Options Galore: Best Neutral Running Shoes in Summer 2023
This is the corner of the market where brands pour in the most investment dollars and pump out the most innovative designs and features. Here are the best options this summer.
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Neutral running shoes represent the best and most exciting of a brand's lineup. Whereas stability shoes are constrained by their need to provide support and guidance for overpronating runners, neutral shoes are designed for runners who don't have specialized requirements. If you've ever run a mile in your life, it's likely you've used a neutral running shoe.
What are Neutral Running Shoes?
Neutral running shoes are designed for runners with a normal gait and neutral pronation—the ideal foot motion where the foot rolls slightly inward upon landing, distributing the impact forces evenly. They typically offer a good amount of cushioning in the midsole to absorb shock and provide a comfortable ride. The best neutral shoes have a balanced construction, neither overly supportive nor minimalist, allowing the foot to move naturally.
While it's not a requirement for neutral shoes to be cushioned, most of the popular options today use a soft midsole foam to provide a comfortable ride. This is in contrast to minimalist shoes, which have little cushioning and a ground contact feel, and stability shoes, which typically have a firmer and more rigid ride due to the supportive elements involved. Because there are no prescriptive requirements to neutral running shoes, and the category represents the majority of runners, this is the corner of the market where brands pour in the most investment dollars and pump out the most innovative designs and features.
Here are our picks for the best neutral running shoes on the market this summer across a variety of categories.
Best Neutral Daily Trainers
The best neutral daily trainers provide a mix of cushioning, mild support and responsiveness in a light-weight package. Here are two picks that excel at this for neutral runners.
1. On Cloudsurfer: Best Neutral Daily Trainer Overall
While On is known for their suburban coffee shop swag, CloudTec pods and firmer ride, their most recent running release takes the brand in a different direction. The Cloudsurfer is soft and plush, perfect for daily training miles at your aerobic paces.
On Cloudsurfer
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2. Saucony Endorphin Speed 3: Best Neutral Daily Trainer for Fast Miles
Saucony markets the Speed 3 as an uptempo shoe, but we've found it to excel at daily training due to its soft bouncy ride and ethereally lightweight upper. Part of the Endorphin lineup, where the shoes are characterized by their pronounced rocker, this shoe can handle all of your paces in comfort and speed, from recovery miles through to your raceday if you don't want to shell out for a carbon-plated shoe.
Saucony Endorphin Speed 3
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Best Neutral Uptempo & Speed Session Shoes
The best neutral uptempo shoes have lively, energetic foam that gives a responsive and quick ride for your fastest training paces. Here are two options that approach the task of speed from opposite ends of the spectrum (max cushioned vs minimal… or at least what counts for a minimal road running shoe in 2023).
3. ASICS Superblast: Best Neutral Running Shoe for Marathon Pace Workouts
The ASICS Superblast is a max-cushioned behemoth with a dual-foam midsole and moderate rocker. It gives a speedy platform for takeoff due to its FF Turbo midsole, which is the same foam used in ASICS' marathon racers like the MetaSpeed Sky and Edge.
ASICS Superblast
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4. Adidas Takumi Sen 9: Best Neutral Running Shoe for Track Sessions
With a stack height of 33m, the Takumi Sen feels like an old-school racing flat compared to its sky-high brethren with 40mm stack heights. The Takumi Sen feels nimble, snappy and printer-paper-light, perfecting for ripping off 400 meter repeats at the track.
Adidas Takumi Sen 9
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Best Neutral Max Cushion & Recovery Run Shoes
Soft, maximum cushioned shoes should be a staple in every neutral runners' rotation, regardless of whether you're a speed demon or a leisurely saunter-er. They help keep your legs fresh after a long run or tough workout, and they're plain old enjoyable to run in.
5. ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25: Best Neutral Running Shoe with a Comfortable Ride
We crowned the ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25 the most comfortable running shoe with good reason: it has a thick 41.5 mm bed of Asics FF Blast Plus Eco cushioning underfoot, which combined with the Asics PureGel unit in the heel gives a luxurious and surprisingly responsive ride. This is a great shoe for true recovery paced efforts 1 to 2 minutes per mile slower than your race pace, but it can also handle faster daily miles and even steady paces (think marathon pace).
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
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6. On Cloudmonster: Best Max Cushion Neutral Shoe with a Fun Ride
The On Cloudmonster has a unique ride unlike the pillowy experience of other max cushion shoes. In the Cloudmonster, you can feel the Helion foam pods compressing and expanding underneath your feet as you run, providing a fun platform for easy efforts. While this is a true neutral shoe with no stability elements added (unlike its close sibling, the Cloudstratus, which has a plastic heel clip), it rides stable due to the wider platform.
