Best Daily Running Shoes of 2022: Our Top 5 Picks

Introduction

A good daily trainer has to do a bit of everything. It needs to handle easy-paced recoveries, absorb the bulk of your weekly mileage, and still have enough left in the tank for a quicker session now and then. The five shoes below earned their place by ticking the most boxes for everyday use: comfort, versatility, durability and value. One model just missed the cut, the Nike Zoom Vomero 16, a durable cushioned option that remained a solid choice but weighed a little more and cost a little more than the shoes that made the list.

5. Asics Novablast 3

The Novablast 3 is a touch lighter than both of its predecessors and improves on them where it matters most: the upper. It fits better, feels more padded and slightly plusher around the Achilles area, and the lacing is more on point than either earlier version.

The midsole uses the FF Blast Plus foam, and the change in compound makes this a slightly different shoe. It feels firmer and more responsive this time around, and you no longer feel like you are collapsing into the heel the way you could in the original. That may not suit everyone who loved the old squishy ride, but it makes the Novablast 3 a better daily driver: a sort of Swiss Army shoe that can even handle some faster-paced training, which was not something the original invited.

The one clear drawback is traction, which is slightly poor in wet or slippery conditions. That is the main reason it sits at number five.

4. Puma Velocity Nitro 2

Puma got everything right in this update to last year’s daily shoe. Traction is excellent thanks to the Pumagrip outsole, and the upper is much better than the previous model: there is a little less of it, but it is still plush enough, particularly around the heel. The flat, skate-style laces are an odd inclusion, but they work.

It is pretty light by daily shoe standards, and the foam combination is ideal for a daily trainer. The Nitro foam hits the sweet spot for everyday mileage, while a slightly firmer, more responsive layer underneath keeps the ride from feeling like a squash vest. It is available in a standard version and a more sustainable First Mile version.

At a list price around £75 in the UK, and often discounted below that, it is excellent value for the quality you get. A very usable shoe for any rotation.

3. Nike Pegasus 39

Nike hit the spot with the Pegasus 39. The upper profile is closer to the better models of a few years back, and the outsole is a triumph of rubber lugs and traction. Nike even used it on some lighter trails, where it was serviceable, though on the road the lugs stay small enough that the ride still feels smooth rather than odd underfoot.

The midsole is still reactive but feels slightly softer than before, with two Air units, one in the heel and one in the forefoot. If the Pegasus 37 felt very firm and the 38 needed a bit of tenderizing, this one felt good straight out of the box, and it racks up miles quickly.

At the £110 list price, though often discounted, it is a really good deal. It is a jack of all trades rather than a master of everything: it handles most surfaces and, crucially, it performs well across a wider range of paces than the two shoes above it in versatility, making it a more realistic option for tempo-style workouts.

2. Reebok Floatride Energy 4

A top-notch daily blaster and the cheapest shoe on this list, at around £75. It does lots of things well: easy-paced recoveries, daily mileage, and its cushioning is comfortable enough that it even works for long hours standing, leaving your legs feeling good.

It is lighter than last year’s model, and the upper fit is excellent with great toe box room in length, width and height. Cushioning from the midsole is spot on: not too compressive, with plenty of flexibility, which is exactly what you want from a daily model rather than something too rigid. The full-length rubber outsole adds a bit of control.

This is a very capable shoe from Reebok, one that works both as a running shoe and a lifestyle option, and it is easy to see why more and more runners are picking it up.

1. Adidas Adizero Adios 7

The top pick is a shoe many people would not classify as a daily trainer, but it earns the spot. The Adizero Adios 7 is lighter than last year’s model, has a more fitting upper, and removes small bits here and there while leaving the core brilliance of the shoe intact.

It is awesome at an easy, steady pace, and honestly at any pace, which is what makes it so good. The price is realistic too: around £120, often discounted, and you should not have to look far to find it below £100. A brilliant mix of firm yet forgiving foams makes this the best daily shoe for simply running and enjoying yourself, with no pace or session barrier in mind. It even grips confidently on icy roads.

It is also one for traditionalists: a low-profile, old-school-meets-super-shoe combo. If you run shorter distances in training and do not need a huge slab of foam underfoot, this is the one.

Buying Advice

If you want maximum versatility across paces, the Pegasus 39 is the safest all-rounder. If value is the priority, both the Puma Velocity Nitro 2 and Reebok Floatride Energy 4 deliver remarkable quality around the £75 mark. If you prefer a plush, bouncy ride and can accept weaker wet-weather traction, the Novablast 3 fits well. And if you want a firmer, low-profile shoe that makes every easy run feel fun, the Adizero Adios 7 is the standout.

Conclusion

Every shoe on this list earns its place in a rotation for a slightly different reason. Match the ride character to the runs you actually do most often, and any of these five will serve you well as a daily trainer.