The 6 Best Treadmill Shoes for Logging Indoor Miles
Keep your gym clean and your runs comfy with a fresh pair of shoes.
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Whether you’re looking for more control over your workout or you’re staying inside to avoid unpredictable weather, treadmill running provides an easy change of pace from hitting the road or trail. Investing in a pair of treadmill shoes for indoor runs also keeps your dirty daily trainers off your equipment.
Even though treadmills simulate the experience of running on the road, there are plenty of differences between the machine and the road or trail. Most crucially, the terrain outside has plenty of variation, whereas treadmills are uniformly flat. The latter’s controlled environment eliminates bumps, curves, and subtle changes in incline, so you don’t have to worry as much about utmost support or grippy outsoles when shopping for treadmill shoes.
That’s all the more reason to look at shoes that excel in other areas—breathability, low weight, and plushness are critical for comfort and efficiency, and an outdoor shoe’s focus on durability and stability tends to take away from them. To steer you in the right direction and keep your runs lively, we’ve found some of the best treadmill shoes that prioritize an easy, breezy stride.
Best Treadmill Shoes
- Best Overall: Hoka Clifton 9
- Best Value: Nike Winflo 11
- Best for Long Mileage: Brooks Ghost 16
- Best for Extra Stability: New Balance Fresh Foam X 860 v14
- Best for Walking: Saucony Tempus 2
What to Consider
Stability
On a treadmill, there’s much less risk of an awkward foot strike that could result in an injury since the surface never changes. However, you’re also making near-identical strikes over and over again, which can overwork some of your legs’ stabilizer muscles and underuse others as you stack up lots of indoor miles.
A high-stability shoe locks your feet in a more consistent position, which could exacerbate this issue if you don’t actually need the support. That said, if you overpronate when you run, wearing supportive shoes can still improve your comfort overall—it’s a balancing act that may require you to try several pairs before you find the right fit.
Cushioning
Treadmills are generally more comfortable than paved surfaces thanks to their tendency to flex slightly under load, which means you don’t need as much cushioning for overall impact absorption as you may on the road. But treadmill running is also comparatively monotonous, and you mostly land on your feet the same way for the entirety of each indoor run, which can wear on your feet unevenly. Supple midsole cushioning takes the edge off those repeated impacts on a uniform surface—and when a brand designs it right, it also bounces back with enough energy to keep you sailing through your last few virtual laps.
While going overboard with your midsole squish introduces the risk of feeling lofty or unstable on your feet, especially as your shoe’s stack height increases, you’ll likely feel better after a long bout in something comfortable as opposed to snappy. After all, while treadmill running is meant to mimic real-world conditions, it doesn’t get close enough that you need to worry about marginal gains in speed. Just be careful about the bulk of your soles, especially if you run on a skinny treadmill, since massive shoes can easily grab the sides of the deck and make you launch yourself forward.
How We Selected
All of the recommendations on this list are backed by testing from our editors and wear testers, as well as hands-on experience from our team of expert freelancers. We considered the most important criteria for optimizing shoes for the the low-shock, low-risk environment a treadmill provides—low weight, high ventilation, and ample cushioning—and chose models that provide a seamless union between them. We also took price into account, keeping every shoe here below $180—no harsh, fast-wearing super shoes here.
Full Reviews
Pros
- Impressive weight compared to stack height
- Classic Hoka cushioning
Cons
- Hoka first-timers might need to adjust to the extra squish
If you’re looking to maximize the lightweight and well-cushioned midsole of a good treadmill shoe, it’s worth giving the Clifton 9 a peek. As our testers found, the cushion in its sole punches well above its weight, leading to a shoe that feels pillow-like underfoot without feeling clumsy or overbuilt.
The Clifton’s toebox is also more generous than that of similar shoes, which is great for folks with wide feet. Be wary, though, that the sole might wear a bit faster than on other shoes. This shouldn’t be as much of an issue if you keep yours indoors.
