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Paid partnership. This article was created in partnership with Champs Sports. Our opinions are our own.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone, but we love run clubs. Heck, we host one out of our office every single Thursday, come rain, shine, or snow. It’s a great way to meet people, get a few miles in, and sometimes even demo new running shoes.
The thing is, though, we’re not out here to win run club. It’s not a race, nor will it cover your needs for a weekly long run. It’s just a nice 3 to 5 miles at a comfortable pace with friends. And if you’re at one of the many Champs Run Club events around the country, it can be a chance to meet new people or see a new city, too.
And yet, it can be surprisingly tricky to pick the perfect shoe for run club. You want something comfortable, but you probably don’t need the cushioning of a long run shoe. You probably also want something with a little pep, but not a carbon-plated racer. So, what can you do?
Well, that’s where a trip to Champs Sports comes in. Champs has expanded its assortment of performance running footwear from leading brands including Nike, Adidas, Hoka, Asics, Brooks, Saucony, Puma, and New Balance. What that means is you'll find more than enough fun to shine at a weekly run club. And, after you’ve finished your weekly adventure, these shoes will cover plenty of other runs, too.
Whether you’re looking for the fun, flexible bounce of the Adidas Evo SL, the versatility and fit of the Asics Novablast 6, or the plush comfort of the Hoka Clifton 11, our list has you covered. After all, the best run club shoe is the one that keeps you showing up week after week to make memories and log miles with friends. Best of all, every shoe on this list is available at Champs Sports.
Price: On sale for $160
10.3 oz. (292 g) for a US M10, 8.5 oz. (240 g) for a US W8
45mm in heel, 35mm in forefoot (10mm drop)
ZoomX
Max-cushioned miles
If you know anything about Nike, you’ll know that the Swoosh recently refreshed its naming structure. Out are some of the numbers, and out is the Invincible, but the Vomero has a sweet new max-cushion lane to explore. Within that, you might have expected us to pick the Vomero 18 as one of the best run club shoes.
The thing is, though, the Nike Vomero Plus is on sale right now.
That alone swings it into our top spot for Nike run club shoes (not to be confused with Nike Run Club). For $160, you can get a daily trainer with a mountain of Nike’s responsive, race-ready ZoomX foam that’s plush enough for your longest training runs. What sets it apart from the base Vomero 18 is that stack – the Vomero Plus is all ZoomX all the time in place of the Vomero 18’s split of ZoomX and ReactX.
The Vomero Plus is also lighter than its everyday counterpart, though you’ll probably want to try it on before you buy, as the forefoot isn’t quite as stable as you might get from some other run club shoes.
Price: $150
7.9 oz (224 g) for a US M9, 6.6 oz. (188 g) for a US W7.5
38mm in heel, 32mm in forefoot (6mm drop)
Lightstrike Pro
Sleek style and speedier miles
Some running shoes can be described as “IYKYK.” They’re the low-key options, the niche picks, and the throwbacks. The Adidas Adizero Evo SL ain’t one of them. This shoe is more like “if you don’t know, how?” It’s a daily trainer that we nearly called our shoe of the year twice, but had to be talked out of it because of extremely limited availability in late 2024.
Now, though, it’s everywhere. You can’t even show up to a run club without seeing a pair on half a dozen people’s feet. It’s not hard to see why, either. Between the simple, streamlined upper, the bouncy, plateless Lightstrike Pro midsole, and the Continental outsole, the Evo SL covers a whole lot of premium bases. It’s a little bit of carbon fiber away from being a viable racing option, which makes it a great pick for just about everything else.
Even better, there’s an Evo SL for everyone. Adidas has cooked it up with woven uppers, overlays, weather resistance, and even gravel-ready grip. We’ll stick with the OG version for run club purposes, though, which means you have about a billion colorways to choose from.
Price: $155
9.5 oz. (269 g) for a US M10.5, 7.4 oz. (210 g) for a US W7.5
Men: 41.5mm in heel, 33.5mm in forefoot (8mm drop) Women: 40.5mm in heel, 32.5mm in forefoot (8mm drop)
FF Blast Max with FF Turbo Squared in the forefoot
Everyday miles with a bouncy ride
These days, the Asics Novablast is another pretty ubiquitous pick. It’s not too high-stacked, nor is it too close to barefoot, yet it’s neither too squirrely nor too stable, either. Asics has made the sixth version of its peppy daily trainer one of its best all-rounders to date, and it’s backed by new tech underfoot.
