Finding the best-fitting shoe among the many choices at your local running store isn’t easy. You need to make sure that you leave with shoes that fit properly from heel to toe, and that feels comfortable with your regular running stride whether you run for fun or for fitness.
Before you put your foot in a new pair of running shoes, it’s a good idea to understand the details of the shoes that will be with you for several hundred miles, and what to expect in the process of buying shoes. The right shoes, alongside a supplement like Glucosamine Chondroitin, can protect your joints from injury.
It’s helpful to understand the purpose of each part of the running shoe, and how this can affect your experience. Here are the main parts you should understand.
Upper
This is everything above the sole. It is usually made with layers of fabric and mesh that are sewn and glued together. Some modern shoes increasingly use knitting and printing to create uppers in one piece that will stretch or support in the right places.
Look for an upper that is shaped like your foot and smooth wherever it touches, so it won’t bind or chafe anywhere.
Ankle Collar
This is the wrap at the top of the shoe opening that holds the heel in place in the shoe. Some shoes use thick padding here, whereas others rely on the shape of the collar.
Check whether your heels slip in the show. Pay attention to how the padding interacts with the bones of your ankles, or whether the curve rubs on your Achilles tendon.
Heel Counter
This is a semi-rigid cup layered inside the rearfoot that cradles and supports your heel. Some running shoes have an external heel wrap that serves the same purpose, whereas a more minimalist style of the shoe won’t have a heel counter to allow more freedom of movement. Heel counters don’t provide any motion control, but they do center the heel for more support and a more stable landing.
Saddle
This is the reinforced area around the instep, which is the arch of your foot between the ball and the ankle. The saddle interacts with the laces to hold the shoe securely on your foot. There are a variety of overlays, eyelets, and lacing systems that mould the saddle closely to any shape of the foot.
Pay close attention to the way the saddle fits and holds your foot. It should give a secure feeling with no slippage while letting the arch naturally dome during each stride.
Toebox
This is all of the upper from the front of the eyelets to the end of the shoe. They’re often capped with a reinforced toe bumper that will hold the fabric off your toes and protect them from being stubbed. This is especially common in trail shoes.
Look for a toebox that stays out of the way, and allows your foot to flex and spread naturally in both width and length, without rubbing or restricting your toes.