Not All Running Shoes Are Ugly: Best Looking Trainers 2023
We're giving the good looking running shoes out there a voice, because we wholeheartedly believe that #NotAllRunningShoes are ugly.
This has been a topic heavy on our hearts recently at Supwell. With each new month comes a new slate of running shoes, packed with a slew of technology, the latest midsole foams and, for most, a noticeable lack of swagger. But we're here to remind you that #NotAllRunningShoes are ugly. We're breaking our silence to stand up for the fashionable, the bougie and the dapper shoes hiding in the shadows waiting for their champion to rise and give them a voice. Here are the prettiest running shoes on the market today.
The 10 Shoes Disproving the Argument That All Running Shoes Are Ugly
Think all running shoes are ugly? Think again. Below, we've rounded up the best looking running shoes that suit a variety of tastes. From urban aesthetes to the suburban-mom-with-a-Stanley-cup vibe, we've included a great looking running shoe for everyone—and all of the models included on this list are performance-oriented trainers that can handle the wear and tear of rigorous running as well as looking great around town. And yes, we included On.
1. Tracksmith Eliot Runner ($198): Best Looking Everyday Running Shoe
The Tracksmith Eliot Runner is the most beautiful shoe that we've run in. It take its style cues from the New England prep aeshtetic, and like everything else made by the Boston running boutique, has impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail. In the ivory and navy blue launch colorway, the dark sash across the midsole is at once familiar and fresh, and the off-white midsole combined with the gumsole gives off a revised American heritage vibe. If you're looking for classic style and don't mind paying a premium, the Tracksmith Eliot Runner is our top choice for a great-looking running shoe.
Tracksmith Eliot Runner
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2. Nike Pegasus 40 ($140): Best Looking Classic Sport-Style Running Shoe
If you like the classic sport-style aesthetic but don't want the loud patterns typically associated with performance trainers, the Nike Pegasus 40 is here to save the day. The Peg, as it's affectionately called by runners the world over, is an iconic daily trainer from Nike that has a simple ride in a durable and good looking package. The midsole uses React foam, while is supportive, stable and mildly responsive, and the outsole has a generous coating of rubber for traction on wet surfacces. The Peg's vibe is sharp and buttoned-up, and it will look as good on the run as it will traveling and in the office.
Nike Pegasus 40
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3. Hoka Mach 5 ($140): Best Looking Hoka Running Shoe
You can say many things about Hoka, but you can never accuse them of having boring colorways. Hoka's design team has been cheffing it up lately and serving some of the best colorways in the game, from creamy whites to perfectly paired tropical yellows and greens. The Mach 5, which is Hoka's lightweight, cushioned everyday running shoe, gets the typical design treatment, which works espeically well on its streamlined, performance-oriented silhouette. All of the colorways hit pretty hard, but our favorite is the White / Scuba Blue pairing reminiscent of the 90s paper cups that inspired F**k Jerry's branding, your favorite instagram feed from 2016.
Hoka Mach 5
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4. Atreyu Daily Trainer ($110): Most Understated Running Shoe
With Atreyu, you can support the little guys and look good while doing it. Atreyu is an indepenedently owned running brand out of Austin, Texas whose mission is to "Honor Simplicity." They do so by offering clean, understated performance running shoes at accessible prices. The Daily Trainer is the brand's do-it-all shoe in the lineup, perfect for everyday runs as well as errands around town and travel. The midsole is a supercritical EVA, which is similar to the foam found in the top-layer of the Hoka Mach 5. The ride is cushioned, soft and moderately responsive, so the Atreyu Daily Trainer works well as a versatile option if you only have one or two running shoes at a time.
