Intro to the Finest Working Footwear of 2024
It’s sort of unbelievable that one other 12 months has handed, and what a 12 months it was for operating. From the Olympic Trials to the precise Olympics to world data being smashed within the marathon to the rise of the operating membership and the explosion of run manufacturers throughout all segments of footwear and attire, it’s plain– operating is having a second like by no means earlier than.
Right here at Imagine within the Run, we’re doing out finest to surf this wave and produce you alongside for the experience. Whereas we strive to do this with our podcasts (The Drop and Gas for the Sole), our twice yearly GRIT distance problem, and our many activations across the globe every year the place we get to satisfy you all, the actual fact of the matter is that this: the cornerstone of our content material is our operating shoe critiques.
For the previous 15 years, we’ve performed our greatest to offer you essentially the most in-depth and trustworthy operating shoe critiques on this planet. We’ve been right here for the barefoot development, the zero-drop development, the beginnings of the light-weight, carbon-plated race day sneakers, the rise of the tremendous trainers, and now– the end result of all these issues.
Over the previous 12 months, we’ve amassed hundreds of miles throughout many fashions, making an attempt virtually each operating shoe on the market. One factor is obvious– trainers have gotten so good over the previous few years, it’s exhausting to discover a actually dangerous one anymore. Efficiency that might solely be present in the very best race day sneakers a short while in the past is now trickling all the way down to every part else. And whereas costs fluctuate, often larger, on the excessive finish of issues, not a lot has modified. The Nike Vaporfly 4% was $250 almost a decade in the past, and virtually each race day shoe stays in that very same vary.
All that to say, sneakers are good. Like, actually good. So it was exhausting to decide on our favorites.
Nevertheless, there are nonetheless trainers that stand out above the remaining. We’ve tried each shoe on this record and a ton that aren’t on right here, and there have been some powerful selections we needed to make. Like a father or mother with children, it’s exhausting to choose a favourite after they’re all fairly wonderful. The excellent news is that we will nonetheless give trophies primarily based on their particular person abilities and participation ribbons for the runner-ups.
In order that’s what we did right here, breaking them up into their very own particular person classes. And whereas our subjective tastes might differ from yours, we’ve discovered that our suggestions work for many runners on the market. We predict you’ll discover the identical.
Right here’s to an important 12 months of operating behind us, and a fair higher 12 months forward.
(That is the primary record in our Finest in Gear awards, keep tuned for the Finest Path Working Footwear of 2024.)
