The answer is easy: it’s the shoe you find to be most comfortable that also works for your biomechanics, fits you well, and meets your running goals and budget. What is right for you will likely be different than what is right for your friends, family or running partner. It may even be different from when you first started running.
In general, running shoes can be divided into two basic categories: those that let the foot move unhindered through the gait cycle, and those that correct a runner’s gait. The first category, that just let the foot do its natural thing, is called neutral. Those intended to correct the most common biomechanical inefficiencies are known as stability or, at the extreme end, motion control shoes.
The most important consideration when choosing a running shoe is that it be right for what your foot does during the gait cycle. Being in the wrong type of shoe is one of the leading causes of injuries in runners – most commonly from not having enough stability but also sometimes from being overcorrected by a shoe. Establishing what you need a shoe to do for you is one of the most important reasons to come to JackRabbit. Rather than make a guess based on your foot type, we will actually record you running and slow down your gait frame by frame to see what you need the shoes to do for you. You won’t have to trust us – you’ll see for yourself what your feet are doing and any changes as you try different types of shoes.
