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Cheap Running Shoes, Best Cheap Running Shoes

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If you plan to run for exercise, you should have a pair of good cheap running shoes. Running shoes stand apart from walking or athletic shoes because they're made to support your foot and absorb the shock as you land forcefully on the ground with each jog.

Without proper running shoes, you put yourself at risk for pain and injury. But there's no need to gamble with your well-being because running shoes don't have to cost a fortune -- we found good cheap running shoes priced between $50 and $100. Considering that experts recommend replacing running shoes every 300 to 400 miles, if you run an average of three miles five days a week, you should be buying new shoes nearly every five months. Finding the best and cheapest running shoe for you can take at least part of the sting out of this exercise.

Sales of running shoes total nearly $20 billion a year. Adidas claims to have created the first shoe made for running way back in the late 1960s, according to SportsShoes.com, and it's still a top brand today. Since that time, producers like Nike, Asics, Brooks, Saucony, New Balance, Reebok, Mizuno and Puma have joined the ranks of well-known names in the running shoes market.

Experts at TheRunningAdvisor.com say consumers often make two fatal mistakes when buying running shoes -- they either chase after the newest fad, which typically means very expensive (i.e., $150 and up), or they bargain shop and expect to get the perfect running experience. Both approaches can kill a running career, whether you're aiming for marathons or just a few miles a week. If you're a frugal shopper, however, your options are rather limited. We found slim pickings for good discount running shoes costing less than $85 and virtually none that qualify as true running shoes costing less than $50. The big-box stores sell athletic shoes in the $20-$30 range, but you probably don't want to make a habit of running in them for any distance or with any frequency -- they just don't have the support and cushioning that are necessary protective features. Indeed, specifications for these super-cheap shoes don't indicate what type of foot they're designed for, and the user reviews that we read for these models are lackluster.

Far more important than price when searching for good discount running shoes is matching shoe type with your foot type. There are three distinct types of running shoes, each intended for a certain kind of arch. As Runner's World explains, people have either a normal arch and normal pronation, a flat arch and overpronation, or a high arch and underpronation. Pronation refers to the way your arch moves as your foot rolls forward from the heel to the toes; as the arch moves inward it absorbs some of the shock of foot hitting ground. In normal pronation your arch collapses a bit; when you overpronate, your arch collapses too far; and when you underpronate, your arch collapses barely at all. For people with normal arches, experts recommend stability running shoes; for those with high arches, the best choice is a neutral-cushioned running shoe; and people with flat arches need motion-control running shoes (stability running shoes with lots of midsole support are OK if your overpronation is relatively mild). Thrifty runners with normal or high arches can cheer: there are good cheap neutral running shoes and good cheap stability running shoes. But thrifty runners with flat feet may need to open their wallets wider: the more involved construction required for this type of running shoe pushes the cost beyond the Cheapism niche.

Other hallmarks of a good cheap running shoe include heel and forefoot cushioning and a lightweight build and feel. As your foot hits the ground, it absorbs a shock that's equivalent to about 2.5 times of your body weight, according to experts at CoolRunning.com; generous cushioning in the heel and forefoot help blunt the impact. There is a slew of shock and cushioning technologies used by running shoe manufacturers, all competing to offer the best design and construction. Running shoe experts, however, don't prescribe a best approach and simply state that running shoes need more shock absorbing capabilities and cushioning than walking or athletic shoes. Lightweight is another preferred quality in cheapest running shoes, but not so light that you sacrifice the support and stability your foot needs. Good cheap neutral running shoes (for high arches) generally weigh less, while good cheap stability running shoes (for normal arches) are slightly heavier and motion control running shoes (for flat arches) are heavier still because of the additional arch-support technology. Regardless which type of running shoe you need, today's technology means any good discount running shoes should be relatively lightweight.

In our research we focused on good discount running shoes for high arches (neutral-cushioned running shoes) and good discount running shoes for normal arches (stability running shoes) because we found examples of both types within our $50-$85 price range. We looked at motion-control running shoes for flat arches but didn't find any good cheap models that fell into our price basket. We were also mindful that the choice of the right cheap running shoe is highly personal. No two people's feet are the same, so a running shoe that works for your friend or relative or an anonymous reviewer may not be appropriate for you. Sometimes consumers choose a shoe that doesn't suit their foot, and we took account of that as we read running shoes reviews.

In the end we identified several cheapest running shoes that satisfy the important price, features, and performance criteria. For best cheap running shoe we chose the neutral-cushioned New Balance 759 (starting at $66, Amazon) for its superior shock absorption and cushioning technologies and the stability Asics Gel 1150 (starting at $66, Amazon) running shoe for its extreme comfort and gel cushioning. Our pick for good discount running shoe is the neutral-cushioned Saucony Progrid Kinvara (starting at $70, Amazon), which boasts a very light weight and high quality cushioning and shock absorption. Although we don't include any motion-control running shoes on our list because they're relatively pricey, we do like the Brooks Addiction 9 (starting at $100, Amazon), which features an internal saddle support for overpronators. On the other hand, the Asics Gel Pulse 2 (starting at $65, Amazon) is a neutral running shoe that doesn't find much support from experts or consumers due to weight and build issues.

