7 Best Comfortable Trainers in 2026

How we test comfortable trainers

RunRepeat shoe lab is all about objectivity, transparency, and independence. That's why we buy the trainers with our own money and accept no freebies! We've implemented a process that helps us decide which trainers to buy and when. 

We personally test all the trainers and wear them in different weather conditions and over different surfaces. We pay special attention to the details and note down everything we notice regarding the fit, performance, overall feel, and durability. 

We bring the trainers to the lab where we dissect them and use specialised machines and tools to measure their stiffness, shock absorption, midsole softness, traction, energy return, and more, which all result in 30+ data points that describe each sneaker. 

We publish everything we discover along the way on our website. Given that our tests are standardised, all the results are comparable. 

Starting with the obvious: proper fit. Getting a sneaker that’s too small, too wide, or that puts a lot of pressure on your instep is certainly a deal breaker. We hope you know how to nail the fit and that the basics are: there should be no hot spots, no sliding inside the sneaker, and no heel slipping. If you’re still not sure about this, we recommend reading our article How to measure shoe size first. 

5 features of comfortable trainers 

Comfort is subjective (varies among individuals and is influenced by sex; Kong, Brandon, 2010), but thanks to our field and lab testing, we’re able to list the features that make trainers comfortable and explain in greater detail what you should pay attention to. It seems that the majority find lightweight soft shoes with rockered geometry comfortable (Menz, Bonanno; 2021), but we want to help you figure out what works best for you.

Here’s a breakdown of those features: 

1. Shock absorption is definitely the most important factor when it comes to comfort. The higher it is, the better, because it means the midsoles will do most of the work and send less stress to your legs. Based on our tests, we recommend looking for trainers with a shock absorption of at least 100 SA. 
2. Midsole softness is what most would say is the #1 feature, but we beg to differ. We do think it is important to be aware of the softness because it helps you understand what works for you and what you find comfortable. Trainers should not feel like bricks but they should not be too soft either. 
3. Comfortable trainers do not offer ground feel. We know that there are some barefoot/minimalist enthusiasts out there, but the fact is, feeling the ground in minimally cushioned trainers is tiring for the feet. Premature fatigue does not go hand in hand with the high levels of comfort we’re aiming for here. 
4. If you’re a fan of that natural feel when walking, we recommend looking at the stiffness of the trainers. Some platforms are very stiff and can be uncomfortable if you’re not used to them. 
5. If you are very active in your trainers, we recommend looking for a moderate-to-high energy return. Having good energy return together with good shock absorption is a supercombo. 

#1 thing to look for when prioritising comfort 

Although it may not be intuitive, given that it’s not a popular topic, good shock absorption is a feature to prioritise when looking for comfort. Shock absorption is all about the impact protection: it tells us how good the midsole is at dampening the impact each time we hit the ground wearing trainers. 

Think of it like this: when you’re barefoot and walking briskly, your heels hit the asphalt so hard you have to change the way you walk so that you land more lightly and avoid painful heels. When wearing trainers, you can keep pounding because you rely on the midsole to deal with the impact forces. And that’s exactly what it does. 

In our lab, we test shock absorption and energy return at the same time. We do this following a strict ASTM F1976-13 protocol. A shock absorption higher than 100 SA is what we consider a rule for finding comfortable trainers. For context, anything higher than 105 SA is high shock absorption, and if it falls between 80 and 105 SA, it is moderate. 

The higher the shock absorption, the more protective the midsole. This means that such trainers would be super comfortable even for all-day wear when you keep walking or standing for long periods. 

While we’re here, it’s best to cover energy return as well, given that the test is done at the same time with shock absorption. Energy return tells us what the ride is like or what the midsole is like. 

When energy return is very low, such midsoles are usually described as dead or dull. When it’s high, they are called lively, responsive, peppy. This feature is very important in running. In walking and casual use, not so much, but again, if you are quite active, we recommend taking it into account. 

For reference, energy return above 55% is considered high, and 45-55% is considered moderate. 

