My Recommended Road Running Shoes

I have spent hundreds of hours researching different running shoes and what I should buy. When it’s finally time to run in my new running shoes, I felt relieved cause I knew I made the right decision of buying this shoe.

I want to help you decide on what shoes to buy as fast as possible. So I’m going to recommend only the shoes that I know are worth your money.

Here Are The Running Shoes That I Recommend

Why Brooks Ghost 14

I recommend this running shoe because it’s a running shoe you can use for different types of runs. In addition, it’s right within the price point of what I consider to be good running shoes.

I recently made an article about how much a good running shoe cost. To find out the answer, I took the average price of the best-rated running shoes in the daily training, speed training, and competition shoes. It turns out that the optimal price for a good running shoe is around $132.

The Brooks Ghost 14 is right within that price point.

Other than the price, the brooks ghost 14 is incredibly comfortable. It uses an extended DNA Loft midsole that seems to have the right amount of cushioning so the shoes will feel soft without being too soft to the point where it loses its responsiveness.

It’s also a very popular pair of shoes. In fact, the Brooks Ghost line has been one of the best-selling shoes on multiple online stores.

Who are these recommended for: This shoe is for someone who’s looking to buy a shoe they can use for multiple types of running from jogging to a marathon who are willing to spend a little more for comfort.

Beginners looking for their first shoe will also find a lot of value in having the Brooks Ghost 14 as their first running shoe.

Lots of people have said it’s only good for training because of its weight and you shouldn’t use it for competing. However, I tend to disagree. The weight of the shoe rarely impacts the runner in the beginner to intermediate level.

So unless you’re trying to win the whole race or you’re trying to run to improve your rankings, you should be fine with a slightly heavy but incredibly comfortable shoe.

Why Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21

If you’re an overpronated runner, you need a stability shoe.

Some runners tend to roll their feet inward for more than 15 degrees when they run. This running gait condition is called overpronation.

This isn’t necessarily a big deal (I have it) but you will need to compensate by using a shoe that is specific for overpronated runners. These shoes are called stability shoes.

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21 feels very similar to the Brooks Ghost 14, the only difference is that the Brooks Adrenaline has an added stability feature called GuideRails.

The GuideRails limits your feet’ tendency to roll inward by physically blocking its inward motion. That way, your level of pronation will stay within 15 degrees, therefore, correcting your running gait.

Think of Brooks Adrenaline the stability counterpart of Brooks Ghost.

If you want to know more about stability and neutral running shoes, check out my article. I explained everything you have to know about the topic in detail.

Who are these recommended for: This is for any overpronated runner who wants to get a versatile running shoe they can use for any type of running from a light 5k jog to a marathon.

This is the shoe that I use because I’m an overpronated runner. If you’re not an overpronated runner, you should get the Brooks Ghost 14.

Why Reebok Floatride Energy 3.0

I just want to make it clear, I don’t have a pair of Reebok Floatride 3. But I want to give you a budget option that you’ll be happy about so I went out of my way to research the best budget running shoe.

After careful consideration and hours of research, I believe that the Reebok Floatride Energy 3.0 is the best budget option for you.

I have searched different forums, customer reviews, and product reviews of other bloggers regarding the Reebok Floatride Energy 3.0 and everyone seem to reach the same consensus — it’s a very comfortable daily trainer.

As a matter of fact, if you look at Runrepeat.com‘s best-rated running shoes, the Floatride Energy 3.0 is the number 1 best rated (94). However, the fact that it’s very affordable could be one of the factors why they got such a high rating and not necessarily because it’s better than all other shoes.

Almost all customer reviews pointed its comfort out of the box. That’s one of the most important features of a running shoe. Several reviewers also pointed out its soft cushioning which makes it a good option for stacking up miles.

It’s also lightweight, in fact, it’s almost 40 grams lighter than my top choice, the Brooks Ghost 14. According to Runrepeat, it weighs 241 grams which could already be considered a speed training shoe.

Who are these recommended for: I highly recommend this shoe for those who are looking for a good, reliable but affordable running shoe. This is the best value you can get at this price point.

If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a running shoe, go get this shoe.

What To Consider When Buying a Running Shoe

Looking at a typical buyers guide, you’re probably bombarded with tons of factors to base your buying decision on (shoe weight, stability, stack height, heel drop, etc.).

Those things matter, but only at a very high level (like for runners who are actually trying to win races). For most of us who just want to enjoy running, or for someone who uses running to lose weight, choosing a running shoe is less complicated than it appears to be.

Here are things you should consider when buying a running shoe:

  • Stability type
  • Overall comfort
  • Budget

That’s it!

Stability Type

Before buying a running shoe, you have to know your level of pronation to find out whether you need a neutral or stability shoe.

A quick background of neutral and stability shoes. Neutral shoes are for neutral runners – runners with the correct level of pronation. In contrast, stability shoes are for overpronated runners – runners who have a habit of rolling their feet inward when they run.

If you want to find out more about neutral and stability shoes, I have an article that explains it in detail.

Basically, two shoes can have the same level of comfort and the same features, but one is made for a neutral runner and one is made for the overpronated runner.

Again, referring to my shoe recommendations above, the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 21 is the stability version of the Brooks Ghost 14. They’re basically the same shoe, only that the former has an added stability feature.

Overall Comfort

Perhaps the most important factor in overall comfort.

You want a running shoe that’s snug to your feet, has decent cushioning, and a breathable upper. If you buy any of the running shoes I recommended above, then you should be fine. Thousands of people have attributed comfort as one of their notable features.

But no matter how comfortable the shoes are, finding the right fit would be a prerequisite to enjoy that comfort.

If you need help trying to find the perfect fit, check out this article. It’s packed with helpful information to help you with running shoe fit.

Budget

Last but definitely not the least is budget.

If you’re in a tight spot, don’t force yourself into high-end shoes. Studies confirmed that more expensive shoe doesn’t necessarily mean better shoes.

But, you have to be careful in choosing shoes in the cheapest category. There are some good finds like the one I recommended above, but there are also cheap running shoes that had to drop their price because nobody would buy them.

As a general rule, find a shoe that’s at or close to $132. A recent study I made revealed that the average price of shoes in the best-rated category for daily trainers, speed trainers, and competition shoes is priced around $132.

If you want to read more about that study and how I did it, check out my article.