More specifically, Asics packed a pad of FF Turbo Squared under the forefoot to give the Novablast a little more life in your everyday running. The Novablast 6 is perhaps a little bit heavier than the Evo SL we just talked about, but if you’re a new runner, you may find that its slightly firmer platform gives your foot a little bit better security. Why does that matter? Well, when you’re ticking off miles at run club, the last thing you want to worry about is wobbly footfalls.
The Novablast 6 is also about as clean as a daily trainer can get, pairing a streamlined midsole with plenty of neutral colorways and a thin, comfortable tongue that doesn’t bunch up, no matter the weather.
Price: $155
9.9 oz. (280g) for a US M10, 8.3 oz. (230g) for a US W8
Men: 42mm in heel, 34mm in forefoot (8mm drop) Women: 38mm in heel, 30mm in forefoot (8mm drop)
Compression-molded EVA (CMEVA)
Maximum cushioning and casual style
Alright, the Adidas Adizero Evo SL might be an iconic shoe for runners, but let’s face it: The Hoka Clifton is iconic for everyone. It’s almost hard to believe that the shoe that started the max-cushion craze is on its 11th generation, but it’s true. And, through it all, the plush stack of compression-moulded EVA foam is as reliable as ever.
Honestly, that’s what makes the Clifton 11 so lovable – it doesn’t change. Maybe the look changes, and maybe the mesh upper has been refreshed a couple of times, but the base platform stays the same. It combines a nice smooth Metarocker with a ton of foam to make sure you never feel the ground beneath your feet. Think running on clouds, but with a shoe that looks good enough to wear for a shift at work or a trip to Champs Sports after your workout.
Per our count, Hoka is already up to 15 colorways for the classic Clifton 11 (not counting the Clifton Pro). That’s enough variety that we’d bet you can pick a colorway for run club and you won’t find someone else wearing the same shoe. Well, at least unless you pick the all-white one.
Price: On sale for $99
10.2 oz. (289 g) for a US M9, 9.1 oz. (258 g) for a US W7
38mm in heel, 28mm in forefoot (10mm drop)
DNA Tuned
Daily miles with a slightly higher drop
Another very important part of picking a shoe for run club is something we haven’t mentioned: You don’t need to break the bank. Sure, you can spend big bucks on your race day shoes or maybe even your long run trainers, but when it comes to social runs, save yourself some money. Besides, then you can use it on post-run drinks once you’ve made new running friends (it’s definitely going to happen).
With that in mind, we’d recommend going back a generation to pick up the Brooks Glycerin 22 while you still can. It was the first Brooks daily trainer to embrace the livelier DNA Tuned midsole foam, and it’s paired with a clean double-jacquard warp knit upper that has just enough of a bootie to keep debris at bay. And, again, spending $100 or less on a shoe for run club is that sweet spot where you always feel good about your purchase.
Once the Glycerin 22 sells out, you can turn your attention to the Glycerin 23. No, you probably won’t find it for quite so much of a steal, but it has a new upper and an additional 2mm of foam in the midsole for a little more comfort underfoot.
Price: $145
9.6 oz. (273g) for a US M9.5, 7.6 oz. (218g) for a US W7
37.9mm in heel, 29.9mm in forefoot (8mm drop)
Fresh Foam X
Classic comfort and retro-inspired style
Now, the New Balance Ellipse v1 is very Clifton-like, but it also has a dose of IYKYK going for it. New Balance designed the shoe to be exactly that: A crossover pick that’s soft enough to soak up the social miles but good-looking enough for everyday wear. Somehow, it’s already come out in more colorways than the ever-present Clifton, and it has us reaching for the Ellipse over the likes of the New Balance 1080.
