I love my Newtons. I'm using one of their shoes with a tactile prompt at the midfoot right now, but I'm looking to go down to a more minimalist shoe in the next 6 months or so.

Yesterday afternoon I stopped in at Road Runner Sports and tried on the Saucony Virrata (too narrow in the toe box) and a couple of different Newtons. My fiancée and I did a walk at a local trail and I just ran the 2 miles home from the trailhead in the Newton Gravity and they felt really, really good.

I hear you. I really learned to run in Newtons and everything else feels too narrow.

I don't know what I like anymore. Most shoes, even in a size 15, rub the side of my big toe and annoy me.

I have tried a few different brands but always seem to come back to New Balance.

That said, I take the advice of my tried-and-trusted running store very seriously and would try anything they suggest. They always assess your old pair, looking at how you are wearing the shoe down (in- and outside) and then they would suggest three options. You do a test run in each during which they assess your form in the shoe. After your feedback on how the shoes felt they usually eliminate the 'worst' shoe and then the choice is up to you.

Bottomline: go to a reputable running store and take your old shoes with.

Shoes are a very personal choice, one person's favourite might not be another person's choice...find a pair that suit you and your style :-)

^^^ This

There's a couple of styles of Saucony that work well for me. It's really hard for me to find female shoes in size 11 that also accommodate my gait.

"despise Newtons" What, can't deal with the hype? ;-)

Or is it the lugs on the sole?

The lug on the sole was a big part of it. My running club in Connecticut had a Newton rep come to one of our group runs on a Saturday. The guy was much more interested in helping the women find the correct shoe than me. We then made the tactical error of listening to Benny "Let's just run and see how the feel"....9 miles later I was ready to run back to the store barefoot. The final straw was when I was putting my Kinvaras back on the dude was like "oh, I didn't know that was your regular shoe, I would have given you xxx instead".

9 miles in the wrong shoe — ouch!

The Kinvarra's got some drop to it, doesn't it?

The Sir Isaac is 4 or 4.5 mm (depending on who measures it) but the Gravity is only 3 and they make a racing shoe that's 0mm. Based on what you said, he probably didn't give you the Sir Isaacs, which might have been OK. Other than that…ugh.

Connecticut, eh? I lived in Avon from 1979-1981. Love the country side but the winters were a little much for me.

"despise Newtons" What, can't deal with the hype? ;-)

Or is it the lugs on the sole?

The lug on the sole was a big part of it. My running club in Connecticut had a Newton rep come to one of our group runs on a Saturday. The guy was much more interested in helping the women find the correct shoe than me. We then made the tactical error of listening to Benny "Let's just run and see how the feel"....9 miles later I was ready to run back to the store barefoot. The final straw was when I was putting my Kinvaras back on the dude was like "oh, I didn't know that was your regular shoe, I would have given you xxx instead".

9 miles in the wrong shoe — ouch!

The Kinvarra's got some drop to it, doesn't it?

The Sir Isaac is 4 or 4.5 mm (depending on who measures it) but the Gravity is only 3 and they make a racing shoe that's 0mm. Based on what you said, he probably didn't give you the Sir Isaacs, which might have been OK. Other than that…ugh.

Connecticut, eh? I lived in Avon from 1979-1981. Love the country side but the winters were a little much for me.

Kinvara is 4mm drop. Very nice shoe, even though mine are a size too small and I really can't wear them for more than a few miles.

I've been in Asics Gel-Nimbus 12's for the road- very happily. I hate to admit it but I've been running trails in Hoka Stinson Tarmac (the road shoe) which I purchased after a foot injury. LOVE how at the end of a long run I'm not "feeling" every rock or root. Just bought the Stinson Evos since they have more of a trail tread. I have a 30 mile training run on Saturday, and I'll see how they do (21mi in the Stinson tarmac Monday and I felt fine- and foot pain is usually my issue. Super speedy recovery everywhere else too, even though it was my first run over 14mi on trails w/hills.)

Ah, the Hokas. I remember when I used to see the occasional pair during trail ultras and I thought to myself - "I will never wear those ridiculous clown shoes." Once I finally got over my initial bias and with a recommendation that they are also a great recovery shoe (I was nursing a sore hamstring at the time) I tried them out and never looked back. Now I see them everywhere.

I use the Hoka Stinson Evos for my long trail runs and ultra races. I thought about going with the Tarmacs but I don't run long on the roads enough to justify the cost so I've stuck to my Brooks Adrenalines which I've been using for years and not had any issues with so I don't have any compelling reason to change.

I seem to be more willing to experiment on the trail. I've used the Brooks Cascadias and loved them up until the 7s which I had a terrible time with. I just bought the Altra Lone Peak 1.5. I'm looking at the Lone Peaks as a strengthening shoe for short runs of 15 miles or less. I'll see how it goes on the short stuff before I try anything more. I'll stay with the Hokas for the long stuff for now.

I have brooks. I like them a bunch. They were suggested to me by the running store while I was getting fitted.

Glad there's someone else out there that appreciates the clown shoes! The Stinson Tarmac are actually surprisingly decent on trails- they certainly aren't as "grippy" but the reduced tread seems to make them mold around roots, etc. better than the Evos, which feel slightly stiffer. My feet supinate and I have femoral anteversion- femur set into hip "turned in" (probably the reason for supination lol) and I have historically had trouble with turning my ankle. Not with these babies!

I'm an Asics gal myself. Love the Kayano series BUT do NOT like the Kayano 19s. Very disappointed in them so went back to the 18s. Even called Asics to tell them yuck. Just put 2 pair of 18s in rotation and bought another 2 pair to be prepared for the late summer/fall (marathon trainining!!). I'm hoping when they come out with the 20s in November they will be less soft. If not, I'm up a creek and will need to try another brand...saucony probably.