FeastVoyage: Your Culinary Compass

If you haven’t tried making your own PR Tarts, now is absolutely the time. Promise, promise it’s not as hard as it looks. And, they make the perfect pre-run snack – plenty of carbs with just the right amount of fat & protein to eat before you run out the door. Get creative and use whatever you like in the filling, but we prefer to stick with the throwback original flavors of strawberry or brown sugar cinnamon.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup oats, quick or old fashioned
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp butter, cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 drops vanilla extract
• 1 – 2 Tbsp water
• Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Blend oats in a food processor until you make flour. Add flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Pulse to combine. Add butter & Greek yogurt. Process until clumpy. Add water. Process until combined.
3. Remove dough and form a ball. Roll out on parchment paper to approximately 18 x 12 inches.
4. Cut dough into 12 – 16 even-sized pieces.
5. Spread jam over half the dough pieces. Top each jam piece with a plain piece. Seal the edges with a fork & your fingers.
6. Place on a baking sheet & bake for 16 – 18 minutes. While baking, mix powdered sugar, water & vanilla in a small bowl.
7. Once tarts are completely cool, drizzle with the icing you made & top with sprinkles.

Nutrition Facts: 1 tart (8 total) 220 calories, 6 gm fat, 38 gm carbs, 3 gm protein 

ABOUT MEGHANN

Meghann Featherstun is a sports dietitian who works with runners all over the country to help them fuel their bodies for the best performance in life, running, and beyond. Check out more recipes, blog posts, group nutrition programs, and 1-on-1 nutrition coaching from Meghann at featherstonenutrition.com or on Instagram.

INTRODUCTION TO SMARTWOOL’S WINTER 2024 COLLECTION

TAYLOR: Deep, dark, and cold midwinter is a hard season to plan for as a runner. We’re constantly playing the game of mix and match to ride the line of warmth and mobility. I’m not a fan of bulk at all… Even the thought of wearing a pair of pants while running is enough to get me to question the whole run in the first place.

Smartwool, a company that has had my feet faithfully in their socks for over a decade, has answers for the rest of the body during the winter time, too. They tactfully integrate modern engineered performance fibers with the timeless dependability of merino wool. Check out these active winter running clothing options to get you through this frigid season.

Intraknit Active Full Zip Jacket

PRICE: $220

TAYLOR: There’s something about the idea of going three layers deep that I do not like. There are very few occasions for winter running that I go to such measures. With that being said, there are some days when a vest isn’t enough but a full jacket is too much. That’s where the Intraknit Active Full Zip Jacket comes into play.

This jacket integrates the core protection that a vest brings with the sleeve coverage of a jacket. The unique part is that the chest and stomach are covered by a four-way stretch nylon outer to ward off elements. The arms and back panel are composed of blended merino wool for temperature regulation and moisture management, and Tencel Lyocell fibers (a sustainable fiber made from wood pulp) are blended in for further comfort. The same material continues into the higher neck collar, too. Specific mesh panels on the back and arms are also used for ventilation.

I found this jacket to be “slim” fitting throughout. The waistline is higher than the average jacket, while the bottom of the jacket rests right at the waist rather than dipping further below your bottom. Smartwool’s Intraknit Active Full Zip Jacket fits nicely over a light long sleeve and even better over top a tighter fitting base layer. This will be a jacket I call on for those days that are cool with a little bit of a winter bite.

ALEX:  I agree with Taylor. I love the idea of a one-and-done layering system, or at least one that is more minimal in terms of the sheer volume. ​​The Smartwool Active Full Zip Jacket is a versatile and functional piece that is comfortable and performs well. It’s constructed with a blend of merino wool and polyester, offering the natural benefits of merino wool, including moisture management, odor resistance, and temperature regulation, combined with the durability and quick-drying properties of polyester.

The full zip allows for easy ventilation during workouts or as a layering piece. The two zippered side pockets conveniently provide secure storage for small essentials like keys, cards, or gels.

I prefer a more relaxed fit than this jacket provides, as I found it to be quite slim. In terms of warmth, the jacket is warmer than necessary for most of my runs (I run really warm), making it better suited for lower output activities or as a mid-layer in colder conditions.