Softness of comfortable trainers

Softness is THE feature everyone talks about when they try the trainers straight out of the box. It’s certainly a big factor when it comes to comfort, but it’s also something that depends on personal needs and the design of the sneaker. 

The number on the display tells us how soft the sneaker is: lower numbers mean softer midsoles, higher numbers mean firmer midsoles. Looking at the lab data, you have plenty of trainers to choose from in all 3 categories: soft (durometer number lower than 20 HA), moderate (20-30HA), or firm (higher than 30 HA). 

Softer shoes may feel more comfortable but we don’t recommend very soft shoes if you need stability, be it for overpronation, flat feet, or any other reason. Firmer shoes may sound uncomfortable but the extra stability they bring to the table often overshadows everything else. Again, too firm, and your feet may hurt. It’s all about the balance. 

If it turns out that you’re considering trainers that are maybe too firm for you, look at their insoles. If thin and replaceable, you can use a more cushioned insole instead.  

Why is there no ground feel in comfortable trainers?

Ground feel is something we experience in trainers that are very low to the ground. This means that the midsole is thin enough to allow us to feel the little cracks or pebbles that we’re walking on. This is a priority in barefoot and some minimalist trainers, but it’s not something we look for in comfortable trainers. 

Feeling every little thing below your feet is great for foot strengthening and proprioception (Biscarini et al., 2024), but it is also tiring. That’s why transitioning to barefoot shoes is done gradually, so that the muscles and body have time to adapt to it and gain resilience. Finally, we can conclude that comfortable trainers are high-stacked. This is not only because we are avoiding ground feel but because moderate-to-high shock absorption is not found in low-stacked trainers. There needs to be a midsole that’s thick enough in order to dampen the impact forces effectively. 

Lab data on the stiffness of comfortable trainers

We don’t often think about flexibility as a comfort factor. But, the moment we put on trainers that we’re not used to, we get a reality check. Stiffness matters. 

In our lab, we test the stiffness of trainers by locking the forefoot in place, adjusting for the forefoot rocker, and then measuring how much force is needed to bend the sneaker to 30 degrees. More force needed = stiffer trainers.

When trainers need less than 10N to be bent to 30 degrees, we consider them flexible. Higher than 17N and we find them stiff. 

Sweaty feet are a big NO: breathability of comfortable trainers

We can’t say that there’s a good or a bad breathability in trainers. This depends on the season and the wearer; 2 people may be looking at the same sneaker while considering them for opposite seasons. It makes sense that the sneaker can’t satisfy both people; one’s feet can be freezing, or the other’s can be swimming in sweat. 

We test the breathability in our lab by directing the smoke from a smoke machine using a 3D-printed casts that channel the smoke into the toebox. Then, we watch where the smoke comes out and how fast and assign a 1-5 breathability rating to each model. 

If you’re looking for trainers that are warm enough in winter, we recommend those that scored 1/5 or 2/5 on our test. For very hot climates, we recommend 5/5. Of course, you can adjust the sock thickness and materials to make the trainers more versatile across seasons.

Some of the best combos are super breathable uppers with reflective details!

Can comfortable trainers be lightweight as well?

When we think of high-stacked trainers, we often worry about the weight. The extra chunk is not an issue when you’re wearing trainers for a very short time, but if you actually want to use them regularly as daily beaters, too-heavy trainers become a burden. 

The average weight of all trainers we’ve tested so far is 13.8 oz or 390g and we consider them lightweight when they weigh less than 13 oz or 370g.

Comfort is out when your toes are cramped 

Although this section falls under the “nail the size” section, it’s worth emphasising it because many people struggle with the right fit when it comes to width. Because of this, we’ve developed a special liquid that we pour into the sneaker, freeze, and end up with a perfect mould of the sneaker’s interiors. 

We use this mould to measure the width of the sneaker, the width of the toebox, and the height of the toebox. 

We consider the toebox wide when it exceeds 72 mm. When it’s <67 mm, we consider it narrow. 

It takes more than 95 mm for a shoe to be wide. Less than 90 mm and we consider it narrow. 

The average toebox height of all trainers is 27.8 mm.