Custom Shoe Making

Design Your Own Shoes - Freaky Shoes

The Expert: I used my own experience as a 14-time marathoner and longtime running shoe reviewer, as well as that of Runner’s World’s deputy editor, Jeff Dengate, one of the running industry’s leading experts. I also checked in with test editor Amanda Furrer, another authority on running shoes and gear. Both Dengate and Furrer test hundreds of new running shoes every year and have access to the Runner’s World shoe test data, a pool of feedback from dozens of thoughtful local runners willing to test-run new running shoes. You can read more about the process we used to evaluate these shoes below.

More foam doesn’t always mean a marshmallowy ride; however, many of the shoes here feature a generous midsole that provides plenty of cushion between your foot and the ground. You can also expect a pillowy landing from most of these models, due to lots of lightweight, protective EVA foam. For example, the New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v11 almost guarantees a comfortable footstrike, with a thick heel that’s one of the softest we’ve seen.

Even for runners who don’t have wide feet, a roomier forefoot gives toes plenty of space to splay naturally and helps prevent blisters and crowding. Altra’s signature foot-shaped toebox is one of the best examples of the added comfort benefits of a more generous forefoot; we also found the latest Saucony Triumph provided a more spacious fit.

We love those added details that make an upper more comfortable for the long haul. Daily trainers like the Saucony Triumph have extra padding around the tongue and heel for serious softness, while Brooks’s Glycerin has a bootie-like fit that hugs your foot with a mesh upper and plush interior lining. Shoes made from engineered mesh and open-weave knits provide better stretch and airflow to keep sweaty feet cool and ventilated.

Runner’s World works with more than 350 local runners of all abilities, ages, and sizes, for real-world wear-testing on paved roads, dirt paths, and rocky singletrack trails. After a month of running more than 100 miles in their pair of shoes, our testers report back their findings on features like fit, comfort, performance, and ride. While our testers are putting miles in, the same models undergo a battery of mechanical tests in our shoe lab to objectively measure the cushioning, flexibility, sole thickness, and weight of each. Our test editors combine their own experience with data from the lab and feedback from our wear testers to create reliable, useful reviews of every shoe we test. We were scrupulous in forming these recommendations of the most comfortable running shoes for every type of runner.

The Mach 4 is incredibly lightweight and has knocked the cushy, race-ready Rincon off its mantle. “It’s the best Mach yet, and perhaps the best current Hoka,” said RW deputy editor, Jeff Dengate. The updated design is modeled after the brand’s fastest shoes, the Carbon X and Rocket X. ProFly foam promotes high rebound, while the early-stage Meta-Rocker (a slightly curved sole) presses you on to catapult forward. The upgraded upper hugs your foot more securely so you won’t run out of these explosive Machs.

Packed into the Glycerin GTS is plush cushioning, high energy return, and stability that supports overpronators and neutral runners alike. Brooks has redefined its “Go-to-Shoe” acronym as “Go-to-Support” to go along with its new naming convention. The stability counterparts of neutral shoes are now re-dubbed with the neutral shoe’s name and “GTS” attached. In this case, the shoe formerly known as the Transcend is now known as the Glycerin GTS. Its guide rails system—dense foam on the lateral and medial sides of the heel—bumpers erratic knee movement.

The Paradigm is Altra’s cushiest trainer to date, with a thick slab of firm cushioning at the midsole that makes it well suited to both easy recovery runs and everyday workouts. It’s an ideal shoe for runners who like the maximum padding of the Hoka Clifton but with a little more energy return and stability underfoot, as well as a zero-drop platform. Our testers found it to be more versatile than expected for a shoe with a 33mm-high stack. “Though I first thought the Paradigm was going to be too bulky, I even used it for speedwork,” said one. Altra-sponsored runner Kara Goucher apparently agrees—she says she wears the comfy shoe for 70 percent of her workouts.

New Balance cranked up the Fresh Foam for the 1080 v9, adding a millimeter of softness underfoot to make the shoe more forgiving. In the 10th iteration, the company again upgraded the midsole, this time to Fresh Foam X, which felt soft (but not marshmallowy); laser-engraving shaved off about half an ounce from the previous version, making the shoe look sportier and more lightweight. Fortunately, not much has changed with the v11. Consistent with the v10, that thick slab of Fresh Foam X provides high energy return—and comfort. The designers tweaked the upper, making it stretchier in the forefoot for runners with wide feet.

Since its release in 1994, the Adrenaline GTS has gained a massive following for its soft platform and stability features that cater to both overpronators and neutral runners. It’s a flexible shoe that falls in the middle of Brooks’s more cushioned trainers, sitting between the plush Glycerin GTS and nimble Launch GTS—making it the true Goldilocks of shoe plush. The guide rails system provides bumper support for erratic knee movement caused by overpronation and late-onset overpronation due to running fatigue, i.e., that final stretch during your long run when your form breaks down.

