The Best Running Shoes for Men in 2024

If we could only wear one shoe for every type of run, regardless of speed or distance, we’d pick the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13 ($165). Our testers have a lot of shoes in their offices, but if you took a peek at the soles of each pair, you’d notice that the Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is worn down quite a bit more than the rest. 

The shoe is incredibly lightweight and sleek for one with so much support underfoot — most of the squishy everyday runners we’ve encountered are considerably less graceful. As the shoe’s name suggests, our testers found that their legs stayed fresh through various workouts. The substantial 38mm stack provides plenty of cushioning and rebound without feeling sluggish, even when the pace increases. 

Our team also noted the smooth ride, subtle rock forward, and efficient toe off, all of which were a huge help as they got further into a long run or dug in for their last few reps on the track. We also found that they held up well over time, even for those who found themselves rocking them most days of the week. 

The engineered mesh upper provides a nice balance of lateral support through the midfoot and stretchiness in the forefoot, resulting in a comfortable fit from heel to toe with plenty of room to splay the toes, which can make a huge difference over time. 

After testing, it’s clear that the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v13 offer, and deliver, the whole kit and caboodle, making them the ideal shoe for any runner who prefers sticking with the same silhouette across their training and racing. Don’t get us wrong, though, they’re great as an everyday/long-run shoe if you’ve already got your speed and race shoes dialed in.

It’s no bargain-basement shoe, but the Asics Novablast 4 ($140) gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Our testers found them to be suitable for everything from long runs to tempo runs, citing their FF Blast+ foam’s impressive energy return as the feature that stands out above the rest. $140 may not initially seem like a bargain, but these shoes are packed with features and come in at a more palatable price point than most of today’s running shoe offerings. 

Not only did they enjoy the plush, springy foam, but our testers also praised the breathable, sock-like upper for its secure fit through the midfoot and roominess around the toes — the only drawback they found was a slight lack of security and depth around the heel, though this improved when laced up with a heel lock. Most of our team resolved their qualms with the heel by wearing thinner socks, but folks who use their own insoles may find the rear of the shoe a bit shallow regardless of their sock choice. 

In spite of the heel size, the fit is great for varying foot shapes, though Asics recommends the shoe for those with high arches and underpronators. The gusseted tongue stays in place and has a thoughtful bit of cushioning near the top to protect the top of your foot if you prefer tighter laces. 

In the end, the Asics Novablast 4 isn’t the cheapest shoe you’ll find. But if you love Asics, are an underpronator, or have a high-volume foot, you’re going to think these are an absolute steal.

The latest innovation from Hoka, a brand that’s no stranger to pushing the limit, is the Hoka Skyward X ($225), a carbon-plated training shoe with a whopping 48mm stack that’ll turn the heads of even the most dedicated high-stack enthusiasts. Yes, you read that right: 48mm stack height. When our team got their first hands-on look at the Skyward X, they couldn’t help but return to the “moon boot” moniker attributed to many of Hoka’s kicks over the years. If we’ve learned anything about Hoka, we know that a tongue-in-cheek epithet becomes a badge of honor. 

It only took a few runs to realize that the Skyward X was a very good shoe that defied our testers’ expectations, rendering any initial skepticism moot. They reported that the ride is just as plush, energetic, and responsive as advertised, from tempo efforts to weekend long runs. While most highly cushioned shoes fail at the first sign of speed, the Skyward X uses a carbon fiber plate and innovative foam blend, what Hoka calls a “suspension system,” to provide a boost when shorter splits are required.

Sure, your feet are a long way from the surface beneath them, but if you’re out running on the road, sidewalk, or riverside path, the non-existent ground feel shouldn’t make too big of a difference — especially considering most folks running in shoes like these aren’t concerned with ground feel anyway. 

It’s not all about the bounce, though. The upper is made from a flat-knit engineered mesh that provides a secure fit without feeling restrictive, while the back of the shoe employs Hoka’s Deep Active Foot Frame to cradle the heel. 

The only thing we don’t like about the Hoka Skyward X at this point is the colors and the price. Our tester had the Blanc De Blanc / Virtual Blue, which reminds us of a Fourth of July ice pop, and the only other color available right now is a double yellow number that isn’t the best to look at. As for the cost, $225 is a huge dent to the wallet, regardless of the tech involved. 

