By Tanner Bowden

Copyright gqindia

One of the great things about running is that it doesn’t take much gear besides the footwear. And if you’re scoping out the best running shoes for you, we’ve got plenty of suggestions.
While the rest of your fitness apparel can be basically anything you find comfortable (unless you’re trying to get a big fit off, which we wholeheartedly support), the kicks you lace onto your feet can actually help spur you toward new personal records and avoid serious injuries. Almost every athletic brand carries a full range of running shoes, which makes it even harder to whittle down which pair deserves to grace your sensitive arches and awkwardly sized toes. Running shoe technology is ever-changing and innovations in the sneaker game mean this list will constantly be growing and evolving—sort of like your relationship with the sport itself.
So, whether you’re training to run a marathon in 2025 or just want to hop on the treadmill every now and then, here are the best running shoes for every kind of activity.
The best running shoes for 2025, according to GQ
1. Best for Most: Asics Novablast 5
For runners of all levels, especially beginners, the Asics Novablast 5 is hard to beat. It performs well no matter your speed, with plush cushioning that gives your feet a soft, gentle ride. Despite how cushy it is, we found that it’s able to snap back with a good amount of energy to propel you farther and faster. Plus, the upper is lightweight and breathable, featuring a thin tongue to give you a comfortable feel.
The shoes feels stable unlike other super-cushioned shoes, and despite being fairly under the radar in terms of looks, they get the job done (i.e. you’ll run as far as you want and end up unscathed). Hell, they’re so good that we even use them at the gym for regular-old workouts.
We will note that they don’t have the best traction, so avoid wet roads when you’re wearing these unless you want to risk a slip. Otherwise, for the price, these are a great pair of daily runners that’ll make you want to lace up and go.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
8 millimeter

2. Best Maximalist Running Shoes: Brooks Glycerine Max
Max-cushion shoes have been around for a while now, but recently brands have been experimenting with how far they can take things. Brooks is one of them and, I mean, just look at the Glycerin Max. Cushion is the main point here, and there’s plenty of it in the squishy DNA Tuned foam wedge beneath this shoe’s mesh upper. Brooks is using a nitrogen foam here, which has bubbles inside it that provide squish and rebound—there are larger ones in the heel (more squish) and smaller ones up front in the toe (more rebound). The combo seems to work, and the shoe’s curved rocker profile makes rolling from one stride into the next easy breezy. One thing not mentioned on the spec list: fun. That was the element that came to mind most often while running in this shoe.

10.5 ounces

Heel-to-Toe Drop
6 millimeter

3. Best Everyday Running Shoes: Puma Deviate Nitro 3
This is a hard category to make a call in. There are just so many good, fun, and interesting running shoes in the everyday category right now. And technically, the Deviate Nitro 3 counts as a super trainer for speedier efforts, but I found myself lacing up in it as if not more often for regular ol’ runs, and that versatility is what earned it the win. A lot of that comes down to the nitrogen-infused foam that gives the shoe a bouncy, responsive feel and the carbon fiber PWRPLATE inside of it. These are both adept at creating quick turnover when running fast but, while these features are usually overkill for slower efforts, they don’t feel that way in the Deviate Nitro 3. The fit is spot on in the engineered mesh upper too, leaving little room for complaints. Runners up here included the ASICS Novablast 5 and the Hoka Mach 6.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
10 millimeter

Best Running Shoes for Racing: Nike Alphafly 3
There are more high-tech race shoes than there ever have been. There are also more people running marathons than ever before. With the recent overhaul of the Vaporfly, the shoe that kicked off the super shoe arms race between brands big and small, the Alphafly has revealed itself to be the best marathon shoe out there. After all, that’s what it was made for—Eliud Kipchoge ran the world’s only sub-2-hour marathon in Alphaflys. Lightness is part of the equation, and the shoe’s Atomknit mesh upper is as minimal as they come. Propulsion is the other part, and beneath the hood the Alphafly has a thick wedge of ZoomX foam and a full-length carbon fiber plate. You don’t want to do your everyday running in this shoe, but it’ll take you 26.2 miles to a finish line, no problem. Close seconds in this category were Tracksmith’s Eliot Racer and the ASICS Meta Metaspeed Sky Paris.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
8 millimeter

Best Minimalist Daily Trainer: New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5
These days, even shoes that aim for lightness often do it without shaving too much off the midsole. That leaves a lot of it down to feel, and even though the Rebel v5 has a good amount of foam under the heel, the shoe feels like there’s less between your foot and the road. It makes running in them feel more controlled, more energetic, like no part of your stride is being lost in the shoe. Combine that with an upper that feels minimal in the way race day shoes are—though it keeps a comfy collar and tongue—and you get a running shoe that feels straightforward in the best way. This one’s good for all efforts, from slow to fast.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
6 millimeter

Best Uptempo Everyday Trainer: Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
Saucony designed the Endorphin Speed for racing, but this shoe is for a lot more than that. Yes, it excels at going fast—that’s thanks to a combination of high-end foam, a rockered sole shape, and a winged nylon plate inside for stability and spring. With these, the Endorphin Speed 5 is part of an emerging class of shoes some call “super trainers” with elements of top-tier race shoes but are made for daily use. The shoe just feels really great to run in, no matter how fast you’re going—our only knock against it is for a mesh tongue that can bunch up. At $175, you’re also getting a lot of bang for your buck.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
8 millimeter

