Soft shoes for asphalt running??

I agree with you that saucony is a pretty soft cushioned shoe. The ride is nice but if you are interested in some more bells and whistles then check out the Triumph.

Let's take this to the extreme and run on squishy bubbles of air.

Your legs will be fine. Softness of the shoe has little to do with injury prevention or "saving your joints". Your feet are designed to transfer and dissipate impact forces. Let your feet do what they are designed to do. Keeping them in rigid shoes with big fat medial posts and cushions of air only makes things worse.

Alan

Consider this is coming from an old guy who is stuck running almost exclusively on hard surfaces. I go for a simple, neutral, lighter cushioned shoe - generally, the Brooks Radius line in my case. I can tell from the accumulating aches and pains when it time for new ones. You don't need all the bells and whistles or the extra expense. You will get other opinions, but that's what works for me.

bump

thank you for the responses!

so then let me add this as a follow up... why do athletes who are coming off an injury run on a zero gravity treadmill? its to lessen the impact on their joints... so then wouldn't it make sense to run on a soft shoe so there is less of an impact on your joints.

For example, 2 shoes of complete equalness (even price). shouldnt I pick the softer shoe if I run on hard surfaces.

I realize I'm splitting hairs here.. thank you for the responses.

Runningart2004 wrote:

Let's take this to the extreme and run on squishy bubbles of air.

Your legs will be fine. Softness of the shoe has little to do with injury prevention or "saving your joints". Your feet are designed to transfer and dissipate impact forces. Let your feet do what they are designed to do. Keeping them in rigid shoes with big fat medial posts and cushions of air only makes things worse.

Alan

Your feet were not designed to run on asphalt.

monkey man wrote:

Your feet were not designed to run on asphalt.

I was getting cramps in my calves a few years ago, and experimented with different types of soles and heels on my shoes. Usually the problem started when the rubber wore off the edge of the heels, and the under part was softer.

This got me thinking to try hard heels, which I did, getting different heels from a shoe place and glueing them on.

During this process I glued heel shaped pieces of wood on one pair, and went for a 15 mile run. This was in the midst of the frustrating calf cramping from regular running shoes. But running with the wood heels was amazing, as there was NO cramping at all! I felt in heaven running along with them. There was a slight clack clack from the wood but it blended in just like regular foot steps on the roads.

After that I always have made sure the heels of my shoes are hard rubber, and haven't had any more issues. I feel it is the soft materials that are the cause of most foot and leg injuries.

Have you tried Dutch clogs? Ok, forgo the dutch bonnet, but the clogs are solid.

This can't be true. You glued wood to the heel of your shoe and went for a 15 mile run?

F-ing runners.

you should try the nike victory.

light. soft. responsive. if you like the vomero,these will be fairly light compared to them but the "ride and roll" is similar.

Surprise! wrote:

This can't be true. You glued wood to the heel of your shoe and went for a 15 mile run?

No, I cut out the soft heel portions, glued the wood pieces in place of them, and sanded the edges so they were the same shape as the regular heels.