20 Best Shoes For Forefoot Runners (2023 Updated)

I’ve been buying Asics Gel Ventures for years — from model 6 thru model 8. I walk just over 3 miles every day, mostly on concrete. I normally get the 4E width just for the added room in the toe box.

These have always been flawlessly comfortable, and I typically get about 6 months of wear. Definitely recommended.

I ordered the shoes and was excited that they had my size. Order came in quickly. The shoes had a Nordstrom’s sticker on the inside with a size 14 (my size), but if someone (anyone) would have looked at the actual size of the shoe (Nike had it clearly identified) size 10.

5, wouldn’t have sent them to me. I now am going through the return process. I’m gun shy to try again.

My son is super picky when it comes to shoes and he loves these! They are comfortable, and for nice. Only advice I have is if you are between a medium and wide width, go with the wide. He mentioned they were slightly snug in that area.

Otherwise the perfect shoe!.

In my usual hiking boots I began to notice aching feet as I hiked beyond 4-5 miles, but not when I wore my Lone Peak 3 trail running shoes. So, when this boot popped up I ordered a pair in the same size as the LP3 (I typically wear a 9.

5, but 10. 5 in Altra) which worked perfectly and achieved the goal of happy feet. I’ve put a couple of hundred miles on them (asphalt, groomed trails and rocky horror Arizona) as day hikes with a light day pack.

Because of their lightness, I was (and remain) somewhat skeptical of their long term durability, but they have held up very well and don’t have that “beat up” appearance. I’m impressed with how the sticky grip and the lightness allow for “quick feet” moving from rock to rock.

Looking through many of the other reviews, I am in general agreement with most of the points made except sizing. I lucked out choosing the size I did, but there’s nothing better than going into REI with your own socks and sizing rationally for you.

The other points about waterproofing (not), maybe wanting a stiffer sole under heavier loads, the clunky lacing are true, but unimportant to me. What is important to me is that I can take a moment to lace these up, go on a 10 mile day hike with my little pack, stop at the grocery store on the way home and then proceed with the rest of the day not thinking of my feet or even changing into other shoes.

I have loved all the Altras I’ve purchased. Maybe these the most.

These shoes are truly max cushion shoes. Unlike some other so called max cushion shoes, you can feel the plushness during the run. The ride is really comfortable, yet not so soft that it feels like you’re running on sand.

Although super comfortable, I wouldn’t say they are responsive. They actually feel slower, but that’s OK. I wanted these for recovery. The fit is completely different that the 19. In my normal size of 9 Wide, the 19 was snug, to the point of having to cut slits in the upper around both sides of the ball of my foot and wear super thin socks.

With these modifications, the shoe was comfortable and provided good support up to around 325 miles. After that they became very non responsive. The 20, is actually very wide, even for a wide width. Needed to go back to a cushion sock, custom insoles and a toe bandage on one big toe to eliminate rubbing.

Now that I have the fit issues resolved, the shoes provide a lot of cushion and my knees don’t hurt. If you run on hills, these are probably the best downhill shoes I have ever run in.

I am a Brooks fan, the only running shoe I will wear because of its fit and design that helps with my high arch. The Ghost is my go to shoe and the Glycerine is my long run shoe. When I saw the Glycerine 20’s were coming out, I immediately had to get a pair.

I loved the previous version. I loved to look of the shoe (triple black) and the fit felt like my old Ghosts, almost like a race shoe. So far so good. But then I wore them on my long run. Unlike my previous Glycerine’s, the 20’s had no cushioning or bounce.

It took a toll on the bottom of my feet. I purchased a padded insole to help absorb some of the shock, and tried that out last night, but it had limited impact. It almost feels like I am running in my work dress shoes.

I was told that the shoe takes a while to break in so I will continue wearing them hoping that I start to feel some shock absorbtion. In my case, the impact is felt in the ball of my foot. I hope this changes because I like the fit of these.

Ironically, my new Ghosts feel like my old Glycerines and my new Glycerines feel like my old Ghosts. As of right now, the Glycerine 20’s are not what I had hoped.

A big power walker and previously wore the Glycerin 19’s. I have a range of foot problems including osteoarthritis, and bunions. The Glycerine 20 is simply beautifully comfortable to wear. I feel like I am walking on air and the support is truly phenomenal.

I feel secure when I stride out with the guide rails supporting my every step. I purchased the same size as the Glycerine 19’s although I do think the 20’s are slightly wider. I can not recommend these runners enough especially for ladies in my age group.

I bought the navy and violet and they co-ordinate nicely with my exercise gear. I am waiting in anticipation to see what other colours come out, so so I can alternate my workouts with a second pair. I also tried the Hoka Bondi, but was advised it is imore of a recovery shoe.

