My Search for Cushioned Shoes (that still look fast)
a journey into the world of supercharged shoes
About 3 months ago I started looking for an upgrade to my current running shoe situation. I was running in the Asics GlideRide, which I had loved pre-pregnancy, but just wasn’t working for me anymore. The day after a run I’d wake up with stiff, achy feet and the back of my left knee was starting to talk back to me…and it was telling me it wasn’t happy.
Something about pregnancy and postpartum and how my body resettled once the hormones exited (have they all exited?)…my joints, especially my knees, never quite felt the same. I also turned 40 a year ago and (I hope not but) maybe age has something to do with it? Regardless of the exact reason (or probably reasons) I’ve officially entered into my cushioned era (perhaps also a larger metaphor for my life at the moment).
I used to run in shoes with minimal cushioning…lighter, faster, barely noticeable was ideal. I remember when Hoka’s started to gain popularity - loved by some of my ultra running friends, they looked cartoonish with their clunky build and extreme soles. I resisted as I was (and still am) nowhere close to logging ultra distances, happily tucked into my comfortable world of 10k’s. I was also younger, my feet happier, and to be honest I just simply didn’t need more support than what I was currently running in.
The GlideRide was my first foray into a more cushioned, supercharged shoe. The curved design of the sole and additional cushion offering support as my foot rocked and then sprung off the pavement (I loved these and would still recommend them to anyone). Unfortunately my achy, abused joints began to require some additional TLC these shoes just weren’t offering me.
So I set out on my quest for The Most Cushioned Shoes In The World (That Still Look Fast). Because while the support I need might be orthopedic, I still want to look like a bad ass.
The contenders :
I purchased the On Running Cloud Monsters because (gasp!) I’d never tried an On Running shoe before. I loved the design and most importantly the color palette (I feel like we’ve come so far from the ‘shrink it and pink it’ mentality of designing women’s athletic gear and yet the colorways of women’s shoes are, most often, terrible at best). Unfortunately for me, these were a no go based on my ankle anatomy. They came up too high on my foot and dug into my ankle bone…like a low top trying to pretend to be a high top? Immediate back in the box/return to sender because mom doesn’t have time for blisters. I hope if you try these they work for you.
These Hokas are on my list. It says they’re for racing which is maybe why I’m into them? They don’t scream ‘I love running ultras on dirt trails in the middle of Utah’ and I’m into it (although the colorway still feels a little REI for my liking). It’s a disappointment they are only offered in unisex sizing…more on that later.
Saucony Endorphin Elite…my god I want to try these so bad. What’s with the open air design? And the cushion! That’s also aerodynamic! I might not set any records in these but i would feel like such a legit running bad ass.
Asics has an entire ‘blast’ series based on how pricey and how tricked out you wish to go. I was eyeing up the NOVABLAST until I started reading the reviews (which were all great!)…many who said they loved the NOVABLAST loved the SUPERBLAST even more.
After ordering - and subsequently returning - the cloud monsters, my need for running shoes became desperate so I resorted to my tried and true Asics. Feel free to argue, however, I think Asics hands down always make the best running shoes.
So I went with the SUPERBLASTS and initially while a strong like, I wasn’t sold. But after running in them for almost 2 months, I’d say it’s now a love. It took a few runs to get used to them but I’d 100% recommend them if you’re looking for a shoe that has CUSHION but also allows for some SPEED. I feel like I have two trampolines strapped to my feet and I’m LOVING IT.
On our first run I had my little coach in his running stroller and initial impression was that they felt a little…sloppy. I kept kicking myself in the calf, which is hard to determine if it was from the shoe itself or from pushing the stroller so I was looking forward to wearing these on a non-strollering run to compare. There was definitely less kicking myself sans stroller so I either got used to the additional bulk or it was 90% the stroller’s fault.
It was also 53 degrees and fog raining on our trial run (welcome to San Francisco in the summer) so the sidewalk was wet and the shoes also felt a little…slippery? I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this feeling before with a running shoe, but it felt like I couldn’t quite get a solid grip. Benefit of the doubt since it was their first time out of the box and this did improve over time.
A month in, I’ve gotten used to these being a little bulkier than I’m used to so much so that I don’t even notice them anymore. What I do notice, however, is how fresh my legs feel. It appears there might be some science to the technology utilized in these more ‘supercharged’ shoes on the market. Nike’s Vaporfly came onto the scene when minimal shoes were still the trend - launching a new technology, breaking records and creating a new category of running shoe.
The only downside to these shoes (aside from price, as $200 retail for running shoes is an investment) is that they are unisex. If you will indulge me and my soap box, a note about unisex running shoes. The biggest thing I’ve struggled with in assessing the performance of these shoes is ‘if they were designed for a woman, would they fit me better?’ The sloppy fit that feels a little bulkier and a little wider…is it because of the highly cushioned outsole or is it because a man’s foot is actually wider than mine?
Most running shoes are created for a man’s foot and adapted for women however, this is slowly changing with a few key brands. Lululemon broke industry norm by creating running shoes for women that were actually based off the specs of a woman’s foot (the ‘designed for men, adapted to women’ mentality unfortunately extends far beyond footwear). Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix created her own racing spikes and subsequently launched her own female focused footwear brand after she famously cut ties with Nike.
For the $200 price tag (or $250 price tag of the HOKA Rocket X) do I not deserve my own, gender specific version? It might be adapted for my foot based off an outdated patriarchal industry standard but surely it’s be better than the one-sized-fits-all-genders approach that they’ve currently decided to take? Hopefully as these supercharged shoes gain popularity I’ll have the option to one day find out. Or maybe I’ll just treat myself to those super fancy Saucony’s instead. After ‘destination parenting’ a toddler on a family trip to Colorado last week (we had a blast but we’re exhausted) I think I’ve earned a treat.
Happy Running,
*k
Katherine- You’re so on point that shoes that are cushioned don’t look fast. They often look too clunky. So this is quite the task! And achievement. Thanks-