The Clifton is beloved by dedicated distance runners and casual walkers alike for its maximum cushion and comfort on a very lightweight, streamlined platform. This latest version of the shoe has a new EVA midsole with even more bouncy energy return, plus a smoother ride and longer heel to soften your landings. Hoka also tweaked the mesh upper to be softer and more lightweight, with improved breathability. It’s a shoe that works well as an everyday training shoe, long-run shoe, or recovery shoe, but tends to feel a bit sluggish for race-pace efforts.

Beloved as a “crossover” shoe that’s equally capable of tackling smooth roads, technical trails, and unpredictable weather conditions, the Challenger ATR is the shoe to grab when you’re not sure where your run will take you. It boasts a thick EVA foam midsole that absorbs impact well, protecting your feet from the pavement or rocks, and stubby, 4mm lugs for traction on loose surfaces. A shoe tester with wider feet praised the fit and comfort of the upper, as well. “The padding all around the interior of the shoe felt cozy,” he said. “I commend Hoka for a great feel in these shoes. This is one pair I would feel comfortable going long distances in without hesitation.”

Although it’s one of the heavier shoes here, the Triumph rides light and bouncy, largely due to a new Pwrrun+ midsole that’s 28 percent lighter and even more responsive than the previous model’s. It’s Saucony’s softest shoe, and also among its most versatile—equally well suited to recovery runs and ample everyday mileage. The new airier, more breathable mono-mesh upper has plenty of space in the forefoot for toes to wiggle, while the pillowy collar and tongue provide a plushness on par with the overall coziness of the shoe.

When it comes to a plush ride that doesn’t lose its bounce in the final miles of a long run, the UltraBoost delivers. The Boost foam midsole has a well-cushioned feel with excellent shock absorption for long runs, and a durable Continental rubber outsole that grips the road or crushed-gravel trail in wet and dry conditions. The Primeknit+ fabric upper—made from 50 percent recycled ocean plastics—provides a glove-like fit. And women can expect even more customization and comfort—our version of the 22 sports a new last modeled on extensive research of women’s foot shape.

Customize Shoes With Pictures

Do you want to be a professional shoe designer? You must learn how to select and specify shoe materials correctly. The Shoe Material Design Guide details all the materials you will need to make modern athletic, classic casuals and high fashion footwear. Written as a companion to our best selling How Shoes are Made , The Shoe Material Design Guide digs deep into the world of footwear materials and design. A must-read for young shoe designers!

Each chapter covers a specific shoe material type. You will learn how each material is made, the options available, and how to specify the material correctly. Chapters focus on shoe leather, textiles, synthetics, shoelaces, glue, reinforcements, hardware, logos, midsoles, outsoles, and more! You will also find information on topics such as material testing, sustainable production, and exotic materials.

Photographic cross section diagrams from more than 30 different shoe types included. You can see exactly how each material is used inside real production shoes. Look at basketball shoes, running shoes, track spikes, hiking boots, work boots, high heels, cowboy boots, and many more! A must-have book for anyone interested in shoe design, shoemaking, and footwear design.

See exactly how each material is used inside real production shoes. Annotated cross-sections of over 30 different shoe types. Look inside basketball shoes, running shoes, track spikes, hiking boots, work boots, high-heels, cowboy boots, and many more! You will also find information on topics such as material testing, sustainable production, exotic materials, and more. Written as a companion to our best selling How Shoes Are Made, The Shoe Material Design Guide digs deeper into the world of footwear materials and design. Mac and PC Compatible ebook, 28 chapters, 195 pages with over 330 color photos.

What materials are shoes made out of? Leather is the most commonly used material for shoemaking. It is durable, flexible, breathable, stretchable and conforms to the wearer like no other material. Study the character, color, grain, thickness, temper and the production steps such as curing, soaking, liming, tanning, etc. Next, we look at the finishing operations, final grading and main types of shoemaking leather like aniline, nubuck, pigmented, top-grain, crazy horse, split leathers, patent leather, action leather and many more. Finally, we cover leather import duty and tariffs, price per square foot and how to specify shoe leather.

Fabric options for footwear. Shoe material types and shoe fabrics such as textiles are tough, lightweight, resistant to the environment, long wearing, and relatively inexpensive. What is the best sneaker material or the best basketball shoe material? Review footwear fabrics such as nylon, polyester, Kevlar, linen, Rayon, wool and their processing, weaves, backing, treatments, and other special features. Study the environmental factors, import duty, lasting and test standards for textiles.

Synthetic, synthetic leather, PU leather, pleather, or PU; whatever you call it, this class of shoemaking material offers an immense variety of colors, textures, and features at a range of prices. What are sports shoes and athletic shoes made of? What are basketball shoes made of? Synthetics! What is a synthetic upper? This shoe material can be made to look like natural leather, split leather, textiles, wood, metal or almost anything. Many of the modern icons of basketball shoe design would not be possible without synthetics. When specifying synthetics you have complete control over the outer skin layer and inner backing layers so it is important to understand how it is made and know all your shoemaking material options.