Brooks please introduce more colours to the Glycerine 20 range because I am ready go. PS. These runners do not need breaking in.

Nothing is perfect because we all have our likes and not all of us like the same. Overall the shoe is performing great with 20 miles and one event was 11 miles. Hard terrain, lots of roots, rock, sand, and dry dry dirt.

108 f degrees real feel was 113 f. 5000 elevation (climbing). Lots of long downhill and lots of long uphill. Plenty of fast straight aways. No water in sight on course other than sweaty legs so shoes did get soaked by body sweat and stayed wet however did not bother me and did not effect shoe performance.

Great conditions for testing the shoe. I am happy with the shoe. Really did not feel the impact during the runs so compare to other trail shoes where I felt I just finished slapping my bare foot against a rock for 12 hours these shoes really left my feet with the smallest amount of sense that I had ran for 2 hours on a hard surface trail (basically concrete) because so dry.

I don’t like the laces but I never do because I like laces the are stretchy and don’t put pressure on the upper foot which is why I wish they would make all running shoes with BOA dials since these dials remove all pressure points and are super easy to release if foot swells too much or you need a little extra firmness for locking in the foot.

Add BOA dials and this is the shoe. It’s fast up, down and straight. Almost no impact. Weight is light enough. I feel everyone should try the shoe because the shoe is great. Pros scale 1 to 10 and 10 is best Traction 9 Stability 8.

5 Downhill 8. 7 Uphill 8. 7 Comfort 9 Con Scale 1 to 10 and 1 being worst Shoe lace 1 Upper 9.

Love my new trail shoes! I haven’t had my Endorphin Edge very long but already tested out steep uphills & steeper downhills, with leaf litter, with rocks & roots and these shoes are all that I wanted them to be.

I’ve only done dry/slightly damp trails so far, not wet, but the lugs and outsole are very similar to my old peregrines. (Peregrines had excellent grip but I found they weren’t comfortable for longer runs.

) Happy to see that the Edge has a good classic saucony width like the old models. I didn’t have to wait for wide width to become available. There’s enough room for toes to splay. Also like the toe box height.

No black toes on the downhills. Yay! And no weird stress points or rubbing or blistering yet. What else? Oh, excellent lockdown. Thankfully, the outsole is not as squishy as the endorphin speed 2 (which I have for road running).

Out on uneven trails, I prefer a more rigid feel of the ground which gives me more control. The outsole is not super squishy but it’s also not hard. It’s a comfortable medium with excellent energy return.

I really enjoyed my runs. You gotta try it out for yourself. Everyone has different feet and needs, but I’ve always loved the classic saucony fit. These did not disappoint. One last thing, I got mucho love on the ocean/loam colorway from other folks on the trail :).

So firstly I just wanted to compliment Start Fitness and how quickly I received my trainers, bang on as ever! I have given the trainers 4 out of 5 stars as my first outing in them was very uncomfortable.

I ran 15 miles across the South Downs and the grip was terrible, I looked liked Bambi on ice at times and the weather was dry. I’m hoping that the grip gets a little better once I scrub them in a bit more because during that first run I had little confidence.

The right trainer also caused some blistering on the outside of my right heel so again I hope this is not going to be an ongoing issue? Due to the stack height I had a couple of moments where I nearly rolled my ankles, thankfully I made it home without any injury.

Thanks to the Powerrun PB midsole the ride was comfortable and I will be using them again for my next trail run shortly, I just hope I don’t have any further issues otherwise they’ll be getting sold on ebay and replaced with something like the Hoka Tecton X.

Overall I would recommend them but just take it easy while on the trails to begin with.

These shoes are exclusive to exercising (walking, running, jogging). Perfect for treadmill and natural terrain. This is my second pair of ASICS and I prefer these as they are more comfortable for long wear.

The color design is exactly what I have been looking for. Please don’t discontinue these.

Love the look. Easy on the feet! They have great support. Helps the transition from work boots to athletic shoes more comfortable. Would definitely recommend.

Due to recent back surgery, I am no longer a runner, however I’m still exercise in and out of the gym (bike, elliptical, walk, weights) and was hoping to find an affordable pair of Asics (I’ve been wearing Asics for over 30 years).

This could be the best Asics for the dollar I’ve ever purchased!!.

Pros: – Plenty of room for all my toes and a bit of a bunion – Normal, non-flashy colors. Don’t feel like clown shoes. – I like the laces actually. A bit of texture to them so they stay tied. – Nice grippy soles – Light-weight Cons: – An usual amount of padding (imo) at the back of the shoe/ankle area.

I walked 3 mostly paved miles in these the first day and was starting to get a blister at the back of my ankle. – Zero arch support. I mean z-e-r-0. – Soles aren’t as cushioned as my last pair of Asics Overall these shoes are fine.

