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“Women spend a lot of time in tapered and small shoes, but they’re torturing their feet,” she says, noting that she’s “a huge fan of Altra” because of the toe box space.Īltra also is known for its zero-drop profile, which means there is no drop between the heel and toe, making it an entirely flat shoe. Wells also recommends the Altra brand, and the Escalante specifically, particularly for women. “It has a really nice, expandable toe box that allows your foot to expand.” , an assistant professor of physical therapy at Moravian University who leads the university’s running gait lab. “The Altra Escalante is a shoe with moderate cushion and a relatively stiff sole,” says Michael Steimling, D.P.T.
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Several of our experts recommended the Altra Escalante ( men’s / women’s ), now in its third iteration, thanks largely to its wide toe box- one of the features that defines the brand. Plus, it helps prolong the lives of your purchases. This allows your feet (and your shoes) to recover and work in different ways.
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They also emphasized the importance of rotating your running shoes, whether it’s stocking up on the same pair, or wearing different shoes for different workouts. Our experts-coaches, a division record holder, physical therapists, a running journalist, specialty store managers and shoe buyers-weighed in on their top running shoe picks for every type of run, noting that getting fit at a store that specializes in running shoes is the best way to ensure you’re choosing a shoe that works for you.
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Other considerations include how cushioned a shoe is, what the offset is (how much the shoe “drops” from the heel to the toe, measured in millimeters), whether a shoe has a carbon fiber plate-a top pick for serious racers-and the shape of the foot. Where to start, though, with so many options on the market? It’s easy to get caught up in the newest and most exciting piece of running shoe technology, or lace up the most stylish pair.īut every one of the nine experts we spoke with agreed that the most important factors in choosing a shoe are comfort and fit. After all, everything runners do begins with their footwear, says Hiruni Wijayaratne, a certified running coach, 10-time Sri Lankan record holder and 2:34 marathoner. A quality pair of running shoes is important.
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