The Top 5 Best Max Cushion Running Shoes in January 2026 - Supwell Power Rankings
Below we are ranking our top 5 max cushion road running shoes on the market in January 2026. See which 3 new releases made the list and where the Brooks Glycerin Flex, Puma MagMax 2, ASICS Gel Nimbus 28, and the Nike Vomero Premium and Vomer Plus landed.
We’re back at it with the January 2026 max cushion edition of the Supwell Power Rankings. We launched this series as a way to keep a running list of the best shoes on the market updated each month. Here are our 5 best max cushion shoes right now. *Editor’s note: Our criteria for this list is enjoyment, mileage accumulation on the Supwell team, adoption in the hobby jogger community, US market availability and price/value. For reference, our October 2025 Max Cushion list was: the Nike Vomero Premium in the top spot, followed by the OG Puma Magmax, the Nike Vomero Plus in third, the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 at fourth and the Skechers Aero Burst in fifth place.
1. Nike Vomero Premium: Best Overall
Still reigning supreme at the top of our power rankings is the Vomero Premium. A new wave of max cushion shoes has released since Nike’s tallest, most innovative model hit the market, but the Vomero Premium still has the streets on lock. Packing 55mm of bouncy ZoomX and dual air zoom units, the Vomero Premium represents the very best of what the max cushion category has to offer in 2026.
Nike Vomero Premium
2. Nike Vomero Plus: Most Daily-Able Max Cushion Shoe
In 2026, runners are increasingly using max cushion shoes as daily trainers, and the Vomero Plus is one of the best examples of why: it blends a high-stack, protective platform with an energetic race foam midsole, making it easier on the legs (and more enjoyable) to log daily miles. Well-cushioned, versatile, and lots of fun, this is the kind of shoe you’ll find yourself reaching for over and over again.
Nike Vomero Plus
3. ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28: Best Traditional Max Cushion Shoe
While the Vomero Plus and Premium feature bouncy elevated training midsoles that runners have been loving, the Nimbus 28 reminds us that there’s still a place on the market for a traditional max stack workhorse. Offering a smooth geometry, a comfort-oriented foam, and just the right amount of bounce, the Nimbus 28 is one of the most pleasant-to-run-in shoes we’ve ever tried.
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28
4. Puma MagMax 2: Best Long Run Workhorse
This is the highly-anticipated follow-up to the original MagMax, the shoe that helped kickstart the super max stack trend. While we feel like the MagMax 2 has lost some of the magic that made the OG so special, this is still one of the most protective, impact-absorbing shoes on the market. This remains our top long-run max cushion pick.
Puma MagMax Nitro 2
5. Brooks Glycerin Flex: Best for Smooth Versatility
With its unique de-coupled articulating midsole, the Glycerin Flex blends the comfort and protection of a max cushion shoe with the direct, flexible ride of a low stack trainer. While this sounds contradictory on paper, the ride is surprisingly well-realized, providing protection from the ground while still allowing for natural proprioception. The result is a highly-versatile, smooth underfoot feel that’s perfect for daily training.
Brooks Glycerin Flex
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