Overall, the Smartwool Women’s Active Zip Jacket stands out as a well-designed piece of winter gear, offering a blend of natural and synthetic materials, thoughtful features, and a design that prioritizes both functionality and comfort.

Active Fleece Tight

PRICE: $110

TAYLOR: Even when it comes to bottoms, I’m a less is more kind of person. Temps need to be solidly in the 30s before I consider tights. Pants are typically out of the question. Although, that approach has left my future children’s fate uncertain on more than one occasion. For some reason, even through the agony, I still question what I’ll wear on truly cold days. Smartwool’s Active Fleece Tights have now solved my frigid run dilemma.

These are thick, warm, and runnable! Read that again and rejoice! The Smartwool Active Fleece Tight combines the warmth of a light fleece-lined pant with the slim-fitting flexible benefits of tights. The overall fit is closer to traditional long underwear rather than running tights. I wore these for some single-digit runs but loved these most in the teens and was plenty warm through the 20’s. Both scenarios are fine temperature-wise unless there is a stout breeze. These tights are moderately breathable.

Two thigh pockets and a rear zippered pocket are a nice final touch for the warmest tights on the block.

ALEX: The Smartwool Run Legging is simple and to the point. They also have the smooth, buttery feel of Lululemon Align tights. Crafted with a blend of merino wool and elastane, these leggings offer exceptional moisture-wicking, odor resistance, and natural temperature regulation. The elastane provides a stretchy, flexible fit, allowing for unrestricted movement.

The design and features are practical and have a zippered waistband pocket and two side drop-in pockets for stashing keys, a card, or a gel. The reflective seams are a great addition for the shorter winter days.

These tights are so comfortable and transition seamlessly from runs and yoga to casual errands. Paired with a wind-blocking layer in more extreme temps, these will be a go-to all season long.

Active Fleece Wind Glove

PRICE: $50

TAYLOR: Using the same material as the Active Fleece Tight, the Smartwool Active Fleece Gloves add a wind-blocking layer on the backside of the hands to keep those little fingers from freezing up. Living in the Colorado mountain, there is never a shortage of wind. Even the idea of having a lightweight running glove with wind protection strikes a sentimental chord. They work, too. The Smartwool Active Fleece Gloves kick the pants off of other similar weight technical running gloves. I’ve now permanently replaced my Black Diamond and Tracksmith running gloves for the winter.

ALEX: The Smartwool Active Fleece Glove is constructed with a blend of merino wool and synthetic materials to offer excellent thermal insulation, moisture-wicking properties, and natural odor resistance, making them ideal for winter training.

The gloves include touchscreen-compatible fingertips, and the grippy texture on the palm and fingers enhances dexterity and ensures a secure hold on poles or anything else you need to grip mid-run. I often find myself struggling to open things with my other gloves as they lack the grip.

The insulation in these gloves provides a lot of warmth without feeling bulky. Overall, they offer an excellent balance of warmth, functionality, and comfort, and I will be reaching for these all winter long.

Run Cold Weather Targeted Cushion Crew Sock

PRICE: $23

TAYLOR: As stated before, Smartwool socks were my original gateway into the brand, and they continue to be a staple. The Run Cold Targeted Cushion Crew Socks are not a gimmick. They take the same wool blend benefits of moisture management, antimicrobial, and reduced friction and kick it up a notch to keep the miles churning comfortably throughout the winter. Whether my runs were on the roads or tramping on a snowy trail, the Run Cold line did help keep my feet warmer than my other Smartwool Ph.D. socks, and they dried faster than any other technical sock I own. 10/10 would recommend for winter activities.

When we talk about max-cushioned running shoes, there’s only one brand that comes to mind. Well, I guess everyone has their own take on max-cushion, but there’s definitely one that stands just a bit higher than the rest. That’s right; we’re talking about Hoka. The One One is a thing of the past; it’s just Hoka now — kinda like Beyonce or Confucius.

Our history with the brand goes back almost to the time of Confucius, or at least to the beginnings of the max-cushion era. Early models of the Clifton became our marathon and long run go-to’s, especially after we realized you really could have more stack than a Saucony Kinvara had to offer. Hoka’s prowess is just as legendary on the trails, with the Speedgoat standing as one of our favorite shoes of all time, even without a carbon plate or super foam. The only thing you won’t find on this list is a minimalist shoe — we’re talkin’ all stack, all the time. These are the best Hoka running shoes you can buy right now.

