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The best beginner running shoes should offer a combination of comfort, value and versatility. The term beginner covers a very wide range of people with a similarly wide range of goals, and we’ve tried to reflect that in our picks in opting for shoes that will work well for lots of different runners.
In general we’ve picked out mid-range cushioned shoes that we’ve loved during testing for their versatility. These are all comfortable, durable shoes that will carry you through your first few hundred miles of running, and they will work as race day options too if you’ve started running to train for a specific event.
We’ve also picked out popular and long-running shoe lines in general, because that means you might be able to pick up a bargain by looking at the previous version of the shoe, something we often recommend if we find the new version hasn’t changed that much when we test it out.
Check out our round-up of the best running shoes of 2025
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The Best Running Shoes For Beginners 2025
Before we dive into each of our picks in detail, here’s our best beginner running shoes round-up video. While this is an older video, the advice we give in it is still relevant, including how to choose your first running shoes and other info like whether you need gait analysis and if you have to get the latest model of shoes (you don’t). Our top picks below are up to date, so once you have an idea of what kind of shoe you’re looking for, check them out.
We do think it’s worth trying a couple of shoes out if you can, just to get an idea of the kind of things you like in terms of a shoe’s geometry. Do you prefer a high or low drop, or a shoe with or without a big rocker shape? There’s no right or wrong answer, it’s just a case of finding out what feels good for you on the run, then you’ll be able to match those preferences to one of our picks below.
Asics Novablast 5
Price: £135/$140 | Weight: 274g/9.7oz (UK 9) | Drop: 8mm
The Asics Novablast 5 typifies the features we look out for in a great beginner running shoe. It’s comfortable and fun to run in, but also fairly lightweight and responsive enough for faster efforts. It’s also good value, and the previous version – the Asics Novablast 4 – offers an even more affordable alternative if you find it in sales, though note it’s a little firmer than the Novablast 5.
A huge stack of FF Blast Max foam is used in the midsole, and with the Novablast 5 standing 41.5mm tall at the heel you can be sure it will be cushioned enough to protect your legs while they get used to the demands of running. With its 8mm drop, balanced and stable ride and high level of cushioning, there aren’t many runners that won’t get on well with the Novablast 5, so it’s well worth checking out if you’re just starting out with the sport.
Nike Vomero Plus
Price: £155/$180 | Weight: 300g/10.6oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
The Nike Vomero Plus is a max-cushioned shoe with a brilliantly bouncy and fun ride thanks to the huge stack of ZoomX foam in its midsole. Despite being a big shoe, it feels fairly light on the foot thanks to the springy foam, and it’s one of the most comfortable options available for new runners.
For a max-cushioned shoe, it’s also quite versatile because of the responsiveness of the ZoomX foam — it squishes when you land, but then rebounds back rapidly to help bounce you on your way. It’s a great option for new runners because of this balance of comfort and versatility, and would be a terrific pick for first-time marathoners in particular.
Check out our full Nike Vomero Plus review
New Balance 1080v14
Price: £165/$165 | Weight: 287g/10.1oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 is always a popular cushioned running shoe with runners of all levels and while it’s a expensive shoe it’s one we’d recommend to beginners thanks its comfortable and energetic ride.
While it’s not an out and out speed shoe, the 1080v14 fells nimbler and livelier than many highly-cushioned running shoes, and the rocker helps to roll you from heel to toe on each stride. It’s not as wide and stable as some cushioned shoes, but if you’re a neutral runner we found it certainly offered enough support.
The previous model of the shoe was even softer and some of the team preferred the ride of the New Balance 1080v13, so it might be worth grabbing that shoe instead if you see it in sales. The extra resiliency of the foam on the 1080v14 makes it a little smoother and better for up-tempo runs though, and it’s still very comfortable.
Puma Velocity Nitro 4
Price: £110/$140 | Weight: 247g/8.7oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
The Puma Velocity Nitro 4 is one of our favourite shoes for runners of all levels, and one of the best value shoes on the market as well. It’s light, comfortable and versatile, and even looks pretty good with a pair of jeans when you’re not running.
It has a full Nitro foam midsole, which is a nitrogen-infused aliphatic TPU material in this case. That’s the kind of foam usually reserved for more expensive shoes, and the ride it delivers is springy and fun.
The only notable downside to the shoe in our mind is that its quite narrow, and some might find the fit a bit tricky and that it’s not as stable as a shoe like the Novablast 5, but if the Velocity Nitro 4 fits well and get on with the 10mm drop it’s certainly a top option for new runners..
Check out our full Puma Velocity Nitro 4 review
Nike Pegasus 41
Price: £130/$140 | Weight: 291g/10.3oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
One of the most popular shoes on the market, the Nike Pegasus 41 is durable, comfortable, great value and even looks good, so you can wear it when not running if you decide to give up the sport after a few months.