Atreyu Daily Trainer
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5. Brooks Aurora BL ($200): Most Futuristic Looking Running Shoe
I know what you're thinking. "Brooks? Really? On a list about the best looking running shoes?" It's probably what your dad got at the local running store because he wanted something comfortable for walking around Italy on his trip with mom. But this Brooks is different. Gone are the not-quite-polka-dots that they put on all their shoes for some reason. Gone are the weirdly mismatched orange and blues that made me applaud the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears for making those two colors seamlessly coexist. And in the place of all the typical Brooks noise is a two-piece tastefully overstuffed midsole and sleek moonboot-inspired upper. This thing isn't just all looks either; the Aurora BL was the first Brooks model to use the company's excellent supercritical DNA Flash foam, which gifts the shoe a smooth, cushioned and bouncy ride that's perfect for everyday runs, tempo style speedwork and longer efforts.
Brooks Aurora BL
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6. Best Looking Race Day Shoe ($225): Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
You can't beat the look of an all-white racing shoe with a classic mesh upper. Saucony executes on that formula perfectly here in the Endorphin Pro 3, their top-tier marathon racer that rivals established shoes like the Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 and Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3. While those brands attempt to signal their performance chops by going for aggressive, racecar inspired aesthetic, the Saucony exudes the calm, controlled confidence of a vintage C4 Corvette with its clean edges and rounded lines. The ride is cushioned and bouncy from the PWRRUn PB superforam underfoot, perfect for racing any distance or tackling long runs with sections of marathon race pace.
Saucony Endorphin Pro 3
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7. On Cloudmonster ($170): Best Looking Shoe from On Running
It wouldn't be a list about running shoe aesthetics without On. No matter what you think of the brand's looks, the general public certainly appreciates their design, as On has become one of the top two hottest selling brands in local stores alongside Hok (source: multiple local running store employees). The Cloudmonster takes the brand's signatures—the clean but sporty upper, the CloudTec pods underfoot—and cranks them up to the max. The result is a versatile and comfortable daily trainer that rides and looks like nothing else on the market. The Cloudmonster is a great option for everyday running and does exceptionally well on the treadmill and for aerobic paced runs.
On Cloudmonster
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8. Y-3 Edition Adidas Takumi Sen 9 ($400): Coolest Special Edition & Streetwear Inspired Running Shoe
Outside of appreciation for Gore-Tex, the Venn diagram for streetwear and endurance running is quite small. Adidas is here to enlarge that segment via Y-3, their collaborative line with designer Yohji Yamamoto through which they drop original designs and special editions of some of their performance running shoes. Here, our favorite track day shoe, the Adidas Takumi Sen 9, gets the Y-3 treatment with a sleek all black colorway adorned with lightning bolt threaded appliqué and the Adidas logo done in construction-core painter's stripes. We're not convinced that the special edition colorway is worth a $300 price premium over the $180 MSRP Takumi Sen that can be found on sale for $108—but if dropping four Ben Franklins is going to get you to the track every week, go ahead and fire up that Apple Pay.
Adidas Takumi Sen 9
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9. Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 ($160): Best Looking Max Cushion Shoe
Hoka no longer has a corner on the max cushion market which they pioneered in the 2010s. Brands like ASICS are dropping their own tall-stacked trainers, and they're coming with the design heat in the hopes to steal some of the same mainstream relevance that Hoka enjoys. In the Gel-Nimbus, we see ASICS pulling out all the stops for the 25th edition of their popular comfort-oriented everyday running shoe. On the design front, our favorite colorway is the white-on-white with a gum sole, clean and classic enough to rock as a casual shoe. It's also packed with features that make it one of our favorite comfortable shoes on the market right now, like a 41.5mm midsole of ASICS soft and cushioned FlyteFoam Blast Plus ECO compound and a pronounced forefoot rocker.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
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10. Hoka Arahi 6 ($140): Least Ugly Stability Shoe
Stability shoes don't have the greatest rep when it comes to looks. When we hear "stability," we think orthotic devices, not Tribeca during Fashion Week. The Arahi 6 is doing the stability sector some justice, serving traditional Hoka looks in a package that also provides structure and support through the brand's secure J-Frame midsole. While no one will mistake these for Common Projects or Golden Goose, Hoka has earned itself its own brand cachet recently, with the mainstream adoption of models like the Clifton and Bondi. The Arahi is the stable version of the Clifton, so you'll be in good company when walking around town .
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