The Running Shoes that Matter from Every Major Brand - October 2026
Below we are listing the running shoes that matter from every major running brand right now. From daily trainers like the Novablast 6 from ASICS, to max cushion recovery shoes like the Mizuno Sky Prime, to super trainers like the Hyperboost Edge from Adidas, to race shoes like the new Nike Alphafly 4, we will give you the most important models from each brand.
From daily trainers to max cushion, super trainers, and race day weapons, these are the models we think are defining each brand’s lineup right now.
ASICS
From the first featherlight soft marathon racer in the Metaspeed Ray to the ultimate super trainer in the Megablast, ASICS’ lineup is stacked with shoes that have pushed innovation in the performance running shoe market forward. Even their daily trainers, like the Novablast 6 and Superblast 3, are important to their overall performance running shoe lineup.
ASICS Novablast 6
ASICS Superblast 3
Puma
Puma has a well-rounded lineup with four models that stand out above the rest. The Fast R-3 is still the fastest mass market race shoe available in 2026, while the Deviate Elite 4 is ideal for runners seeking stability and simply reliability in their race shoe. On the training side, the Deviate Pure is one of the best daily shoes of 2026. Other models, however, have fallen by the wayside this year; the MagMax 2 was a step backward from what was an iconic shoe in the first generation.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 4
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Puma Deviate Pure Nitro
Nike
Nike recently revealed the Apex and Swooshfly, two new racers poised to shake up the market in 2027. While it remains to be seen if these shoes can be hits in the pinnacle and entry-level race shoe categories respectively, for now they’ve breathed new life into Nike’s long-stagnant race lineup. Currently, the Vomero Plus, Vomero Premium, and the just released Alphafly 4 are their most important models.
Nike Alphafly Next% 4
New Balance
New Balance’s brand legacy is all about comfort, but enthusiasts are gravitating toward their faster offerings in 2026. Models like the 1080 v15, 880 v15, and Ellipse remain popular mainstream picks, while the SC Rebel v1 and SC Elite v6 feel more significant in pushing New Balance forward and bringing the brand up to speed with its competitors.
New Balance SC Rebel v1
New Balance SC Elite v6
Hoka
The Clifton and Bondi are central to Hoka’s business model, but in terms of shoes that matter from a performance standpoint, the Cielo X1 3.0, Skyward X2, and Clifton Pro are their biggest winners. While Hoka gets clowned on for its hospital-shoe reputation, these three models are top tier in their respective categories.
Hoka Cielo X1 3.0
Hoka Clifton Pro
Adidas
Over the past two years, Adidas has been the most transformative brand in the running shoe industry; they created the first sub 100g race shoe that helped to break the 2 hour marathon barrier with the Pro Evo 3, pioneered the uptempo non-plated trainer category with the EVO SL, and delivered reliable bangers like the Adios Pro 5 and Hyperboost Edge.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 5
Adidas Hyperboost Edge
Saucony
The Endorphin Elite 3 delivers the most fun ride in any race shoe, and the Triumph 24 is a great daily option with a near super-trainer level midsole foam, but many of Saucony’s other recent shoes have missed the mark. The Paramount Max and Endorphin Speed 6 are prime examples of shoes that had every reason to be good, but were held back by outdated design philosophies.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 3
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Saucony Triumph 24
On
We can’t pinpoint exactly why, but every current generation Lightspray On shoe—the Lightspray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper and the Lightspray Cloudboom Strike 2—feels significantly bouncier than the standard version. They’re so good, in fact, that its easy to forget that the regular models exist.
On Lightspray Cloudmonster 3 Hyper
On LightSpray Cloudboom Strike 2
Brooks
The Hyperion Elite 6 is a comfortable, bouncy marathon racer that’s the first Brooks we’d actually want to race in. The rest of their current shoes—from the Ghost Amp to the Glycerin 23—feel slightly behind the times. We’ve included the Glycerin Max OG here because it remains a benchmark in many runners’ minds for how max cushion shoes should feel. Rumor has it that Brooks is moving back in this direction in the Glycerin Max 3.
Brooks Hyperion Elite 6
Mizuno
Mizuno’s daily trainers are fairly forgettable: the Neo Zen 2 and Wave Rider 30 are workmanlike, reliable shoes that never caught on in the enthusiast community. Their race shoes, including the Hyperwarp Pure and max cushion models, like the Sky Prime, on the other hand, are cult classics beloved for their bouncy foams and smooth geometries. Hopefully the new sub 100g Hyperwarp 96 can give Mizuno the attention they deserve.
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
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Mizuno Sky Prime
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