Best Running Shoes for Men, Tested of 2026

Brooks has put a premium neutral trainer on the shelf at something close to mid-range money here, and that's where the Glycerin 22 earns the top of this list. The cushioning is deep and soft under the heel, but the forefoot still gives something back, so easy miles feel protected rather than sluggish. Of everything we ran in for this guide, it's the pair we recommend first when someone asks what to buy.

The comparison that matters is with the Novablast 5. That shoe is bouncier and more entertaining; the Glycerin is calmer, and on a tired day calmer is what you want. It also sits more predictably through the heel on turns than the softer, taller shoes here, which is the difference between a shoe you trust at mile eight and one you're managing.

Fit is the one thing to sort out before you order. The upper holds the midfoot closely and the toe box doesn't give much, so if you're between sizes, have a wide forefoot, or wear thick socks through winter, take the half size up. Otherwise your usual size should work.

What convinced us over weeks rather than miles is that the foam kept feeling like foam. We came back to it for the long, slow stuff and never got that compressed, dead sensation soft shoes sometimes develop. It isn't the shoe for a springy tempo session, and it doesn't pretend to be — as the pair that does most of your running, it's hard to beat.

There's a springiness to the Novablast 5 that's hard to describe without sounding like a shoe commercial: the foam compresses and then hands the energy back, and an easy run ends up feeling quicker than the effort you put in. It's the liveliest shoe in this set, and the one we reach for when the plan calls for easy and we want it to be fun.

It's also lighter than the amount of foam suggests, which matters after the first hour. Long runs felt protected without the sense of dragging a platform around, and the heel collar is shaped to avoid the rubbing that new shoes often cause — no blister tape on the first few outings.

The fit won us over too. This generation is noticeably roomier through the toe box than the version before it, which is good news if your last pair of ASICS pinched your little toe, and a reason to size down if you liked a snug, locked-in upper. For cushioning that feels alive rather than merely soft, it's the best shoe here.

Where it gives ground to the Glycerin is composure. Late in a long run, when form starts to go, the softer, bouncier platform is less settled underfoot. That's the trade, and for most easy days it's one worth making.

Nothing about the Gel-Excite 11 is exciting, and that's exactly why it's on this list. It's the shoe that asks the least of you: no break-in, no adjustment period, no compromise to manage. Put it on and run.

The basics are what it gets right. Cushioning is soft enough for daily miles without going mushy, the arch support is genuinely there rather than implied, and the upper holds the foot without pressure points. For a shoe near the bottom of the mid-range, we think that's the best value in this guide.

This generation is also roomier than earlier Excite models, and it comes in wide and extra-wide fittings, which is worth knowing if you've been squeezing into a standard width. Sizing is the wrinkle: it runs small for a fair number of feet, so a half size up is the safer call, particularly if your long runs happen in warm weather.

The ceiling is real, though. This is a steady shoe rather than a lively one, and it won't make a fast day feel faster. As a first proper running shoe, or the pair you keep for easy days and bad weather, that's a fair trade to make.

The Run Falcon 5 is the cheapest shoe in this set, and it's where we point a new runner who isn't ready to spend much. It's light, it's comfortable straight out of the box, and the toe box is generous enough that a wide forefoot doesn't feel pinched — three things budget shoes often get wrong.

For short, steady miles it does everything you need. On pavement and concrete it felt fine: not plush, not harsh, with enough underfoot to take the edge off. It's the kind of shoe that disappears on your foot, which is the highest compliment a cheap trainer can earn.

The factory insole is thin, and swapping in a better one costs little and makes the shoe feel considerably more substantial; it's the best upgrade available at this price. Beyond that, keep these for runs under an hour and they'll hold their side of the bargain.

They also look better than the price suggests. The plain black colorway is tidy enough for the office and clean enough that you won't feel like you're wearing gym shoes to dinner, which is not a small thing when one pair has to do everything.

Set the Run Defy next to the Glycerin or the Novablast and it feels like a much simpler shoe — less foam, less shaping, less of everything. That's not a criticism at this price; it's an honest description of what you're buying, and for a lot of runners it's enough.

What it does have is lightness and airflow. The upper breathes well, our feet stayed dry on warm afternoons, and there's enough cushioning under the heel for a few easy miles. Nothing about it feels cheap, which is not something you can say about every shoe at this end of the market.

Sizing is the headline. It runs small and narrow, and it's the shoe in this set most likely to send you back to the returns page — go up half a size, and if you have a wide foot, look at the Brooks or the New Balance instead. The laces are also cut short, a small thing until you're tying them in the dark.

We treat the Run Defy as a short-run and gym-bag shoe, and at that job it's easy to like: light, breathable, and cheap enough that you don't wince when it rains. It's not the pair we choose for a half-marathon block, because the cushioning runs out well before the miles do.

Start with the size, because it's what trips people up: the Charged Assert 9 runs small and narrow through the midfoot. If you're between sizes, or you have a wide foot, order up — and take the wide fitting if your usual width pinches.

Get past that and it's a lot of shoe for the least money here. It's light, the arch support is real rather than decorative, and the upper holds the foot securely without a break-in period. It's also been around long enough that the long-term picture is clear: this is a shoe that survives daily wear.

We suggest it to anyone who wants one cheap pair for everything — short runs, the gym, errands on the weekend — and we take it over a fashion sneaker without hesitating. What it isn't is plush. The cushioning is moderate and closer to firm than soft, and on longer efforts you feel the road more than you do in the Brooks picks.

That firmness is also why it stays stable when your form goes and why the outsole holds up. If you want a soft landing, spend more; if you want a dependable, inexpensive shoe that does a bit of everything, this is the one.

Some runners want a shoe that stays out of the way; this one is for the runner who wants the opposite, a platform that quietly organizes the foot from heel strike to toe-off. The Adrenaline GTS 25 is the support-focused option in this set, and it's the one we hand to anyone who has been told they overpronate, or who simply feels better with something under the arch.

What we appreciated most is that the guidance doesn't come with a harsh ride. The cushioning is genuinely soft, the heel collar wraps without squeezing, and the arch support is the part that holds up over a long day on your feet rather than fading after an hour. Support shoes often feel like a compromise; this one doesn't.

It's also the easiest shoe here to fit properly. Brooks offers it in wide sizes, the sizing runs true, and there's room in the toe box without the shoe going baggy through the midfoot. If you've been sizing up in standard widths to get toe room and ending up with a loose heel, that's the problem this solves.

The reservation is longevity. The outsole and the upper are where the GTS 25 shows its age first — heel wear and torn uppers turn up before the cushioning is finished. Treat it as a shoe to rotate rather than your only pair, and it will serve you well.

The Fresh Foam 520 v9 does two things budget running shoes usually fail at: it's genuinely soft underfoot, and it comes in wide and extra-wide sizes. If your last pair left your little toe numb, that combination is worth more than any figure on the box.

The comfort is the headline. It's soft without feeling bottomless, the toe box is roomy, and the arch support is decent for the money. It also looks tidy enough to wear with jeans, which is not nothing for a shoe at this price.

Sizing runs small for a fair number of feet, so go up half a size if you're unsure, and try the extra-wide rather than sizing up in a standard width. That way the heel stays put while the toes get the room they need.

We wear it as an everyday shoe that happens to handle a short run, and it's good at that. It isn't the pair we choose for a long Sunday effort, but for the runner who wants one soft, roomy shoe for the miles they actually do, it's an easy recommendation.