Best Super Trainer: Adidas EVO SL
“Super Trainer” is an emerging category of running shoe and the boundaries of what’s in and what’s out are still blurry. Generally, these are shoes that use some of the same tech as the charged-up marathon shoes—top-tier foams, carbon fiber plates, and the like. There’s also a certain degree of feeling to it, and the Adidas EVO SL definitely has it. The key ingredient here is Lightstrike Pro, the same foam in Adidas’ Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1; it’s lightweight and very responsive, providing a trampoline-like feel with every step. It makes the EVO SL perfect for fast-paced workouts but the shoe is a joy to run in on easy days too. The upper, though minimal, provides great lockdown through the midfoot and heel. Lightness is one of the shoe’s better qualities, but it could survive a little weight gain for the sake of gussets to keep the tongue from bunching. Another super thing about the EVO SL is that, while its race day inspiration runs for $500, a pair will only set you back $150.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
7 millimeter

Best Supportive Running Shoes: Saucony Tempus 2
Stability shoes aren’t a dying breed, but there hasn’t been a ton of innovation in the category the way there has been with shoes made for speed. They often feel overbuilt, heavy, and clunky, which doesn’t inspire going the extra mile—yet, the Tempus is different. With a blend of foams, it feels poppy and responsive like a more traditional everyday trainer, but there’s also extra structure and support to keep things moving in the right direction. Our feet sat in the shoe like it was a cockpit, with the midsole supporting from below and the upper hugging from above. It might not provide enough stability intervention for some runners, but we think it’s worth a try-on at the very least, and a certification from the American Podiatric Medical Association echoes our sentiment.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
8 millimeter

Best Everyday Trail Running Shoe: The North Face VECTIV Enduris 4
Conditions weren’t great when I first started running in the Enduris 4; winter was trying to figure out if it was going to change to spring, and there was a lot of snow, mud, and slop on the trails and dirt roads. But that makes for good testing, and the Enduris 4 handled it all. With a durable upper that hugs the midfoot and heel but leaves room for toes to wiggle, the shoe provides the kind of fit that encourages a feeling of control on uneven ground. That’s aided down below, with a wide sole four-millimeter lugs that bite into dirt and rock. All are confidence-inspiring, which makes it easy to pick up the pace, as does TNF’s Dream foam, which provides decent bounce and energy return. The Enduris’s Vectiv plate and rockered profile also work to keep things stable and moving in the right direction.

10.12 ounces

Heel-to-Toe Drop
6 millimeter

Best Technical Trail Running Shoe: Norda 002
The 002 is the aptly named second release from Montreal-based upstart Norda. Where the 001 was made to be versatile, if slightly leaning in on long-distance trail running, the 002 wants to be a technician. Unlike its sibling, this shoe has a padded heel collar and a lower stack to bring it closer to the ground for technical running in rugged terrain. It maintains everything that made the 001 a success—a super-durable Dyneema upper, outsole rubber, and midsole foam by Vibram, and a dialed-in look with minimal branding. In our testing, the shoe performed as promised; it was perfect for rocky, rooty trails with many ups and downs and plenty of turns. If the price tag scares you, know that Norda shoes have been known to last for hundreds of miles.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
4 millimeter

Most Versatile Trail Running Shoe: Hoka Speedgoat 6
Prefer hitting the trails over cement? Hoka’s Challenger 7 is our pick for runs that take you from the pavement to the dirt and whatever other surface you can throw its way. Its four-millimeter lugs are obviously primed for keeping you on your feet when you’re hitting trails, but its lightweight foam just makes it feel like a more rugged version of the brand’s everyday runner, the Clifton 10. We tested this mostly on dirt roads, and it helped up wonderfully, as in we didn’t fall or trip and our dogs were kept intact by the end of clocking those miles.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
5 millimeters

Best-Looking Running Shoe: Tracksmith Eliot
In the pursuit of a good-looking (a.k.a. not aggressively neon) running shoe, you might think you need to pass up on some key technical advancements. But in the past decade, Tracksmith has revived the relatively pedestrian category of running gear by bringing back some of the sport’s old spirit. The Boston-based brand has put aesthetics at the forefront of its performance-forward gear. Its Eliot Runner is its first foray into footwear, bringing the brand’s signature preppy, retro style to your feet. More than just good looks, though, these sneakers offer a surprisingly smooth ride courtesy of the Pebax foam midsole, which we found hits the right balance between firmness and springiness—much like the pine needle-laden roads of New England that they were designed to mimic. The shoe is slightly narrow in the toe, but its super-thick insole just feels good underfoot, and partly because these look so damn sleek, they might actually encourage you to lace up more often.

Heel-to-Toe Drop
9 millimeter

What to Look for in Running Shoes
Depending on what kind of running you’re doing—whether it’s speed work, a trail run, or a straightforward jog—you’ll need to make sure the shoe you wear is well equipped with adequate grip and the right cushion for the job.