As always, our picks come from our own experiences. We get tons of shoes through the door here at Believe in the Run, and our road and trail teams put them all through their paces. If we don’t love a shoe, we’ll tell you about it, but you might also find that what doesn’t work for us works perfectly for you. We try to take thoughts from our running friends and the community into account, but our own miles carry the most weight. Don’t worry; we only recommend shoes that you can currently buy in order to keep you from heading out on a wild goose chase for a shoe from five years ago.

KEY TERMS IN THIS REVIEW

META-ROCKER

Hoka’s midsole geometry, which combines a low heel-toe drop and rounded shape

PROFLY-X

Hoka’s dual-layer midsole structure for carbon-plated shoes like the Rocket X 2

MATRYX

Hoka’s high-performance upper, found on trail shoes like the Tecton X 2

PROFLY+

Hoka’s non-plated, stacked midsole, found on shoes like the Mach

EVA

Hoka’s classic midsole foam, found on shoes like the Clifton, Bondi, and Arahi

Best Hoka Running Shoes Right Now

Hoka Cielo X1

$275

BEST FOR

Having the most fun while running

WEIGHT

9.3 oz. (264 g) for a US M10,

7.4 oz. (210 g) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

39 mm in heel, 32 mm in forefoot (7 mm drop)

We could tell you that this shoe costs too much for $275. And we’d understand why you’d balk at that price. But we could also tell you how the Hoka Cielo X1 may be the most fun running shoe we’ve ever tried. When you combine a couple slabs of Peba foam (softer on the top, firmer on the bottom), an aggressive winged carbon fiber plate, and a rockered geometry, you get a propulsive and trampoline-like ride that is unique in every way.

Hoka says this is a race day shoe; we’ll agree to disagree. It’s a bit heavy to take it from zero to 60. But if you can get it going, it keeps going, mile after mile, for as long as you want to take it. It’s also surprisingly stable and rolls through the stride with hardly any effort. We’ve already put over a hundred miles on this shoe and we don’t see ourselves stopping anytime soon.

If you have the money, go and get it– you won’t regret it.

Hoka Cielo X1Evening Sky

Hoka Mach 6

$140

BEST FOR

Lightweight trainer, tempo shoe

WEIGHT

8.2 oz. (232 g) for a US M10,

6.7 oz. (189 g) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

37 mm in heel, 32 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

The last couple versions of the Mach have had a special place in our hearts. Out of the box, the shoe is lightweight and bouncy, making it the perfect companion for uptempo miles. It’s pure, unadulterated fun on the run. Hoka has improved on the existing formula with the Mach 6, giving an upgrade to the midsole with a supercritical EVA. A Durabrasion rubber outsole provides a bit more durability, which was always an issue in the past. The end result is a smooth riding shoe in a simplistic package– it’s not going to change the world, but it will give you everything you need from a running shoe and it will do it at a reasonable price point.

Hoka Clifton 9

$145

BEST FOR

Everyday cruising

WEIGHT

9.1 oz. (258 g) for a US M9,

7.3 oz. (205 g) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

Men: 32 mm in heel, 27 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Women: 29 mm in heel, 24 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

From the new hotness to the old reliable, our next pick is the Hoka Clifton 9. It’s simply impossible to leave the Clifton off our list of the best Hoka running shoes because this is where it all began. Meg’s run in every version since the original, and she’s confidently declared that this is the best of them all — even if it doesn’t reinvent the max-cushion wheel.

In many ways, the Clifton 9 is just a refined version of the Clifton 8, which was a polished Clifton 7. It’s riding on a familiar EVA formula that’s just a little softer than before, and the meta-rocker keeps things simple and smooth. There’s nothing particularly fancy with the Hoka Clifton 9, but sometimes you just need a well-padded shoe with a modest weight and subtle design to carry you through the day. Thomas also had some praise for the new outsole rubber, which gripped nicely on Baltimore’s slick streets and sidewalks.

