The 4 Best Road-Running Shoes of 2026: Tested

Our testers were enthusiastic about the Phantom 4, an amply cushioned yet lightweight daily trainer from Topo Athletic. The brand is known for their roomy toe boxes, zero to moderate heel-to-toe drops (this pair has 5 mm of drop between the forefoot and heel, offering gentle achilles support), and secure lockdown. These road-running shoes check all those boxes, while sporting plenty of foam for comfort long runs, along with their OrthoLite® Performance insoles, which can be swapped out for your own custom ones if desired. Florida-based tester Brooke B. called the midsole one of the most comfortable she's ever run in. "I'll be ditching my old running shoes to wear Topo Athletic from now on. They were springy and comfortable on all surfaces I tried them on."

The Phantom 4 also works well for all-terrain runners, who want to go from pavement and asphalt to paved trails and dirt paths. REI market program manager and Virginia-based tester Elena Kapp praised the road-running shoes for their traction. "They felt smooth enough to be fast but there was enough tread to handle crushed gravel when I came across it," says Kapp. REI marketing program specialist and Illinois-based tester Emily Leu confirmed that the shoes "performed well on asphalt, pavement and dirt." Leu also found the Phantom 4s workable in wet conditions: The shoes aren't water resistant and did get drenched during downpour, but "because [they're] so lightweight and [have] mesh uppers, the water did not pool inside of them and so made for a fairly pleasant run anyway!"

And if you like to speed up on your daily runs, look no further, as Brooke B. notes that the Phantom 4 feels stable at a variety of paces. "I use[d the shoes] for longer, slower runs as well as some speed work and [they] responded well with good energy return, comfort, and support through the arch and heel."

The Rebel series continues its legacy as a versatile and lightweight road-running shoe with the fifth iteration of this New Balance favorite. The Rebel v5 improves on what we loved about the previous version, adding streamlined, race-inspired mesh uppers and redesigned heels and tongues for elevated comfort and a better fit. "The shoe was perfectly comfortable straight out of the box, as a shoe should be," says Micah H., a New York-based tester. 

The latest version of the Rebel continues to include a nitrogen-infused FuelCell midsole using a PEBA and EVA blend, offering a bouncier and smoother ride with enhanced energy return that helps propel you forward. "[It] has me feeling peppy while keeping my foot supported," says Cassie da Costa, Run editor for REI’s Expert Advice, who deems it "very responsive, especially for a speed-friendly shoe that has no plate."

Both of our testers found the Rebel v5 to have sufficient stability and traction on all sorts of terrain, from slick New York City streets to sandy beaches. "For a tempo shoe, I felt there was a really excellent balance between decent support, but also keeping the shoe lightweight and breathable," says Micah H. "I never felt unstable in this shoe." 

Our verdict: "This shoe surprised me every time I wore it," gushes Micah H. "It felt so contradictory to me: a shoe so soft it absorbed all my energy like memory foam, yet lightweight/responsive enough that I could get over the softness and increase my tempo anyway."

The Adizero EVO SL takes its cues from adidas’s record-breaking racing lineup, specifically the Adizero Pro Evo 1. It turns that tech into a max-cushion, neutral shoe you can lace up every day. Testers raved about the midsole—a thick layer of bouncy foam—since it seems to do two jobs at once. “It somehow feels both cushiony and springy underfoot,” says Megan G., a Minnesota-based tester. “The springiness makes it fun to run fast, and the cushioning makes it easy to run slow.” Washington-based tester George O. agreed. He called the spring in the foam “superb” on speed workouts.  

Fit runs true to size. The toe box is roomy, and the breathable upper kept feet cool. George O. has a medium-width foot and found the fit spacious without any slipping but still had enough room to spread his toes. But, we have a tradeoff: The tongue and laces are minimal. Megan G. felt her lace bow dig into the front of her ankle on one side.  

The Continental rubber outsole (yes, the tire company) is standout. Megan G. says she could feel the traction “locking into the subtle texture of the sidewalk,” and praised the grippiness on wet pavement, dry gravel, and smooth dirt, too. Note: The tread is shallow, though (It’s a road-running shoe, after all.) George O. felt less sure-footed on wet grass. 

If there’s a bummer on the Adizero EVO SLs, it’s the minimal support. Both testers rated it on the low side, and Megan G. noted “a gaping void” where she’d normally feed a modicum of arch support. Neither tester felt especially steady when turning sharply, and George O. feared an ankle roll on slanted ground. But, if you grab these kicks for smooth, predictable surfaces, you shouldn’t have any issues. 

Still, durability looks promising. After 60 miles, George O. saw minimal wear on his sole and upper; both he and Megan expect to easily reach 100 miles without issue.

The HOKA Mach 7 keeps the snappy, responsive ride HOKA fans expect from this line, but it’s now wrapped in a redesigned upper. Testers loved the midsole foam thanks to the springy, lightweight cushioning. The secret sauce: Hoka injected gas into the foam while it was molded. “It’s responsive, bouncy, and generally good at handling different types of pavement and asphalt,” said Fi L., a California local and longtime REI Co-op tester. Ohio-based tester Dani J. agreed on the shoe’s balance. “I still feel light on my feet but have enough cushioning to find it comfortable and forgiving,” she said. 

The upper garnered mixed reactions. Dani J. liked the fit, noting the heel cup felt secure. “I didn’t need to do a runner’s lace in this version,” she explained of the special lacing technique she used in the past to lock her heel in place. But Fi L. had a rougher go of it. They found the black colorway wasn’t the most breathable, and the shoe felt stiffer than earlier HOKAs. “They never felt broken in, even after several long runs,” they said. 

Responsiveness was a highlight for Dani J., who found it easy to pick up the pace in the Mach 7s. Tradeoff: “I didn’t quite get the ‘pop’ from them.” Traction was equally serviceable, but unremarkable for both testers. In fact, Fi L. felt some slipping in wet weather and on hillier paved sections that were covered in light dust. Still, neither tester found it alarming. “It does a good enough job of keeping you upright in most conditions,” Dani J. said. “You definitely don’t feel like you are ice skating.” 

Durability is solid, too. Fi L. didn’t notice any wear after 25 miles, and—most importantly—doesn’t think they’ll see any for a while. Bonus: If you’re a Hyrox junkie, take note. Dani J. used the Mach 7s as her training shoe, and they kept her happy through her sessions.