Best Running Shoes For Heavy Runners (2023)

Introduction to the Best Shoes for Heavy Runners

When I first approached the Believe in the Run team about what I felt was a lack of online shoe reviews by bigger or heavier runners, I had hoped that I’d be able to help runners who found themselves in the same position I was: frustrated by a lack of representation in the online shoe review world. 

I would always do research on running shoes before buying, reading countless reviews, and many times ended up disappointed when getting the shoe. This may be pretty obvious, but smaller or “average” size runners experience shoes in a totally different way than bigger runners. And in case you haven’t noticed, most of the reviewers you see online aren’t built like me. It was frustrating, because every review had to be taken with a grain of salt.

The Believe in the Run crew welcomed me with open arms to be the resident Big & Tall reviewer, and Robbe gave me the nickname “The Clydesdale.” Since joining the team, I’ve been logging miles in many different shoes for review purposes, as well as others that I bought myself because they were a great deal and I’m a sucker for a bargain. When I was asked if I would consider putting together a list of what I felt in my opinion were the best shoes for bigger runners, I was stoked.

Now, I will preface this by saying this list is my list of the best running shoes for bigger or heavier runners. Obviously, there will be some subjectivity in this list, because every runner is different and what works for me as a bigger runner might not suit you. I’ve also not been able to test every or most shoes on the market, especially race day shoes… yet.

However, I believe all of the shoes on my list have attributes that I look for as a bigger runner, and I further believe they’re all worth testing out if you’re a bigger runner in the market for a new shoe. This list will be updated as I test shoes that I feel are worthy of being included here. It goes without saying, but if you want to discuss running shoes or have any questions, hit me up on Instagram and I’ll try and help you out the best I can.

Just a heads up, this list is split into two sections: daily trainers and race day shoes, with shoe models listed in alphabetical order, so read the whole way through to get the full rundown!

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I think the Adidas Boston 11 got a bad rap. The less-than-positive reviews (including Thomas’ harsh critiques) made me hesitant to give it a try. However, an epically good deal on the Adidas website made buying it a no-harm-no-foul purchase. After my first run in it, I knew I was going to get along with this shoe.

Is the Lightstrike foam in the midsole firm? Yes, it is very firm. But the slab of Lightstrike Pro underfoot and above the Lightstrike and the Continental rubber outsole all combine for me to create a firm, fluid, and fast ride. I took the Boston 11 on a daily run one day, and was shocked to find that I was running at nearly a full minute faster than my regular easy day pace. I also find the shoe to be fairly stable as well, which gives it another checkmark in the pro column for me. 

A word to the wise: like most Adidas shoes, it runs a bit narrow, especially through the midfoot. Not to mention there is some poorly positioned mesh that acts as a gusset for the tongue that caused a little bit of rubbing on my first run. However, that was only an issue on the first run. With the recent release and positive reviews of the Boston 12, I’ll definitely have to give it a try and see if it supplants the 11 on this list.

Many people had the Asics Novablast 3 as their shoe of the year in 2022. A daily trainer that is light, bouncy, and responsive? Sign me up! And boy oh boy, this shoe does not disappoint. Every mile run in this shoe is an absolute treat. I was slightly concerned that the shoe would not respond to me, given my size. But I was wrong; this shoe’s FlyteFoam Blast+ midsole foam stays bouncy and responsive for the duration of the run.

The versatility of this shoe is what sets it apart from a lot of the daily trainers on the market today. Since it’s lightweight and incredibly responsive, picking up the pace is a breeze. But if you just want to do slow, plodding daily miles, the bounciness helps keep the feet going and protected. If you have stability concerns, this shoe may not be for you, as I would say it’s definitely a 100% neutral shoe. That said, this is one of my favorite shoes that I’ve ever run in.

As my fellow attorney Elle Woods argued beyond a reasonable doubt: “Endorphins make you happy.” This is especially true when it comes to the Saucony Endorphin line, which now includes the Pro 3, the Speed 3, and one of my favorite daily trainers– the Shift 3. There are so many things in this shoe that I love. The overall fit, both width and volume, is perfect for me. I know some people report it being a bit narrow for their liking (like our Wide Foot reviewer Jarrett), but I didn’t have the same issue.