In the end, though, we recommend these for anyone who loves top-of-the-line cushioning and all-day energy response. They’re comfortable, bouncy, and spirited, providing the runner with a weightless feeling that lasts for miles on end. Maybe Moon Boots is an apt nickname, after all. 

Nike racing shoes really don’t need an introduction at this point. The first iteration of the Vaporfly was launched to much fanfare back in 2016 — largely in part to Nike’s Breaking2 project, where they attempted to break the elusive sub-two-hour marathon. Fast forward to 2024 and the latest Vaporfly, the Nike Vaporfly 3 ($260), is still one of the absolute best running shoes for men in the game and our favorite for marathons. 

Our testers have been taking various racing shoes to task over the past few years; quite an undertaking given the unending super shoe release schedule. They’ve crushed races (and set PRs) in them, sprinted 200m repeats at Brooklyn’s McCarren Park with the Brooklyn Track Club, and covered miles and miles of speedwork on the streets of Boise. In the end, the Vaporfly 3 has been the standout choice for marathon racers, 1500m specialists, and everyone in between.

Nike’s Flyknit upper doesn’t look that much different than the mesh used by other brands, but after testing, our runners found Flyknit to be the superior material thanks to its comfort and support — notably its support in the arch. The split tongue provides good coverage and has just enough cushioning to protect the top of the foot, and a U-shaped foam insert around the heel keeps the foot secure and supported without sacrificing breathability or incurring a weight penalty. 

Speaking of weight, the Nike Vaporfly 3 is incredibly light. At just 7.1 oz for a men’s size 10, they are as light as air, even after hours and hours of pacey efforts. In fact, to make the latest Vaporflys even lighter than their predecessors, Nike thinned the rubber outsole and added more of its unmatched ZoomX foam.

The shoe promotes (and rewards) forefoot strike, but the 38mm heel stack is soft and responsive when you slow down a bit. But don’t plan on slowing down: the full-length carbon plate makes the Vaporfly, well, fly. For anyone looking to take their speed to the next level, the Vaporfly is a solid option 

Don’t like Nike? The Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 ($250) came in a very close second thanks to its comfy upper, ample cushioning, and extremely lightweight (7.8oz).

Much like Nike, Saucony launched an expensive, aggressive racing shoe and followed it up with an even more expensive, more aggressive racing shoe. In both cases, we thought the OG was just fine! If you’re not chasing a Boston Marathon berth or a trip to the Olympic Trials, the super-est of super shoes probably isn’t necessary for most athletes. Much like the Nikes, our testers prefer Saucony’s less-super race shoe: the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 ($225). This time, though, we actually think the race shoe is best suited for speed work. 

The shoe is, indeed, designed for racing — and we think it’s excellent for races of all distances. But, we also think that its lower profile and snappy efficiency makes it a much more versatile shoe than most would give it credit for. The honeycomb-knit upper and integrated mesh tongue give the shoe a soft, sock-like feel that is also tensile enough for the stress that comes with pacier workouts.

The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4’s insole is glued down, which could spell trouble for runners who want to use their own insoles, but our testers found that the factory insole is actually quite supportive, assuaging the fears voiced by runners with high arches. 

Saucony’s SPEEDROLL technology gives the shoe a fast, forward motion through each step, while the midsole blends two of the brand’s foam innovations, PWRRUN PB and PWRRUN HG, to balance comfort and energy return. Top it off with a full-length carbon plate and you’ve got a recipe for plush, breathable speed.

O Canada; the land of maple syrup, Tim Hortons, ice hockey, and, apparently, some seriously kick-ass trail running shoes. The Norda 001 ($285) is one of the most exciting, innovative trail running shoes for men to come out in recent memory — which is no surprise given the brand’s pedigree within both trail running and shoe design. The 001 stood out to our testers in a number of ways, but the most yapped-about feature is the shoe’s proprietary Dyneema upper. 

Dyneema, a superlight fiber that is by weight 15 times stronger than steel, is seldom used in the running world, but when Norda’s founders were seeking the ideal material for their shoe’s upper, they knew Dyneema was the golden ticket. They enlisted some experts to help develop a Dyneema fabric specifically for Norda, and the result is the bio-based Dyneema used on the 001. Not only is it light, but it’s extremely resistant to tears and scuffs, making it the perfect antidote to one of the biggest conundrums in trail running: weight vs. durability. 

