# What is the best running shoe model of all time?

> Marathon world records and everyday training bests have been chased in shoes from this list — classics that revolutionized the sport alongside modern carbon-plate rockets. Which sole earns your vote?

*By YPB Team · Published April 12, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-running-shoe-model-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Nike Vaporfly 4%**
   The shoe that revolutionized marathon racing, the original Vaporfly 4% used a carbon-fiber plate and ZoomX foam to improve running economy by up to 4%, breaking the sub-2-hour marathon barrier.
2. **Nike Alphafly**
   Nike's flagship marathon racing shoe, the Alphafly combines a massive ZoomX foam stack with a carbon plate and air pods to produce the most propulsive running experience ever engineered, powering multiple world records.
3. **Adidas Adizero Adios Pro**
   Adidas's answer to the super-shoe revolution, the Adios Pro features multiple carbon rods in a Lightstrike Pro foam base and has been worn to numerous world marathon major victories.
4. **ASICS Gel-Kayano**
   One of the most beloved stability shoes of all time, the Gel-Kayano has been continuously refined since 1993 and remains the gold standard for overpronating runners seeking plush daily-mileage support.
5. **New Balance Fresh Foam 1080**
   A perennial favorite daily trainer, the Fresh Foam 1080 is celebrated for its deeply cushioned, smooth ride that makes high-mileage training genuinely enjoyable.
6. **Brooks Ghost**
   One of the best-selling running shoes of all time, the Brooks Ghost is revered for its versatile, balanced cushioning and reliable comfort that suits the widest possible range of runners.
7. **Hoka Clifton**
   The shoe that made maximalist cushioning mainstream, the Hoka Clifton introduced a plush, pillowy ride to the running world and launched an entirely new category of everyday training shoes.
8. **Saucony Endorphin Speed**
   A popular carbon-alternative racer featuring a nylon speedroll plate and PWRRUN PB foam, the Endorphin Speed delivers a fast, propulsive ride at a fraction of the price of full carbon competitors.
9. **Nike Pegasus**
   Nike's most enduring running shoe line, the Pegasus has been a trusted everyday trainer since 1983 and has sold more pairs than virtually any other running model in history.
10. **ASICS Novablast**
   A lively and energetic daily trainer from ASICS, the Novablast is celebrated for its exceptionally bouncy FF Blast foam midsole that makes easy runs feel genuinely fun.
11. **On Cloudstratus**
   A premium double-layer CloudTec cushioning shoe from Swiss brand On Running, the Cloudstratus delivers a distinctive cloud-soft underfoot feel that has earned a devoted following worldwide.
12. **Mizuno Wave Rider**
   A long-running classic from Mizuno, the Wave Rider is praised for its signature Wave plate stability system that provides a firm yet responsive ride beloved by dedicated long-distance runners.
13. **New Balance 880**
   A highly regarded all-around daily trainer praised for exceptional durability, comfortable Fresh Foam cushioning, and consistent performance across decades of updates.
14. **Saucony Kinvara**
   A lightweight low-drop daily trainer that helped pioneer the natural running movement, the Kinvara was widely credited with shifting the entire industry toward lighter, more flexible shoes.
15. **Nike Air Zoom Structure**
   A staple stability trainer in Nike's lineup for over two decades, the Air Zoom Structure is trusted by millions of mild overpronators for its dependable support and smooth cushioned ride.

Tags: sports, shoes, running