7 Best Stability Running Shoes

How we test running shoes

It is our mission to save you time in picking the best shoe out of 100+ stability running shoes on the market. Here is how:

• We research hundreds of studies on foot biomechanics and running footwear to understand what a good stability shoe is.
• We purchase all the shoes with our own money to prevent bias and brand loyalty.
• We test run at least 30-50 miles in each pair before we deliver our feedback.
• With our RunRepeat lab, we cut each shoe into pieces and measure 30+ different parameters that contribute to its performance - from cushioning softness to lace slippage.

And the best stability running shoes make it here.

This guide is here to educate and explain shoe design, not give medical advice. If you’re injured, experiencing any pain, or not sure whether overpronation is the cause of the pain, we recommend visiting a specialist. 

Who stability shoes are for?

During running, when we land on the surface, our arch collapses to absorb the shock, and the rearfoot rolls inward at the ankle. This is pronation and it’s completely normal and necessary when running. 

However, some ankles roll far too inward. This is overpronation and the majority of runners overpronate. 

Stability running shoes are made for overpronators because they use different technologies to help with overpronation. This means they stabilise the landing and correct the movement (to a certain degree) so that the excessive inward movement is stopped and the heels get the necessary support. 

There are different levels of overpronation, mild, moderate, and severe, and the more runners overpronate, the more stability is needed. In some cases, when overpronation is severe, runners use orthotics and motion-control shoes. 

With the rise of new technologies, we’re seeing fewer motion-control shoes and more modern stability running shoes. 

It’s also important to note that race shoes rarely offer any stability elements. They can have a very tall and narrow base, ridiculously thin heel counters, etc. This is because, at faster workouts, runners usually require less stability. 

However, when doing longer runs, our feet get tired, and we tend to land harder and even change our strike (from forefoot to heel). It’s when we need more stability, and that’s why we have more stability shoes in the realm of daily trainers. 

How to recognise stability shoes 

Stability shoes implement some trademarked technologies developed by different brands and they implement different geometry elements (not trademarked). 

But, when it comes to visual inspection, there are quite a few things you can pay attention to to understand whether the shoe is neutral or a stability one. Stability shoes often feature 2 or more of the following geometry elements listed below.

Medial post

Medial post is a piece of firmer foam or plastic located on the medial (inner) side of the shoe and its role is to prevent the excessive inward roll of the ankle and collapsing of the arch. It can also be somewhat longer and look like a frame. 

Dual-density midsole 

It can appear as a firmer foam on the inside or under the arch, in the form of trademarked technologies like Hoka’s J-frame or H-frame, or brands simply get creative and combine different midsole densities to increase the stability. 

In our lab, we measure the softness of both midsoles present (explained more below). 

Stiff and padded heel counters 

The stiffness of the heel counter allows for a heel to stay put and not to wobble. The more stability, the merrier! And padding usually helps with the lockdown. Usually only race shoes have no padding and insanely soft heel area. 

In our lab, we assess the stiffness of the heel counter by pushing it and squeezing it. We rate it on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest. 

Guide 16 scored 5/5 (the stiffest) on our heel counter stiffness test

These heel counters are not just stiff but also padded. They cradle the heel nicely to make it super locked in and stable. 

Stiffer base 

The base often has plates or rods in the midsole or is simply stiffer, thanks to the amount of rubber in the outsole and the density of the foam in the midsole. In RunRepeat shoe lab, we test a) longitudinal stiffness and b) torsional stiffness. 

Testing longitudinal stiffness with a digital force gauge 

The higher the number on our digital force gauge, the more force we needed to bend the shoe to 90 degrees, which means it is stiffer. Lower numbers indicate more flexible shoes. 

Assessing torsional rigidity in RunRepeat lab

When it comes to torsional rigidity, we assign each shoe a rating on a 1-5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest. 

Wide base

This is needed because extra width ensures planted landings. Basically, we’re avoiding narrow and high platforms, as you’d see in some race shoes. The wider, the better! 

