Walmart Athletic Works Core Jogger 2.0 review

We believe that the Walmart Athletic Works Core Jogger 2.0 is a great choice for those who:

• Have an extremely tight budget but still want a running shoe.
• Need a low-cost shoe they can wear out and replace without worrying about the expense.
• Run short distances occasionally but mainly want an affordable shoe for everyday wear.

The Walmart Athletic Works Core Jogger 2.0 makes some clear compromises in cushioning. We measured 105 SA in the heel and just 62 SA in the forefoot, with both results falling short of average.

In our view, this is a major limitation for regular running, particularly for forefoot strikers.

Energy return is another weak point. We recorded just 40.0% in the forefoot and 44.7% in the heel, confirming a rather lifeless ride from the EVA foam.

That said, these low numbers are very much in line with what we'd expect at such a ridiculously low price.

The sculpted sidewalls give this shoe a fairly substantial appearance, but our measurement revealed a moderate heel stack of 33.5 mm.

In our view, there's a reasonable amount of material beneath the rearfoot.

At 20.5 mm, the forefoot has a much thinner build.

We found relatively little material beneath the ball of the foot compared with most modern running shoes.

We measured a steep 13.0 mm drop, giving the shoe a strongly heel-biased geometry. That pronounced slope places the heel substantially above the forefoot, making this a more natural match for runners who already prefer high-drop footwear.

Walmart uses a basic EVA midsole here, and we measured 45.5 AC when testing its softness. That's a firm result, so runners expecting pillow-like cushioning from the Core Jogger 2.0 will need to adjust their expectations. The foam offers a more resistant feel under pressure.

After our freezer test, it became 15% firmer, a positive result that helps preserve a more consistent feel when temperatures drop.

The conventional shape of the Core Jogger 2.0 lacks the pronounced rocker geometry now common in running shoes, making it clear that the main focus here isn't running performance, but everyday comfort for walking or standing.

The Athletic Works Core Jogger 2.0 measured 96.0 mm at the widest point of our fit mold, putting its overall width close to average.

Walmart also offers wide sizing, which is useful for shoppers who need more room.

We measured 72.7 mm near the big toe, a result close to average that gives the front a conventional shape. There's some taper as the upper approaches the toes.

Vertical space is a much bigger concern. Our measurement came in at just 20.7 mm, leaving an exceptionally low ceiling above the toes.

This is the fit limitation we'd pay closest attention to, especially for individuals with taller toes or a preference for thick socks.

The Core Jogger 2.0 delivered a pleasant surprise in our traction test over wet concrete, scoring a very strong 0.72 and surpassing many mainstream brands that are charging 5x or 10x more.

The outsole combines exposed EVA with thermoplastic rubber pods at the heel and forefoot. We found a large uncovered section through the middle, with shallow texture molded into the foam.

Some grooves divide the forefoot pods, while a horseshoe-shaped piece wraps around the heel.

The Walmart Athletic Works Core Jogger 2.0 required 13.8N of force in our 30-degree bend test, slightly below average but still somewhat more than we expected from a shoe with such a low forefoot stack height.

At 11.0 oz (312g), the Core Jogger 2.0 is heavier than its simple appearance implies. We found a substantial weight penalty for a shoe with modest cushioning and basic construction.

Looking at the construction of the Core Jogger 2.0, we found several features that provide a structured foundation: a broad heel platform, firm EVA, low forefoot stack and an overlay wrapping around the rearfoot. The sole also retains a fairly substantial waist through the middle.

In fact, we believe that the Core Jogger 2.0 can deliver a good running experience for those with mild overpronation.

The shoe offers a structured response to twisting. We measured 17.0 Nm in our torsional test, putting it on the more rigid side of average.

The heel looks heavily reinforced from the outside, but we gave the counter a moderate 3/5 after testing its stiffness. It retains some give when pressed, offering a middle ground between a collapsible heel and a rigid design.

Our calipers showed 117.5 mm across the forefoot platform, giving the shoe a reasonably broad base beneath the ball of the foot. 

We also found a generous 95.5 mm heel platform, which makes sense alongside the shoe's high-drop geometry.

There's a substantial landing area beneath the rearfoot, avoiding the narrow heel found in some more streamlined designs. For us, this is a useful feature for heel strikers who value a broad base of support.

The upper handled our abrasion test surprisingly well, earning a strong 4/5 for toebox durability. We found limited damage to the tested area, which is encouraging at this price.

Another 4/5 came from the heel padding, where the lining resisted our abrasion test with only limited damage.

Unfortunately, the outsole tells a very different story. We measured a severe 4.5 mm dent after our abrasion test, revealing poor resistance to wear.

There's certainly no shortage of outsole material, as we measured a substantial 5.4 mm layer.

The non-marking outsole (Walmart even highlights this on the heel rubber) comes with a trade-off in durability, and we believe that's likely why the brand opted for such an extra-thick layer to compensate.

Walmart describes the knit upper as breathable, but we found limited airflow in our smoke test and gave it just 2/5.

Under the microscope, we found closely packed knit loops with no big openings between them.

The lacing system uses broad, flat laces threaded through punched eyelets in a reinforced panel. We also found a central tongue loop that keeps the laces aligned with the tongue. It's the simple, familiar setup anyone expects from a cheap running shoe.

We measured a generous 8.6 mm of tongue padding. This thick layer provides plenty of material between the laces and the top of the foot, a welcome comfort feature for all-day usage.

We found no gussets connecting the tongue to the sides of the upper, but that was totally expected at this price.

The memory foam insole measured 6.6 mm, making it a substantial layer inside the shoe.

We had no trouble removing the insole, making it easy to swap the stock footbed for a preferred alternative. In fact, we think replacing it with a thinner option could be a smart way to gain some toebox height.

A finger-loop tab gives us a convenient grip when pulling the heel into place. It's an amazing addition at this price.

We found no reflective elements, leaving the upper without any details designed to reflect light during nighttime use.

Even among budget athletic shoes, this is an exceptionally low price point. For context, it's 10x cheaper than shoes like the adidas Hyperboost Edge or the Saucony Paramount Max, but does that make it 10 times worse? We don't think so...