Good for the Road
It started with 45 new shoes and 20 testers. Three months and 5,000 miles later, it ended with the seven best road and trail shoes of the season. One shoe broke so far away from the pack, impressing us on so many levels—comfort, performance, and sheer ingenuity—that we just had to make it Gear of the Year.
1. A road shoe designed for both neutral runners and overpronators? Believe it. The LunarGlide’s midsole has two foams—a soft type that cushions the direct heel hit of a neutral runner, and a harder one that’s set at an angle to correct mild to moderate pronation. Our testers confirmed that the system works: The support is there when you need it, and not when you don’t.
2. With plush fabric, generous padding, a snug heel, and an impressively spongy midsole, these shoes felt incredibly comfortable, from the moment they left the box to the end of our testers’ longest runs. And with truly gender-specific versions for men and women—addressing differences from last shape to arch-support needs—testers from both locker rooms were equally thrilled.
3. We heard it over and over: “It’s like I wasn’t even wearing shoes.” The flexible forefoot and barefoot-inspired outsole offers an outstanding feel for the road (without bringing it too close for comfort), and the slipper-like upper ditches traditional overlays for a seamless wrap. The result? A blissfully comfortable shoe that’s both nimble running fast and supportive running slow.
(11.5 oz)