It has a max stack midsole with 41.5 mm of FF Blast Plus Eco foam, an unusually fun stretchy tongue, soft upper and padded heel collar. It's great for heel strikers and forefoot/midfoot strikers alike; the Asics gel component in the heel provides cushioning and rebound in the heel, while the foam, which is similar to what's used in the extremely bouncy Novablast, combined with the rocker create a nice foundation for smooth toe-off. This is most comfortable at your daily training pace or slower (think at least 1 minute to 90 seconds per mile slower than your race paces).
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
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2. New Balance Fresh Foam More v4 ($150): The Most Comfortable Running Shoe for the Slowest of Recovery Days
The New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4 had a tight brief—give the people more foam!—and it executes on it well. It has a high level of cushioning, thanks to a 38mm stack of Fresh Foam X midsole in the heel and 34mm in the forefoot (4mm drop). The foam balances plushness and responsiveness well, resulting in a comfortable and controlled ride. However, you won't want to be picking up the pace in these, as the plush, padded upper puts them on the heavier side.
New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4
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3. Saucony Triumph 21 ($160): Most Comfortable Shoe for Long Runs
The Triumph 21 is a great option for those weekend aerobic base building runs where you're looking to get out and move the legs for 2+ hours. The PWRRUN+ midsole is soft, bouncy and resilient, a dreamlike trio of qualities for going long in comfort. This midsole compound in made from beaded TPU, the same material that Adidas brought mainstream in the ultra-popular Ultraboost series. Saucony perfects it in the Triumph package, delivering a shoe with a better ride (of course subjective) and lighter weight (objective) than Adidas. Plus, the Triumph comes in a Runshield version (version 20 is available now; 21 will liekly be out ahead of Christmas 2023) that's water resistant, so you can be extra cozy on those rainy days.
Saucony Triumph 21
4. Nike Invincible 3 ($180): Most Comfortable Shoe with a Fun Ride
The Nike Invincible 3 uses the same ZoomX foam that's in Nike's famed race day shoes, the Alphafly and Vaporfly. In the Invincible, the Pebax-based foam is featured without a carbon fiber plate, letting the material's silky bounce shine through encumbered by a plate's rigidity. Previous versions of the Invincible heard runner complaints that the non-plated ZoomX could have a squirrelly feel underfoot, so this version benefits from an enhanced plastic heel clip to add stability (though this is by no means a stability shoe; see number 8 on this list for that). Keep in mind that Nikes tend to run narrow, so the standard width version of this may not work for you depending on your foot shape.
Nike Invincible 3
5. Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 ($150): Most Comfortable Running Shoe for Big Guys
The Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 has a thick stack of EVA-based PWRRUN cushioning and a rockered midsole that combine to give a firm and responsive ride. While some runners may think "firm" is a pejorative word for a midsole foam, in the Shift 3 it's part of the recipe for a shoe perfectly catered to the bigger and taller runners' shoe rotation. There are lots of soft max cushioned shoes and firmer, lower stack shoes on the market, but the Shift 3 is the rare one that bridges the gap—giving the big guys out there an option that feel supportive, stable and cushioned no matter the distance. The upper on the Shift 3 is more form-fitting than that on competitor shoes like the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 and New Balance More v4, which can be a good thing for bigger runners who want to use this for a daily trainer instead of a recovery running shoe. The shoe also has a heel clip for support, which combined with the firmer foam makes for a highly structured ride that feels straight and centered with each stride.
Saucony Endorphin Shift 3
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6. Altra Via Olympus ($170): Most Comfortable Zero Drop Shoe
If you're married to having a zero drop shoe, the Altra Via Olympus is your best bet for a max cushioned cruiser. The Via Olympus has a comfortable upper with Altra's signature wide toe box, breathable mesh in the toe area and ample padding throughout the midfoot and heel collar, However, despite the shoe's appearance and marketing as a max cushion shoe, the EGO Max midsole material doesn't deliver the expected soft and bouncy ride typically associated with max cushion shoes like the Saucony Triumph 20 and Asics Gel-Nimbus 25. The shoe has a firmer feel, and a $170 price point, there are better options on the market, like the low-drop Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 and New Balance More v4 (both have 4mm drops).
Altra Via Olympus
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7. Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 ($170): Most Comfortable Shoe That Can Pick Up the Pace
Saucony features heavily on this list because the brand's lineup is packed with comfortable, versatile shoes that perform well. Part of the Endorphin series—shoes with a pronounced SPEEDROLL rocker—the Speed 3 is designed to be an uptempo session or workout shoe. The PEBA-based PWRRUN PB foam is bouncy but also soft, making it a good choice for standard daily training miles and even recover runs. The winged nylon plate adds a touch of stability without making the midsole overly harsh. As a bonus, this is a great summer shoe, as the upper is light, breathable, airy and stretchy, helping your feet feel the breeze on the hottest of mid-July afternoon runs.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 3
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8. Saucony Tempus ($160): Most Comfortable Stability Shoe
The Saucony Tempus' claim to fame is being the first stability shoe to market that uses a super foam. The midsole is a combination of EVA-based PWRRUN and PEBA-based PWRRUN PB, providing a stable and responsive platform for runners who benefit from a structured ride. Despite being a stability shoe, the Tempus performs well at a wide range of paces due to the PWRRUN PB core. It's suitable for longer miles, uptempo efforts and even marathons if you're looking for a super shoe alternative. It has a snug fit in the heel and midfoot, while offering a slightly wider forefoot and toe box. The Tempus can be used a daily trainer for runners who need stability or a friendly recovery day shoe for runners who want more support on runs where they're tired.
Saucony Tempus
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9. Brooks Glycerin 20 ($160): Most Comfortable Daily Trainer If You Don't Care About Style
Now in its 20th iteration, the Brooks Glycerin has stood the test of time. It has a highly cushioned platform built with a 38mm heel stack of Brook's DNA loft supercritical nitrogen-infused foam. The upper is soft and supportive, the outsole has good wet weather traction and the foam will keep its performance for hundreds of miles. Two main drawbacks are this is designed to be a neutral running shoe, meaning it doesn't provide support for overpronating runners who need stability, and it's on the heavier side (10.1 oz for a mens size 9) if you plan to use it as a daily trainer. The other downside? This thing is not a looker, folks. The definition of function over form, the Glycerin 20 would not be our first choice, as one of our mantras here at Supwell is look good, feel food, run good. But if style isn't important to you, or you don't mind the lawnmower dad vibe on display here, this is a solid comfort-oriented daily trainer.
Brooks Glycerin 20
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10. On Cloudmonster ($170): Most Comfortable Daily Trainer If You Do Care About Style
If you're the type to hit the coffee shop or smoothie bar straight after a run, this is the schooner you'll want to sail. This Swiss brand has always been known for their sharp aesthetics, and last year's entry into the max cushion market, the On Cloudmonster, is no different. The Cloudmonster mixes functional performance elements with bold colorways and an oversized logo splashed on the upper. The ride of the Cloudmonster is soft and poppy at the same time, which comes from the compression and release underfoot of the EVA and Olefin–based Helion foam CloudTec pods. The shoe also has a Pebax-based Speedboard, which helps with responsive feedback when you want to pick up the pace. The upper is moderately padded, but not as much as other On shoes like the Cloudstratus (though that model has a firmer, more speed-oriented ride, so the Cloudmonster is the better choice for comfort). One downside is that the rubber coverage on the outsole isn't great, and the rubber itself wears away quicker than on competitor models on this list that are cheaper. But that's the price you pay for swag.
On Cloudmonster
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