The latest version of the Pegasus has a softer midsole made from ReactX foam, with a little pop added to the ride thanks to the Air Zoom pods under the heel and forefoot. The outsole is thick and grips well, and makes the Pegasus 41 a solid pick for light trails as well as road running.
We rate the Pegasus 41 as a minor improvement on the Pegasus 40, but as it’s such a long-running line you can always find older models of the Pegasus in sales. Having tested every version of the Pegasus released in the past decade we’d be happy to grab an older Pegasus ahead of the 41 if it’s going for a song.
Brooks Glycerin 22
Price: £165/$165 | Weight: 308g/10.8oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
Brooks actually has four great running shoes for beginners in its range, all of which are worth including in this round-up. The Ghost 16 is the cheaper alternative to the Glycerin 22 and offers a similar level of performance but is less cushioned and comfortable, while the Ghost Max 2 and Glycerin Max are more rockered shoes with lower drops.
If you can try on all four then we’d happily steer you towards whichever of the Brooks quartet feels best on the treadmill in your local running store, but our top pick here is the Glycerin 22, partly because it’s a bit cheaper than the Glycerin Max. It offers a high level of comfort while being quite responsive when you pick up the pace thanks to the dual-density DNA Tuned midsole foam, which is softer at the heel and more energetic under the forefoot.
The Glycerin 21 doesn’t have the DNA Tuned foam in its midsole but the DNA Loft v3 it uses is also a great foam that offers comfort and durability, so if you see a great deal on the older shoe then we’d advise making the saving.
Saucony Hurricane 25
Price: £165/$170 | Weight: 306g/10.8oz (UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The Saucony Hurricane 25 is a highly-cushioned stability shoe that will work well for beginners who prefer to use a more supportive shoe. If you’ve been told you overpronate after doing gait analysis, you might well be recommended a stability shoe – you don’t need to use one, most research and physios we’ve seen still just suggest going for shoes that feel right, but the Hurricane 25 is a great shoe for all runners regardless of their level of pronation.
Most of our team of neutral runners all enjoyed the high level of comfort and support the Hurricane 25 delivers without feeling overly bulky and heavy on the foot. The rocker on the shoe rolls you through your stride nicely, and the combination of foams in the midsole includes Saucony’s PEBA-based PWRRUN PB, which delivers a nice amount of bounce at all speeds.
Another good stability option for new runners would be the Hoka Arahi 8, which is lighter and nimbler than the Hurricane 25. If you’re happy to trade a little cushioning for a more versatile and cheaper shoe, the Arahi 8 is a better pick.
Read our full Saucony Hurricane 25 review
Hoka Clifton 10
Price: £140/$150 | Weight: 285g/10oz (UK 9) | Drop: 8mm
Hoka has several great beginner shoes in its range, with the Bondi 9 being the max-cushioned option and the Skyflow being a more responsive and firmer cushioned shoe. The Clifton 10 is our top Hoka pick overall for new runners thanks to its comfortable and versatile ride, as well as the fact it’s better value.
We found it ticks through from heel to toe very naturally on the run, and while it’s not a squishily-soft shoe, it does deliver a high level of protection and cushioning without being too cumbersome. The EVA foam in the midsole is not the bounciest or liveliest material, but it’s comfortable and doesn’t get in the way when you want to pick up the pace.
Like most Hoka shoes the Clifton 10 has a smooth rocker, and is naturally stable without having extra stability elements in its design. If you haven’t enjoyed the feeling of running in high-drop shoes like the Nike Pegasus 41 or Brooks Glycerin 22, the Skyflow might be more to your taste.
Check out our full Hoka Clifton 10 review
Adidas Supernova Rise 2
Price: £130/$140 | Weight: 272g/9.6oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 10mm
The Adidas Supernova Rise 2 is a little less cushioned than most of the other options on this list, giving you a little more ground feel on the run, which some might prefer. It’s still a comfortable shoe though, and while the Dreamstrike foam in the midsole isn’t the liveliest material, it’s durable and resilient, so it feels the same at the end of a run as at the start.
This is definitely a shoe where you can safely opt for the older version too, since the original Supernova Rise is very similar to the new model all round. Adidas also has the Supernova Prima in its range, which has a little more cushioning underfoot if you do want a higher-stack shoe.
Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2
Price: £140/$150 | Weight: 314g/11oz (UK 8.5) | Drop: 10mm
The ForeverRun Nitro 2 is a cushioned running shoe that offers stability through features like a wide base, sidewalls of foam and a substantial external heel counter. It also uses a dual-density Nitro midsole with a soft and springy foam in the middle surrounded by a firmer frame of foam to add more support.
It adds up to a very stable shoe that’s also enjoyable to use if you’re a neutral runner, and it’s great for beginners and heavier runners because of the high level of comfort and support you get here. It’s also pretty versatility for a supportive shoe, with the softer Nitro core in the middle delivering a bit of bounce to counteract the weight of the shoe, even if we would prefer to use a lighter, nimbler shoe for speedy efforts ourselves.
For more info check out our Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2 review