The shoe features a 39 mm/35 mm slab of PWRRUN foam, which they softened up slightly between v2 and v3. Between the 4 mm drop, the SpeedRoll rockered geometry, and the responsive midsole, the ride of this shoe is so smooth. The perfect shoe for those miles where you’re just looking to cruise. Once you settle into a pace, forward progress feels effortless. And because they don’t have the super squish of many max stack shoes out there, there’s little-to-no risk of reaching a bottoming-out point during longer efforts. Just set it and forget it.

This shoe surprised the hell out of me when I got it for testing. I was wicked skeptical about the anatomical toe box thing, which provides for a more natural toe splay on landing. I figured my forefoot would be swimming around in the shoe. Truth-be-told, the Topo Athletic Phantom 3 fit my foot better than almost any other shoe I’ve had in my rotation recently. There’s room for the toes spread out while running, but it’s just the right amount. Think “first-class flying” room, but not “hosting a rave” type room. And the heel lockdown was great, even with my slightly narrow right heel.

Topo compared their midsole, ZipFoam, to the foams in the Brooks Glycerin, New Balance 1080, and Hoka Clifton. I found it to be a bit firmer than those respective midsoles, which I actually appreciated. As a bigger runner, I prefer a slightly firmer feel on my daily trainers. Plus, the Phantom 3 got better with each run, loosening up a bit to where it felt smooth and comfy underfoot. Additionally, there’s a really wide platform, so I would classify this shoe as “stable neutral,” definitely my favorite shoe category.

This new offering is the brand’s leap into the max cushion realm, and boy is it a rousing success. The Dna Loft v2 foam is soft and cushioned while not being mushy. The GlideRoll rocker geometry helps create a smooth transition throughout the gait cycle. And the wide base provides some inherent stability, even with the softer midsole. Plus, it feels light underfoot on the run. What more could a bigger runner want in a recovery shoe? Frankly, I can’t think of anything.

I don’t know if I would still be allowed to write reviews for Believe in the Run if I didn’t give a shout-out to one of Meaghan’s favorites, the New Balance Fresh Foam X More v4. This chunky yet funky shoe is my go-to recovery day shoe. I usually take a day off after my long run, but there are still times that my feet and legs are feeling the long run effort. When that happens, the first shoe I gravitate to is the More v4. The same is true on the second day of a back-to-back after a workout.

This shoe is like the Meghan Trainor of running: all about that bass. The 34 mm heel stack height is 100% squish, and I’m all about it on recovery days. You could tell me the stack height was 50 mm and I’d believe you; not because the shoe feels tall, but because of so much dang cushioning on every step.

The most surprising thing to me is that even with significant foam compression under my big frame, I didn’t feel like I bottomed out in the shoe. I attribute this to the fact that the More v4 is very much a slow-pace shoe. I’ve also never taken it more than 6 miles, largely because my recovery runs tend to be shorter. Plus, this shoe is a heavy beast (similar to yours truly). 

Also an added bonus is that despite the stack height, it’s fairly stable. The platform is incredibly wide (it’s like a damn flipper), so it helps keep me over top of the shoe.

I had never run in the Triumph line from Saucony, so getting version 21 was my first foray into the high stack beast. I know I’ll probably get some pushback from people who would consider the Triumph line to be a daily trainer and not a recovery shoe. To each their own. For me, the cushioning of the PWRRUN+ foam perfectly splits the difference between the softness and bounce of PWRRUN PB and the firmness and responsiveness of PWRRUN. For me, that is the recipe for a great recovery day shoe.

Even though this is billed as a neutral shoe with some soft cushioning, I found the shoe to be decently stable. I never found the shoe to be mushy at the end of my runs, meaning the responsiveness of the foam held up well to my bigger frame. As a side note, if you’re a fellow Taylor Swift fan, you should read the review and be ready to be amazed.

If you ever find yourself in a scavenger hunt for the Adidas Adios Pro 3, just check a podium at any major marathon these days. There’s a good chance you’ll find one there. There’s no need to exaggerate here: the Adios Pro 3 is a killer race day shoe.

Similar in profile to the Takumi Sen 8, but taller in stack (and thankfully a bit wider), I feel invincible when the Adios Pro 3 is on my feet. No matter the distance, the Adios Pro 3 can handle it all. When the pace kicks into high gear (which for me isn’t blistering), this shoe does almost all of the work for you. It’s as close to cheating as you can get without course cutting.