At its heart, the Ellipse is an unfussy shoe. It has a straightforward Fresh Foam X midsole, a wavy, flowy engineered mesh upper, and enough rubber coverage on the outsole that it doesn’t matter where you strike your foot. Actually, the Ellipse reminds us quite a lot of the 1080v11, which was the last truly soft 1080 – just without the funky membrane-like heel counter.
Perhaps the best way to describe the New Balance Ellipse v1 is as a shoe that puts softness over everything. It’s one of the purest cushioning options we found at Champs Sports, offering more squish than the Clifton but perhaps a little bit less energy return than the Evo SL. And, again, there are enough colorways that you might be tempted to pick up a second pair right off the bat.
Price: $140
8.6 oz. (245g) for a US M9 / W10.5 (Unisex weight)
36mm in heel, 26mm in forefoot (10mm drop)
NitroFoam
Excellent grip in wet conditions
Puma’s Velocity Nitro 4 is its lightest iteration yet, but don’t tell that to the shoe. It still has a near-max stack of 36mm in the heel, and that’s NitroFoam from top to bottom. The Velocity Nitro 4 follows all of our major run club rules, checking boxes for a great price, plenty of protection, and no plate in that stack.
If you’re new to running, this might also be the perfect time to try a PumaGrip outsole. We’ve long called it one of the best outsoles in the game, and Puma uses it on everything from entry-level daily trainers to top-end racing shoes like the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3. Like a few others on this list, the Velocity Nitro 4 introduces a brand-new upper for improved breathability, and there’s a whole slate of colorways to choose from.
If there’s one thing to know about Puma, though, it’s that the big cat runs narrow. You’ll want to try the Velocity Nitro 4 on before you buy it, as you may not find it a great fit if you have a wider foot.
Price: $145
8.9 oz. (252g) for a US M9, 7.7 oz. (218g) for a US W8
38mm in heel, 30mm in forefoot (8mm drop)
PWRRUN Plus
Smooth miles with a rockered midsole
The last run club-ready shoe on our list is one of Saucony’s longest-standing cruisers. Where the Endorphin line leans towards going fast, the Saucony Ride 19 is all comfort, all day long. It’s built on a big, soft bed of PWRRUN Plus foam, which uses a new supercritical foaming process to put a little more “PWR” into the mix and a little more fun into your miles.
What all of that shapes up to is this: The Ride 19 is a daily trainer that feels plenty comfortable for both easy miles and long runs. You’ll feel the smooth rocker encourage you to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and Saucony’s lineup of clean colorways means you can rock the Ride long after you finish your run.
Also, if you need a little more stability than Saucony’s soft PWRRUN Plus provides, you can always check out the brand’s Guide 19 (also available at Champs Sports). That shoe swaps to the familiar PWRRUN foam and uses Center Path technology to keep you nestled snug within its broad platform.
Now that you’ve settled on a brand-new shoe from Champs Sports for your next run club outing, it’s time to put it to the test. If you’re local to Baltimore, maybe that means stopping by our weekly Believe Run Club meetup. Of course, we know that’s not practical for everyone, but that’s what makes the Champs Sports Run Club such a fun option.
Champs is bringing together runners, walkers, and joggers of all ability levels through nationwide events focused on building community, having fun, and getting in a few miles in the process. And, if you haven’t picked a new pair of running shoes from our list above, fear not. Most Champs Sports Run Club events feature shoe demos to go along with the run itself, so you never know what you’ll get a chance to test out.
There are still a few great Champs Sports Run Club events on the calendar, so check out your options here and get ready for your next run.
Q: What's the best running shoe for a run club?
A: The best running shoe for a run club is typically a versatile daily trainer that balances comfort, cushioning, and responsiveness. Shoes like the Adidas Evo SL, Asics Novablast 6, Nike Vomero Plus, and Saucony Ride 19 work well for most runners.
Q: What should I wear to a run club?
A: Most runners wear a comfortable daily trainer, moisture-wicking apparel, and running socks. Since many run clubs cover 3-5 miles at a conversational pace, comfort is usually more important than race-day performance.
Q: Are carbon-plated running shoes good for run club?
A: Carbon-plated running shoes can be used for run clubs, but most runners prefer daily trainers because they're more comfortable, durable, and versatile for easy-paced group runs.
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