Best Running Shoes For Men
We run for a lot of reasons—to get healthier, to challenge ourselves, to clear our minds, to release endorphins and dopamine, to embrace the suck and come out faster and stronger on the other side. It’s a nice bonus that we get to buy running shoes to support our healthy addiction. The best running shoes will keep us more comfortable and blister-free on the road while delivering better support and tread for the trail.
That’s why we tapped the expertise of Backcountry’s Gearheads® who run to compile this list of the 12 best running shoes for men. Our 12-pack of picks for road running and trail running shoes run the gamut. We have recs for daily training runs, turkey trots, and 5Ks as well as recs for marathons and gnarly ultra events that appeal to the masochists who find sick pleasure in testing and transcending their limits. And by the way, all weights listed below refer to a single men’s size 9 shoe.
Best Road Running Shoes For Men
Roads are relatively predictable environments that let us repeat our stride without worrying about our footing. That means we should focus on the best fit for our feet and on lighter, more flexible footwear that we can match to our unique gait, foot strike, and running style. Road shoes’ lightweight comfort and athletic looks also means we can wear them to the gym or casually around town. Whatever you want out of your running shoes, you’ll find it among these picks.
Here are six of our Gearhead picks for the best road running shoes for men:
On Cloud X 3
Best Multi-Functional Running Shoe
The On Cloud X 3 is another running shoe that we recommend for gym workouts and training. This is a fashion- and fitness-forward road runner with a more stable base than typical running shoes. It’s made to handle every lunge, jump, shuffle, and sprint that our daily workout demands. We can crush every routine in the On Cloud X 3—and look sick doing it in this Swiss-made running shoe.
Winning Features
- Swiss-styled cross-trainer
- Best for gym workouts and walks
- Minimal cushion
- 8mm drop
- 8.6oz
Altra Torin 7
Best Zero Drop Road Running Shoe
Like other Altras, the Torin 7 maintains the zero drop and FootShape™ fit that’s been providing Altra afficianados with natural landings and toe wiggle room for years. But when compared to the Torin 6, the Torin 7 has more cushioning and an updated tongue and upper for more ventilation and comfort. This is the zero drop shoe that we recommend to road runners who want to utilize and develop their bodies’ natural support mechanisms—and who want to have ripped calves.
Winning Features
- Zero drop shoe with wide toe box
- Best for daily training
- Maximal cushioning
- 30 mm stack height
- 0mm drop
- 9.8oz
Altra Solstice XT 2
Best Running Shoe For The Gym
Running shoes aren’t always restricted to the road. The Altra Solstice XT 2 cross-training shoe is made for the gym—giving us a zero drop kick for cardio, weights, and circuit training. We like the wide toe box and the way the zero drop develops our lower body without extra cushioning beneath our heels. This is the shoe we wear to work out, slip out for a protein shake, and then hit the town.
Winning Features
- Zero drop shoe for indoor training
- Best for gym workouts, walks, easy runs
- Minimal cushioning
- 23mm stack height
- 0mm drop
- 8.4oz
HOKA Clifton 9
Best Everyday Running Shoe
One of HOKA’s most versatile shoes, the Clifton 9 is an everyday road runner with big-time cushioning that hits the sweet spot for training. It’s soft—with a 33mm stack of EVA foam—yet not as plush as some HOKAs to maintain more speed and responsiveness. Version 9 of the Clifton is lighter and more cushioned than its predecessor, improving upon the legacy of this award-winning running shoe for men.
Winning Features
- Cushy comfort for a range of runs
- Best for everyday training
- Maximal cushion
- 5mm drop
- 8.7oz
On Cloud 5
Best Running Shoe For Everyday Comfort
We can't literally walk on clouds, of course, but the On Cloud 5 gives us that feeling with its cushy, CloudTec® pods and close-to-the-ground comfort. This outdoor lifestyle shoe features a featherweight build and forgiving speed laces for a loose, barely-there fit that feels refreshing on our feet, while On’s Zero-Gravity midsole cushions every step without cumbersome blocks of chunky foam. This fashion-forward running shoe with off-the-charts comfort completely crushes it for all the fellas who work on their feet all day.
Winning Features
- Featherlight shoe for everyday comfort
- Best for walks, travel, casual wear
- Minimal CloudTec® cushioning
- 7mm drop
- 8.8oz
On Cloudmonster 2
Best On Running Shoe
Unlike its multi-use siblings above, the On Cloudmonster 2 is a performance running shoe that’s made for dedicated runners. This shoe is earmarked for everyday road running with oversized CloudTec®️ and a Helion™ midsole that give us some extra bounce and shock absorption as we amass road mile after road mile. Building on the success of the original, the Cloudmonster 2 has more cushioning, propulsion, and energy return and uses more recycled materials than the first-gen Cloudmonster.
Winning Features
- On’s performance road running shoe
- Best for everyday training
- Maximal cushioning
- 6mm drop
- 10.4oz
Best Trail Running Shoes For Men
Trails call for a different breed of running shoes. Many trail runners are stiffer and more protective than road runners, with more aggressive tread to handle uneven terrain, mud, rocks, and trail hazards. Within the larger family of trail running shoes, we then can look for our ideal fit and choose the best combination of cushioning, drop, weight, and traction for the trails we run.
