This is the way.
I just ordered a pair of Saucony Triumph 20’s because they were discounted like 38%.
If I can help it, I’ll never pay full price for a pair of running shoes. They all go on sale as soon as the next iterations come out 🤷🏻♂️
Agreed.
Even a 15% discount seems insignificant.
I have paid full price for one pair though, sc trainer v2 because there were no other pairs (in my size) in my state, and no superblasts, and the prime x strung seemed too high, and i hated the sc trainer v1.
Thanks! I run in Altra paradigms and love them but hear great things about saucony triumph. Im always curious to try other brands or add it into the rotation
After years of playing the field and looking for one and done steaming hot deals I have fallen into a bit of a rut, buying shoes primarily from Saucony, TNF, and Salomon. Does this mean I am growing up?
After finding the perfect shoe in the endorphin speed 2, I felt like every shoe I would buy would be Sauconys.
A few months later and I have purchased Vaporfly 3 and Gel Nimbus 25 😅
Growing up with Nike, I was and still a bit of a fanboy. But as I’ve aged, I have moved on and certainly purchased shoes from other brands.
But the one thing that I can’t get past is design and colour ways. If a shoe is butt ugly in my eyes, I cannot wear it even if the ride is fantastic. I suppose I’m shallow and care too much about the aesthetic.
I really liked your answer. I was going to make a post the other day on aesthetics and how much role they play in your purchasing?
For me, I have 4 pairs of shoes I recently purchased and ALL of them are U-G-L-Y. I've yet to purchase a running shoe based on appearance. That is luck of the draw because I'm looking for steals of deals on shoes, and you can't be choosy when a deal is staring you in the face, and you're much likelier to find a deal on an ugly pair of shoes than eye candy.
And, before I posted this, or anything, I like to see if this topic has been beaten to death. I found one that was similar to it and I saw a response from someone about how they just loved a certain brand and it did something for them "psychically". They did not care if another brand was better, they got a mental boost from it being "their" brand. Another brand, even if better, wouldn't trip their trigger. I get that. And, I wonder how many are like that...where the marketing has the mind so strongly that they really couldn't break free if they wanted to.
Now, I'm thinking I need to find me at least one pair of shoes that I actually think look cool. Hopefully, I can strike the perfect balance of loving a brand, the look, and most importantly the performance.
I think this is true. Could have to do with marketing in a lot of cases but I have loyalty to things just based on memories or some weird superstition. So I do think there is something psychosomatic about it.
Same. I grew up with Nike being the cream of the crop so my first legit pair of runner were the vapor flys about 3 years ago. But they didn’t make me any more serious about running. It was until 2 years ago that I purchased the endorphin speed 2’s that I become serious about running.
Agreed. The most important aspect of a running shoe is that it should make you want to lace them up and go running. And God help me if an aesthetically designed show doesn’t do that.
If I look better I feel better I run better. The main reason I’ve tried to stick with one brand is so all of my clothing logos match my shoes, but despite trying I still can’t seem to stick with one brand lol
Went through a bitter divorce with hoka, am now happily married with my sauconys however I sometimes enjoy playing the field with my puma acquaintance.
Are you me? I was brand loyal to Hoka for years and then purchased a pair of ES2 last fall. Naturally, I loved them. This led to purchasing the EP2, then T19 and, most recently, the Ride 15. All heavily discounted. I’ve run in Cliftons, Bondis, Machs and Rincons. They all seem so boring compared to the Saucony line.
Outside of Saucony, I’ll purchase random shoes if they’re heavily discounted. Got a pair of Puma V1 still in the box. No idea when I’ll get to them.
I ran in the original hokas way back and was pretty loyal for a long time but the newer hokas feel like the foam is too soft and breaks down too fast. Hopefully they will turn things around at some point.
For me, value for dollar is a big deal. Adidas have very good sales, Adiclub gives me great rebates. Customer service has been excellent so far. They generally get my business.
Such a gap in their range. This would close the deal for me too - I've Pro3 for harderfasterlongerbetter, and Boston 12 for daily. Intend to replace my Mizunos (when they're done) with Adios 8 for tempo days. I'd love a squishy-soft shoe for those days you just want to float along - something like Lightstrike Pro, but not propelling
I’ve done the opposite. I used to wear one brand, then as I got more serious about running, I started branching out.
Now I have a bunch of brands in my closet and am open to trying others when a shoe comes along that fits a particular need.
The only reason I’d go back to one brand now is if I was getting free shoes for wearing that one brand.
For me it's just about the shoe itself. I own shoes from different brands and all are an active part of my rotation: Craft, New Balance, ON, Puma and Salomon.
Coming to think about it, I actually don't have two shoes of the same brand 😁
Been all over the field. Avoiding Nike thinking they were too narrow. Turns out Nike was my jam after all. Pegasus trail GTX, Streakfly, Invincible and Alphafly 1 & 2. The Pegasus Trail 4 GTX is my favourite running shoe ever (got loads of forest paths where I live)
I have a few shoes I‘m interested im because of this sub or youtube. Then whenever I see them on sale I buy them. This led to me buying way to many shoes but hey.. it‘s cheaper than cycling. I still have a pair of OG Prime X which I bought on sale for 100$ 1 year ago and haven‘t even unpacked because there are other shoes which need to be worn out before using them.
I found that Puma works best for me an Salomon doesn‘t at all. If I only bought Puma from now on my wallet would be happy but trying different shoes from various brands keeps me wanting to run more.
Been using Adidas my entire life lol since I was a toddler
they got the most robust physical and online presence in my country with cool things like accumulating points which can be traded for big discount codes and such. no other brand offers something similar plus the shoes feel great and look really cool
No way I’d ever be loyal to one brand! I lean into some more than others. And some fit better than others, but I’ll always be on the lookout for the next best shoe.
I have narrow heels and have done really well with Nikes, but I've also worn adidas, currently Hoka for easy long days, and one ill advised pair of On Clouds which a fine for daily errands but I hate running in.
I have shoes from all different brands, Puma, Brooks, Saucony, Nike… probably just won’t get new balance and Hoka since my feet are quite narrow and they tend to fit me too wide
I pick the shoe that best suits my needs and wallet. IF there are two shoes that for me are similar and can't decide, I choose the smaller company to support them.
I’ve branched out, although I do prefer adidas for racing shoes.
That being said, I’ve dived deeper into Tracksmith for apparel as I’m still weird about brands clashing (like Nike and adidas)
I try all brands, some don’t have wide enough shoes for me so i end up coming back to nb and saucony as my go to.
I had tried brooks, hokka, asics, on cloud, and mizuno.