Key Specs
| Weight | 8.7 oz (M), 7.3 oz (W) |
| Drop | 5mm |
Pros
- Durable
- Smooth turnover
Cons
- Heavy
It’s not easy to find a quality do-it-all shoe for less than $120, but the Winflo manages to hold its own as a daily trainer, even when compared to higher-budget picks. Our test team celebrates its smoothness and comfort, citing its similarity to the brand’s flagship Pegasus.
Key Specs
| Weight | 9.2 oz (W8), 11.4 oz (M10) |
| Drop | 10mm |
Pros
- Soft, bootie-like fit
- Moderate, supportive cushioning
- Not too heavy, not to lightweight
Cons
- Boxy fit in the toe
- Less energy return compared to other daily trainers
The Ghost is Brooks’s most popular shoe. But for a time, the Glycerin, its softer sibling, trumped it on all fronts: comfort, cushioning, rebound. The Ghost 16 puts the Glycerin back in its place. To settle the score, Brooks replaced the Ghost’s DNA Loft v2 midsole with DNA Loft v3, the same nitrogen-infused foam in the Glycerin 20 and 21.
Ensuring the Glycerin remains Brooks’s plushest trainer, the Ghost 16 has a lower heel and forefoot midsole height and a 2mm higher offset. (The Glycerin has a 28:18mm stack height; the Ghost 16 is the same as the Ghost 15, 24:12mm.) With similar comfort to the Glycerin at a lower weight, the Ghost is back to form as our go-to workhorse shoe.
Key Specs
| Weight | 9.5 oz (M), 7.6 oz (W) |
| Drop | 12mm |
Pros
- New stability tech offers less intrusive support
- Soft, supportive Fresh Foam X cushioning
Cons
- Runs small
Even on the treadmill, an unstable-feeling shoe can eventually lead to pain and discomfort if your foot overpronates, i.e. rolls inward as you transfer your weight through your stride. If you’re looking for a more stable option, look no further than the 860 line from New Balance.
The newest version introduces the brand’s new Stability Plane technology; a thin plate of EVA on the medial side, replacing the medial post. The support is seamless without being too intrusive.
Key Specs
| Weight | 8.7 oz (W), 10.4 oz (M) |
| Drop | 8mm |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Plush cushioning
Cons
- Narrower in the toebox than previous version
What makes a good walking shoe compared to a running shoe? Generally speaking, the former’s midsole is plusher. Since you’re not thrashing the ground with as much speed when walking, the ankle-twisting instability you may feel in a high-stack running shoe isn’t as present. Furthermore, a comfortable walking shoe won’t feel clunky or clownish; rather, it’s the kind of shoe you can forget you’re wearing.
Saucony’s Tempus 2 is a splendid shoe for long strolls thanks to its low weight compared to other shoes we recommend for walking. It’s also well-cushioned despite its low weight, but not so much so that you feel like you’re bouncing around like a rubber hose cartoon character. It’s a slightly firm feel at first, but that won’t feel as prevalent once you’re on a shock-absorbing treadmill.
Key Specs
| Weight | 8.2 oz (W), 9.4 oz (M) |
| Drop | 8mm |
Pros
- Snappy and responsive for a plateless shoe
Cons
- Low drop make take some adjustment
The Kinvara is perhaps the most stripped-down shoe on this list. Though this makes it less comfortable, it’s ideal for picking up your feet and turning them over quickly without feeling too clumsy on a treadmill (not an ideal place to start tripping).
It doesn’t have much stability or traction, even for a speedwork shoe, but those variables don’t mean as much on a treadmill. What remains is a snappy sole, a blissfully breathable upper, and a weight that puts it close on the scale to some pro-level racing shoes.
Key Specs
| Weight | 6.2 oz (W), 7 oz (M) |
| Drop | 4mm |
Adam Schram is an Assistant Editor of Commerce at Runner's World, though you might see his byline on Bicycling and Popular Mechanics, too. A lover of all things outdoors, Adam's writing career comes after six years as a bike mechanic in his hometown of State College, PA. His journalism experience is steeped in cycling and running gear reviews, and he's also a published creative nonfiction and satire author. When he's not writing, riding, or running, you can catch Adam at home mixing cocktails, watching Star Wars, or trying in vain to do the Sunday crossword. You can check out his latest work below.
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