The upper is stellar, but our testers also love the midsole, which breaks in perfectly after a few runs and retains its shape and comfort longer than just about any of the other trail shoes we’ve tested (which is why we don’t fault them for the high price point). The Norda 001’s grippy Vibram Formation sole is exclusive to Norda — it features 5mm lugs that made going up or downhill a breeze during testing. 

If you’re going to buy some (and you should), make sure you size up a half size from your usual running shoe size. For example, one of our testers is a size 9 in Vans and a 9.5 in Nike running shoes, so size 10 was the perfect Norda size for him.

When you first pick up the Nike Invincible 3 ($180), you may question how useful it could actually be on the road. It’s heavy, the sole is as wide as a pancake, and the ZoomX foam doesn’t look as marshmallow-soft as it does on Nike’s speed shoes. Not to mention the price tag — most people are alarmed at having to spend nigh on 200 bucks for a pair of trainers. OK, now forget all that. 

For one of our testers, no shoe makes him look forward to his long run more than the Invincible 3. A die-hard Invincible advocate since the silhouette’s first iteration, he basically told us that this list could not be published without it. We checked in with a few other runners on our team and decided that the Invincible 3 was a shoo-in. 

The Nike Invincible 3 is incredibly stable and well-built — in a world of lightweight shoes that feel like they’re not going to last, the Invincible seems, well, invincible. The ZoomX foam is equal parts soft and efficient, and the 9mm drop gives the runner a feeling of forward momentum with every stride. The upper is lightweight, and our testers really love the size of the toe box, which comes in handy after your feet have swollen throughout a long run. 

La Sportiva is known for its excellence in alpine pursuits, so it’s not a shock that they describe their footwear with the term “mountain running” instead of trail running. And they do, indeed, dominate in the mountains, taking on steep, loose, gravel trails with ease — both up and down. Their newest mountain running shoe, the Prodigio ($155) brings advanced cushioning and a less aggressive outsole to the trails, resulting in the ideal shoe for runs on mixed surfaces. 

Our testers loved the comfort of the Prodigio. The break-in period was short if there even was one at all. The gusseted tongue and sock-like liner is equally supportive and roomy, while the lacing system makes it simple to dial in the right fit. The upper is very light and breathable, a welcome departure from the thick uppers on most of the trail soles we tested. Don’t worry, though, our testers all reported that the Prodigio was resilient and didn’t take damage easily, even on rocky trails. 

Where the La Sportiva Prodigio stands out against its La Sportiva counterparts and other trail shoes we tested is the overall look and feel — take away the lugs on the sole and it could be a really good road running shoe. It feels fast, the energy response from the XFlow nitrogen-infused supercritical foam is there every step of the way, and the lightweight rock plate on the bottom adds virtually no weight. It has everything an excellent road shoe has but dials up the protection and trail-focused details to thrive on all surfaces. 

Finally, La Sportiva shoes run small, so if you’re usually a US 9.5, for example, you’ll probably need a US 10.

If there was a running industry award for “Most Improved Player,” it would have to go to ON Running. When the brand first hit the scene, their shoes made waves in Silicon Valley and with Upper East Side dads but left something to be desired for those trying to log serious miles. In the past few seasons, though, something has changed: On’s running shoes drastically improved, most notably its new ON Cloudmonster Hyper ($220). A maximum cushioned runner, the Cloudmonster Hyper actually resembles its namesake — it’s bouncy, plush, and, yes, feels like you’re running on, a cloud. 

The shoe keeps you rolling forward, pairing the immense cushioning with just enough forward motion to feel like you can keep some speed going, even after the 10-mile mark. Where many max cushion shoes start to feel hard after a while, sending a jolt up the leg with each footfall, our testers found that the Cloudmonster Hyper’s energy-returning foam really was keeping their legs fresh and comfortable over long distances.

Some of our team were split, however, on the volume of the shoe. Runners with high arches and insteps appreciated the deep fit and the lacing system, while others said they’d prefer a sleeker upper to go with the beefy midsole. 

It’s an expensive shoe, but we think On really has something good on their hands with the ON Cloudmonster Hyper. Oh, and the aesthetics are pretty sick, which is always a bonus in a gear category that doesn’t historically make the best-looking kicks. Wear these on your off days and nobody will wonder why you stole your dad’s Costco shoes.