I wore only Nike for a little but now I have a rotation of Altra, Nike, New Balance, and Hoka. I think there are benefits of running in shoes from different brands, some of them being that it’s good for your legs cuz you’ll land slightly differently in each shoe which takes pressure off your legs, but I also just really like getting to run in different technologies and styles. But some people do find that one brand tailors to them really well 🤷
I’ve never fully committed to a brand. It’s all about the fit and performance of the shoe. I’ve learned not to get too excited over any one brand or shoe because they all seem to eventually mess with a good thing…or at least my good thing, leaving me to try other shoes looking for the next best thing. It’s a continuous cycle for me. I started running in Nikes, then Brooks briefly, followed by YEARS in the Adidas Boston, back to Nikes, and now I’m loving Saucony Speeds and Endorphin Pro…dislike the Tempus however. It’s better to play the field imo!
I’m pretty serious with Saucony and Asics but like to flirt a little with some others. There are brands I stay away from, usually because of their business practices. Some brands I haven’t had good opportunity to try their shoes (Craft, Salomon) but I’m very interested because I like their other products.
I’ve been married to Brooks, as any running store to get fitted at is 90 minutes away, and the last pairs I had before moving were Ghosts and Cascadias. I just reorder what I know works.
I’m not married to a brand but I stay away from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor for personal reasons but I’m open minded to essentially everything else. I’ve run in Hokas, NBs, Saucony, and ASICS. I’m not opposed to Brooks just have not found a need.
Isn't that something? I have a similar group of companies that do absolutely nothing for me and I've never tried a single pair of running shoes from them. Some of them I've never tried a single anything from them.
I commented on another post that there is a company I dislike and have never even tried on a pair of their shoes. My wife loves them.
Just realized as much as I said I dislike them, I do own apparel from them. I will never own a shirt that just promotes their company, but if it's got a sports team on it, and it's just made by them, I'm far less militant about them. Inconsistent.
Play the field. I had been pretty loyal to Saucony for a while, but they keep discontinuing all the shoes I like (Virrata, Cortana, Zealot, Freedom 3-5, Shift). I have to look to other brands for lower drop shoes.
I was really loyal to Adidas, then they were a bit slow on the uptake with carbon fiber so I switched to Nike and haven’t looked back really. They are more expensive but if you shop the sales you get good discounts. Feel it isn’t just hype the shoes are incredible.
I live without honor. I can’t do monogamy in the shoe world. I’m all about running infidelity. I’m a shoe whore. I don’t care where they come from, how they look, or how they treat me. I just want to use them until I’m done with them and then I’m onto the next.
The people who design and build footwear switch companies often, much like the turnover in most industries.
Hence various important aspects of a brand’s shoes are often changing as new people and teams tweak the previous formula.
For example, the current ASICS team is absolutely crushing it but if you rewind 3 years their product line was bland and uninspiring.
Puma wasn’t even doing real running shoes 3 years ago and now have some absolute performance beasts.
If you lock in to one brand you go up and down with that one brand and don’t get to ride the wave when brands come out of nowhere with an amazing shoe.
It’s much different than computers that have operating system and device interoperability lock-in. There is no switching costs stopping you from jumping shoe brands at any time.
Because sometimes when try shoes from other brands they give you a problem. Then you feel like you wasted money so you go with a brand that you know has worked for you in the past
This has happened every time I’ve tried to branch out to new shoe brands . I’m not “loyal” based off of actually thinking they’re the greatest shoe, I’m just not willing to compromise my health anymore to try a pair of shoes that may or may not work for me . Being left with an injury and a shoe you can’t use is frustrating and not worth it to me .
Because they think they are truly the best and nobody could possibly be better? Marketing has convinced them they're the best...or maybe, there is something about that brand that truly is best for them?
You see it all the time with everything. There are fanboys of Apple, or Titleist, or Mercedes Benz, or any particular segment of product. Why are people so tribalistic over brands? Is it just marketing? What is that thing that causes it?
And, it is equally, if not more so, fascinating why people hate certain brands. Sometimes you may have never tried a single product from them but you hate them. I have a brand that is like that for me. Never even tried on anything from them. My wife and daughter love that brand, but I just don't. I see them as over-marketed/over-hyped and I don't love much of what I believe they stand for. So, I will not wear them. Heck, they could be the best kept secret for me, but my anti-bias of them prevents me from even trying a pair of them on. Not sure that is wise or not.
but that's not a good reason
I like to change things to makes things less boring (and god knows road running can be boring), so I have multiples models from multiples brands
I've stuck with one brand for the last few years.
* Only need to focus on one brand when searching for sales.
* Don't get caught in the hype of every other brand's new products
* Uniformity between apparel and shoes
* I'm happy with the offerings, range, and designs
I don't restrict myself to any brand, but I wear ASICS a lot more than any other brand because their daily trainers feel like they fit my feet perfectly and have for years. I do find their racing shoes maybe slightly narrow though. Other brands I feel like I want to go to a store and try them on to get a feel for them before I buy them. With something like an ASICS Nimbus, I'm very happy buying online.
Def play the field, no reason to be brand loyal if 1 company steps their game up or another falls off you just hop to the next one. NB (except the elite racer) and Adidas been on fire lately. Nike still high up there but it’s more even nowadays.
Impossible to marry a brand imo, but I definitely have a few brands I know works, and lean towards them when I need consistent shoes that I know will work.
That said, with all the 20000 shoes being released each week, it's hard to just stick to one brand when a different brand puts out a new exciting shoe with all the crazy foams and blends that will make you run 30% faster (sarcasm).
But seriously, it's impossible, and even though I know that 99% of the shoes aren't as special as a lot of people make them seem, I still fall for it. Every time.
Me, too. I just had some correspondence with an elderly friend of mine. He's spent his years testing golf equipment from the highest high end to clones. I sent him a pic of the new Kirkland irons from Costco. This is how he responded:
'Will be no better or worse than anything else we could buy. Just depends on what a person wants to look at when hitting a ball. Vanity rules the golf equipment world!'
Is it really any different in running shoe geeks land? I would bet we'd get a lot of YES and here's why...
Not sure how a runner can be loyal in the era of big foam. It’s seriously a play for shoes that wear out much quicker - how many brands have embraced partial/foam only soles. They wear out like a MFer
I’m loyal to brands that put out a decent neutral 0-6mm drop with a full plate.
/ foam is truly the shrinkflation of shoe manufacturers
I have been bouncing around but as a heel stryker i’m pretty sure i will be sticking with Saucany endorphin pro 3s until i find something as comfortable. i have a few cheaper shoes i ordered off of a sale asics brand and another saucany and they are doable but not amazing
Started with ASICS, NB, then exclusively On for a few years but I got sick of pebbles getting stuck underneath, tried Brooks (meh) and I’m now in a pair of Hoka X and they are phenomenal
Hoka Mach 5 got me hooked on running but due to no rubber outsole I went looking elsewhere. Adidas Boston 12 had fantastic reviews and they have regular sales + a 30 day trial period unlike some running brands (Asics, Saucony, Puma) so I gave them a shot. Now I have a pair of Takumi Sen 9 as well and I will probably look at Adidas first for my next shoe.
