Favorite Running Shoes of 2021: Road and Trail Picks That Earned a Spot

Introduction

After roughly 3,700 miles of running in a single year, the list of shoes that actually earned a permanent place in the rotation gets very short. These favorites from the 2021 lineup were chosen after extensive testing, and every shoe here is one that would be bought again without hesitation.

The relationship you build with a running shoe matters, especially when you take it well past the 500 mile mark. It makes letting go hard once you know the midsole is done. Still, the year produced clear winners on both road and trail, and knowing that newer iterations were already on the way made it a smart time to revisit them. Full details for each pick are below, with notes on who each shoe suits best.

Best Road Trainer: Hoka Mach 4

The Mach 4 simply worked. The upper was the favorite part of the shoe, laying on top of the foot with a lockdown that connected beautifully to the heel counter and heel flare at the back. The ride was smooth, and at 7.6 ounces it sits at a genuinely good weight for a trainer.

In practice it works best as a tempo or daily trainer. The midsole is tame in the sense that the stack height is not extreme, so it is even comfortable to take onto the track for simple interval work, though it is not the shoe for all-out speed sessions. It scored 8.7, landing firmly in the top three road shoes of the year, and it was hard not to feel a little nervous about how Hoka might follow it up.

Best Long Run Shoe: Skechers Max Road 5

At 7.9 ounces, the Max Road 5 delivered a memorable ride thanks to what felt like a trampoline effect coming through the pods on the outsole. That rebound quality made it the go-to long run shoe, and it turned out to be the highlight of the whole design.

The upper deserves its own mention. It was not even semi-gusseted, yet the tongue laid on top of the foot perfectly, and the heel counter backed the lockdown up solidly. The shoe scored 8.1, a strong result, and Skechers clearly got the fit details right here.

Best Bounce: Asics Novablast 2

The Novablast 2 fixed the one major complaint from the original: the heel counter that caused blisters is gone, with no issues at all in the follow-up. That alone was worth the upgrade, and Asics deserves credit for acting on the feedback.

The midsole bounce was enhanced, aided by an updated decoupled groove in the outsole that seems to amplify the trampoline effect through the foot strike. The result was a ride that worked for just about everyone who tried it, and the shoe scored 8.0. It has been difficult to find anyone the Novablast 2 did not work for.

Honorable Mentions on the Road

Two more road shoes came close but did not crack the top three. The Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit was baffling and amazing in equal measure, with a bounce through the ZoomX midsole that was hard to describe. It was devastating to have to stop running in it at 50 miles, and the score reflected the price point and the weight rather than the experience. If Nike drops even half an ounce in the next iteration, it will be a serious contender.

The New Balance Rebel v2 was the other honorable mention: a genuinely good, solidly scoring shoe that simply did not beat the three ahead of it. For runners choosing a stability option instead, the New Balance Vongo v5 edged out the Saucony Hurricane 23 in a head-to-head. A nod also goes to the Mizuno Wave Rebellion, not a top shoe of the year, but a promising sign that Mizuno may be on its way up the way Asics has been over the past three years.

Best Trail Shoe of the Year: Salomon Ultra Glide

The Ultra Glide came in at 9 ounces on the nose, so it is not a lightweight, but it is a solid weight for a trail shoe and the upper lockdown was brilliant. What made the year for Salomon was the ride: the brand finally answered the long-standing call from trail runners for a little forgiveness through the midsole, and the result was a shoe that scored close to the elite tier.

This is the shoe for trail runners who want cushioning that softens the trail without giving up connection to the ground. It was a strong answer in a year with an excellent trail lineup overall.

Best Grip Surprise: Asics Fuji Lite 2

Nobody expected the Fuji Lite 2, and it was a shocker in the best sense. It is a tie between the outsole and the midsole as to why it earned a place among the top trail shoes of 2021. It is an aggressive commuter shoe, but the outsole grip is good enough that it would genuinely be used for training in winter snow.

Compared against the Trabuco Max used for winter training the previous season, its outsole is more aggressive, which is a serious claim. If snow ever arrives, a second pair for winter training is a very real possibility.

Best Daily Trail Trainer: Brooks Caldera 5

The Caldera 5 was the biggest shocker of all: heavy, a bit of a clunk, and maybe a little big on the foot, yet it treated its runner remarkably well on mountain runs. Sometimes the shoe that surprises you on a day out in the mountains earns its spot more honestly than any spec sheet would suggest.

Buying Advice

One practical tip worth acting on: bookmark this article and check back in about six months. As the next iterations of these shoes start releasing, many of these 2021 models tend to go on sale. They are proven shoes, and a new version arriving does not make the old one less capable.

Also, wherever running shoes are being purchased going forward, make sure the retailer has a good return policy. These shoes worked well for one particular foot strike, and no single shoe works for everyone. Trying them with an easy return window is the smartest way to find your own fit.

Conclusion

From the Mach 4’s lockdown and smooth ride, to the Max Road 5’s long run rebound, to the Novablast 2’s fixed heel counter and enhanced bounce, 2021 was a standout year on the road. On the trail, the Salomon Ultra Glide brought the forgiveness runners had been asking for, the Fuji Lite 2 delivered unexpected grip, and the Brooks Caldera 5 proved that a heavy clunker can still earn a place in the rotation. Any of these would be worth picking up, especially as prices start to soften with new iterations on the way.