The single most important aspect of choosing a discount running shoe is picking the type that matches your foot, or more accurately, your arch. It's worth figuring out what kind of arch you have before you shop for cheap running shoes. The best way to do this, according to Runner's World, is with a wet foot test. Step in water and then step on a paper shopping bag or heavy piece of paper. If you see about half of your foot's arch on the paper, you have a normal arch. If you see mostly your heel and the ball of the forefoot, with perhaps a thin line connecting the two, then you have a high arch. Finally, if you see your entire foot, you have flat arches.

Stability Running Shoes.

Designed for runners with normal arches, cheap stability running shoes provide moderate arch support and cushioning. (Some runners with minimal overpronation -- i.e., flat feet -- can comfortably and safely use stability running shoes.) Runner's World says stability shoes keep your pronation to the recommended 15 percent inward roll. The best cheap stability running shoe on our list is the Asics Gel 1150 (starting at $66, Amazon), which sports dual-density support built into the midsole for added stability.

Motion-Control Running Shoes.

It's hard to use the adjective "cheap" to describe any motion-control running shoes, which are intended for people with flat arches (or who weigh more than about 165 pounds, are very tall, or are bow-legged). Experts at ePodiatry.com note that motion-control running shoes have firmer support devices, such as a post, in the midsole area that controls how much the foot pronates with each stride. Excessive pronation is the leading cause of running injuries so if you have flat arches, opt for motion-control running shoes. Motion control running shoes start at about $100, and we did find a good pair of motion-control running shoes -- the Brooks Addiction 9 -- at that price point. These shoes feature a support saddle right in the midsole, which provides extreme arch control and helps mitigate overpronation.

Neutral-Cushioned Running Shoes.

The opposite of motion-control running shoes, neutral-cushioned running shoes are designed for people with high arches and underpronation. Some people with normal arches who are light in weight may find that cheap neutral-cushioned running shoes provide all the shock-absorbing support they need. This kind of cheap running shoe boasts a very soft midsole for protection from the hard ground but little or no arch support or stability devices. According to Runner's World, the absence of arch supports allows the high arch to collapse enough as the foot hits the ground to absorb some of the shock that would otherwise land in the leg. The New Balance 759 (starting at $66, Amazon) and Saucony Progrid Kinvara (starting at $70, Amazon) are the best cheap neutral-cushioned running shoes on our list.

Running Shoe Cushioning.

When you run, your feet leave the ground and come back down in a heel to toe motion. CoolRunning.com notes that your foot absorbs the equivalent of 2.5 times your body weight with each stride. That's quite an impact, so the best discount running shoes should have sufficient cushioning and shock absorbing capacity in the heel and plentiful cushioning in the forefoot to help soak up and distribute all the jolting your foot takes. There are a variety of technologies employed today, and nearly every maker of running shoes claims to have the best. But best is up to you, so try on several different brands of discount running shoes and take a few strides before deciding which does the best job cushioning your feet.

The New Balance 759 uses duel-density foam to cushion and support the foot, along with shock-absorbing technology. The Saucony Progrid Kinvara features a proprietary lightweight technology that absorbs shock in the heel and forefoot. As its name suggests, the Asics Gel 1150 uses gel cushioning, a design feature many runners prefer because of the extra measure of comfort the gel provides along with the cushioning and shock absorption. The Brooks Addiction 9 motion-control running shoes boast heel and forefoot technology and support at the midsole.

Cushioning plays a thinner role in a couple of the cheapest running shoes that we researched. Specifications for the neutral-cushioned Asics Gel Pulse 2 (starting at $65, Amazon) don't mention forefoot cushioning but do note gel cushioning in the heel. The Vibram FiveFinger KSO (starting at $80, Amazon) has no shock absorbing features, cushioning, or midsole technology -- just a rubber sole, nylon mesh upper, and five separate compartments, one for each toe. Barefoot running is the underlying concept here; that is, running with just the barest protection for your feet is meant to bring you closer to earth while improving foot strength, agility, balance, and range of motion.

Lightweight Running Shoes.

The ideal cheap running shoe should be light enough to let you feel fleet of foot without any sense of drag. RunThePlanet.com notes that for every ounce trimmed from the weight of your running shoes, you can potentially trim one second per mile off your running time -- a big advantage for racers. There are running shoes designed specifically for racing that weigh considerably less (and cost considerably more) than most discount running shoes, but they don't offer cushioning and support and should not be used for training. That said, we found some pretty lightweight cheap running shoes, although the more technology embedded in the shoe, the more it weighs. Motion-control running shoes are generally the heaviest and neutral-cushioned running shoes are generally the lightest.

True to form, the Brooks Addiction 9 motion-control shoes weigh 10.6 to 12.8 ounces, depending on gender and size. The lightest shoes on our list are the two neutral-cushioned running shoes -- the Saucony Progrid Kinvara weighs in at 6.7 to 7.7 ounces, depending on gender and size, followed by the New Balance 759, which weighs as little as 8.8 ounces and as much as 11 ounces. The Asics Gel Pulse 2, another neutral-cushioned shoe, is comparatively heavy at 9.9 to 12 ounces. The Asics Gel 1150 stability running shoes fall into the middle range, with weights of 9.8 to 10.9 ounces, depending on size and gender. In a category all its own is the Vibram FiveFinger KSO, which weighs a mere 4.7 to 5.7 ounces.

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Brooks Addiction 9
Vibram FiveFinger KSO
Asics Gel Pulse 2
Saucony Progrid Kinvara
New Balance 759
Asics Gel 1150

 

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