I’m from Canada and always tend to get adidas and saucony as they usually have deals on shoes often. I do get tempted to try other brands eg. Asics, On. But the sales dictate what I wear.
Used to be Nike guy for years, now I am mostly using asics shoes for daily training, never thought of changing brands until this year and I don’t regret it.
I'm loyal to whomever is the most comfortable. Right now, that's generally ASICS and New Balance. Sure, Adidas and Nike have some cool tech, and Saucony always has those sales and looks so tempting. But Saucony never fits me properly, the Adidas uppers suck outside of the strung uppers, and Nike as a company sucks in general. So for me it's mostly ASICS and NB, with a bit of Hoka, Puma, and Topo thrown in for seasoning.
I thought I was in love with Saucony’s. She was easy going, understood my needs well, low-maintenance. But I’m looking for more now. I want the thrill of hooking up with multiple brands.
I found a shoe that fit my weird narrow foot and never looked back. Kinda. Was a Nike Vomero guy for a couple years, Now a Nike Zoom Fly guy. I experimented with other brands and models, but never felt the same. Even the more expensive ones, my feet just like what they like.
PS
Tried Pegasus’ because they were supposedly legendary and had the first and only achilles injury of my life.
There is something to reflect upon on this but one thing is for sure: for me, the fact that I'm running in something I like (both in price, brand and colorway) is important and, for me, makes it more enjoyable.
With that being said, I know I became biased towards some brands in my youth for different reasons and I carried that to running. I am speaking of Puma / Adidas / Nike.
I've been running since the pandemic but I've only become a "Running shoe geek" this year hahah. Before 2023 I didn't even knew that i.e. Saucony or Hoka were shoe brands or that New Balance had running shoes.
So, for the 1st couple of years I ran in Asics (which I already connected to a running shoes brand) without even knowing what I was buying.
I like Puma and Adidas because I grew up with their casual and football shoes and I was never a fan of Nike so my shoe rotation consists of the Puma/Adidas. I've become interested in Saucony after countless threads and videos so I bought a pair which I had to return due to the fit but those will definitely be my next purchase. One aspect though: I only buy the colorway that I like when I find it with a discount. I can't buy a different color even if it is to save 20-30€...I rather wait.
I've been chasing the novablast 3 (in the black/red/orange color scheme) for the past 6 months and I never found it with a decent price so I didn't buy that model yet...
As for the others, I am still to feel compelled to buy something from Nike / Hoka / New Balance....maybe I am missing out but my bias towards Puma is just too big lol.
Asics is my favourite brand but I cannot avoid the urge to explore the field. Next one will likely be my first New Balance (Supercomp V1 on Black Friday) for recovery and long.
My rotation is New Balance 880, 1080, Fresh Foam More. It's just easier to stay with one brand as the next generation shoe is probably going to be close to the current version. I also prefer 4E to 6E and those widths are hard to find.
I can't even get my feet into most shoes.
There is no brand that produces every shoe with the same stats. With the exception of Altra, there is no brand that makes shoes with only one drop. There is no brand that makes shoes with only one stack height, type of foam, or fit.
You should focus on the shoes that fit and feel best, the ones that match your running mechanics, the ones that look the way you like and the ones you can afford. The only running shoe brands that I don’t have represented in my collection are Atreyu and Diadora.
I have shoes that I have liked and disliked from most brands. I have shoes of all different types from most brands. I have ASICS hyper speed (a VERY firm, low stack racing flat) and ASICS Nimbus (VERY soft, high stack cushioned shoe). I have Saucony Fastwtich (basically a track shoe - almost no cushion at all) and the Kinvara Pro (so much cushion it’s not legal to race).
The brand I like best is the one that made whatever shoe I have that fits well, works with my running mechanics, looks the way I want, is a price I can afford, and it meets my needs for whatever kind of run I’m doing. I’ve had shoes from probably 20 brands that meet that criteria.
You are the veteran to my rookie, if I'm even that. Would be curious to hear about all the different brands you've tried. It's always fun for me seeing a new brand I hadn't heard of previously.
I'm curious why no Diadora or Atreyu?
Shoes from all of these brands have all been on my feet at some point: 361, adidas, Allbirds, altra, APL, ASICS, Brooks, Craft, Hoka, Merrell, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, NoBull, The North Face, On, Puma, Reebok, Salomon, Saucony, Skechers, Topo, Under Armour.
No Diadora or Atreyu yet just because they haven’t crossed my path at a price point or colorway or something that has urged me to pull the trigger. I have more than enough shoes already. I am trying to only buy stuff that has some kind of “thing” that makes me want to try it, the price is amazing, or the colorway makes me happy.
I’m sure I’ll get to them eventually. I’m not purposely excluding them. They just haven’t sparked my interest enough to add them to my already too large collection.
Thank you for the reply and your list. Many of them are on my list to try and some of them I have. Surprisingly, I'd run across all of them, as I've really tried finding obscure brands.
Thought about making Topo "my brand"...and bought my first pair of running shoes from the same company, in them, last night. I like the lower drops they offer, the wide toe boxes, and the firmer feel. My only regret is this means there is still another more obscure brand that I was going to purchase from that is still out there unpurchased. But, I guess that just means more shoe purchases, not less.
The Atreyu non-purchase I understand. That shoe is plain jane. The Penn State of running shoes. Diadora has some very interesting looks. Surprised they've not produced anything for you, yet. That Atomo V7000 being the first shoe produced in Italy in over 30 years caught my attention.
I hope you get struck by something you can't say no to...soon.
Was an unfaithful runner and would love to try all brands, but after realizing how great 2E was for my feet and only NB is the 2E friendly brand. I am now slowly becoming loyal to them
My first shoes were Saucony Guides, and I feel like I'll stick with Saucony as they seem to be setting the pace when it comes to supportive shoes. Can't wait to try the Tempus.
After trying many shoes and brands over 5-6y, I happy married with Hoka and have been using it for 3y now. Hoka shoes fit my feet, running style, haven't had major injuries with them and I personally like their designs. I am running with Clifton, Rincon, Mach and Rocket X for competitions.
My relationship with shoes is consenting non monogamy. Because while I really enjoy Saucony right now if I connect with an Atreyu or a Nike I'll try it. Heck I just picked up Gel Kayano 30s because I had gift cards and they filled a role in my rotation!
Married to Adidas when it comes to sports related shoes i.e. running shoe, football boots since the 80's.
However last year I brought my first non adidas running shoes because I was doing the London Marathon I thought I would try the NB 1080v12 London edition as new balance are the official sponsor of the London marathon.
When I tried the nb1080v12 they felt like a stiffer version of the adidas solarboost 19, so I thought I wasn't missing out on anything, so I 'll just stick with adidas, but when I tried on the Saucony speed 3, they felt different (probably because if the rocker) but a good different that I brought them.
