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Top 6 Best Running Shoe Brands

Best Running Shoe Brands

Running shoes, also known as sneakers or trainers, have transformed from specialized athletic gear into a universal element of sporting and casual attire around the world. Today’s top running shoes feature advanced materials and ergonomics, and are designed by research teams in collaboration with elite athletes. Here is a list of the top running shoe brands, with information about their companies, products, and sponsored athletes.

  1. Nike
  2. ASICS
  3. New Balance
  4. Brooks
  5. Adidas
  6. Puma

1. Nike

Nike is the largest sportswear brand in the world. Based in Beaverton, Oregon, the company started making their own athletic footwear under the Nike name in 1971, producing the Cortez as their first running shoe. Today, Nike is an iconic brand, with operations and a prominent place in culture around the world. Nike running shoes are some of the best available, thanks to their supportive foam soles, breathable uppers, and innovative lacing systems. Popular models of running shoes include Air Max, Shox, Free, Pegasus, Vaporfly, Zoom Fly, React, and Air Zoom.

Nike has sponsored countless runners over the years, starting with distance runner Steve Prefontaine. The brand sponsors Ethiopian distance-runner Kenenisa Bekele, who won gold in the 2008 Olympics, as well as fellow Ethiopian Eliud Kipchoge, who is the 2016 and 2020 Olympic marathon champion. Other runners in the Nike stable include 10-time Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah and seven-time Olympic gold medal sprinter Allyson Felix.

2. ASICS

ASICS is a Japanese multinational sports equipment brand based in Kobe. The company has become known for its running shoes, which are consistently ranked as top performers by reviewers. ASICS is extremely popular with runners thanks to their shoes’ features and stylish designs. Runners love the advanced “Gel” cushioning technology, as well as the scientifically-developed support mechanisms in the soles. Popular models of ASICS running shoes include Kayano, Metaspeed, Metaride, Dynablast, Novablast, and Glideride. 

ASICS sponsors the national track and field teams of several countries, including Ukraine, Netherlands, Morocco, Mauritius, Korea, Japan, Italy, France, Finland, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. ASICS also sponsors many individual runners such as marathon record holders Deena Kastor, Ryan Hall, and Sara Hall, as well as long-distance runners Emma Bates and Diego Estrada. Other ASICS-sponsored runners include Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi, in addition to Christophe Lemaitre, Irene Siragusa, Allie Kieffer, Candace Hill, Jake Arnold, and Jarrion Lawson.

3. New Balance

New Balance is an American sportswear brand based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1906, and today, they sell a full range of footwear for running, tennis, cross-training, hiking, walking, and team sports, as well as lifestyle and performance clothing. Their shoes are extremely popular with runners, and are often recommended by health professionals, thanks to their exceptional support and durability. All New Balance running shoes feature tough yet cushioning “Fresh Foam” soles, sweat-free interiors thanks to hypo-knit uppers, and solid heel cups that hold feet in place while providing ankle support.

New Balance sponsors several running teams and organizations, including the New York Road Runners, the New York City Marathon, and the Olympic teams of Ireland and Chile. In recent years, the brand has increased its sponsorship of individual runners, notably world-champion sprinter Trayvon Bromell, and middle-and-long-distance Olympian Stephanie Twell. Other New Balance-sponsored runners are Rose Davies, Celeste Mucci, Jenny Simpson, and Sydney McLaughlin.   

4. Adidas

Adidas is the largest sportswear brand in Europe and the second-largest in the world, only behind Nike. The brand has made running shoes since its founding in 1949.  Now, Adidas also sells all types of athletic and lifestyle footwear, as well as clothing, accessories, sports equipment, watches, mobile fitness devices, eyewear, and toiletry products. The brand is popular with runners because of technologically advanced features such as 3-D printed soles, a precision instep curve, and Primeknit uppers. Adidas is also known for their excellent customer service 

Adidas sponsors the national track and field teams of Australia, Ethiopia, Greece, Panama, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Slovak Republic, and South Africa. The brand is also the official sponsor of the Boston Marathon and the Zazzle Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco. Individual runners sponsored by Adidas include Olympic champions Steven Gardiner and Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Olympic medalists Noah Lyles and Peter Bol, world champion hurdler Keni Harrison, and Olympian Bendere Oboya.

