Trail-running shoes are designed for off-road routes with rocks, mud, roots or other obstacles. They are enhanced with aggressive tread for solid traction and fortified to offer stability, support and underfoot protection.
Cross-training shoes are designed for gym or Crossfit workouts or any balance activity where having more contact with the ground is preferred over a thick platform sole.
Types of Running Shoes
Cushioning shoes: Best for mild pronators, supinators or neutral runners for off-pavement runs. Provide increased shock absorption and some medial (arch-side) support.
Some super-cushioned shoes provide as much as 50% more cushioning than traditional shoes for even greater shock absorption and stability.
Stability shoes: Good for neutral runners or those who exhibit mild to moderate overpronation. They often include a firm "post” to reinforce the arch side of each midsole, an area highly impacted by overpronation.
Motion control shoes: Best for runners who exhibit moderate to severe overpronation. Offer features such as stiffer heels or a design built on straighter lasts to counter overpronation.
Barefoot shoes: Soles provide the bare minimum in protection from potential hazards on the ground. Many have no cushion in the heel pad and a very thin layer—as little as 3–4mm—of shoe between your skin and the ground.
All barefoot shoes feature a “zero drop” from heel to toe. (“Drop” is the difference between the height of the heel and the height of the toe.) This encourages a mid-foot or forefoot strike. Traditional running shoes, by contrast, feature a 10–12mm drop from the heel to the toe, which encourages heel striking.
Minimalist shoes: These feature extremely lightweight construction, little to no arch support and a heel drop of about 4–8mm to encourage a natural running motion and a midfoot strike, yet still offer cushioning and flex.
Some minimalist styles may offer stability posting to help the overpronating runner transition to a barefoot running motion.
