Most durable running shoes for high mileage
If you run a lot, the cost per mile of a shoe matters more than the price on the box. A £160 shoe that lasts six hundred miles is better value than a £110 one that goes flat at two hundred and fifty, and it is also less likely to leave you sore in the last month of its life.
Two separate things wear out. The outsole rubber wears down, which you can see, and the midsole foam compresses and stops springing back, which you cannot. The foam is usually what finishes a shoe first, and it is the reason a pair can look perfectly respectable while feeling dead underfoot.
The shoes that last tend to share a few traits. A full rubber outsole rather than exposed foam, a firmer and denser midsole rather than the softest and lightest available, and a build aimed at daily training rather than racing. They are rarely the most exciting shoes on the shelf, which is rather the point.
The shortlist
These are the shoes the Shoe Finder quiz returns when you answer it as someone in this situation. Same database, same scoring, nothing added by hand. Answer it yourself and you will get a list shaped around your own feet, weight and budget rather than an average.
Saucony Ride 19
£140 · Everyday trainer · 255g · 8mm drop · 37mm stack · wide fitting
A well balanced everyday shoe. Light enough to speed up, soft enough to plod.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Brooks Ghost 18
£135 · Everyday trainer · 289g · 12mm drop · 36mm stack · 4E available
The safe, do everything trainer. If you are unsure what to buy, start here.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v15
£140 · Everyday trainer · 304g · 6mm drop · 40mm stack · 4E available
A sturdy, no drama trainer that lasts. Widths up to 4E if you need room.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Nike Pegasus 42
£129.99 · Everyday trainer · 286g · 10mm drop · 37mm stack · wide fitting
The safe all rounder. Handles daily runs, treadmill sessions and the odd parkrun without fuss.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Mizuno Wave Rider 30
£140 · Everyday trainer · 265g · 8mm drop · 42mm stack · wide fitting
Dependable everyday trainer that lasts well and rarely gives anyone trouble.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Asics Novablast 6
£139.99 · Everyday trainer · 249g · 8mm drop · 41mm stack · wide fitting
Bouncy and fun but still cushioned. Happy plodding along or picking up the pace.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Nike Vomero 18
£134.99 · Max cushion · 298g · 10mm drop · 46mm stack · 4E available
Thick, soft and forgiving underfoot. Great value if you want maximum comfort on easy runs.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
Puma Deviate Nitro 4
£150 · Tempo · 250g · 8mm drop · 38mm stack · carbon plate
One shoe that handles long runs, faster sessions and a half marathon happily.
- Holds up under a heavier runner instead of bottoming out
- Matches the balanced feel you asked for
- Hard wearing, so it should last a good few hundred miles
- Made for the long steady miles of race training
How this list was put together
Every shoe in our database is scored against a set of rules, and this page shows the top eight for this particular need. The rules are written down in full on the how it works page, including which ones rule a shoe out completely. Nothing on this page is ordered by commission, and the prices are RRP, so shop around because they are very often discounted.
This is a starting point rather than a fitting. Where you can, try shoes on, and if you are running through pain see a physio rather than buying your way out of it.
Common questions
How many miles should a running shoe last?
Between three hundred and five hundred miles is the usual range. Heavier runners and rougher surfaces push it towards the lower end. A durable shoe used on smooth roads by a lighter runner can go beyond it.
How do I know when my running shoes are worn out?
Feel rather than looks. When a shoe that used to feel cushioned starts feeling flat, or you notice more soreness after ordinary runs, the foam has gone. Visible wear through the outsole to the foam underneath is a second clear signal.
Does rotating two pairs make them last longer?
Yes, measurably. Midsole foam recovers over a day or two between runs, so alternating pairs means each one spends less time compressed. Two pairs rotated tend to outlast two pairs used one after the other.
Get a list for your feet, not an average one
The shortlist above assumes a fairly typical runner. The shoe finder asks about your width, how your ankles roll, your weight, where you run, your budget and any recurring niggles, then gives you three shoes and tells you why each one made it. It takes about a minute and there is no email or sign up.