Even Jarrett got in on the Clifton 9 party — wide-footed runners, rejoice. You might not even need the 2E version if you only have a slightly wide foot, as our team felt like there was just a little extra room in the upper across the board. A few lacing tricks should right the ship, which will get you back to cruising. Oh, and Hoka has never had a shortage of colorways for the Clifton, so you can bet on some bright new shades as the months go on.

By the way, if you want something a bit more weather-resistant, Hoka also offers the Clifton in a GTX configuration for puddle jumping.

Hoka Bondi 8

$165

BEST FOR

Recovery runs with extra cush

WEIGHT

10.8 oz. (307 g.) for a US M9,

8.9 oz. (252 g.) for a US W7.5

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

39 mm in heel, 35 in forefoot (4 mm drop)

There’s thick, and then there’s thicc. Then, there’s the Hoka Bondi 8 — the thiccest of them all. It’s always had an absolute mountain of foam underfoot, which is what kept us coming back for recovery run after recovery run. The mountain is still there, and, if anything, it’s gotten bigger. The Bondi 8 rides on one big ol’ platform of EVA foam, but it’s not actually as soft as the ghosts of Bondi’s past — much to Thomas’s excitement.

Fear not, as the slightly firmer foam isn’t anywhere near the feeling of running on a brick. You’re still on a nicely cushioned midsole, and Hoka’s meta-rocker (take a shot every time we mention it, we dare you) is as smooth as ever. It would be fair to expect a shoe of this luxury to tip the scales beyond 10 oz, but the Bondi doesn’t. In fact, it lost a few fractions of an ounce, with Meg’s pair squeaking in at just under the 9 oz. mark, not too shabby.

As always, there are tons of colorways to choose from, and Hoka seems to bring out a new one every time the seasons change even a little bit. While we’re in love with the underfoot feel, you might want to try the Bondi 8 before you buy — the upper seems to have lost a bit of volume, so it might not be a perfect fit if you’re teetering on the brink of a wide size.

Oh, and there’s a little more Bondi love coming at the end of the list.

Hoka Tecton X 2

$225

BEST FOR

Trail-ready racin’

WEIGHT

8.8 oz. (252 g.) for a US M9,

7.4 oz. (211 g.) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

Men: 32 mm in heel, 27 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Women: 30 mm in heel, 25 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Alright, alright, so we don’t have the finishing touches on our Hoka Tecton X 2 review quite yet, but we promise it’ll be worth the wait. The trail crew has been pretty much raving behind the scenes, cramming enough miles into Hoka’s new trail racing shoes that we can’t tie them down behind a keyboard. We’ll let you know once we finally wrangle them in to write, but in the meantime, here’s a taste of what makes the Tecton tick.

First and foremost, the Tecton X 2 isn’t a full-blown reboot of what made the original Tecton X so great. Instead, it’s all about maximizing weight savings, swapping the previous upper for a new Matryx material, which is super breathable and inherently hydrophobic. After all, water is for drinking, not for carrying in your shoes. Hoka’s Tecton X 2 also comes with a revamped lacing structure, which doesn’t start quite as close to your toes. So far, we’ve found that the change makes the shoe much more comfortable through the toe while holding onto excellent lockdown in the midfoot.

Now that we’ve hit on the main changes, it’s high time to remind you what makes the Tecton X 2 so cool. This Hoka running shoe doesn’t have one carbon fiber plate in its ProFly-X platform… it has two. The two long, thin plates run in parallel, which means you can still get that sweet, sweet pop if you land on one side of your foot or the other. Just be careful when running on slopes — you don’t want to get launched off to the side.

Hoka Mach X

$180

BEST FOR

Long, easy efforts

WEIGHT

9.4 oz. (266 g) for a US M10,

8.0 oz. (226 g) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

Men: 39 mm in heel, 34 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Women: 37 mm in heel, 32 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Well, if there was ever going to be a Hoka to get the super trainer treatment, it was going to be the Mach. As expected, here it is. Our relationship with the Mach X evolved like most other super trainers — it started with hope, then a little bit of confusion, before finally rolling into acceptance. Simply put, we just have to learn that super trainers aren’t always meant to go fast.

