7 Best Sneakers

How we test sneakers

We are always on top of which sneakers are fresh on the market. But 'fresh' isn't a guarantee of greatness. Here at RunRepeat, we like to let you in on what is genuinely exceptional. With that intention, of course, we give you our full, honest opinion and verdict. To keep our reviews objective, we spend our own money to cop all the sneakers we test. 

Moreover, we try out each of the sneakers while out and about—on the streets, in malls, parks, restaurants, etc. As if that weren't enough, we also put the sneakers through a series of standardized tests in our lab. We test their durability using a Dremel and intentionally damaging the sneakers, breathability by pumping the smoke into the sneakers, leather quality by putting it on fire, and more!

Our focus in this guide is to make sure you get the right pair of sneakers that is perfect for your feet and planned use. Everything we recommend here is written with the idea that you’re not getting a new pair only as a fashion statement. We dive deep into different lab tests and features so that you can enjoy the sneakers for a long time and definitely not only during a few social media shots. 

4 most important things to pay attention to when buying sneakers 

Given that the design, colorways, and style are a personal preference, we can’t discuss those and say which one is better. But we can focus on the comfort and functionality of sneakers. With that in mind, here are 5 things you should keep in mind when buying a new pair of sneakers:

1. Cushioning. How often you’ll wear sneakers and for how long is very important. Walking for an hour or more, spending the day in sneakers, traveling – it all asks for good cushioning, especially if you come from averagely-cushioned footwear.
2. Support. Some people overpronate and need extra support, others may just enjoy it for different reasons. Without it, premature fatigue may occur or even pain. We prioritize cushioning and support because they are at the intersection of the 2 most important areas: comfort and functionality! 
3. Breathability. In summer, you want them as breezy as possible. When temperatures go below 0, you want an upper that traps the heat. 
4. Durability. Of course, you can’t know in advance how durable a sneaker is (unless you look at our lab data, that is). However, you can know how you plan to use sneakers and what are the usual signs of wear and tear on your footwear. If your pinky toe often tries to escape and pokes a hole through the upper, you may want to look for a more durable toebox or a more roomy one. If your heel often damages the padding behind it, we can suggest more durable heel areas, and so on. 

We will go down the rabbit hole and discuss all of these features below. 

Finding the best cushioning in sneakers 

When we talk about cushioning, we need to cover 2 things: stack heights and midsole softness. 

How cushioned you need your sneakers to be depends entirely on how high off the ground you want to be. If you prefer a ground feel and sensing the little stones and cracks, go for minimalist or low-stack sneakers. On the other hand, high-stacked sneakers or even platforms offer a lot of cushioning but this may come at the price of stability. 

When midsoles are softer and higher, they tend to be less stable. Here, unlike in running and hiking shoes, plates are not added for extra stiffness and responsiveness, so it’s best to be careful. 

Curb test: assessing how soft the midsoles feel 

Sneakers with arch support 

When walking, some people use their footwear evenly. This usually means their pronation is neutral. The majority of people overpronate, which means their ankles roll inward. The smallest percent of people underpronates.

Those who overpronate usually have flat or low arches and need supportive sneakers. These sneakers don’t have trademarked stabilizing technologies like the ones we see in running shoes but are rather sturdy and torsionally stiffer. The upper has structure and the whole sneaker design prevents the feet from wobbling.

Very stable sneakers 

You don’t have to overpronate to feel the need for more stable sneakers. Maybe you love high-stacked sneakers that often turn out to be unstable, or softer midsoles that are not so stable when cornering or on varying terrain. This varying terrain does not have to be demanding trails, but cobblestones or trails in the park where you walk your dog every day. 

Of course, you don’t have to assess the width by looking at the sneakers, you can look at our reviews and lab data. This way, you can find sneakers with the widest platforms to make sure your walks are planted and secure. To be extra stable, you can also look for sneakers that are torsionally rigid! 

Assessing torsional rigidity on a 1-5 scale by twisting the sneaker: 1/5 is very flexible and 5/5 very rigid 

Breathability of sneakers: lab test results 

When it comes to materials, we usually deal with mesh sneakers, knit sneakers, or leather sneakers. All of these breathe differently. 

In our lab, we pump the smoke into the toebox and then assess the breathability on a 1-5 scale. 5/5 is the most breathable and 1/5 the least 

It’s important to note that there’s no good and bad here. The rating of 5 is great for summer and sweaty feet. The rating of 1 is great for very cold weather as the heat stays in the shoe. So, it’s about your needs and the climate you’re living in. 

To further examine the upper, we also look at it under the microscope. This allows us to discover small ventilation holes (when there are some) or to see multiple layers that lower the breathability score. 

There’s a lot of room between the ratings of 1/5 and 5/5. Which season such sneakers will work for depends mostly on a) the outside temperature, b) how sweaty your feet are, c) the type of socks you’re wearing - thicker, thinner, with moisture-wicking properties, etc. Many can be used across different seasons. 

