Minimal Cushion Shoes

Which type do you want?

• Neutral shoes. Great choice for beginners; allow toes to lie flat and provide all-day comfort.
• Moderate shoes. Good all-around shoe. A slightly downturned shape and stickier rubber makes them good for technical climbing.
• Aggressive shoes. The very downturned toes put your feet in a powerful position for challenging sport routes and bouldering; less comfortable than the neutral or moderate shoes.

Choose key features.

• Shoe closure options include laces, straps or slip-on.
• Uppers can be synthetic or lined- or unlined leather. Unlined leather uppers can stretch a full size, while synthetic uppers don't stretch much.
• Climbing shoe last is the foot-shaped model around which a shoe is built. Most rock climbing shoes are slip-lasted, which tend to be sensitive and less stiff than board-lasted shoes.
  

Consider these shoe fit tips.

• Shop later in the day as your feet can swell up to a full size during the day.
• Your toes should lie flat or be comfortably curved; your toe knuckles shouldn’t bunch painfully.
• Try them on in person.

Where do you plan to run?

• Light trail: Best for well-groomed trails
• Rugged trail: Work on a wide variety of terrain, including technical trails
• Off trail: A more aggressive design protects you on rocky, extremely variable terrain

Cushion comes down to “feel” vs. “float”

• Minimal and barefoot cushioning: little to no padding, more ground feel
• Moderate cushioning: more traditional ride
• Maximum cushioning: softest, bounciest ride

Check the heel-to-toe drop

Barefoot and minimalist shoes are very flat with 0-4 mm drop. Moderate and maximalist shoes have higher drop. Choose what you're used to.

Consider the fit

Don't assume you know your size—go to your local REI or running-shoe store to get a fit assessment. Happy running!