Best Running Shoes From Every Brand: Our Standout Picks for 2026

Introduction

Some shoes are brilliant at everything, and some are brilliant at one thing. This list is about the second kind: the standout picks we consider the real “unicorn” shoes, one per brand, the shoes that define what each company does best. Every pair here has been bought and tested over real miles, so the recommendations come from experience rather than spec sheets.

With so many new releases shaking up the market, a few of last year’s picks have been dethroned, and a couple of brands have earned a place on the list for the first time. Here’s the updated lineup.

Nike Vomero Plus

Nike’s crown went to the Zoom Fly 6 last year, and that remains a shoe worth recommending. This year, though, the Vomero Plus takes the spot as a genuinely great value daily max-stack shoe: highly cushioned, perfect for long runs, and one of the best max-stack options on the market right now. With prices softening recently, it has become an even better buy.

It set us back £155, with a 45mm heel stack, 10mm drop and a weight of 359g. The ride is smooth and surprisingly fast for something bulky and heavy, the padding around the ankle is excellent, shock absorption is top-notch, and the outsole grip is genuinely good. Nike also offers a wide option.

On the downside, it is on the heavier side for the category, and the combination of a high stack and soft foam means you need a little care in corners. Stability is okay rather than great. As a go-to shoe for easy-pace long runs, though, it is hard to beat right now.

Asics Megablast

The Superblast 2 was all-conquering last year, and while the Superblast 3 has since arrived, its durability makes it a harder recommendation. That opens the door for the Megablast, a genuinely unique shoe: a max-stack, non-plated race shoe that is ultra-light and very responsive.

At £210, it is not cheap, but you get a 45mm heel stack with an 8mm drop at just 275g in a typical test size. It is the shoe that gets picked for faster workouts when the all-out carbon racers are being saved for race day, and unlike the Superblast 3, its durability has been excellent. It takes serious mileage and keeps smiling.

It cruises beautifully at marathon pace, feels stable for its stack height, and the laces are a lovely touch. The toe box runs a little shallow and caused minor irritation at first, though that settled with time. For regular runners who want a fast race in plenty of comfort, this is arguably the best non-plated race shoe out there.

Puma Deviate Pure

The Velocity Nitro series has been Puma’s value champion, and the Nitro 4 keeps that tradition alive. But the newly launched Deviate Pure is the shoe that blew us away: Puma’s plateless option that handles tempo runs and intervals, yet also works for daily miles and racing. It went straight into the regular rotation.

It costs £130, with 38mm of heel stack, an 8mm drop and a weight of 263g. The Nitro foam is superb, balancing cushion and responsiveness, and the grip and stability are excellent, making it nippy through corners. It is versatile enough that you could run a marathon in it, it is comfortable out of the box, and it looks great.

Two things to watch: the fit runs slightly narrow, so wider-footed runners may want to pass, and the tongue tends to slide down, though re-lacing fixed that entirely. At £130, it is a very easy shoe to recommend.

Hoka Rocket X 3

Last year the Skyward X earned Hoka’s crown for being unique, but the Skyward X 2 lost a little of that magic. The star of the current lineup is instead the Rocket X 3, a carbon racer that is far more accessible than the too-aggressive flagship Cielo. For runners targeting 3-hour, 4-hour or 5-hour marathons, it is a fantastic choice.

It comes in at £320, with a 40mm stack and a very light 241g. The ride is smooth and stable no matter how you strike the ground: heel strikers, midfoot and forefoot runners are all catered for. It is comfortable rather than stripped back, with padding in the right places, and the rocker geometry is pleasant without being overly aggressive.

The price is high, though discounts are now common, and it prioritizes comfort over all-out speed, so it is not the fastest option available. It is still a genuinely fast, fun race-day shoe for all kinds of runners, not just the elites.

New Balance More v6

New Balance’s soft max-cushion line keeps winning here. The More v6 is the softest, most plush max-stack shoe available right now, perfect for easy runs and recovery jogs, and if that plush vibe is what you enjoy, nothing does it better.

It costs £150, with 44mm of stack, a 4mm drop and a weight of 361g. The comfort is unreal: ultra-plush cushioning everywhere, absorbing every bit of impact and genuinely looking after your legs on recovery days. The wide platform makes it more stable than you might assume, and a wide fit option is available.

It is definitely on the heavy side, but this is a shoe designed for jogging at easy pace, so that trade-off is fair. If you want maximum softness for chilled running, the More v5 or v6 are both excellent.

Decathlon Kiprun Temp

Decathlon’s Kiprun range has had a major overhaul, and the Temp is the standout. As the name suggests, it is built for tempo runs and interval sessions, offering a big max-stack ride with no plate at a very accessible price.

It launched at £99, though the price has since crept up to £120. You get 45mm of heel stack, an 8mm drop and just 264g, which is supremely light for that much foam. The ride is snappy and fast, if a touch firm at first, softening up over time. That firmness brings excellent stability, so you can trust it through corners when you are firing round a cone at parkrun.

The price fluctuations are annoying, some runners may find it too firm, and it is only available directly from Decathlon. But the value is undeniable, and it is a great option for anyone after an affordable, stable workout shoe.

Adidas Evo SL EXO

The Evo SL took Adidas’s crown last year, and the updated EXO version keeps the family on top. It features a revised upper that fixes many of the small annoyances of the original, adds more support, and makes the shoe feel more stable, which was one of the OG’s main issues.

It comes in at £130, with 39mm of stack, a 7mm drop and 283g, slightly heavier than the original but still nicely light. The midsole is the story: full-length Lightstrike Pro foam that is bouncy, responsive and delivers serious energy return for the price. The EXO upper adds structure, better lockdown and a better overall fit.

This is a superb shoe for speed work, tempos, and even daily easy runs, though it always wants to push the pace and is not happy at recovery pace. It is best kept to half-marathon distance and below; marathons deserve something with more to it. Note the top eyelet has been removed, so heel-lock lacing is no longer possible, and the ripstop upper runs slightly warmer and less breathable, though added vent holes at the front help.

Quick Picks From the Other Brands

Several more brands earned a mention this time around, each with a shoe that stood out during testing.

At Mizuno, the Neo Vista 3 is the recommendation, with a full review on the way. At Salomon, the Aero Glide 4 takes the nod, and the Gravel version deserves a special mention too: a genuinely unique shoe that we expect more brands to imitate.

Matter’s C1 has become the standout of the Matter Coast range after putting in serious miles. It is excellent for long runs, particularly for ultra runners on tarmac who want a shoe that will last, and the unique lacing system at the front does a great job of taking pressure off the top of the foot.

At Li-Ning, the Red Rabbit Ultra 9 is the current standout, with a huge amount of cushion from its triple-layer midsole and a ride that is simply a lot of fun. Saucony’s plateless daily shoe, the Azura, offers a high stack, an easy-going ride that can pick up the pace, and all-around daily versatility.

Finally, Brooks has not featured much recently, but the Glycerin 23 was genuinely enjoyable: a solid daily shoe that is very plush, very soft and very comfortable. If you choose it, you will have a good time.

Conclusion

The common thread across this year’s picks is that every one of these shoes does something exceptionally well, whether that is plush recovery comfort, plateless speed, or accessible carbon racing. Match the shoe to the runs you actually do most often, and any of these standouts will serve you well. And if you are hunting bargains, many of last year’s picks are still amazing shoes and now sit on some good discounts too.