On Cloudmonster
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7. New Balance Fresh Foam More X v4: Best True Recovery Running Shoe for Neutral Runner
The New Balance More v4 is a great recovery day option for neutral runners. It's a whole lot of shoe, with a wide platform, thick stack of Fresh Foam and well-cushioned upper, but all of that is packaged in a way that delivers a comfortable ride when your legs need it the most. It's on the heavier side at above 12 ounces, but it knows its place and won't be offended when you bring out the light shoes for track day.
New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4
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Best Neutral Running Shoes for Wide Feet
While some wide foot runners require stability shoes, there are plenty neutral options on the market with roomier fits and EE width lasts. Below are our two favorite picks for neutral runners with wide feet.
8. Hoka Mach 5: Best Overall Neutral Trainer for Wide Feet
The Mach 5 sets in Hoka's lineup as the fast daily trainer—it's light, has a streamlined upper and a moderate stack of PROFLY+ foam that performs well for everything that daily training requires. It comes in a wide EE fit, so you won't have to worry about jamming your foot into a shoe that allegedly has a roomy upper—this is the real deal.
Hoka Mach 5
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9. Topo Athletic Cyclone 2: Best Speedy Neutral Option for Wide Feet
Topo is known for their anatomically pleasing shoe constructions with low drops and wide toeboxes, and this model is no exception. Where this differs from the rest of the family is in its exceptional 100% PEBA midsole, which provides a soft, bouncy and responsive ride. There's no plate in here either, so you can feel the magic of the original super foam shine though on every stride.
Topo Athletic Cyclone 2
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Best Neutral Race Day Shoes
Race day shoes are where brands spend the most money and innovation firepower. Nearly all elite sponsored athletes who work with the brands on new shoe designs are neutral runners, so the exciting tech gets packed into neutral shoes. Here are our top 3 picks for neutral runners on race day.
10. Nike Vaporfly Next% 3: Best Neutral Race Day Shoe Overall
The original Nike Vaporfly pioneered the super shoe revolution and prompted a herd of copycats to come clawing at their throne. No kitty has yet reached the perch, with the Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 providing a speedier and more comfortable ride than ever. The third version bumps the foam stack height a few millimaters but keeps the package otherwise the same: PEBA-based ZoomX foam, a carbon fiber FlyPlate and a lightweight upper.
Nike Vaporfly Next% 3
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11. Hoka Rocket X 2: Best Neutral Race Day Shoe with A Soft Ride
The Rocket X 2 is Hoka's first attempt at a super shoe that has a super foam. Maybe because they were so excited to get away from EVA finally Hoka's shoe designers indexed the durometer of the Rocket X 2 to the softer side. If you prefer a cushioned ride and would like to take that feel to race day, this is the perfect shoe for you.
Hoka Rocket X 2
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12. Saucony Endorphin Elite: Best Neutral Race Day Shoe with a Firm Ride
You could compare running in the Endorphin Elite to driving a racecer. They're fast, but you need to know how to control them to get the most out of the experience. The Elite has a brand new foam for Saucony, which is a supercritical PEBA, and an aggressive rocker that holds your toes up in a cramped position. While this is definitely not a comfort-oriented shoe, it'll help you smash your PRs on your fastest race days.
Saucony Endorphin Elite
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FAQ on Neutral Running Shoes
Here are some of the common questions we get on neutral running shoes. Shoot us a note at yowana@supwell.io if you have any more questions you'd like answered.
Are neutral running shoes good for flat feet?
Neutral running shoes can be a good choice for flat-footed runners who do not overpronate. Flat feet, also known as low arches, are characterized by the foot having a minimal or no arch when standing. This set up can lead to overpronation, where the foot rolls too far inward when you land on each stride.
While runners with flat feet often require additional support to counteract overpronation, not all flat feet have the same degree of pronation. Some people with flat feet may exhibit a neutral pronation pattern (no excessive inward rolling) or only mild overpronation. In such cases, neutral running shoes can provide adequate cushioning and comfort without interfering with the natural foot motion.
Are neutral running shoes good for high arches?
Neutral running shoes can be a good option for runners with high arches if the foot mechanics and running style allow it. High arches, or pes cavus, are characterized by a pronounced arch that doesn't flatten much when standing or walking. This foot type tends to have limited shock absorption, and the foot may be more rigid during the gait cycle. Because neutral running shoes are typically more cushioned, the softer feel in the midsole of neutral shoes can help to absorb impact forces and provide a comfortable ride. The greater flexibility of neutral shoes—compared to more rigid stability options—can also allow for a more natural foot motion.
However, it's important to note that some individuals with high arches may also have a tendency to underpronate or supinate. Underpronation occurs when the foot rolls outward during the running or walking gait cycle, which can lead to less shock absorption and potential stability issues. In this case, neutral running shoes with thick stacks of cushioning can still be an appropriate choice for some runners, while others will benefit more from shoes designed to counteract supination.
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