Six of the best running shoes from 2023

For this end-of-year review, we asked our testers to tell us their favourite footwear of the year in various categories

After quizzing our shoe testing team, here are their top six choices for every type of runner.

Best marathon racing shoe – Nike Vaporfly 3 – £234.95

Nike.com

For this choice, there was a clear winner and it’s been worn by more World Marathon Major top three finishers than any other (16 from 36 podium places in the 2023 WMM races), so in this choice, we let them decide.

The original ‘super shoe’ is still the most popular and the Vaporfly 3 added a little more of that great ZoomX cushioning while keeping within the World Athletics’ limits. It achieved this by reducing the thickness of the outsole.

The carbon plate remained unchanged, but it really didn’t need changing.

The Vaporfly 3 is light, responsive and very fast.

For the ultimate marathon race-day performer, the Vaporfly remains the No.1 choice!

Best ‘super trainer’ – Saucony Kinvara Pro – £200.00

Saucony.com

After super-racers, 2023 saw the rise of the super-trainer – lightweight carbon-plated training shoes perfect for faster-paced training runs.

Our product editor, Paul chose this model and said: “I loved the deep stack of cushioning the Kinvara Pro provides which, combined with the plate makes it a great shoe for those tempo runs and longer efforts.”

He added: “I ran all my Sunday, long runs is this shoe in the build-up to the Berlin Marathon and it feels as good when running steady as it does when pushing the pace. It has training shoe cushioning with racing shoe performance.”

Best control shoe – Saucony Guide 16 – £129.99

Saucony.com

Another pick for a Saucony model, Mel, a marathon runner recording two personal bests in 2023 says: “For everyday training, the Saucony Guide 16 was a great discovery for me in 2023. I like the security the stability post brings, but the shoe is so light and feels easy to run in. The rocker shape in the forefoot really feels like it’s helping my feet roll down the road and it’s a godsend on those longer runs.”

The Saucony Guide 16 manages to provide a good level of support without adding any weight or bulk to the overall package. Its subtle forefoot geometry complements the responsive midsole and makes for an efficient transition on to the forefoot and into toe-off making for an effortless ride.

Best neutral cushioned trainer – New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080V13 – £160.00

Sportshoes.com

A late arrival in 2023, the latest version of the New Balance 1080 was only released a couple of months ago but has already proved a big hit with several testers.

Lauren, a club runner with a road running focus, says: “From the moment I stepped into these shoes, I fell in love! They have to be the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn and when running the amount of cushioning with a nice level of ‘bounce’ is just great.”

The 13^th edition of the ever-popular 1080 is softer, plusher and more responsive than ever, with a new ‘mix’ of FreshFoam X being used in the midsole. The shoe remains light for such a well-cushioned model and with a re-engineered mesh upper, the improved fit compliments the ride even more. This is going to be the neutral cushioned training shoe to beat in 2024.

Best road racing shoe (shorter distance) – adidas Takumi Sen 9 – £170.00

adidas.com

With a racing shoe market dominated by high-stack, carbon-plated models, sometimes you just want to dial things back a little and use a shoe that feels lighter, lower to the ground and generally more aggressive. The adidas Takumi Sen 9 is such a shoe and yet it still packs some of the (more expensive) super-shoe features into a minimalist package.

Jack, a 5km runner who ran his first marathon in 2023, says: “While I did run a marathon, it’s the shorter 5km distance that remains my favourite and the Takumi Sen is my go-to choice. When running quicker and on my toes, the lower feel and more nimble nature of the shoe are perfect.”

The shoe uses the same Lightstrike Pro foam as the brand’s top-end racer, here combined with EnergyRods made with glass fibre for that responsive feel. The lightweight package comes in at just 181g adding to the high-performance feeling.

Best trail shoe – ASICS – Fujispeed 2 – £160.00

Asics.com

In the same way that ‘super trainers’ were born from carbon-plated racing shoes in 2023, so have trail shoes, with a number of models adding the carbon-plate technology to create great, high-performance off-road shoes.

Fortunately, the ASICS Fujispeed 2 doesn’t hit the high price point of its road-going cousins, but it does perform just as well.

Grace, a trail running regular, says: “Unlike many carbon-plated road shoes I’ve tried, the Fujispeed 2 feels much more flexible and for a trail shoe that’s a necessity. The shoe still feels flexible and able to cope with the terrain and contours, but on flatter ground, I can still pick up the pace.”

The ASICS uses the FF Blast Plus midsole of the brand’s road racers as well as the carbon plate but adds on an off-road sole for great traction and durability. This makes it a versatile model for those with a go-anywhere sense of adventure.

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