Now is an excellent time to search for a shoe that is lightweight, extremely comfortable, provides support, and has excellent cushioning. Manufacturers are listening to runners and delivering on shoes that can be nick named “sweet spot shoes”.
Sweet Spot’ shoes used for training and racing must have certain specifications. Below is a table of needed specifications to find sweet spot shoes.
Specfication | Measure | Range | Comments |
Upper Comfort | No Pinching | Some give to just right | The shoe must have an upper
that feels so comfortable you could wear the shoe all day. It does not pinch anywhere. |
Weight | Ounces | 6 to 9 ounces | Lightweight |
Support | Structure | Light to just right | Shoe has to provide support to cradle the foot |
Sole Material | EVA | 5 to 70 | Zero drop shoes are
available and most of the shoes in this category will range from 2 to 6 mm |
Cushion | Plush | Firm to Plush | |
Energy Return | Return | Some to Lively | The sole material and design
of the shoe will provide spring at the toe off. |
Shoes that meet the criteria ranges above include:
Saucony Kinvara | Brooks PureCadence |
Asics DynaFlyte |
Hoka Clifton 5 |
|
Upper Comfort |
FlexFilm lightweight, |
Stretchy-snug upper of |
Breathable on runs with Discrete eyelets and The fit of the lacing |
The upper has The reinforced eyelets The engineered mesh is On top of the mesh are |
Weight |
7.6 oz |
9.0 oz |
9.2 oz |
9.4 oz |
Support |
Medium Light support |
Medium Light support |
Medium Light support |
Medium Light support |
Sole Material |
Topsole is EverRun Midsole is resilient EVA+ foam. Outsole injection-blown rubber chevron pattern. |
The material used in The sole unit is more The outsole’s Omega |
FlyteFoam. This foam |
The midsole uses full The outsole is |
Heel Drop |
4 mm |
4 mm |
8 mm |
5 mm |
Cushion |
Forgiving landing |
Soft when—walking |
The sole feels very |
soft, smooth and |
Energy Return |
EverRun enhanced |
Enhanced |
Enhanced |
EVA foam has been |
User Comments | Very responsive
Supportive Affordable price Fit like a glove Lightweight structure. Upper construction was flexible. Breathable. |
Lightweight
Snug fit Comfortable. No knee pain and blisters Performed well on short and long-distance runs. Supportive. Like “running on air” Loved its padded tongue. Style was great. Runs true to size. The shoe has |
Most of the reviewers loved the shoe’s well-constructed upper.
Some testers mentioned that the cushioning was great. A handful of consumers agreed that the shoe was comfortable. A good number of purchasers noted that the product was supportive and lightweight. A lot of users experienced less skin irritation and blisters. Several consumers lauded its attractive casual design. |
A number of users said that the shoe is ideal for long-distance running and training.
Several users commented that this new version is more comfortable than its predecessor. One user said that he felt like the shoe is well made and looks durable. The shoe offered more support than the previous version said some reviewers. The update on the design was gladly welcomed by a majority of runners. Most reviewers said that running in the shoe did not cause them pain despite having foot and knee problems. A majority of reviewers mentioned that the shoe fits true to size. One tester was appreciative of the high arch support the shoe provided. Most users said that there is enough room in the toe box. A lot of runners agree that the shoe is very comfortable. |