While the width of the base is more important in stability running shoes because overpronators usually land on the heel, in our lab we actually measure the width of the base in 2 places: at the forefoot and at the heel. 

Full-ground contact outsole

It helps a lot when it comes to that secure feel. Some shoes have cutouts in the outsole to lose weight or to improve flexibility. That is, of course, not a bad thing, but when it comes to stability, more ground contact is better. 

Side walls

The midsole is extended upward to create a “wall” which provides more structure and keeps the foot locked in. 

These sidewalls can create the illusion that the heel drop is smaller. But, no need to worry because we cut shoes in half and follow WorldAthletics guidelines when it comes to measuring stack heights. No sidewalls are tricking us! 

Heel bevel

Heel bevel is a curved back of the heel that reduces the amount of stress in the tibialis anterior muscle, and it improves the transition for heel strikers. The more it’s bevelled, the faster the forefoot hits the ground. 

Sole flare

This is a protrusion that can appear on the medial and lateral sides. For heel strikers, it’s important that it’s present at the heel. This means that the protrusion (midsole) becomes wider than the upper.

Those who pronate at the heel should look for a medial heel flare. Those who pronate at the forefoot can look for medial forefoot flare. 

Structural upper overlays

These overlays help with support and stability by ensuring a superb lockdown, especially around the midfoot. They are present on the upper and can have different shapes and stiffness levels and usually feel extra secure. 

Brands' trademarked technologies found in stability shoes 

There are many technologies used to help overpronators run better and we will mention more popular ones below. 

Weight of the stability running shoes

Because of all the technologies implemented in stability running shoes, they tend to weigh more than neutral running shoes. Some, much more. See a few examples: 

• Average weight of a neutral running shoe: 262.9g or 9.3 oz
• Average weight of a stability running shoe: 285.0g or 10.0 oz
• Lightest neutral shoe: 149g or 5.2 oz
• Lightest stability shoe: 228g or 8.0 oz

We always weigh every shoe that comes into our lab, and we don’t always get the same or even similar numbers as the brands advertised. We measure shoes in men’s US 9. 

For context, here are the weights of the best-rated stability shoes: 

And, if you want the lightest stability shoes possible, here’s the list: 

How soft are stability running shoes?

Depends on the technologies and geometry. If more stability is given by a firmer midsole, then the midsole is firmer. If there are external stability elements, like a stiff heel counter, then the midsoles can be softer. 

Regardless of the technology and geometry, we measure the softness of the midsole on every shoe. We cut it in half and stick the needle of the durometer in the foam. The number on the durometer tells us how soft or firm the midsole is: lower numbers mean softer, and higher numbers mean firmer. 

In case we notice it’s a dual-density midsole, we take both measurements. 

If you prefer softer running shoes, here are the softest ones we’ve tested (these tables are automatically updated with every review we do): 

In case you prefer firmer midsoles, this selection is for you: 

Durability of stability running shoes

When durability is discussed, most often, it’s the outsole durability that is mentioned. And, fair enough, it’s important to know how durable the outsole is, especially for overpronators who don’t land evenly on the heel and who see signs of wear and tear sooner because of it. 

Using a Dremel to test the durability of the outsole

For the outsole durability test, we press our Dremel against the outsole (always the same pressure, RPMs, and duration) and then measure the depth of the damage using a tyre tread gauge.

The deeper the dent, the less durable the outsole. 

Of course, we don’t stop here. Using the Dremel again, we test the durability of the toebox and the heel padding. 

Testing the durability of the toebox using a Dremel in RunRepeat lab

Testing the durability of the heel padding 

But, in these 2 cases, we can’t measure the dent because the materials are soft. So, we assess the damage on a 1-5 scale, where 1 is the least durable. 

Stable running shoes vs. stability running shoes 

Stability running shoes are not the same as stable neutral shoes. Neutral shoes can be stable on their own, but stability shoes have the technologies to help overpronators specifically. 

Stable neutral shoes are still neutral, which means they have some geometrical stability elements, but would most likely not be enough for overpronators, except very mild ones.