New Balance · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
New Balance Fresh Foam X More 6
306 g, 4 mm drop, 44/40 mm stack, Fresh Foam X foam.
306 g · 4 mm drop · 44/40 stack
$165
MSRP
Shoe guide
Running shoes by heel-to-toe drop
Drop changes where a shoe loads your legs: lower drops ask more of your calves and Achilles, higher drops ask more of your knees and hips. Neither is better – the right drop is the one you can run in comfortably.
Below, the same shortlist is grouped into low, mid and traditional drop bands. If you are switching bands, do it gradually.
Low drop – 0 to 4 mm
Mid drop – 5 to 8 mm
HOKA · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
HOKA Skyward X 2
311 g, 5 mm drop, 45.8/40.8 mm stack, carbon plate, PEBA / Super Critical EVA foam.
311 g · 5 mm drop · 45.8/40.8 stack
$225
MSRP
HOKA · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
HOKA Bondi 9
297 g, 5 mm drop, 43/38 mm stack, Super Critical EVA foam.
297 g · 5 mm drop · 43/38 stack
$175
MSRP
Mizuno · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Mizuno Wave Sky 9
290 g, 6 mm drop, 44/38 mm stack, MIZUNO ENERZY NXT / MIZUNO ENERZY foam.
290 g · 6 mm drop · 44/38 stack
$180
MSRP
Saucony · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Saucony Paramount Max
302 g, 6 mm drop, 43/37 mm stack, incrediRUN foam.
302 g · 6 mm drop · 43/37 stack
$200
MSRP
ASICS · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28
281 g, 8 mm drop, 43.5/35.5 mm stack, FF BLAST PLUS / PureGEL foam.
281 g · 8 mm drop · 43.5/35.5 stack
$170
MSRP
Brooks · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Brooks Ghost Max 4
292 g, 6 mm drop, 40/34 mm stack, DNA LOFT v3 foam.
292 g · 6 mm drop · 40/34 stack
$165
MSRP
Brooks · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Brooks Glycerin 23
300 g, 8 mm drop, 38/30 mm stack, DNA TUNED foam.
300 g · 8 mm drop · 38/30 stack
$175
MSRP
Puma · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Puma MagMax NITRO 2
275 g, 8 mm drop, 46/38 mm stack, NITROFOAM foam.
275 g · 8 mm drop · 46/38 stack
$180
MSRP
Topo Athletic · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Topo Athletic Atmos 2
281 g, 5 mm drop, 40/35 mm stack, ZipFoam foam.
281 g · 5 mm drop · 40/35 stack
$170
MSRP
Adidas · Max-cushion trainer · Not yet tested
Adidas Hyperboost Edge
255 g, 6 mm drop, 45/39 mm stack, Hyperboost Pro foam.
255 g · 6 mm drop · 45/39 stack
$200
MSRP
Traditional drop – 9 to 12 mm
Nike · Max-cushion trainer
Nike Vomero 18
Nike's plushest everyday trainer: a ZoomX top layer over ReactX makes slow miles genuinely comfortable.
309 g · 10 mm drop · 46/36 stack
$150
MSRP
Specs and role judgements are reviewed editorially and carry a last-reviewed date on each product page. This is decision support, not medical advice.
Read before you buy
Shoe basics · 4 min
Heel-to-toe drop, explained
Drop is the height difference between heel and forefoot – it shapes how a shoe loads your legs, not how fast it is.
Read →Shoe basics · 4 min
Neutral vs stability shoes
Most runners do fine in neutral shoes; stability shoes help when support makes running more comfortable, not because pronation is inherently bad.
Read →Shoe basics · 4 min
How running shoes should fit
A running shoe should hold your heel and midfoot securely while leaving a thumb's width of space in front of your longest toe.
Read →