August 2008
What we tested for
Whether a particular shoe is right for you depends on several considerations.
Fit. Most of the shoes provided at least a good fit for most of our panelists, but there were exceptions. While testing the top-rated men's Nike Air Zoom Vomero+ 2, two panelists complained of pressure under the balls of their feet. There were the same complaints about the men's Nike Air Pegasus+ 2007. We attributed the problem to a slight bulge in the inner sole. The top-rated women's Nike Air Zoom had a similar bulge, but it didn't seem to bother any of the women panelists. The fit of the men's Champion and women's New Balance shoes pleased the fewest panelists.
Cushioning. Running can be hard on your feet and joints. Your shoes should provide enough cushioning to absorb impact. The men's and women's Nike Air Zooms provided excellent cushioning in our tests. Most other models were rated very good.
Stability. A stable shoe controls motion in your ankle. Among the men's models, all but the Champion earned a very good score for stability. But only half of the women's models performed as well as the men's counterparts.
Flexibility. The front of the shoe should flex enough to let you push off with the ball of your foot. The men's and women's Puma and women's Avia were the most flexible; the men's Asics and Nike Air Pegasus, the stiffest. We used a custom-built, pneumatically activated test fixture that bent the shoe to a maximum 45-degree angle, replicating a foot's movement, to measure the shoe's flexibility. But bending the shoe with your hand can give you a rough idea.
Breathability. Shoes that dissipate sweat quickly keep your feet cooler and reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal infection. For our breathability tests, we wet a sock, fit it over a plastic foot form, and left the form inside each shoe for four hours in a temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber. The men's Brooks, Adidas, and Asics and the women's Adidas and Brooks dissipated the most water. Breathability of the men's and women's Champions was only fair.
Weight. The lighter the shoe, the better—as long as cushioning and stability don't suffer. The men's and women's Pumas were the lightest. The men's Nike Air Pegasus and women's Adidas, Brooks, Saucony, and Champion were heaviest among the group.
Fit. Most of the shoes provided at least a good fit for most of our panelists, but there were exceptions. While testing the top-rated men's Nike Air Zoom Vomero+ 2, two panelists complained of pressure under the balls of their feet. There were the same complaints about the men's Nike Air Pegasus+ 2007. We attributed the problem to a slight bulge in the inner sole. The top-rated women's Nike Air Zoom had a similar bulge, but it didn't seem to bother any of the women panelists. The fit of the men's Champion and women's New Balance shoes pleased the fewest panelists.
Cushioning. Running can be hard on your feet and joints. Your shoes should provide enough cushioning to absorb impact. The men's and women's Nike Air Zooms provided excellent cushioning in our tests. Most other models were rated very good.
Stability. A stable shoe controls motion in your ankle. Among the men's models, all but the Champion earned a very good score for stability. But only half of the women's models performed as well as the men's counterparts.
Flexibility. The front of the shoe should flex enough to let you push off with the ball of your foot. The men's and women's Puma and women's Avia were the most flexible; the men's Asics and Nike Air Pegasus, the stiffest. We used a custom-built, pneumatically activated test fixture that bent the shoe to a maximum 45-degree angle, replicating a foot's movement, to measure the shoe's flexibility. But bending the shoe with your hand can give you a rough idea.
Breathability. Shoes that dissipate sweat quickly keep your feet cooler and reduce the risk of bacterial or fungal infection. For our breathability tests, we wet a sock, fit it over a plastic foot form, and left the form inside each shoe for four hours in a temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber. The men's Brooks, Adidas, and Asics and the women's Adidas and Brooks dissipated the most water. Breathability of the men's and women's Champions was only fair.
Weight. The lighter the shoe, the better—as long as cushioning and stability don't suffer. The men's and women's Pumas were the lightest. The men's Nike Air Pegasus and women's Adidas, Brooks, Saucony, and Champion were heaviest among the group.
