The Most Used Running Shoes of 2022: What Runners Actually Laced Up

Introduction

We ran a community poll asking runners to log their most used and most enjoyed running shoes of 2022 so far. The result: 101 different shoe models and 544 total pairs logged. This list is not about the most expensive or the most hyped shoes. It is about the pairs runners actually pick up and run in, week after week, which is arguably a better measure of value.

One theme stands out immediately: deeply discounted shoes dominate. Many of the models here have received meaningful price cuts, especially with newer versions arriving, making them some of the best deals in running right now.

What the Numbers Show

By brand, Nike led with 164 logged pairs, roughly 30 percent of the total, followed by Saucony with 93 (17.1 percent) and Adidas with 71. New Balance sat just behind with 57 and Asics with 56, a single pair behind. Those top two brands alone account for close to half of all votes.

Shoe construction matters too. Seven of the top ten shoes use a Pebax or super-critical foam midsole, showing just how much that material has reshaped the market. Interestingly, several standouts here are versatile daily trainers rather than pure racers.

Position 10: A Three-Way Tie

Three shoes share tenth place with 16 votes each, about 2.9 percent of the total. The Saucony Endorphin Speed 1 was the most enjoyed shoe in last year’s poll and is still going strong. The Nike Vaporfly Next% 2, surprisingly, has been picked up by fewer runners than expected. And the Nike Pegasus 38 divided opinion, but plenty of runners put serious mileage into it and loved every mile.

Position 8: Nike Vaporfly Next% (Original)

The original Vaporfly Next% took 17 votes and 3.3 percent of the overall count. The pattern here is telling: many runners raced in these earlier in the year, banked around 100 miles, and then kept using them as a higher-tempo training shoe. The midsole still feels forgiving after a few races, and the deep discounts currently available make the original version a very sensible way into plated super-shoe territory.

Position 7: Nike Alphafly Next%

The Alphafly Next% also benefits from heavy discounting as its successor rolls out. What is striking is how many runners now use it for training, not just racing. If you want the maximum amount of cushion for a long run or a forgiving ride after a hard session, this is the shoe people are reaching for. One local runner we heard about does all of his running in the Alphafly purely for that reason.

Position 6: Hoka Mach 4

The Hoka Mach 4 picked up 19 votes, 3.5 percent of the total, just missing the top five. It is a nimble, lightweight daily trainer that clearly clicked with a lot of runners. The stretchy stock laces divided opinion and some owners swapped them out, but that was the main complaint.

Position 5 and 4: New Balance Rebel v2 and Adidas Adizero Adios 6

Another dead heat, with 21 votes and just under 4 percent each. Together these two account for over 8 percent of the entire vote, which shows how well regarded they are. The Rebel v2 delivers super-squishy cushioning that leans daily-trainer, extremely comfortable even on easy errand-running days. The Adios 6 goes firmer and more responsive, with a sharper character that rewards tempo efforts.

Position 3: Asics Novablast 2

The Novablast 2 claimed 5.7 percent of all votes, an impressive showing for a cushioned daily trainer. The fit improved over the original, with better laces, and few shoes are this versatile. The soft midsole has a genuinely characterful feel that nothing else quite matches. Availability is another plus: this is a shoe you can find easily at mainstream retailers, which likely helped its vote count.

Position 2: Nike Invincible Run Flyknit

The ZoomX-stacked Invincible Run Flyknit took 9.2 percent of all votes, 50 pairs in total, which is staggering for a max-cushion daily shoe. This is the cushioned cruiser of maximum squash and near-complete underfoot forgiveness. Deep discounts following the launch of version two have clearly pushed runners toward the original, and the second version picked up only a fraction of the votes this time.

Position 1: Saucony Endorphin Speed 2

The winner, and by a margin of just three votes: the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2, with 53 total pairs and 9.7 percent of the vote. No real surprise, since its predecessor topped last year’s list. The second iteration delivers more of the same with a slightly refined upper, built around Pebax foam and a nylon plate. It is a simple, less-is-more formula that simply works. With deep discounts currently available, it is hard to argue against it as the best all-round value in this entire survey.

Buying Advice: Choosing Between These Shoes

A few extra stats help make sense of the field. Of Nike’s 164 votes, 130 went to shoes with ZoomX in the midsole, and the Pegasus 38 was the only non-ZoomX Nike shoe with more than 15 votes. The Novablast 2 earned more votes than all other Asics shoes combined, and 57 percent of all Saucony votes went to the Speed 2. Two Adidas shoes made up 33 percent of that brand’s votes.

If you want one do-it-all shoe, the Endorphin Speed 2 is the safest pick. For maximum cushioning on easy days, the Invincible Run Flyknit stands alone. Tempo runners should look at the Adios 6 or the discounted Vaporfly and Alphafly, while the Novablast 2 and Rebel v2 cover soft, comfortable daily mileage with personality.

Conclusion

The most used shoes of 2022 are not the newest or the most expensive. They are versatile, well-discounted trainers and racers that have earned their place through sheer mile count. If your current pair is wearing thin, the Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 and Nike Invincible Run Flyknit are the two names that came up again and again, and for good reason.