Daily Trainer Tiers: The Running Shoes That Earned Top Marks This Year

Introduction

The daily trainer market has never been more crowded, and sorting the genuinely great shoes from the merely average ones has become its own sport. This tier rundown covers the trainers available right now, from the near-perfect S-tier picks to the shoes that left us wanting more. The short version: three shoes sit at the very top, a solid group of A-tier options deserves your attention, and a handful of B-tier trainers offer dependable value.

How These Tiers Were Judged

Every shoe here was judged on the same basics: how it feels underfoot, whether the upper fits well, how much fun it is to rack up miles in, and whether it earns its place in a rotation. Tiers reflect overall impressions rather than lab numbers, so a shoe with a great ride but a sloppy upper can land lower than a straightforward shoe that simply gets everything right.

Not every shoe mentioned here gets a full write-up below. The C and D tier entries, including the ASICS Gel Nimbus 27 (a little too soft), Brooks Ghost Max 3 and Glycerin 22 (both decent but unremarkable to some tastes), Hoka Clifton 10 and Bondi 9 (stuck in a holding pattern), the Nike Pegasus line in its various forms, the New Balance 1080 v15, and the Saucony Ride 15, all have clear flaws or simply fail to excite. If you want a safe pick, focus on the tiers below.

S Tier: The Best of the Best

Three shoes define the top of the current market, and none of them are a surprise if you have been following running shoe coverage this year.

Nike Vomero Plus

This is the shoe of the year, and possibly the shoe of the last two or three years. The huge bounce and max cushion combination is unlike anything else in the daily trainer category, and it earns S-tier status all day long. If there were a tier above S, it would be sitting there.

Puma Velocity Nitro 4

At $140, this is one of the favorite daily trainers of the year and an easy S-tier call. The only real warning: the fit runs super narrow, so runners with wider feet should look elsewhere.

Adidas Evo SL

Everybody knows this one. The Evo SL has been an incredible shoe across reviews all year, and it takes the final S-tier slot without argument.

A Tier: Excellent, With Small Caveats

The A tier is full of shoes that are nearly great and would suit most runners extremely well.

ASICS Novablast 5

The Novablast 5 is soft, but with a quicker feel than most plush trainers, which makes it far more engaging than its cushioned siblings. Plenty of miles went into it this year, and it came out an A-tier shoe.

Mizuno Wave Rider 29

Almost S-tier, and possibly the most quietly lovable shoe on this list. It is still a fairly standard daily trainer, but with a little pep in its step, and it is genuinely fun and reliable overall.

Salomon Aero Glide 3

A really nice surprise this year and a strong A-tier shoe. The underfoot ride is excellent; the upper could use some work, though an update is expected in the next version.

Nike Vomero 18

One of the favorite more conventional daily trainers. If you want a straightforward ride without the huge bounce and max cushion of the Vomero Plus, the Vomero 18 is the pick, and it sits close to S tier.

B Tier: Reliable and Worth a Look

Nothing here will blow your mind, but every one of these shoes is solid, and several are excellent value.

Under Armour Velocity Speed

A $130 tempo trainer that is lightweight and peppy, which is a refreshing thing at a reasonable price point. It looks horrible, which nearly pushed it to D, but performance earns it a B.

New Balance 880

A surprisingly great daily trainer. Pretty solid, pretty straightforward, and really nice to run in, which is exactly what this tier is for.

Skechers Aero Spark

Skechers make great shoes at reasonable prices, and the Aero Spark is very solid. The upper could be a little better, but it still earns its B-tier spot comfortably.

Overall Buying Advice

If you want the very best available right now, start with the S-tier triple: the Nike Vomero Plus for max cushion and bounce, the Puma Velocity Nitro 4 if you have a narrow foot and want a top daily trainer at $140, and the Adidas Evo SL if you want the shoe everyone is talking about. The A tier is nearly as strong, with the Mizuno Wave Rider 29 and Nike Vomero 18 standing out as dependable everyday options. B-tier shoes like the Under Armour Velocity Speed and New Balance 880 make sense for budget-conscious runners who value straightforward performance.

Conclusion

The current daily trainer market rewards the shopper: the top three shoes are genuinely excellent, the A tier is deep, and even the B tier contains shoes worth buying. Match the shoe to your foot shape and cushioning preferences, and any pick from the top two tiers should serve you well.