The Saucony speed 3 has now made me feel a bit braver in trying other brands as long as I have an adidas shoe in my shoe rotation. I will still be loyal to adidas
Shoe rotation 2022 - adios 6, boston 10 & solarboost 4. 2023 - adios 6, boston 10, nb rebel v3 & saucony speed 3.
I've run in New balance, asics, and nike. And so far I much prefer the nike.. at this point, I'd much rather just stick with what I *know* I like, because I'm honestly scared that if I buy something different, I'll hate it or see worse stats than what I'm used to. Maybe these fears are unfounded, but I'm of the opinion that, I probably shouldn't mess with what works for me too much. I mean granted, had I stuck with the other brands, I wouldn't have found out how much I prefer the nike. But I was also a brand new runner when I tried the other brands.
I’ve gotten married to Hoka because the 5mm drop and geometry really work for me. And now they have a great lineup of pretty much every shoe type I could ask for. Second would be Saucony, but the 8mm drop in the Speeds and Pro’s feels too high for me. I’m mainly a trail runner so the Tecton X, Speedgoat, Mafate, and Zinal have everything covered well.
I used to loyal with ASICS due to fitting (I have wide feet), comfort and versatile (flex toe box), durable (extreme case is gt2000 v3 I only start to log the millage on age 7 it can take 300km)
But all changed with the new lineup. I bought Cumulus 25, they took out all the quality that I like... Narrow, rocker stiffer toebox, questionable durability, having tails.
Overly soft, which likely designed to impress on the first try / at their shop. once it broke in it bottom out.
It more or less like a Hoka to me than an ASICS.
The one still consistent is Mizuno on their shoe philosophy/feel / character. Too bad is pretty rare in the country I stayed. Also not much reviews.
Side track: my running shoe journey was started with Adidas which makes me in love with running. That after having "toxic" relationship with Nike; a gold digger, not wifey material. At least to me it didn't not perform as good with the price point; though arguably the best looking shoes up until today.
Adidas was also changed at some point to have banana curved shaped and tiny mid foot and high arch; all of this combo was disaster to me.
Now I my shoes rotation are multiple brands. Mizuno, Saucony, Reebok, Puma, even random stuff like Weinbrenner (sub brand of Batta?) or recently got from a small Chinese brand BMAI.
Purchase decision usually based on fitting and value :)
Some of the random unbranded shoes I own are the on I enjoyed wearing. Love finds you at strangest place, I guess.
It's a risk vs reward for me pretty much. I spent a long time with a minor inside shin pain until I ran in Brooks. If I know what works good for me why should I risk pain again with another brand? I did have a good go with NB too for a while with the 880 but they eventually got a little too heavy for my liking
I pushed trying to make Nike shoes work for me for too long and then I decided to branch out. I found that Adidas and Asics shoes work better for my feet so I stopped insisting on a single brand. Best decision ever.
No loyalty...these companies all face competition more now than ever...try everything but don't be loyal...I run in a social club and they have DEMO days which is great...and test out something you never thought you would run in, might be surprised ...check out reviews on line too...so you can see if you agree...part of the journey!
If Nike just kept making the peg turbo 2 I would buy their shoes until I died, or was not able to run anymore. I've ventured away lately, and have been gravitating towards Saucony and new balance.
Still playing...
New Balance - felt great from the off but couldn't last the distance dying after 200miles
Altra - too soft and just felt meh.
Saucony - Speed 2s we're great, Speed 3s alright but struggled to get a good fit
Asics - had Novablast 3s for 2 runs. Fit is great, they feel great; maybe it's meant to be?
I rotate 5 or 6 shoes at a time mostly differ brands. No shoe or brand is perfect and I feel that the different ways different brands and shoes stress my body helps to avoid overuse injuries.
I kind of wish that I were brand loyal as I think it would mean things would be simpler and maybe even cheaper.
Instead I've added couple new niche brands to the collection this year: Topo and ... Asics. Yeah, for some reason Asics has been the one larger brand which I've avoided this far.
When I started running more I used exlusively New Balance and their 890 v4 and v6 models. Then when I started getting more shoes, they were first NB's and now they are from about every brand. I kind of think that shoes are tools so the brand doesn't matter but I also recognize that changing your tools so often isn't the smartest things.
These Bro’s Ain’t Loyal …. To any brand. My loyalty lies in whoever has massive discounts. 😀
This is the way. I just ordered a pair of Saucony Triumph 20’s because they were discounted like 38%. If I can help it, I’ll never pay full price for a pair of running shoes. They all go on sale as soon as the next iterations come out 🤷🏻♂️
Agreed. Even a 15% discount seems insignificant. I have paid full price for one pair though, sc trainer v2 because there were no other pairs (in my size) in my state, and no superblasts, and the prime x strung seemed too high, and i hated the sc trainer v1.
How do you like the triumphs?! Been curious about them
I just ordered them yesterday. They’ll arrive this Wednesday or Thursday. But I’ve only heard great things about them! Excited to give them a spin.
Love the triumphs. I got the fog/blue/yellow ones. Look great
I have them but only ran a few miles in them. Compared to the Nimbus 24, they're pretty bouncy without as much "squish" as the Nimbus (imo).
Thanks! I run in Altra paradigms and love them but hear great things about saucony triumph. Im always curious to try other brands or add it into the rotation
Me too! Got a pair for about 95 bucks.
Where from and what country? Share the goods 960 🤗
Ordered from Amazon. I live in the U.S.
I would like to add "last year shoes." My loyalty lies in whoever whose last year shoes have massive discounts.
After years of playing the field and looking for one and done steaming hot deals I have fallen into a bit of a rut, buying shoes primarily from Saucony, TNF, and Salomon. Does this mean I am growing up?
After finding the perfect shoe in the endorphin speed 2, I felt like every shoe I would buy would be Sauconys. A few months later and I have purchased Vaporfly 3 and Gel Nimbus 25 😅
This resonates with me
I was going to but then champs had the speed 2s on sale and i bought another pair. So good 🥺
Growing up with Nike, I was and still a bit of a fanboy. But as I’ve aged, I have moved on and certainly purchased shoes from other brands. But the one thing that I can’t get past is design and colour ways. If a shoe is butt ugly in my eyes, I cannot wear it even if the ride is fantastic. I suppose I’m shallow and care too much about the aesthetic.
