It's that time of year! We've tested over 140 shoes in 2022 (!!!) and we're excited to share our favorites of 2022. For today's feature, we are starting with daily trainers. These are the shoes we gravitate to on a daily basis for the majority of our runs. Some are light, some are durable, and others are versatile for a variety of tasks.
HOW WE CHOSE
What each person seeks in a daily can be totally different from the next
depending on their running rotation. In this year's Best Of, we decided
to NOT have consensus picks as we couldn't come to terms with just
picking one shoe as the best daily trainer, or stability shoe, or
racing shoe of 2022. With so many variances and specifications for
runners, we decided to leave it a bit broader due to the differences in
many of the picks and let the shoes do the talking. For our Best Daily Trainer feature, our contributors considered the running shoe that best suited all of their daily miles for the years. With many of us falling into different situations, we hope our picks capture a wide scope of runners with different needs.
WRITER'S PICKS
CONTRIBUTOR RYAN FLUGAUR
The 1080v12 is a comfortable and dependable shoe that I enjoyed running in since day one. The combination of the hypoknit upper and Fresh foam X midsole creates a very smooth ride with the versatility to handle a wide range of paces. Compared to the previous 1080, The 1080 v12 addresses the heel counter issues that many experienced in the previous model adding some structure to the posterior aspect of the shoe. As an added benefit, the 1080 is also a great walking and work shoe. Wearing the shoe for multiple hours a day while treating patients is enjoyable and comfortable.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Ride 15
Honorable Mention: Saucony Ride 15
AUDIO ENGINEER BJ MCGEEVER
The first word that comes to mind when I think of the Ride 15 is reliable. Not sure what shoe to wear? Ride 15. Not sure how cooked my legs are from a long run or workout? Ride 15. Not sure how far or fast I’m gonna go on a run? Ride 15. Saucony’s updated PWRRUN foam strikes a great balance between soft & firm. The heel bevel and forefoot rocker paired with a surprising amount of forefoot flexibility combine for a ride that works very naturally with my mechanics. Despite all the shoes I’ve tried this year, I keep on reaching for the dependable, easy-going experience of the Ride 15.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Shift 3
Honorable Mention: Saucony Endorphin Shift 3
If I’m thinking about the shoes I’ve done the most work in this year, the Tempo v2 has got to be on top of the list. It’s the most grounded ride of the daily trainers we’ve tested in 2022 outside of the Kinvara, and by far one of the most versatile for those who love a low profile shoe. Whether it’s easy day mileage, picking up the pace, or even recovery paces, the Tempo does it all reasonably well in this major redesign. The upper is not perfect and an area for change, but as a whole this has been a fun, no frills trainer I’ve leaned on more than any shoe in 2022.
Honorable Mention: Mizuno Wave Neo Wind
CONTRIBUTOR ANDREA MYERS
For me, an outstanding daily trainer should perform consistently, whether you just did a long run the day before or have fresh legs, and be able to handle faster paces for strides. Out of all the daily trainers I’ve tested this year, the Tempus by far is the best. The PWRRUN PB midsole strikes the right balance between cushion and responsiveness and the rocker geometry is not aggressive or intrusive at easier paces. The extensive rubber coverage on the outsole has resulted in above average durability, which is a necessity for a good daily trainer. I’ve done short recovery runs all the way up to 15 mile long runs with no issues in the Tempus and look forward to many more miles in the shoe.
Honorable Mention: See end of feature...
Honorable Mention: See end of feature...
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR DAVID SALAS
And what a monster it is. This high stack rockered heap of Helion foam works really well for my mechanics. It provides a nice rolling sensation without the significant forefoot stiffness you get from some other shoes similar. The transitions feel more natural for me and I feel like I can take the Cloudmonster nearly everywhere. The Cloudmonster can still turn it over when I need it to as well. This is a shoe I can forget about my shoes and enjoy my run. This year was a really tight race as I felt very similarly about the honorable mention.
Honorable mention: ASICS EvoRide 3
Honorable mention: ASICS EvoRide 3
SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR NATHAN BROWN
It’s usually pretty easy to pick my daily trainer of the year. I simply look at the shoe that I got the most miles in this year because I simply kept going back to it. The Novablast 3 is a refined update of its predecessor with improved fit, lockdown, and geometry (removing some instability found in prior versions). Of all the shoes I tested this year, this shoe has the most notable forefoot cushioning which I found helped give a protective feeling for longer runs. It also is soft enough to be comfortable on recovery runs while having enough pep to pick up for some tempo. I even have taken this shoe out in the snow here in Wisconsin and it performed adequately (no, not super grippy, but not as bad as other shoes like the Glideride that I’ve used in the past). ASICS created a reliable, protective, and versatile trainer with the Novablast 3.
Honorable Mention: Saucony Ride 15
Honorable Mention: Saucony Ride 15
CHIEF EDITOR MATT KLEIN
There were some fantastic training shoes this year, which made this decision difficult. What I look for in a daily trainer is a lighter shoe that still has the cushioning and responsiveness for daily training, uptempo runs, and long runs. I like versatility and I found that with the Superblast. While this took a few miles to break in, a large amount of FF Blast Turbo provides a responsive ride that can handle tempo runs and the forgiveness to handle long runs. The Superblast is the lightest of the new super trainers, coming in at 8.4 oz (men's size 9) with a tall stack height of 45.5mm/37.5mm (8mm drop). Despite the stack height, it does not feel that high due to the amount of sole compression. The cushioning is still protective, but it is on the firmer side for so much stack height. This combined with the wider sole and side walls creates a stable neutral ride. The fit was slightly snug at first but has loosened gently to create a performance fit. The durability has been the best of any shoe this year, with over a hundred miles in my pair and no outsole wear. The outsole rubber has done great, but the small coverage makes it best for road miles only. While quite expensive at $220, the versatility and durability stuck out to me. Just know this is an investment that should last you a while.
Honorable Mention: New Balance Fresh Foam More v4
BONUS WRITER'S PICK - CONTRIBUTOR ANDREA MYERS
Is anyone surprised by my choice? Even though the Beacon is not a 2022 shoe, it is my #1 most dependable, consistent daily trainer that I can use for recovery runs, long runs, and strides. I love it for its accommodating, wide toe box, secure heel and midfoot, and neutral ride. At 7.1oz for a women’s size 8, it is definitely on the lighter end of the scale for daily trainers and makes it perfect for easy runs that include strides. The lower 29mm/23mm stack height and moderately flexible sole give it plenty of ground feel while still protecting my feet from the pavement. I have used the Beacon on a number of non-technical dirt trails and have been very impressed by its traction and performance on softer terrain. I am sad that New Balance is not continuing the Beacon line, and I hope that they come out with a good replacement in 2023.
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for our next Best Of feature on Stability and Stable Neutral shoes, coming soon.
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