Originally posted by: Amused
I just switched to Mizuno. I'm 196 lbs fully hydrated, 192 lbs after a run. Although none of them are "rated" for large frames, the Mizuno fit and rides the best for me when running. It also cured some foot problems I was having.
I got the Mizuno "Wave Mustang" if you care to try it. Great shoe. I went to a local Mom&Pop running store and tried on dozens of shoes. I was expecting to walk away with my old favorite, New Balance, so liking the Mizuno surprised me.
Heh. Mizuno used to carry a shoe called the "Sumo Trainer" that was actually geared at heavy runners & hard strikers.
When looking for a shoe here's what I suggest you keep into mind -
1) Your foot type (high arch, flat foot(low or no arch), or nuetral arch)
2) Your pronation type:
- Overpronator: you roll your foot "in" and tend to stand on the insides of your feet. This is usually a result of having flat feet.
- Supinator: you roll your feet "out" and tend to walk/run/stand on the outsides of your feet. Usually done by people with extra high arches.
- Neutral: Generally run with a nuetral motion without putting an excessive burdon on either edge of your feet.
3) Where you strike and the type of striker you are. Do you hit mid foot? Do you hit on the outer edge of your heel? Are you light on your feet? Could you crack concrete with your foot strikes?
If you are an overpronator your foot lacks the arch support to hold your foot up and allows it to roll in. Many overpronators are also running "toes out". Meaning, your feet would point out like the top of "V". Shoes to look for with this type of motion are shoes with a full medial last. The medial last is part of the sole. It's on the inside edge of the shoes and typically runs from heel all the way up to about 3/4 of the shoe. A full length medial last will stop around the ball of the foot on the inner edge of the shoe. These lasts are typically a much harder material and can be reinforced with plastic bridges to prevent flexing of the shoe. A heavy duty motion control shoe is heavy and as flexible as a 2x4.
Supinators need the exact opposite of overpronators. They need as flexible of a shoe as possible to accomidate their high arches. They also tend to run somewhat pigeon toed with their toes more likely to point in than out. Most supinators are generally lighter on their feet than an overpronator...but this isn't always the case. Supinators will generally want to avoid shoes that market motion control and have heavy duty medial lasts.
Nuetral runners get by pretty easy. Most shoes, that aren't specifically marketed at motion control, will work just fine for a nuetral runner. A nuetral shoe may have a small medial last running from the back of the heel to the front of the heel, but it won't run 1/2 or 3/4 of the way like a last built for a motion control shoe.
As far cushioning, only you can be the judge of that. I personally can't get enough cushioning. I destroy shoes in half the time that someone else does because I pound so hard. Thus, I need good cusioning to protect myself. With extra cushioning thier is a tradeoff of stability- the larger the air/gel/whatever cushioning pockets are, the further your foot is from the ground. You loose your connection with the ground and may have a bit of lateral instability because your foot is that much higher up. Try some different shoes on, see what you like. You can tell pretty quick what shoes have high cushioning, and which don't.
Runner's world publishes an annual fall shoe guide every year. In it they have a very detailed breakdown of every runner/foot type with shoe brands and models for each of those types. You can hit a library and try to pull last falls shoe review to see what is available.
I've been out of the shoe industry for a while, so things have probably changed quite a bit. So, if I'm off on my observations please forgive me.
From my experience, Nike generally caters more to high arched or nuetral runners. They do have a "Structure" model aimed at flat footers, but that is one of the few in their product line that is geared twords motion control. Their shoes are generally light because the encapsulated air pockets are lighter than filling it with a more dense foam or gel technology. Their shoes are also much narrower in the heels than many brands. Nike has the best cusioning in the industry IMHO. Definitely the best forefoot cusioning.
Adidas is more aimed at nuetral with a shoe or two for high arched runners and *maybe* one for flatfooted. They are a very nuetral shoe with a wide toebox. They don't have a real marketable technology short of their Adeprene" which is just a soft EVA foam. Their shoes typically have decent heel cusioning, but weak forefoot cushioning.
Asics offer a full line up of shoe types. They have their "Gel Light" line for high archers, their motion control series with a full medial last for flat footers, and then a wide range of shoes for more nuetral runners. Their "Gel" cusioning is their marketed technolgy. It offers decent cushioning and can be put into both heel and forefoot pockets to provide good cushioning in both areas.
Mizuno - I'm not too familar with their lineup any more. We didn't carry them and they are a relatively small player in the shoe industry.
Brooks - more or less cater to nuetral and flat footed runners. Their "Beast" product is just what it says - a BEAST of a shoe. It's big. It's heavy. It's built like an A1 Tank. But it's what an NFL offensive lineman needs to keep his dogs happy when doing his PT.
Saucony - More catered twords nuetral runners and flat footed runners. Uses "Grid" technology. Think of it as a tennis racket in the heel. Your heel is the tennis ball. At the time I was working, they didn't use anything besides basic foam rubber for cusioning in the forefoot. I don't know if they've added anything new since then.
New balance - Their ace up the sleave is that they have the most wide range of widths of any other brand. Narrow, medium, wide, extra wide. You name it. They probably have the best fit of any shoe out there because they can match your foot better. Nothing super fancy as far as cushioning goes - just standard foam rubber AFAIK.
For someone with a nuetral arch and a nuetral gate I'd take a look at the following shoes -
Adidas Supernova Cushion
Asics Gel-Nimbus
Asics Gel-Kumo
Adidas Boston
Nike Air Pegasus
Nike Air Max Moto
New Balance 751/752
That's just what I would have somebody look at if I was fitting them with this specific foot type - and not knowing widths.
If there is any one piece of advice I can tell you - it's this - If it doesn't feel comfortable the instant you put it on, it never will be. Don't buy a shoe that your are indifferent about. Running shoes are either a yes/no thing. You either like them, or you don't like them. When you buy a new pair of shoes, take them home and wear them around the house for a few days before actually running in them. Break them AND your feet in. See if there is any place that is rubbing against your feet, see if you still think they are comfortable. If you are iffy about them, take them back and try something different.
Good luck!
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