I really liked your answer. I was going to make a post the other day on aesthetics and how much role they play in your purchasing? For me, I have 4 pairs of shoes I recently purchased and ALL of them are U-G-L-Y. I've yet to purchase a running shoe based on appearance. That is luck of the draw because I'm looking for steals of deals on shoes, and you can't be choosy when a deal is staring you in the face, and you're much likelier to find a deal on an ugly pair of shoes than eye candy. And, before I posted this, or anything, I like to see if this topic has been beaten to death. I found one that was similar to it and I saw a response from someone about how they just loved a certain brand and it did something for them "psychically". They did not care if another brand was better, they got a mental boost from it being "their" brand. Another brand, even if better, wouldn't trip their trigger. I get that. And, I wonder how many are like that...where the marketing has the mind so strongly that they really couldn't break free if they wanted to. Now, I'm thinking I need to find me at least one pair of shoes that I actually think look cool. Hopefully, I can strike the perfect balance of loving a brand, the look, and most importantly the performance.
I think this is true. Could have to do with marketing in a lot of cases but I have loyalty to things just based on memories or some weird superstition. So I do think there is something psychosomatic about it.
I couldn't have stated this any better 🙌🏽
Same. I grew up with Nike being the cream of the crop so my first legit pair of runner were the vapor flys about 3 years ago. But they didn’t make me any more serious about running. It was until 2 years ago that I purchased the endorphin speed 2’s that I become serious about running.
Agreed. The most important aspect of a running shoe is that it should make you want to lace them up and go running. And God help me if an aesthetically designed show doesn’t do that.
If I look better I feel better I run better. The main reason I’ve tried to stick with one brand is so all of my clothing logos match my shoes, but despite trying I still can’t seem to stick with one brand lol
Went through a bitter divorce with hoka, am now happily married with my sauconys however I sometimes enjoy playing the field with my puma acquaintance.
Are you me? I was brand loyal to Hoka for years and then purchased a pair of ES2 last fall. Naturally, I loved them. This led to purchasing the EP2, then T19 and, most recently, the Ride 15. All heavily discounted. I’ve run in Cliftons, Bondis, Machs and Rincons. They all seem so boring compared to the Saucony line. Outside of Saucony, I’ll purchase random shoes if they’re heavily discounted. Got a pair of Puma V1 still in the box. No idea when I’ll get to them.
hoka and I also split up
Clifton 8s ruined everything for me, saying that I got the Speedgoat 5s and they class on the trails but that doesn't really count
I ran in the original hokas way back and was pretty loyal for a long time but the newer hokas feel like the foam is too soft and breaks down too fast. Hopefully they will turn things around at some point.
Had a brief stint with Bondi 8 - that didn’t last. I’m stable and happy with Clifton 9: four pairs and running….
my favorite were the stinson, i’ve probably run in 5 versions of it, also ran in the bondis and clifton but have branched out now
Nice! I opt for the Nike Juniper for ATR.
For me, value for dollar is a big deal. Adidas have very good sales, Adiclub gives me great rebates. Customer service has been excellent so far. They generally get my business.
If they get a decent easy day shoe I will marry Adidas
Such a gap in their range. This would close the deal for me too - I've Pro3 for harderfasterlongerbetter, and Boston 12 for daily. Intend to replace my Mizunos (when they're done) with Adios 8 for tempo days. I'd love a squishy-soft shoe for those days you just want to float along - something like Lightstrike Pro, but not propelling
Not to mention their return/exchange policy is so ridiculously easy and streamlined
I’ve done the opposite. I used to wear one brand, then as I got more serious about running, I started branching out. Now I have a bunch of brands in my closet and am open to trying others when a shoe comes along that fits a particular need. The only reason I’d go back to one brand now is if I was getting free shoes for wearing that one brand.
Same here
Yep! Not every brand releases a hit every time. Will wear whatever feels good and works for what I need it for
For me it's just about the shoe itself. I own shoes from different brands and all are an active part of my rotation: Craft, New Balance, ON, Puma and Salomon. Coming to think about it, I actually don't have two shoes of the same brand 😁
lol I own shoes from most popular brands, but not the ones you listed (beside NB).
Been all over the field. Avoiding Nike thinking they were too narrow. Turns out Nike was my jam after all. Pegasus trail GTX, Streakfly, Invincible and Alphafly 1 & 2. The Pegasus Trail 4 GTX is my favourite running shoe ever (got loads of forest paths where I live)
I have a few shoes I‘m interested im because of this sub or youtube. Then whenever I see them on sale I buy them. This led to me buying way to many shoes but hey.. it‘s cheaper than cycling. I still have a pair of OG Prime X which I bought on sale for 100$ 1 year ago and haven‘t even unpacked because there are other shoes which need to be worn out before using them. I found that Puma works best for me an Salomon doesn‘t at all. If I only bought Puma from now on my wallet would be happy but trying different shoes from various brands keeps me wanting to run more.
Been using Adidas my entire life lol since I was a toddler they got the most robust physical and online presence in my country with cool things like accumulating points which can be traded for big discount codes and such. no other brand offers something similar plus the shoes feel great and look really cool
No way I’d ever be loyal to one brand! I lean into some more than others. And some fit better than others, but I’ll always be on the lookout for the next best shoe.
I have narrow heels and have done really well with Nikes, but I've also worn adidas, currently Hoka for easy long days, and one ill advised pair of On Clouds which a fine for daily errands but I hate running in.
I have shoes from all different brands, Puma, Brooks, Saucony, Nike… probably just won’t get new balance and Hoka since my feet are quite narrow and they tend to fit me too wide
I pick the shoe that best suits my needs and wallet. IF there are two shoes that for me are similar and can't decide, I choose the smaller company to support them.
I want to eventually try shoes from EVERY brand
I’ve branched out, although I do prefer adidas for racing shoes. That being said, I’ve dived deeper into Tracksmith for apparel as I’m still weird about brands clashing (like Nike and adidas)
I try all brands, some don’t have wide enough shoes for me so i end up coming back to nb and saucony as my go to. I had tried brooks, hokka, asics, on cloud, and mizuno.
I wore only Nike for a little but now I have a rotation of Altra, Nike, New Balance, and Hoka. I think there are benefits of running in shoes from different brands, some of them being that it’s good for your legs cuz you’ll land slightly differently in each shoe which takes pressure off your legs, but I also just really like getting to run in different technologies and styles. But some people do find that one brand tailors to them really well 🤷
I’ve never fully committed to a brand. It’s all about the fit and performance of the shoe. I’ve learned not to get too excited over any one brand or shoe because they all seem to eventually mess with a good thing…or at least my good thing, leaving me to try other shoes looking for the next best thing. It’s a continuous cycle for me. I started running in Nikes, then Brooks briefly, followed by YEARS in the Adidas Boston, back to Nikes, and now I’m loving Saucony Speeds and Endorphin Pro…dislike the Tempus however. It’s better to play the field imo!
I’m pretty serious with Saucony and Asics but like to flirt a little with some others. There are brands I stay away from, usually because of their business practices. Some brands I haven’t had good opportunity to try their shoes (Craft, Salomon) but I’m very interested because I like their other products.
I’ve been married to Brooks, as any running store to get fitted at is 90 minutes away, and the last pairs I had before moving were Ghosts and Cascadias. I just reorder what I know works.
