2019! What a year - especially for running gear! None of these choices are easy - and none of the runner-up lists should be viewed as complete and final - but looking across the RoadTrailRun review crew, we had a lot of similar ideas this year, and for good reason. While Nike continues to crank out compelling shoes - just look at the OTQ-hopefuls from CIM to see that - new offerings from Skechers Performance, New Balance, and Hoka One One promise to upset the balance of the running world in 2020 and beyond.
2019 was a great year for run gear as innovative new midsole foams replaced EVA at most brands, uppers increased in comfort and improved foot hold using engineered knits and mesh, apparel saw new higher performing fabrics, and GPS watches increased their battery life and received improving longer term trend and recovery features. I personally tested 91 products as our wonderful team, almost always in multi tester format tested and reviewed 145 products from shoes, to apparel, to gear to fitness electronics in total.
It was very tough to decide on my 2019 favorites in some categories but not in others. Read on to see how I ended up.
For 5K-10K, the Skechers Go Meb Speed 6 Hyper (RTR Review) one of the best racing flats ever made. Super lightweight, and the Hyperburst foam was simply made for these thinner platforms. 10K-Marathon, the Nike Vaporfly Next%, because, well, if you are smart enough to be reading RTR.com, then I am sure you already know that the VFN% is simply a rocket. If you are a serious runner and haven’t tried these, you really owe it to yourself. Take out a second mortgage or whatever :-)
Daily Training
For daily training, it is a tie for me between the Hoka One One Carbon X (RTR Review) and the Asics Glideride. Since I can put the AG in the cushioned shoe category below, I will go with the Carbon X. The only Hoka I have ever really loved, it is lightweight, holds up to the longest of long runs, and has enough protection and spring to make them enjoyable.
Cushion/Cush/Recovery
From the only Hoka I have ever loved to the only Asics I have ever loved, the Asics Glideride (RTR Review) is also the heaviest shoe I have ever loved. Plenty of spring and cushion, possibly the best upper of the year, I constantly find myself reaching for these on recovery days and junk miles.
Best? Well, that is the Vaporfly Next%(RTR Review), but I don’t feel like listing the same shoe twice, and I would feel awful if I didn’t say something about the SkechersRazor 3 Hyper(RTR Review).
If I had to only wear one shoe for everything, I could be completely happy buying about 5 pairs of these, in all of their ugly “SPEED” glory.
Biggest Smiles Road Shoe ot the Year
New Balance FuelCell Rebel (RTR Review) Light, comfy upper, soft, springy midsole, and feels great at any pace. The little flange thingy might even do something to help keep my stride consistent.
TRAIL
Daily All Arounder
Nike Terra KIger 5 (RTR Review) It has great fit, good weight, and plenty of traction for all but the most gnarly of trails.
GPS, GEAR, APPAREL, NUTRITION
Garmin 235: almost affordable now that the newer models have come out, it is great for inputting workouts and gathering data afterwards. The HR is fine 90% of the time, while the GPS is super reliable and really helps to nail down paces in training.
Maurten: easy on the stomach, easy to swallow, no need to chase with water. Good stuff.
Tech of the Year
Tire, nylon belt, and bungee cord. Yours for free behind any tire store :-)
Mac Jeffries
Mac is from the Deep South and played small college football, earning All Conference his senior year. At that point, he was a 275 lb Defensive Lineman, but by the time his first child was born 7 years later, he was 275 again and pretty fat. P90X and a lifestyle change in eating habits got him down to the 220s, at which point his pastor challenged him to run a Half Marathon at age 29 - his first ever road race. Running and racing has been a healthy addiction that he has balanced with his wife, two sons, and teaching & coaching career ever since. Now at 6'4" 200lbs, Mac has PRs of 19:19, 1:33:xx, and 3:19:xx, and is engaged in the lifelong pursuit of convincing shoe companies to offer their premium shoes in a size 14.
I had the pleasure of running in a lot of superlative road shoes in 2019. I’ve grouped my favorites into three general categories: daily trainers for beefier models built to soak up mile after mile, uptempo trainers for faster efforts, and racers. I’m sure people train in racers, race in trainers – these categories are meant to be descriptive rather than prescriptive. Your mileage may vary!
