How Do you Choose the Best Running Shoes?
Shoe Type
There are two basic types of running shoes: road running shoes and trail running shoes. Most people are just going to need road running shoes, which are good for things like pavement and other packed surfaces with only mild irregularities. You only really need trail running shoes if you are going to be running in very irregular off-road situations with roots, rocks and other things getting in your way.
More important, though, is fit; so if you think you need a trail running shoe but can’t find one that fits your foot properly, go with a road running. There is usually a wider selection of them.
Shoe Size
You may think you know your shoe size, but sizing your feet is way more complicated than you may think. It is made even more difficult by the fact that sizes can vary by shoe brand and even sometimes from one shoe model to another within a brand. That is why it is always best to buy running shoes from a physical store rather than online, unless you are rebuying the exact pair of shoes you bought and loved before.
Also, many people have two different sized feet. You should measure your feet with a Brannock device, the flat metal tool you see at the shoe store, to get the best starting size. Measure both feet and. If they are two different sizes, and…
the size difference is less than a half a size, fit the larger of the two.
the size difference is greater than a half a size, you might be better off getting two different sized shoes to avoid any foot injuries. This might involve buying two pairs of shoes.
Another thing many people don’t realize is that you aren’t necessarily stuck buying a gender specific shoe. The only real difference is that men’s shoes tend to be wider than women’s shoes. If you are a man with narrow feet, you might try women’s shoes, and if you are a woman with wider feet, you might try men’s shoes and see if you can find a better fit there.
Foot Arch
One of the things you have to know before picking out a running shoe is what kind of arch you have:
a high arch;
a normal arch;
a low or flat arch.