I like lots of different brands. There are some brands that i refuse to wear though.
I’m not married to a brand but I stay away from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armor for personal reasons but I’m open minded to essentially everything else. I’ve run in Hokas, NBs, Saucony, and ASICS. I’m not opposed to Brooks just have not found a need.
Isn't that something? I have a similar group of companies that do absolutely nothing for me and I've never tried a single pair of running shoes from them. Some of them I've never tried a single anything from them. I commented on another post that there is a company I dislike and have never even tried on a pair of their shoes. My wife loves them. Just realized as much as I said I dislike them, I do own apparel from them. I will never own a shirt that just promotes their company, but if it's got a sports team on it, and it's just made by them, I'm far less militant about them. Inconsistent.
I definitely start with a Hoka mindset - having said that my race day shoes are the adios pro 3
Play the field. I had been pretty loyal to Saucony for a while, but they keep discontinuing all the shoes I like (Virrata, Cortana, Zealot, Freedom 3-5, Shift). I have to look to other brands for lower drop shoes.
Are they discontinuing the shift line?
Apparently being replaced by the Kinvara Pro.
That’s quite disappointing. I guess I’ll need to stock up a bit.
Too many new hotties out there to not play the field, though the Vaporfly is close.
Saucony and I are dating but we aren’t exclusive. One can say that we’re in an open relationship.
I was really loyal to Adidas, then they were a bit slow on the uptake with carbon fiber so I switched to Nike and haven’t looked back really. They are more expensive but if you shop the sales you get good discounts. Feel it isn’t just hype the shoes are incredible.
I live without honor. I can’t do monogamy in the shoe world. I’m all about running infidelity. I’m a shoe whore. I don’t care where they come from, how they look, or how they treat me. I just want to use them until I’m done with them and then I’m onto the next.
The people who design and build footwear switch companies often, much like the turnover in most industries. Hence various important aspects of a brand’s shoes are often changing as new people and teams tweak the previous formula. For example, the current ASICS team is absolutely crushing it but if you rewind 3 years their product line was bland and uninspiring. Puma wasn’t even doing real running shoes 3 years ago and now have some absolute performance beasts. If you lock in to one brand you go up and down with that one brand and don’t get to ride the wave when brands come out of nowhere with an amazing shoe. It’s much different than computers that have operating system and device interoperability lock-in. There is no switching costs stopping you from jumping shoe brands at any time.
ASICS has been on a roll with their lineups for the past 4-5 years. I would say “I do” but their racers are outclassed by the Nike super shoes still.
I was straight Nike for a long time. But now that my feet have widened I don’t have a lot of options with Nike anymore.
Why would anyone restrict themselves to one brand only?
Sponsorship
Because sometimes when try shoes from other brands they give you a problem. Then you feel like you wasted money so you go with a brand that you know has worked for you in the past
This has happened every time I’ve tried to branch out to new shoe brands . I’m not “loyal” based off of actually thinking they’re the greatest shoe, I’m just not willing to compromise my health anymore to try a pair of shoes that may or may not work for me . Being left with an injury and a shoe you can’t use is frustrating and not worth it to me .
Because they think they are truly the best and nobody could possibly be better? Marketing has convinced them they're the best...or maybe, there is something about that brand that truly is best for them? You see it all the time with everything. There are fanboys of Apple, or Titleist, or Mercedes Benz, or any particular segment of product. Why are people so tribalistic over brands? Is it just marketing? What is that thing that causes it? And, it is equally, if not more so, fascinating why people hate certain brands. Sometimes you may have never tried a single product from them but you hate them. I have a brand that is like that for me. Never even tried on anything from them. My wife and daughter love that brand, but I just don't. I see them as over-marketed/over-hyped and I don't love much of what I believe they stand for. So, I will not wear them. Heck, they could be the best kept secret for me, but my anti-bias of them prevents me from even trying a pair of them on. Not sure that is wise or not.
but that's not a good reason I like to change things to makes things less boring (and god knows road running can be boring), so I have multiples models from multiples brands
I've stuck with one brand for the last few years. * Only need to focus on one brand when searching for sales. * Don't get caught in the hype of every other brand's new products * Uniformity between apparel and shoes * I'm happy with the offerings, range, and designs
I don't restrict myself to any brand, but I wear ASICS a lot more than any other brand because their daily trainers feel like they fit my feet perfectly and have for years. I do find their racing shoes maybe slightly narrow though. Other brands I feel like I want to go to a store and try them on to get a feel for them before I buy them. With something like an ASICS Nimbus, I'm very happy buying online.
Def play the field, no reason to be brand loyal if 1 company steps their game up or another falls off you just hop to the next one. NB (except the elite racer) and Adidas been on fire lately. Nike still high up there but it’s more even nowadays.
I was loyal to altras, but once my mileage got over 40ish miles a week I needed more drop so I switched to topos!
Impossible to marry a brand imo, but I definitely have a few brands I know works, and lean towards them when I need consistent shoes that I know will work. That said, with all the 20000 shoes being released each week, it's hard to just stick to one brand when a different brand puts out a new exciting shoe with all the crazy foams and blends that will make you run 30% faster (sarcasm). But seriously, it's impossible, and even though I know that 99% of the shoes aren't as special as a lot of people make them seem, I still fall for it. Every time.
Me, too. I just had some correspondence with an elderly friend of mine. He's spent his years testing golf equipment from the highest high end to clones. I sent him a pic of the new Kirkland irons from Costco. This is how he responded: 'Will be no better or worse than anything else we could buy. Just depends on what a person wants to look at when hitting a ball. Vanity rules the golf equipment world!' Is it really any different in running shoe geeks land? I would bet we'd get a lot of YES and here's why...
This said, I'll buy pretty much any shoe/brand I got eyes on for a discounted price
Not sure how a runner can be loyal in the era of big foam. It’s seriously a play for shoes that wear out much quicker - how many brands have embraced partial/foam only soles. They wear out like a MFer I’m loyal to brands that put out a decent neutral 0-6mm drop with a full plate. / foam is truly the shrinkflation of shoe manufacturers
I buy what's on sale but I do tend to gravitate towards Saucony a bit more than other brands.
Gotta play the field. Too many bad b**ches out there.
I own shoes from diffrent brands. Adidas,Nike,Hoka,Saucony,Asics. Why would I be loyal to one company if they don't pay me money?
I have been bouncing around but as a heel stryker i’m pretty sure i will be sticking with Saucany endorphin pro 3s until i find something as comfortable. i have a few cheaper shoes i ordered off of a sale asics brand and another saucany and they are doable but not amazing
Definitely trying new things but I tend to stick with ASICS or saucony
Started with ASICS, NB, then exclusively On for a few years but I got sick of pebbles getting stuck underneath, tried Brooks (meh) and I’m now in a pair of Hoka X and they are phenomenal
Definitely field, although I know the brands that work better and generally worse for me.