While Hoka’s use of X in the name usually denotes a carbon fiber plate, this time, it’s a nice slice of Pebax, which we honestly prefer for a trainer that we can use day in and day out. That plate is slapped between two layers of PEBA foam, which means it’s a bit bouncier than Hoka’s usual CMEVA approach. The Jacquard mesh upper is light and breathable, even if Thomas didn’t really love the chosen colorway.

Ultimately, Hoka could have used just about any foam with the smooth meta rocker and we would have been cool with it. The Mach X just rolls from one step to the next, with Caryn busting out for an 18-miler on day one. Oh, and you can practically ignore Sam’s review — he’s since come to love the Mach X, just like the rest of us learned to love the Superblast from Asics.

Hoka Rocket X 2

$250

BEST FOR

Rockin’ on race day

WEIGHT

8.3 oz. (236 g) for a US M10,

6.7 oz. (190 g) for a US W8

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

36 mm in heel, 31 in forefoot (5 mm drop)

Here it is, the Hoka racing shoe we’ve been waiting for. It’s been a few years since Hoka dropped the original Rocket X, a carbon-plated running shoe that didn’t quite know what it wanted to be. The OG was closer to a racing flat, pairing a low (for Hoka) stack with a relatively firm foam that didn’t feel great across a marathon distance. Then, Hoka followed it up with some underwhelming not-quite-race-ready options that couldn’t keep up with the Alphaflys and Metaspeeds of the world.

Now, the Rocket X 2 has arrived. It takes everything that fell flat on the first Rocket X and throws it out the window. There’s more stack (36 mm in the heel, 31 mm in the forefoot), a brand-new Peba midsole, and an aggressive meta-rocker that rolls straight through your stride. We all had great runs in the shoe, with Robbe and Thomas rocking it through some 800m repeats and smiling all the way to the bank. Even Meg had some smiles for the Rocket X 2, though some of that might have been from testing out the shoe in sunny San Luis Obispo while it was still rainy and cold here in Baltimore.

No matter the scenery you’re working with, Robbe probably had the highest praise of all. He’s been a Metaspeed Edge+ believer for over a year, and he proudly proclaimed that the Rocket X 2 takes everything good about that shoe and turns it up a notch. Not half bad, if you ask us. Honestly, our only nit to pick with the shoe is that we could use a little more heel structure. Yes, it’s a race day pick, so weight is of prime importance, but we like a bit of support in the back.

Hoka Cielo Road

$160

BEST FOR

5K or 10K racing, tempo work

WEIGHT

7.1 oz. (201 g) for a US M9 (unisex)

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

33 mm in heel, 30 in forefoot (3 mm drop)

Ya know what? Maybe we’re finally moving past the days of a plate for plate’s sake. Hoka could have easily put some form of carbon fiber shank into its 5K racer just to bump up the price, but we’re pretty glad it didn’t. The result is a Cielo Road that you can honestly use for almost anything. It’s lightweight, low-stack, and has plenty of pop underfoot. Hoka’s Cielo Road uses the same Peba foam that features on the Rocket X 2, just with a much lower stack that makes it a little bit more flexible.

Overall, this might be one of the best alternatives to the Adidas Takumi Sen line that you can buy. It’s not only a little bit cheaper, but it actually fits true to size rather than throwing a curveball at you. Granted, there’s not a ton of structure through the heel, but that’s a pretty common flaw when it comes to lightweight speed shoes. Oh, and be careful if you wear white socks with the green colorway — we wound up with some color bleeding from one to the other.

Honestly, the Cielo Road should probably be a blueprint of what’s to come from Hoka. It gets so much right and works at so many paces while not being prohibitively expensive. It’s speedy and stylish and is perhaps one of the few Hokas that won’t become your mom’s favorite walking shoe — sorry, Mom.

Hoka Speedgoat 5

$155

BEST FOR

All of the trail miles you can imagine

WEIGHT

10.3 oz. (291 g.) for a US M9,

8.5 oz. (242 g.) for a US W7.5

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

36.5 mm in heel, 32.5 in forefoot (4 mm drop)

There’s only one way to describe Hoka’s signature trail running shoe. It’s the GOAT. Literally, it has goat in the name. We’re obviously talking about the Speedgoat 5, which is about as good of a gateway into life on the trails as you could ask for. The Speedgoat 5 combines both the comfort to go long with the teeth to tackle technical terrain, and it shines across the board. Our trail reviewers have run in every version, including multiple pairs of the Speedgoat 4 and Speedgoat Evo, and they’ve agreed that the fifth one rules them all.

