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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 available now
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The Run Tester team are a group of experienced running journalists who have been testing and reviewing running shoes, watches all manner of other gear for decades. There’s more info on the core team here, including some insights into our preferred kit and background as runners and journalists.
The Best Running Shoes For Beginners 2026
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 6
Price: £140/$155 | Weight: 253g/8.9oz (UK 9) | Drop: 8mm
The Asics Novablast 6 is great for runners of all levels of experience, but ticks every box in being the perfect beginners’ shoe. It’s comfortable and protective thanks to the high stack of foam in the midsole, but also fairly lightweight and lively, and will make your early miles in the sports that little bit more fun.
It’s also pretty good value, and a worthy upgrade on the previous model, though the Asics Novablast 5 is still a good beginners’ pick and could be a lot cheaper in sales. The Novablast 6 introduces some FF Turbo Squared foam into the midsole, which makes the new shoes lighter and more energetic than its predecessor, especially at faster paces.
Unless you need a stability shoe or want the most cushioned option available for your first running shoe, the Novablast 6 would be the first option we recommend checking out.
Read our full Asics Novablast 6 review
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
Kiprun Kipride Max
Price: £120/$160 | Weight: 300g/10.6oz (UK 9.5) | Drop: 8mm
The Kiprun Kipride Max offers a great combination of value and performance and it’s a top cushioned shoe for runners of all levels, but we think it stands out for beginners because it’s versatile as well as being fun and bouncy.
It will protect the legs well on runs of any length, and the smooth, energetic ride makes the miles go by a little more easily. It’s a shoe that will work well for complete beginners tackling something like a couch to 5K plan, as well as those who have come to running from other sports and are already in good shape, but want a protective and fun shoe to start racking up the miles in.
In the UK the Kipride Max is also cheaper than pretty much any other max-cushioned shoe, while outperforming most of them as well, so it’s certainly a bargain too.
Read our full Kiprun Kipride Max review
Salomon Aero Glide 4
Price: £145/$160 | Weight: 256g/9oz (UK 9) | Drop: 8mm
The Salomon Aero Glide 4 is a highly-cushioned shoe that comes in lighter than most of its rivals on the market, and it offers a winning blend of comfort and energy return that’s perfect for beginners looking for one shoe to cover all their runs.
There is also the gravel version of the shoe to consider, and we actually slightly prefer the Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL ourselves because of its more robust outsole which grips well on light trails as well as being smooth and comfortable on the road.
One piece of advice we’d always give to new runners is to mix up the surfaces and seek out light trails to run on when you can, just to make things interesting and hopefully a little more scenic than city streets, so the GRVL shoe is ideal for this, but the standard Aero Glide is also an excellent option.
Read our Salomon Aero Glide 4 review
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 42
Price: £130/$145 | Weight: 305g/10.8oz (UK 9) | Drop: 10mm
The Nike Pegasus is not the most exciting running shoe available, but it’s an incredibly reliable option that runners have gone to for over 40 years. It suits a wide variety of running styles, has enough comfort and protection for new runners, and also works well for lifestyle use and gym workouts.
Nike made a few updates to the Pegasus 42, which has a full-length Air Zoom unit in the midsole that livens up the ride a little compared with the Pegasus 41. Even so, the Pegasus 42 is not the softest, bounciest or most energetic shoe you can get, but provides a balanced, naturally stable ride.
It’s also a shoe that frequently appears in sales for under £100/$100, especially if you shop for the previous model. If you want more comfort and fun on the run, the Nike Vomero Plus is worth looking at instead, but the Pegasus 42 is a versatile shoe that’s good for running and other pursuits, and great value.
Read our full Nike Pegasus 42 review
Saucony Hurricane 26
Price: £170/$170 | Weight: 274g/9.7oz (men’s UK 9) | Drop: 6mm
The Saucony Hurricane 26 is a max-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 26 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 26 delivers without feeling overly bulky and heavy on the foot. It has a smooth rockered ride, and the IncrediLUX foam used for the core of the midsole is lightweight and springy, while the PWRRUN foam frame ensures the shoe is still stable.
Another good stability option for new runners would be the Hoka Arahi 8 (or the newer Arahi 9), which is lighter and nimbler than the Hurricane 26. 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 26 review
Mizuno Wave Rider 30
Price: £140/$150 | Weight: 266g/9.4oz (men’s UK 8.5) | Drop: 8mm
The Mizuno Wave Rider 30 is a generously-cushioned shoe that offers a lot of comfort and protection to new runners, without feeling too big and bulky on the run. It ticks all the boxes we look for in a beginner running shoe, being decent value, durable, and likely to suit a range of speeds and running styles well.
It’s not the most energetic shoe at faster paces, though the fact it’s lighter than many max-cushioned shoes does help on that front, and in general it’s not as springy as some picks like the Nike Vomero Plus. It’s definitely one to consider though, especially if you see it pop up in sales.
Read our full Mizuno Wave Rider 30 review
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