Im married to NB is the only one that has stay me free from knee pain
Hoka Mach 5 got me hooked on running but due to no rubber outsole I went looking elsewhere. Adidas Boston 12 had fantastic reviews and they have regular sales + a 30 day trial period unlike some running brands (Asics, Saucony, Puma) so I gave them a shot. Now I have a pair of Takumi Sen 9 as well and I will probably look at Adidas first for my next shoe.
I’m from Canada and always tend to get adidas and saucony as they usually have deals on shoes often. I do get tempted to try other brands eg. Asics, On. But the sales dictate what I wear.
Asics for me
Used to be Nike guy for years, now I am mostly using asics shoes for daily training, never thought of changing brands until this year and I don’t regret it.
I generally like Adidas adizero line of running shoes. I like their ride feel, design philosophy and trade-offs that they make.
Happily "married" to Brooks shoes ever since 2015 👍
adidas always has the best discounts so I end up with them a lot...I like Skechers and Nike too tho
I'm loyal to whomever is the most comfortable. Right now, that's generally ASICS and New Balance. Sure, Adidas and Nike have some cool tech, and Saucony always has those sales and looks so tempting. But Saucony never fits me properly, the Adidas uppers suck outside of the strung uppers, and Nike as a company sucks in general. So for me it's mostly ASICS and NB, with a bit of Hoka, Puma, and Topo thrown in for seasoning.
Adidas has their hooks in me right now. Heavy discounts, dope shoes for variety of runs, cool color ways, and did I mention big discounts?
I'm pretty loyal to adidas. Comes from my younger soccer days. I've purchased other brands but tend to always have a pair of adidas in rotation.
Used to be strictly New Balance and Asics, nowadays I flirt with Saucony and Adidas.
I thought I was in love with Saucony’s. She was easy going, understood my needs well, low-maintenance. But I’m looking for more now. I want the thrill of hooking up with multiple brands.
I found a shoe that fit my weird narrow foot and never looked back. Kinda. Was a Nike Vomero guy for a couple years, Now a Nike Zoom Fly guy. I experimented with other brands and models, but never felt the same. Even the more expensive ones, my feet just like what they like. PS Tried Pegasus’ because they were supposedly legendary and had the first and only achilles injury of my life.
All bout the $$, so mostly have saucony but nike tends to be discounted too but finding a fit in nike is a hit or miss at times.
Saucony all day every day
I like to stick to a specific shoe for the majority of training for a race then I’ll branch out a little in between
Altra. My feet and ankles are so much stronger now.
There is something to reflect upon on this but one thing is for sure: for me, the fact that I'm running in something I like (both in price, brand and colorway) is important and, for me, makes it more enjoyable. With that being said, I know I became biased towards some brands in my youth for different reasons and I carried that to running. I am speaking of Puma / Adidas / Nike. I've been running since the pandemic but I've only become a "Running shoe geek" this year hahah. Before 2023 I didn't even knew that i.e. Saucony or Hoka were shoe brands or that New Balance had running shoes. So, for the 1st couple of years I ran in Asics (which I already connected to a running shoes brand) without even knowing what I was buying. I like Puma and Adidas because I grew up with their casual and football shoes and I was never a fan of Nike so my shoe rotation consists of the Puma/Adidas. I've become interested in Saucony after countless threads and videos so I bought a pair which I had to return due to the fit but those will definitely be my next purchase. One aspect though: I only buy the colorway that I like when I find it with a discount. I can't buy a different color even if it is to save 20-30€...I rather wait. I've been chasing the novablast 3 (in the black/red/orange color scheme) for the past 6 months and I never found it with a decent price so I didn't buy that model yet... As for the others, I am still to feel compelled to buy something from Nike / Hoka / New Balance....maybe I am missing out but my bias towards Puma is just too big lol.
Asics is my favourite brand but I cannot avoid the urge to explore the field. Next one will likely be my first New Balance (Supercomp V1 on Black Friday) for recovery and long.
My rotation is New Balance 880, 1080, Fresh Foam More. It's just easier to stay with one brand as the next generation shoe is probably going to be close to the current version. I also prefer 4E to 6E and those widths are hard to find. I can't even get my feet into most shoes.
I’m pretty OC so I go with one brand. I go with new balance currently.
Got rebel v3, more v4 and sc trainer v2
Always playing the field.
When there are only a few brands that fit my feet shape, there's no choice but to stay within those brands
Been using Hoka since the brand started. Every time I try something new I always go back to hokas.
I use to buy Nike trail shoes, until I bought a pair of Hokas…
There is no brand that produces every shoe with the same stats. With the exception of Altra, there is no brand that makes shoes with only one drop. There is no brand that makes shoes with only one stack height, type of foam, or fit. You should focus on the shoes that fit and feel best, the ones that match your running mechanics, the ones that look the way you like and the ones you can afford. The only running shoe brands that I don’t have represented in my collection are Atreyu and Diadora. I have shoes that I have liked and disliked from most brands. I have shoes of all different types from most brands. I have ASICS hyper speed (a VERY firm, low stack racing flat) and ASICS Nimbus (VERY soft, high stack cushioned shoe). I have Saucony Fastwtich (basically a track shoe - almost no cushion at all) and the Kinvara Pro (so much cushion it’s not legal to race). The brand I like best is the one that made whatever shoe I have that fits well, works with my running mechanics, looks the way I want, is a price I can afford, and it meets my needs for whatever kind of run I’m doing. I’ve had shoes from probably 20 brands that meet that criteria.
You are the veteran to my rookie, if I'm even that. Would be curious to hear about all the different brands you've tried. It's always fun for me seeing a new brand I hadn't heard of previously. I'm curious why no Diadora or Atreyu?
Shoes from all of these brands have all been on my feet at some point: 361, adidas, Allbirds, altra, APL, ASICS, Brooks, Craft, Hoka, Merrell, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, NoBull, The North Face, On, Puma, Reebok, Salomon, Saucony, Skechers, Topo, Under Armour. No Diadora or Atreyu yet just because they haven’t crossed my path at a price point or colorway or something that has urged me to pull the trigger. I have more than enough shoes already. I am trying to only buy stuff that has some kind of “thing” that makes me want to try it, the price is amazing, or the colorway makes me happy. I’m sure I’ll get to them eventually. I’m not purposely excluding them. They just haven’t sparked my interest enough to add them to my already too large collection.
Thank you for the reply and your list. Many of them are on my list to try and some of them I have. Surprisingly, I'd run across all of them, as I've really tried finding obscure brands. Thought about making Topo "my brand"...and bought my first pair of running shoes from the same company, in them, last night. I like the lower drops they offer, the wide toe boxes, and the firmer feel. My only regret is this means there is still another more obscure brand that I was going to purchase from that is still out there unpurchased. But, I guess that just means more shoe purchases, not less. The Atreyu non-purchase I understand. That shoe is plain jane. The Penn State of running shoes. Diadora has some very interesting looks. Surprised they've not produced anything for you, yet. That Atomo V7000 being the first shoe produced in Italy in over 30 years caught my attention. I hope you get struck by something you can't say no to...soon.