I’m currently taking some downtime due to injury, and the Glycerin 17 is my shoe of choice for babying my feet. As good as it is for just walking around, it’s even better for running. The flexible midsole and outsole make for a bouncy, yet controlled ride. This shoe runs far lighter than its weight would suggest. Known for softness, the Glycerin delivers cushioning that doesn’t bottom out or feel mushy. The simple upper offers gentle support without any irritating overlays. For me, the gold standard in running shoe comfort has been the OG Saucony Triumph ISO – the Glycerin 17 might be even more comfortable than that. If I had to nitpick, I’d note that the upper might run a touch warm in the hottest summer months, but I didn’t have problems using these on 90+ degree days. They’re outstanding.
New Balance fixed the loose heel cup from the 1080v9 and produced a shoe even closer to perfection. Lively, responsive, and comfortable with no break-in period, the 1080v10 is a crowd pleaser that I’m thrilled to have in my rotation. I’ve slotted it in behind the Glycerin 17 because the stretch knit upper that improves midfoot and heel lockdown might not be as accommodating to all foot types as the Glycerin 17’s roomier mesh upper.
This is an unassuming trainer with a lot of personality. The Topo Magnifly 3 is the only shoe I ran in this year six days a week for multiple weeks. I loved its zippy, resilient cushioning and classy good looks. I never thought that a trainer could get me quite as jazzed about running as a built-to-feel-fast racer, but the Magnifly 3 had me looking forward to my long runs, even in the brutal summer heat.
Best Uptempo Trainers of 2019
1. Hoka One One Hupana 2
Surely a surprise pick, the lowkey Hupana 2 was a standout performer for me. Hoka One One has the best ground contact midsole compound out there. Its incredible grip had me bombing down steep hills at top speed, even on rain-slicked streets. You don’t need outsole rubber or a carbon fiber plate to get great pop from a shoe. These are fun and fast.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: if you’re racing in the Next%, you should be training in the Zephyr. While these don’t feature a pricey carbon plate, they do include a propulsive Pebax plate that adds snap to the soft midsole foam. They felt a bit weird for me out of the gate, but after a short break-in period, these began to feel like a trainer version of Nike’s trendsetting racer: the plate encourages fast turnover, but the forgiving midsole foam keeps the long miles from punishing my legs.
Fun, fast, and wallet-friendly, the Revel 3 delivers premium performance without the premium price. I’m happy to sacrifice a heavily engineered upper to get a simple knit paired with a BioMoGo DNA midsole that just flat out works. Fans of the OG Brooks Launch will love the Revel 3 – this is a $100 shoe with hall of fame roots.
A lot of ink has been spilled already about the Next%. Suffice to say, there’s a reason that elite athletes sponsored by other brands are often seen racing in blacked out Next%s. Astoundingly light, soft, propulsive, and far more durable than either of its predecessors, the Next% deserves the hype. If it’s in your budget, you won’t find a better marathon racing shoe.
I reviewed this shoe in 2018, but I think it was released to the public in 2019, so I’m including it here. The Adios 4 is where old school meets new school in the best possible way. Boost, the game-changing midsole tech Adidas first released in 2013 has been refined so it complements this snappy, stable racer with a touch of softness in the heel. This new school technology meets an old school mesh and faux suede upper, done up in a modern one-piece construction. A bit scratchy on the inside from un-taped seams, the Adios 4 gives off vibes of the hard-nosed, no-nonsense old school. I ran the fastest workouts of my life in the Adios 4 and I might prefer it over the Next% for distances less than 13.1 miles.
Hope Wilkes
Hope is a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia. No stranger to hills and humidity, this mid-packer is most at home on tough courses that might make other runners stay in bed. Hope has dabbled in ultras, including two 50-mile finishes, but has turned her attention to the marathon, working hard to improve upon her 2017 PR of 3:47:40. Already passionate about sneakers when she picked up running in 2008, it was inevitable that she’d become a running shoe geek. Hope funds her shoe habit with her gig as a financial services trade association program manager, a job that includes regular domestic and international travel. This happily married mom of two cats is also a first-year evening MBA student at Virginia Tech. In her free time she likes to review running shoes and gear at her blog Runner’s Reviews [https://runners-reviews.com/
For shorter races the GO Meb Speed 6 Hyper(RTR Review) was the winner for me.
It’s fun, light, can easily go a half marathon and totally disappears on the feet. It’s a terrific race shoe. For longer races I like the NB Fuel Cell Rebel (RTR Review)-though not if there’s any moisture on the ground and the Skechers Razor 3 Hyper (RTR Review)