5. Brooks

Brooks is an American sports equipment brand known for making runner-focused gear. Based in Seattle, Washington, the company has been making shoes exclusively for running since the 1970s. In addition to running shoes, Brooks also sells running clothing and accessories, notably a line of ergonomic running bras. Brooks consistently ranks top in reviews, thanks to industry leading technology such as “3-D Fit Print,” ideal pressure zones, and outsoles featuring “Guide Rails,” “DNA Midsoles,” and a “Segmented Crash Pad” for extra support.Some of the most popular Brooks running shoes include Launch, Ghost, Levitate, Adrenaline, Glycerin, and Hyperion.

Olympic middle-distance runner Marty Liquori was one of the first runners to be sponsored by Brooks. Currently, Brooks sponsors several professional running teams, including the Brooks Beasts Track Club and the Brooks Mavericks. The brand also sponsors individual runners in all disciplines, such as Allie Ostrander, Drew Windle, Desiree Linden, Scott Jurek, Ryan Vail, Dathan Ritzenhein, Garrett Heath, and Izaic Yorks.

6. Puma

Puma is a German sports lifestyle company that is the third-largest sportswear brand in the world. Founded in 1948, Puma has been making cutting-edge running shoes ever since. Runners especially love Puma’s shoes because of their neutral-to-high arch support and extremely comfortable soles featuring “ignite foam,” foam beads, and cell cushioning technology. The uppers are supremely breathable thanks to “Evoknit” construction. Popular Puma running shoes are Deviate, Voyage, Magnify, Electrify, and Liberate.

The first Puma-sponsored runner was Heinz Fütterer, who wore the shoes while setting the 100 meter record in 1954. Currently, Puma sponsors the national track and field teams of Ghana, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Portugal, Norway, and several other countries. Many individual runners are sponsored by Puma, including Olympic and world champion Usain Bolt, as well as Olympic medalists Shelly Jenneke, Jenna Prandini, Hansle Parchment, Andre De Grasse, Javon Francis, Luguelín Santos, Nicola McDermott (now Nicola Olyslagers), and world champions Will Claye and Indira Spence.

Honorable Mentions

Saucony

One of the oldest brands in the running shoes business, Saucony was founded in 1898 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. The company’s distinctive, curvilinear logo with three white dots was inspired by the Saucony Creek, a river in Kutztown, where water flows around three boulders in the river. Since its founding, Saucony has expanded greatly, moving to the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, but they remain committed to what they call the “guiding boulders” of the brand: good performance, good health, and good community.

Saucony offers a wide variety of shoes for men women, and kids, and even offers unisex options. The three distinct types of shoes they sell are running shoes, trail and hiking shoes, and walking shoes. Additionally, the company offers various items of apparel and accessories, including jackets, tops, bottoms, packs, hats, sleeves, gloves, and socks.

Mizuno

Mizuno is a Japanese sportswear brand that has one of the most loyal fanbases for their running shoes. The company has several beloved lines of running shoes, which they carefully update every year, including Creation, Nirvana, Wave Rider, and Wave Inspire. They also continually innovate new models, such as their recently released Prophecy shoes.

Mizuno shoes are known for their comfort and durability. The wide range of options that allow for longer runs without pain is one of the many reasons runners return to Mizuno shoes. In addition to several styles of running shoes for men and women, Mizuno makes running apparel, outerwear, bags, and accessories. The brand sells shoes and gear for a variety of other sports, including golf, baseball and softball, volleyball, swimming, and general training.

Salomon

Salomon is a brand known for their trail running shoes that produces gear for several outdoor sports. The company was founded in 1947 in the French Alps by Francois Salomon as a maker of ski edges. Today, Salomon makes gear for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, adventure racing, and trail running.

Salomon helped launch the segment of trail running shoes by producing increasingly lighter hiking boots. Their first trail running shoe, the XT-6 also made a surprising impact on the fashion world. Salomon’s shoes remain stylish, and they offer a full range of road and trail running shoes for men and women. They also sell running clothing, bags, belts, flasks, water reservoirs, and accessories.

Here is a list of other great running shoe brands:

  • Allbirds
  • Altra
  • Craft
  • Deckers X Lab
  • Diadora
  • Hoka
  • inov-8
  • Karhu
  • Kiprun
  • Lululemon
  • Newton
  • NNormal
  • On
  • Mizuno
  • Nobull
  • Norda
  • Skechers
  • Topo
  • The North Face
  • Tracksmith
  • Under Armour

FAQ

What is the best running shoe brand?

Nike is the best running shoe brand. Nike running shoes are some of the most highly regarded, and they have released several iconic running models throughout the brand’s history. Nike is also very active in the running community, sponsoring countless champion runners. Other great running shoe brands include ASICS, New Balance, Adidas, Brooks, and Puma.

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