Check out our Gearheads’ recommendations for the best trail running shoes for men:
Merrell Vapor Glove 6
Best Minimalist Trail Running Shoe
The Merrell Vapor Glove 6 is a minimalist running shoe for the less-is-more crowd. As its name suggests, this shoe features a glove-like fit with its barely-there mesh upper, zero heel-to-toe drop, and a miniscule stack of 6mm cushioning for a more barefoot running experience. With almost no weight, cush, or protection, the Vapor Glove 6 lets us run more naturally on Vibram outsoles that provide premium wet/dry grip.
Winning Features
- Minimalist shoe for barefoot runners
- Best for light trails with limited debris
- Minimalist cushion
- 6mm stack height
- 0mm drop
- Claimed weight: 4.6oz
Hoka Speedgoat 5
Best Maximalist Trail Running Shoe
With a max-cushion build originally inspired by fat tire mountain bikes, the HOKA Speedgoat lets us fly downhill on shock-absorbing platforms that crush the comfort factor as we crush our trail runs. HOKA’s best-selling trail shoe stands out for its plush ride and grippy Vibram Megagrip trail tread that’s earned serious street cred. This is the trail runner that we recommend for men who want more float and less feel.
Winning Features
- Obvious pick for max cushion fans
- Best for technical trails
- Maximum cushioning
- 33mm stack height
- 4mm drop
- 10.3oz
Salomon Ultra Glide
Top Cushioned Running Shoe For Ultra Races
Much like the Speedgoat above, the Salomon Ultra Glide is soft AF with more than enough backbone for ultra races. Salomon’s most cushioned trail running shoe is built on a moderately sturdy midsole for plush landings that keep our feet fresher longer. Beneath all that, the 3.5mm lugs perform well in mixed terrain. If HOKAs just don’t do it, the Ultra Glide may be the ultra-cushy trail running shoe for you.
Winning Features
- Max cushion shoe made for comfort
- Best for long distances, mixed terrain, light trails
- Maximum cushion
- 6mm drop
- 9.6oz
Salomon Thundercross
Best Combination Of Cushion & Aggressive Traction
The new Salomon Thundercross showcases springy, max cushion midsoles—like the Ultraglide above—plus deeper, more aggressive lugs to dominate mud and dig into more technical terrain. We also like this shoe’s relatively roomy fit. It’s wider in the toe box than most Salomons, but the SensiFit upper locks our feet into place while the convenient Quicklace system cinches them down snugly. This mix of max cushion and max grip makes the Thundercross a versatile, do-it-all trail running shoe for runners of many stripes.
Winning Features
- New trail running shoe
- Best for mud and technical trails
- Maximum cushion
- 4mm drop
- 10.2oz
Altra Lone Peak 8
Best Zero Drop Trail Running Shoe
Altra’s best-selling trail runner, the Lone Peak 8 is a legend, thanks to its zero drop and roomy, FootShape™ toe box that Altra afficionados swear by. This combination provides a more natural fit that encourages us to land with a mid-foot strike and rely upon our body’s natural biomechanics to cushion, stabilize, and support us. It’s no wonder this shoe has a cult-like following, especially among thru-hikers.
Winning Features
- Balanced cushion and roomy toe box
- Best for trail running and thru-hiking
- Moderate cushioning
- 25mm stack
- 0mm drop
- 9.2oz
La Sportiva Bushido III
Best Trail Running Shoe For Gnarly Terrain
The La Sportiva Bushido III may be light and nimble, but it still feels like body armor that protects our feet from the roots and rocks that gnarly trails throw at them. Made for mountain running, this award-winning trail runner absolutely excels on rocks with a snug, performance fit, a rock plate and TPU inserts for stability, and FriXion rubber outsoles that give us climber-like grip. A counterpoint to the max cushion shoes above, Bushidos provide less float and more feel for more precise foot placement on trails riddled with rocks and hazardous footing.
Winning Features
- Protective shoe with great trail feel
- Best for mountain running
- Firm cushioning
- 6mm drop
- 10.5oz
Buying Your Trail Running Shoes at Backcountry
Whether you run roads, trails, or off-trail routes or simply prefer running shoes for cross training, gym workouts, or everyday wear, you’ll find the ideal fit among these picks. The road running and trail running shoes we’ve recommended above should provide you with a range of options with the weight, cushioning, support, drop, and profile that best fits your feet and best matches your runs.
FAQ
Q: Which shoe is best for running?
A: Any shoe that gets you out on the road or trail is a good running shoe. That being said, we recommend the HOKA Clifton 9, Altra Torin 7, and On Cloudmonster 2 for everyday road running. We like the Altra Solstice XT and On Cloud X 3 for gym/cross-training work and the On Cloud 5 for everyday comfort. We recommend the Merrell Vapor Glove 6 for minimalist/barefoot trail runners, the HOKA Speedgoat 5 and Salomon Ultra Glide for max cushion trail runners, the Altra Lone Peak 8 for zero drop fans, and the Salomon Thundercross and La Sportiva Bushido III for more technical trail runs.
Q: What is the difference between trail running shoes and road running shoes?
A: Trail running shoes are generally stiffer and heavier than road running shoes with more support and deeper, more aggressive lugs for better traction on uneven surfaces.
Q: Is it OK to run on the road with trail running shoes?
A: The tread on trail running shoes isn’t made for asphalt or concrete, so it will wear out much faster on the road and not provide as good of traction on flat surfaces as a road running shoe. But some running shoes have cross-over appeal, such as the HOKA Challenger, Salomon Ultra Glide, and On Cloud x 3.