Fake or real leather sneakers

While we’re on the topic of materials, we can’t skip the leather quality. Many brands will advertise something as leather and it’s on us to let you know whether those are real or fake. 

Fake leather: it melts and is like glue 

In the lab, we test the quality of the leather by burning it. Top-grain, full-grain, or simply real leather barely gets scorched when we torch it, and it smells like burnt hair. Fake leather, on the other hand, bursts into flames and melts, often revealing more layers. 

Real leather: does not burst into flames and remains dry with low-level damage (not glue-like)

Just by looking at the sneakers, it may be difficult to know whether the leather is real or not. 

Details that will tell you it’s most likely FAKE leather:

• 1st layer may look as if it was separating
• Blue-ish color as a result of tanning with with chromium salts
• Foamy feel
• The backside has a fuzzy look (loose fibers wiggling in all directions). 

Details that will tell you it’s most likely REAL leather: 

• Never has the 1st layer separating
• No residues of blue salts
• Feels dense, packed, solid
• The backside is flat, not fuzzy
• When you look at the raw edge where it was cut, you can see the grain pattern at the very top 
• Can not be cheap. 

Durability of sneakers: Dremel test results

When it comes to durability, in our lab, we test 3 sneaker parts: the toebox, the heel padding, and the outsole. In all 3 cases, we use our Dremel, and all our tests are standardized. This means that we always use the same pressure, time duration, and RPM (rotations per minute). 

Testing the durability of the sneaker toebox in RunRepeat lab. This toebox scored 4/5 (meaning it is durable)

When we intentionally damage the toebox or the heel padding, we look at the dent and, based on its depth and diameter, we assess the damage on a 1-5 scale. 5 stands for very durable and 1 for very bad durability. 

However, due to the difference in materials, when we damage the outsole, we don’t have to assess the damage. 

This outsole durability test ended up with a 4.5mm deep dent! This is a horrible result, given that the average is 1.1 mm. This outsole has very bad durability!

We use a tire tread gauge to measure the depth of the dent. Logically, the deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole. 

Toebox width: exact measurements

We all have different foot lengths, widths, and shapes. Knowing how wide a toebox is, especially in 2 places, is extremely important. It can make it or break it or, to transfer to the sneakerhead language, our accurate measurements can save you time on ordering and returning a sneaker that’s too narrow or too wide. 

Pouring a gel into the toebox and freezing it. This way, we create a gel mold that’s an exact replica of the toebox 

Once the gel has hardened, we can take our caliper and take the measurements. 

You may wonder why we do both measurements. The answer lies in different toe shapes (see image below). 

Some people need more room closer to the tip of the sneaker, while others need more room around the ball of the foot. 

The bigger the difference between these 2 value, the more pointy the toebox! Like in the toebox on the left. On the right, we see a much rounder toebox 

Padding means extra comfort 

Padding is what you see on the inside of the sneakers and it’s usually soft and foamy. It adds a lot to the overall comfort but also makes the sneakers heavier and less breathable. 

Padding behind or around the heel can help lock the heel in place, especially when the heel counter is not overly soft. It also works well in sneakers that people love wearing sockless because it reduces the changes of uncomfortable rubbing. 

We also have padding in the tongue and this is what may impact the breathability. Although we mainly look at the toebox when we test the breathability of sneakers, some expect the tongues to breathe as well. 

Thick tongues also help prevent the lace bite. When you need to tighten those laces again and again, having a thicker tongue can help so that your instep does not feel the pressure from the laces. 

On the other hand, some sneakerheads enjoy the thinnest uppers ever, tongues included. In this case, it’s usually canvas sneakers that are great for summer. 

Different sneaker styles: overview

There are different sneaker styles and this is a completely personal preference. Here, we’ll offer an overview and what we think you should pay attention to if you’re considering any of these. All of these features are covered below in greater detail. 

Timeless classics and retros. Pay attention to their durability, especially when made of canvas.

Platforms and wedges are great because you get taller and they make a bold statement, but make sure to check their weight. Too heavy and you won’t be able to make it the whole day in them. 

Rugged, trail-ready sneakerboots. We suggest checking their weight and whether they can be used as legit trail shoes (most often, this is not the case). 

Sporty sneakers look wildly different and it depends on the sport that inspired them. Given the variety here, we can’t focus on 1-2 things to look at but will talk more about these sneakers later on.

Elegant dress sneakers, when made of leather, may crease too soon or in places where it looks bad. 

Clean and simple, minimalist sneakers look great, especially in summer. Make sure whether they offer enough support and cushioning for your feet and daily needs.

Chunky and dad shoes have long been a favorite of not just dads around the world. We recommend checking whether they may be too stiff and even overpriced. 

High, mid, or a low top?

You should also take into account the overall design: is it a high top, mid top, or a low top? 

Materials play a big role here, not just breathability-wise, but stiffer materials can give more structure. Think of a high top, if it’s made of leather and thick padding, it can offer some ankle support.

On the other hand, thin canvas high tops like Chuck Taylors, don’t offer any ankle support regardless of the height of the cut.