Here's a PM that I sent to dolph a while ago...
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Without having a foot measurer in front of me, it's tough to make any specific suggestions. My best advice is go to a specialty running store and have them measure your foot, and evalute what sort of motion your foot does while running.
Generally, there are three types of feet. High arched, low arched(flat feet), and neutral. People with high arches usually do what's called supinating. Supanators tend to roll their their feet outwards and put stress on the outer edge of their feet. They require shoes with high flexibility in the midsole, allowing them to flex the way their foot needs to flex.
Flat feeted people generally have their feet roll inwards, doing what is called pronation. Pronators are usually best fitted with shoes labled as "motion control". Motion Control shoes typically have beefed up midsoles and possibly some sort of plastic bridge or brace on the inside edge of the midsole. It's their to try and prevent their feet from collapsing inwards.
Neutral feet are exactly that. They don't roll in or out, and have no need for any sort of motion control correction.
Self diagnosis isn't really preferred because a lot of people think they have flat feet when they really don't. They go out and buy a heavy duty motion control shoe and end up hurting themselves. The wrong type of shoe for your foot can cause a great amount of discomfort and can actually even harm you(in the form of tendonitis usually) if you are buying opposite of what you need.
If you have a specialty running store near you, they are your best bet offering *real* running shoe choices, and many times, some of the best prices on things. Many mall retailers offer nothing but junk in their "running shoe" sections.
I'll give you a brief rundown of most shoe companies and what they offer -
Asics - Full line of shoes. A couple motion control, several for neutral runners, and a couple for high arched people with the need for a lot of midsole flex. I like asics because they offer good cushioning, and are usually lightweight. They tend to run narrow as well, which is essential for me.
Adidas - I've never worn them because they were too wide. They also are fairly low-tech when it comes to cushioning technologies. They just use a soft rubber plug for their cushioning. They typically offer shoes for nuetral runners and supinators.
Brooks - Shoes for big people Typically built to last, and are geared twords flat footed people. These guys make shoes for offensive linemen to wear.
New Balance - Fairly unfamiliar with them. Biggest claim to fame is having different widths available in most models. Also have a reputation of being fairly rugged and durable. Also the only shoe out there that is actually made completely in the US I beleive, if that matters to you.
Nike - A full lineup of shoes. They actually have two different lines of shoes. They have a line of shoes they sell to mall retailers, and then they have another line that they sell to specialty sports stores. The ones in the malls are junk, and the ones in the specialty stores are very nice. Regardless of what people may say, the air soles Nike makes IS the best cushioning on the market. They have the best forefoot cushioning available. They have great comfort, in a low profile, and with very little weight. It also doesn't break down as quickly as the foam and gel inserts that other companies put in their shoes for cushioning. Nike offers shoes for high arches, low arches, and everything in between. Nikes tend to run narrow, making them my first choice to look at.
Saucony - Shoes generally geared at nuetral runners and pronators. They have wide toeboxes, but usually have narrow heel cups. Have a good fit for a lot of people. They usually lack forefoot cushioning, making them not as appealing as nike or asics.
That covers most big name shoe companies that I know of. Get your foot measured and just try a bunch on