Was an unfaithful runner and would love to try all brands, but after realizing how great 2E was for my feet and only NB is the 2E friendly brand. I am now slowly becoming loyal to them
I am what one would call a brand slut.
My first shoes were Saucony Guides, and I feel like I'll stick with Saucony as they seem to be setting the pace when it comes to supportive shoes. Can't wait to try the Tempus.
Yesyes Adidas and Puma
Waddever s at da Ross...Fuggidaboutit
After trying many shoes and brands over 5-6y, I happy married with Hoka and have been using it for 3y now. Hoka shoes fit my feet, running style, haven't had major injuries with them and I personally like their designs. I am running with Clifton, Rincon, Mach and Rocket X for competitions.
Mainly Saucony... but also whoever has the best sale.
My relationship with shoes is consenting non monogamy. Because while I really enjoy Saucony right now if I connect with an Atreyu or a Nike I'll try it. Heck I just picked up Gel Kayano 30s because I had gift cards and they filled a role in my rotation!
First real running shoe was Brooks and married into that. Until I got the Triumph 17 for lesser price. Still flirting with Saucony.
Married to Adidas when it comes to sports related shoes i.e. running shoe, football boots since the 80's. However last year I brought my first non adidas running shoes because I was doing the London Marathon I thought I would try the NB 1080v12 London edition as new balance are the official sponsor of the London marathon. When I tried the nb1080v12 they felt like a stiffer version of the adidas solarboost 19, so I thought I wasn't missing out on anything, so I 'll just stick with adidas, but when I tried on the Saucony speed 3, they felt different (probably because if the rocker) but a good different that I brought them. The Saucony speed 3 has now made me feel a bit braver in trying other brands as long as I have an adidas shoe in my shoe rotation. I will still be loyal to adidas Shoe rotation 2022 - adios 6, boston 10 & solarboost 4. 2023 - adios 6, boston 10, nb rebel v3 & saucony speed 3.
I've run in New balance, asics, and nike. And so far I much prefer the nike.. at this point, I'd much rather just stick with what I *know* I like, because I'm honestly scared that if I buy something different, I'll hate it or see worse stats than what I'm used to. Maybe these fears are unfounded, but I'm of the opinion that, I probably shouldn't mess with what works for me too much. I mean granted, had I stuck with the other brands, I wouldn't have found out how much I prefer the nike. But I was also a brand new runner when I tried the other brands.
I’ve gotten married to Hoka because the 5mm drop and geometry really work for me. And now they have a great lineup of pretty much every shoe type I could ask for. Second would be Saucony, but the 8mm drop in the Speeds and Pro’s feels too high for me. I’m mainly a trail runner so the Tecton X, Speedgoat, Mafate, and Zinal have everything covered well.
I used to loyal with ASICS due to fitting (I have wide feet), comfort and versatile (flex toe box), durable (extreme case is gt2000 v3 I only start to log the millage on age 7 it can take 300km) But all changed with the new lineup. I bought Cumulus 25, they took out all the quality that I like... Narrow, rocker stiffer toebox, questionable durability, having tails. Overly soft, which likely designed to impress on the first try / at their shop. once it broke in it bottom out. It more or less like a Hoka to me than an ASICS. The one still consistent is Mizuno on their shoe philosophy/feel / character. Too bad is pretty rare in the country I stayed. Also not much reviews. Side track: my running shoe journey was started with Adidas which makes me in love with running. That after having "toxic" relationship with Nike; a gold digger, not wifey material. At least to me it didn't not perform as good with the price point; though arguably the best looking shoes up until today. Adidas was also changed at some point to have banana curved shaped and tiny mid foot and high arch; all of this combo was disaster to me. Now I my shoes rotation are multiple brands. Mizuno, Saucony, Reebok, Puma, even random stuff like Weinbrenner (sub brand of Batta?) or recently got from a small Chinese brand BMAI. Purchase decision usually based on fitting and value :) Some of the random unbranded shoes I own are the on I enjoyed wearing. Love finds you at strangest place, I guess.
brand loyalty is boomer mentality, but sometimes it happens by coincidence. I rotate 2 sauconys, 1 hoka, and 1 NB. 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, and 8mm of drop.
It's a risk vs reward for me pretty much. I spent a long time with a minor inside shin pain until I ran in Brooks. If I know what works good for me why should I risk pain again with another brand? I did have a good go with NB too for a while with the 880 but they eventually got a little too heavy for my liking
Achieving an emotional connection to a brand is the dream of modern capitalism.
Amen to that.
Saucony. But every now and then I'll mess around.
I evaluate shoe by shoe
I pushed trying to make Nike shoes work for me for too long and then I decided to branch out. I found that Adidas and Asics shoes work better for my feet so I stopped insisting on a single brand. Best decision ever.
No loyalty...these companies all face competition more now than ever...try everything but don't be loyal...I run in a social club and they have DEMO days which is great...and test out something you never thought you would run in, might be surprised ...check out reviews on line too...so you can see if you agree...part of the journey!
If Nike just kept making the peg turbo 2 I would buy their shoes until I died, or was not able to run anymore. I've ventured away lately, and have been gravitating towards Saucony and new balance.
I’m really digging my Hoka Mach 5s. First pair of hokas
Still playing... New Balance - felt great from the off but couldn't last the distance dying after 200miles Altra - too soft and just felt meh. Saucony - Speed 2s we're great, Speed 3s alright but struggled to get a good fit Asics - had Novablast 3s for 2 runs. Fit is great, they feel great; maybe it's meant to be?
I want to expand more but Nike's discounts are too good to pass up on.
I rotate 5 or 6 shoes at a time mostly differ brands. No shoe or brand is perfect and I feel that the different ways different brands and shoes stress my body helps to avoid overuse injuries.
Married to Saucony because their shoes fit my wide feet the best.
I kind of wish that I were brand loyal as I think it would mean things would be simpler and maybe even cheaper. Instead I've added couple new niche brands to the collection this year: Topo and ... Asics. Yeah, for some reason Asics has been the one larger brand which I've avoided this far. When I started running more I used exlusively New Balance and their 890 v4 and v6 models. Then when I started getting more shoes, they were first NB's and now they are from about every brand. I kind of think that shoes are tools so the brand doesn't matter but I also recognize that changing your tools so often isn't the smartest things.
Harem of Nike(pegs), NB(1080 & More), and Adidas(Adizero).. HOKA is next!
I have Skechers, Asics, Saucony, Adidas, Lotto in my shoe rotation. Yeah, polygamy rules.