Hoka kept the midsole largely the same for its latest Speedgoat, which is what helps to keep it in our good graces. The slightly softer EVA formula makes a comfortable ride even more comfortable, and the meta-rocker is perfect for double-digit days — be they hours or miles. What really sold us on the update, however, is the reworked jacquard upper, which is far more accommodating and breathable than before. It’s stretchy enough to adapt to your foot, and we had no problems with the material expanding as our feet swelled on long adventures.

Maybe the best part of the Speedgoat 5 is that there’s a version for everyone. Hoka has the Speedgoat 5 GTX for wet days, the Speedgoat 5 GTX Ice for, you guessed it, icy days, and the Speedgoat 5 Mid GTX for wet days when you want extra ankle support. Live by the goat, die by the goat.

Hoka Transport

$140

BEST FOR

Wearing to work, to the gym, or anywhere else, really

WEIGHT

11.2 oz. (317 g) for a US M9,

9.1 oz. (257 g) for a US W7

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

Stack height unavailable (5 mm drop)

Our next pick is a pretty unique one as far as the best Hoka running shoes go — it’s not really for running. Instead, the Transport is positioned as a commuter shoe, one that you could wear literally anywhere and not feel out of place. The Vibram outsole means that it can handle some hiking, the toggle laces mean you can tighten and go in seconds, and the Cordura upper can take a beating with a smile on its face.

You don’t really need me to tell you all of this, though, as our dog mom reviewers came to exactly the same conclusion. Both Lindsay and Caryn quickly jumped on board with Hoka’s comfortable, flexible game plan, and both realized that the Transport is a perfect shoe for those early morning and late-night trips with their pups. After all, a toggle lace never comes untied. Caryn also tabbed the comfort level as somewhere between the Arahi and the Clifton, which is good company for a brand-new silhouette to keep.

The Transport even has something of a green thumb, rocking EVA foam made of 30% sugarcane. Vibram’s EcoStep Natural rubber uses 90% oil-free ingredients and 100% natural pigments, too. We just have a bone to pick with whoever decided that the Eggnog colorway with the natural gum sole would only come in women’s sizes. Come on, Hoka.

Hoka Challenger ATR 7

$145

BEST FOR

Road-to-trail adventures

WEIGHT

8.9 oz. (252 g) for a US M9,

7.7 oz. (218 g.) for a US W7

STACK HEIGHT/DROP

31 mm in heel, 36 mm in forefoot (5 mm drop)

One of the biggest trends in running right now is the explosion of road-to-trail shoes. These semi-rugged, semi-refined shoes offer a perfect way to get from your front door to the local rail trail or try your hand at some lightly technical terrain. The Challenger is Hoka’s entry to the scene, and it’s been around a bit longer than most of the competition. We’re now on the Hoka Challenger ATR 7, and there are plenty of reasons to think that it’s a lucky number.

In our review, Taylor tabbed the Challenger as the Clifton of the trails, and he’s pretty much spot-on. The two shoes share similar stack heights and drops, but the Challenger adds a little more grip to the equation. It’s a shoe that both Alex and Taylor find themselves keeping in their cars, just in case a chance for a few miles pops up. After all, the meta-rocker shape and medium-density EVA foam are perfectly comfortable on most terrain, as long as you’re not hunting for a mountain to climb.

While the underfoot feel is pretty great all around, the Challenger ATR 7’s heel is its money-maker. The counter is well-cushioned and plenty stable, and Hoka’s elf ear shape keeps the pressure off of the Achilles. No, it won’t keep all of the debris out, but you’re probably not meant to be that aggressive with the Challenger anyway. Oh, and do you want us to praise the colorways again? Cause we’ll do it. They’re great.

HOW WE MAKE OUR PICKS

All of our recommendations come directly from our feet to your screen. We test countless running shoes here at Believe in the Run, and we let our reviews guide our decisions. However, we also consider other reviews and our BITR community, as not every runner has the same experiences. We also aim to stick with shoes that are currently available so you can give our recommendations a try.