Really Struggling to Find a Shoe...

I have high arches I recently got some mizouno wave rider 24. They are a great neutral shoes, my only real knock is I was the upper was a little lighter but the base is great.

Hoka Clifton seems like it could be a good option

Yep, I've got to agree with the new Mizuno Wave Rider Flyknit. I've run in the Pegasus for as long as I can remember. But I can see the the Wave Rider replacing it! It's a very comfortable shoe that fits like a glove.

Thank you for the suggestions.

Re: Hoka Clifton. I already have a pair. Way too cushioned for me. If the Kinvara 11 is too spongy for me, the Hoka is on another level entirely!

Re: Mizuno. 12mm drop would kill me. I've been in 4-8mm drop shoes for over 10 years, and anything with a thicker heel feels really awkward (I was told by a biomechanics professor at a university running lab that I ought to run in flats full-time).

It seems to me that high heels are back in fashion... What I think is verging on criminal, is the lack of heel drop info from so many websites. HD is the primary factor in knowing whether a new shoe is likely to take time to adjust to (read: injure you if you don't reduce mileage), Stating it ought to be compulsory in law.

I don't know if these shoes have high arches or not, but Saucony Kinvara and Saucony Freedom are pretty no nonsense. I see that you don't like the Kinvara, however. In that case, give the Freedom a try if you are okay with only a 4mm drop. Skechers also do a good job of putting together minimal, no nonsense shoes that still have sufficient cushion. I can't stand how a lot of shoes are stuff with features that aren't really necessary for efficient runners.

Best shoe I’ve ever had (unfortunately I can’t find any more in my size): NB Zante Pursuit

Another good one I had that might fit your description:

Brooks Launch

I really like the Pegasus. Nothing fancy, just a work horse (with wings I guess...) I use it on easy and long runs; it does the job for me and fits me really well (I struggle with a lot of brands because I have very narrow feet)

Sounds like you have a good idea of what you are looking for. Are you aware of the advanced shoe finder took on Runningwarehouse. You can select: Weight, Hell-toe-drop range, stack height, ect.. and it spits out a list for you.

Try starting with: 7.1-9oz weight, 5-8mm offset, low-med stack.

LMAO @ the clifton recommendation. Hoka's lightweight shoe the RINCON could be worth a look but might still be too soft for you.

KINVARA: Don't form a prejudice based on any one version of that shoe. They change the design every year. It is good to read its reviews on doctorsofrunning.com and roadtrailrun.com to be aware of the specific design changes. Also besides the review they like to talk about the differences between the shoe being reviewed and other Comparable shoes. This can be very beneficial and even more relevant to selecting a shoe than simply looking at its specs.

On the Reebok Float Ride Run Fast, I ran into the Same situation. Although i knew about it previously through reading the doctorsofrunning review i still wanted to give a shot anyway. The issue is unlike the PRO version which has one continuous slab of peba midsole foam, the normal(non-pro) version's midsole is broken up into three different areas: Heal/Midfoot/Forefoot. Heal/Fore get the soft peba, Midfoot gets a chunk of Firmer foam. If you pull the insole out of the shoe and look closely you can actually see & feel where each of the three pieces of foam begin/end. Speaking of the insole... Look at its underside. It has foam ridges. What you can do(i did) is take a razorblade and carefully slice the ridges off that are underneath the midfoot/arch making it lower profile in that area. I wish i could upload a picture to show you exactly what im talking about. But basically from the heel of the insole count up 4 ridges, slice that one off and 4 more forward of it. This will make the shoe feel more normal. I have the 1 though.... I am not certain if this applies to version "2" of the shoe. When reading the doctorsofrunning review on the 2 i knew i would Not like it based on experience with the 1 because the 2 got even more clunkier in the midfoot.

Saucony seems to be still carrying the 4mm drop. Endorphin is nice too.

Thank you again!

From what I'm seeing, the New Balance Fresh Foam Tempo is looking pretty much suited to me. Supply here in the Uk is scarce... I'll have to nab a pair quickly, decide if they work, and hoard several pairs for the future.

I don't get this thing where they change the shoe every year. The human body's been pretty much the same for...how many centuries? WTF?

"Oh, sorry. The shoe from last year is flawed. We got our calculations wrong. You need the MK12 version, at 30% more"

I am loving Topo Athletic shoes. I have to wear a stability model, but they have neutral options as well. Their drops range from 0-5mm which is nice. I’d give them a try!

I buy a lot of shoes....

Two Best Daily Trainers

Mach 4 | HOKA®

ASICS® Novablast™

Brooks Revel

Atreyu base model

ASICS evoride

I think the shoe you want is the Revel.

Atreyu

I have just bought a pair of Revel.

Thank you all very much. I shall report back.

The Revel got relegated to walking-to-work duties. There is just too much sole, from FF to heel. I felt too detached from the ground in them, with too little feedback. I'd go as far as to say that the affect they had on my gait was to make it weirder than Hoka Cliftons. The Revel seem to have a lot of rebound, but at a frequency that fights with my gait (they even feel weird to walk in - like the bounce is fighting with you. I thought a couple of weeks using them as walking shoes might deaden them nicely for running, but the bounce seems to hold up!). They look like traditional shoes, but in my case, they couldn't have felt weirder. The strangest shoe I've bought since the Brooks Pure Flow!

I've gone back to the Reebok... It's a temporary measure.

Any other suggestions?

Thank you!

Thank you!

I have never run in the Puma 300 Speed Ignite, but do run in the Reebok Run Fast. I will give you a some options that might work for you. The Under Armour Velociti Wind (ignore the tech/sensor in the shoe, most everyone else does) or the Velociti SE are both shoes that might fit your needs, and you are starting to see them on sale. Not as speed oriented, but can be used as such, and can be used on longer runs also. 8 mm drop, lower stack height, but ample cushioning, not like bricks, not cush cush either. Another shoe you could consider, would be the Salming Enroute 3. 6 mm drop. Not huge stack height, but cushioning is more than adequate to do longer runs. Again, this shoe is not as speed oriented as the Run Fast, but can be used as such and is more versatile.

Hoka Mach 4

Puma velocity nitro

Both incredibly normal feeling shoes. Very nice for daily training.

I have the evoride 2 and the rocker does make them a bit gimmicky. They are kind of awkward for slower running, e.g. when warming up and cooling down, but they're suitable for tempo runs or moderate paced. The cushioning is not as much as I'd like, they're a bit on the firm side. I'm not sure how they'd do with high arches.