I know they’re running shoes, but I’m going to mostly walk around my neighborhood or aerobicise at home in them. Once I get some inserts to raise my heel to avoid blisters and provide some arch support I think they will be great.

I can’t blame Asics too much for the ankle blisters since it’s a problem I have with most shoes. My big concerns were color and having enough room for all my toes.

I waited several weeks before posting this review to see how the shoes felt on my feet and I’m here to say these shoes are great. I bought these to walk around my 1. 7M sq ft warehouse for work. Concrete floors, climate controlled and I walk about 6 miles a day.

These shoes have stood up to the challenge. I have BIG FAT feet like Sasquatch/Fred Flintstone and ordered these in a 13 4E and have zero regrets. Plenty of room in the toe box and the gel heel feels great all day.

The typical swelling of the feet through the day doesn’t seem to be an issue with these shoes as with other shoes and boots I have. They are light and feel cool on the feet with excellent breathability.

Overall I am extremely pleased and only time will tell about the longevity.

My feet hurt bad enough that I’ve bought from other brands very expensive walking shoes. I’ve tried multiple brands of sneakers, the ASICS brand is the only tennis shoes I wanna buy going forward. I have never felt more comfortable sneakers, it feels like I’m walking on clouds.

It’s also more reasonable priced than others I’ve tried in the past. I own about 5 pairs of ASICS now. I love them, wish I knew about these back when I worked as a cashier and was a cosmetology student.

Always on my feet. However I can enjoy them for theme park days or if event come up where I need to be in my feet a lot. This is a fabulous product, well worth the money, I highly recommend.

I recently got these coming off a knee injury and they work extremely well for me. They are very comfortable and light weight as I run and don’t have that heavy chunky feeling that a lot shoes do. They are lightweight but give me cushion where I need it.

They move really well with me doing things like box jumps and stair strength drills. The only thing I don’t know for sure is how well they would do with distance longer than like 3 or 4 miles. They have done very well for me while I run but I don’t go farther than like 3 miles.

They work really well for shorter distance running and cross training type things but honestly would probably go with something with just a little more support for long distance. it has been a battle for me to get the right thing for my everyday run and workout that is comfy and helps my knees and these nikes work perfectly for that.

I was looking for a lightweight sneaker that didn’t have such a high heel but still had adequate cushion. I needed them for a HIIT boot camp class. Most running shoes have the gel in the heel, which is too much for quick side to side movement.

I almost feel like I can twist my ankle easily with them. These shoes are perfect. They are sooooo comfortable and light. The cushion is great when I’m sprinting and they have great arch support. They are low enough to the ground that I’m not in danger of rolling my ankles.

I was going to order a couple of pairs, one for work because I’m an ER nurse and on my feet for 12 hours each shift, but the color options in my size just weren’t there. I highly recommend these!!!.

I have been in the Service for almost 23 years. I have consistently changed out my running shoes every 6 months, so I have gone through a lot of shoes. This shoe company has gotten the making of running shoes right.

I have never felt so light on my feet and comfortable for mile after mile. I have gone through many of the top brands and have finally found the shoe of my choice that brings complete satisfaction while running.

Give them a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Have not worn yet but have enjoyed my 361 spire3 and meraki2 shoes. These shoes seem to work for me. Hope the 361 Strata are as good as the others. I no longer jog but walk over 300 kilometres a month.

ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS TRIED THESE SHOES AND THAT THEY FIT A LITTLE TOO TIGHT OM THE FOR FOOT, HE THOUGHT THAT IT LOOKED GREAT BUT THE FITTING WAS OFF EVEN THO I BROUGHT HIM A HALF SIZE BIGGER AND WIDE.

I PERSONALLY LIKED THESE SHOES A LOT BECAUSE THEY FIT ME PERFECTLY THE COLOR IS GREAT TOO, I LIKE THE SNUGLY FEEL. I THINK EVERY ONE HAS THEIR OPINION ON THINGS.

Honestly I felt underwhelmed when seeing the mach 5 for the first time. I’ve been running in the mach 4’s for about 8 months now and totally loved it. Couldn’t imagine the shoe getting much better than the 4, except for possibly a grippier outsole on the bottom that holds up better to high mileage or trails, but it is a quick road shoe so what can you complain about.

The profly+ foam added on a nice step up in cushion to the shoe, and it responded a little more snappy than the 4. A little stiffer of a rocker launches and responds to power, and leaves the shoe with a great overall feeling.

They also changed the tongue to my liking, and made it more form fitting. The tongue on the 4 tended to slide down and get bunched up from time to time. Overall, they kept the benefits of the mach 4 while still upgrading the shoe in a few small ways, just giving it a little step up.

Love it.