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Guides

What the numbers on the box mean, which of them matter to you, and how to get a full life out of the shoes once you own them. Every figure here is either physics, a published standard, or a number from the same 78-shoe catalogue the finder ranks — so you can click through and check it.

Choosing shoes

Work out what you need before you spend anything.

How to choose running shoes: the decision in orderSurface first, then fit, then the numbers on the box, then money. The running shoe decision in the order that actually removes options.14 min
How much to spend on running shoesWhat the €100 to €310 spread actually buys, band by band: where the curve flattens, what carbon is really charging for, and why two pairs beat one.11 min
Road vs trail running shoes: which do you actually need?What a trail outsole really does, when a road shoe is fine on a path and when it is not, and why most mixed-surface runners should buy road first.10 min
Getting the fit right: length, width, heel and the evening ruleLength at the longest toe, width at the ball, a heel that does not move — and why your size changes between brands and across the day.11 min
Stack height and drop, explained without the mythologyStack is measured from the ground up. Drop is heel stack minus forefoot stack. Most boxes print only the second, and the two get confused constantly.10 min
Stability or neutral? What pronation is, and what the evidence showsPronation is normal movement, not a fault. What the trials actually found, what guide rails really do, and why stability shoes here cost less.9 min
Carbon plates and super-shoes: what they do, and what they costA carbon plate buys about 64 g and a great deal of energy return. It costs durability, stability and roughly €100. Here is the whole trade, with numbers.12 min

Running in them

Fit, rotation, mileage and knowing when a pair is done.