This is where I’d normally tell you what’s wrong with the shoe. Literally the only thing I can come up with is that the lacing system is a bit wonky, can end up taking multiple re-ties, and may occasionally give some lace bite if overtightened. It’s easily the most stable of all of the super shoes I’ve tried, which in my opinion is a must for any race day shoe for bigger runners. Once the fatigue sets in during long training efforts, or half marathon and above races, super shoes can be unforgiving to bad mechanics thanks to the inherent softness of the foam. I don’t worry about that happening in the Adios Pro 3.

If you’re looking for a tempo day shoe or a racing shoe for 10K-or-under distances, there aren’t many options out there better than the Adidas Takumi Sen 8 or Takumi Sen 9. I’ve listed them together because I’ve only run in v8, but the 9th version was simply an update to the upper, meaning the underfoot ride was pretty much the same.

Lightstrike Pro might arguably be my favorite midsole foam, largely because I think it has some of the best responsiveness for bigger runners. It’s soft but not so soft that it’s mushy, and the energy return is fantastic. Working in tandem with the Energy Rod system versus a plate and its unique geometry (which is surprisingly stable), the Takumi Sen is fast.

The only downside of this shoe is that it’s an absolute dart, almost as narrow as a running shoe could possibly be. I have pretty regular width feet, and they are incredibly snug on me. Not the end of the world because race day/speedwork shoes largely are tight fitting; however, I personally wouldn’t take these on any race beyond a 10K or general run beyond 8 miles. Between the tight fit and the inherent speed nature of the shoe, I’m not sure if my legs could handle 10 miles or a half marathon in the shoe. I will say that after a hilly 10K where I really pushed myself, my legs felt amazing the next day.

Puma has been knocking it out of the park lately with its Nitro line of running shoes. In fact, the Velocity Nitro 2 was incredibly close to making it onto my list of the best daily trainers. The shoe that did make it on this list is the Puma Deviate Nitro 2, arguably one of my favorite shoes in my closet at the moment. Just like the Novablast 3 that I wrote about earlier, I feel like the Deviate Nitro 2 is incredibly versatile. I use it primarily for days where I’m doing speedwork runs or tempo sections during long runs, but I feel like it could very easily be used as a general daily trainer or long run shoe.

Featuring Puma’s PWRPLATE, a breathable upper, Nitro Elite foam, and the virtually unmatched PumaGrip outsole, the Deviate Nitro 2 has almost no weaknesses. My only knock against it is that it’s a bit heavy for a tempo day shoe. However, my legs always remain fresh after running in this shoe, even after harder efforts. That’s one of the attributes I look for most in a shoe and it’s rare to find it. The ride is snappy and fun when you push the pace, but comfortable at slower paces. A true jack-of-all-trades.

Yep, you read that right, Under Armour. An Under Armour shoe made my list of best race day shoes. You know who else would probably have it at the top of their list? Sharon Lokedi, winner of the New York City Marathon in 2022, who won while rocking the Under Armour Flow Velociti Elite. I was lucky enough to get this for testing and review for the website, and it quickly became one of my favorite shoes to wear when I channel my inner Ricky Bobby and want to go fast. If you read my review, you already knew that.

The mesh upper with lattice-work overlays is incredibly comfortable, and wider than many race day shoes. Many people in the shoe world wouldn’t consider this a true super shoe, because its plate is sandwiched between a top layer of Pebax foam directly and Under Armour’s Flow supercritical foam. But the softness and bounce of the Pebax and responsiveness and firmness from the Flow foam provide what I find to be a very fast and stable ride. 

The craziest part of the Flow Velociti Elite is the lack of rubber outsole, which would normally make any person wary of the grip. But I ran the final 7 miles of the Broad Street Run in the pouring rain and had not a single issue with traction. I also crushed my time goal by almost three and a half minutes, which increased my fondness for this shoe.

Similar to the Takumi Sen, my only critique is that I don’t think I would wear this for a full marathon. With the lower stack height than most super shoes on the market, I think I would max out at a half marathon in this shoe. That said, I think it’s a great option for racing 13.1 miles or less.