Daily trainer for heel strikers

Asics Cumulus 27

The Cumulus 27’s tall and wide midsole cushions rearfoot landings.

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1. Read our detailed review of the Asics Cumulus 27 here.

With stack heights of 32 mm (forefoot) and 40 mm (heel), heel strikers benefit from cushioned landings. The under-heel cavity adds a trampoline effect for stability and increased use of cushioning. The Cumulus 27 is lighter than other neutral trainers because it lacks a rubber outsole. Instead, its outsole is firm EVA foam with a softer FlyteFoam layer on top. Like most trainers in this category, this type of cushioning favors heel strikers. The Cumulus 27 makes more sense than the Ride 18 if you prefer a lighter everyday trainer.

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Not having a rubber outsole has its drawbacks, such as reduced performance on smooth surfaces and slushy sidewalks. In return, the Cumulus 27 delivers weight savings. At 265 grams or 9.3 ounces, this is a lightweight everyday trainer with plenty of comfort for up to a half-marathon distance. The Cumulus 27’s true-to-size upper has comfortable interiors with a broad toe-box. Additional widths (wide and extra-wide) are available for purchase.

Also consider: The Nike Pegasus 41, Saucony Ride 18.

Max-cushioning for heel strikers

Nike Vomero 18

The Vomero reinvents itself with a 44 mm tall midsole. That’s enough cushioning for all the rearfoot strikers in town.

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1. Read our detailed review of the Nike Vomero 18 here.

For any running shoe to be heel strike-friendly, it must meet three conditions. First, there must be ample stack heights to absorb the landing impact. Second, the midsole should be supportive and not throw the runner around. Three, the shoe should have a beveled heel for smooth landings.

The Vomero 18 meets all three conditions, and then some. Nike goes bold with the stack heights; the heel and forefoot are 44 mm and 34 mm tall. The midsole composition also makes the heel supportive. Sure, there’s a softer layer of ZoomX on top. However, most of the midsole uses the firmer and supportive React X foam. The midsole sidewalls lack a compression groove, so both sides are supportive and neutral.

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The nuanced ride quality of the ZoomX + ReactX midsole makes the Vomero 18 fun for heel strikers. A sense of deep cushioning is accented with a bouncy feel – thanks to the inherent qualities of the ZoomX and React X foam. The deep transition groove under the heel adds a trampoline effect. The beveled design prevents the heel from catching and makes the transitions smoother.

The padded heel collar and counter secure the foot during landings. As for the rest of the upper, heel strikers will discover a plush interior with a true-to-size fit.

Also consider: The Brooks Glycerin Max.

Best for overpronating heel strikers

New Balance Fresh Foam 860V14

The 860V14’s ‘stability plane’ plate favors heel strikers more than it does forefoot strikers.

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New Balance sells two popular gait-correction shoes – the Vongo V6 and 860V14. Out of the two, the 860V14 is a better fit for heel strikers. While both models use a similar approach to managing pronation, the ‘stability plane’ plate inside the 860V14 is designed differently than the Vongo. And what is the ‘stability plane’ plate? This plate is sandwiched between two layers of the Fresh Foam midsole. On the inner (arch) side, the plate has a solid structure. On the outer side, the plate has small windows cut into it.

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This variance makes the plate on the outer side more flexible. That way, the ‘stability plane’ plate makes the arch side supportive and directs the loading or tilt towards the outer side. That is the principle behind most pronation-control (stability) running shoes, and both the Vongo and 860v14 manage this well. Except that the plate on the outer side (of the 860V14) isn’t full-length like the Vongo. It’s available only under the heel area, so rearfoot strikers stand to benefit more than forefoot strikers. Also, this being an 8 mm drop shoe, heel strikers will land on the most cushioned part of the shoe.

This is the softest 860 model to date, so the ride comfort works for everyday mileage up to a 21K distance. The upper fit and feel is excellent, and no other stability shoe offers the range of widths that the 860 does.

Plated racer for heel strikers

Saucony Endorphin Pro 4

Most carbon-plated racers have poor heel stability, but the Endorphin Pro 4 is an exception.

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Most carbon-plated super shoes have terrible rearfoot support due to the soft foam midsole and slim base. The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 does things differently, making it significantly more supportive than comparable shoes. Two distinct features make this racer relatively stable for heel strikers. The first would be how the Pwrrun PB foam is made.

Unlike other super-foams, the Endorphin Pro 4’s midsole foam is made by fusing thousands of individual globules. The tightly packed foam structure makes it inherently more stable than mono-block foam midsoles. The second reason becomes apparent once you flip the shoe over. The heel midsole has a wider base than most plated shoes, providing heel strikers with enough area and support to land on. On top, the breathable and true-to-size upper locks the foot, preventing it from sliding.

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Naturally, the Endorphin Pro 4’s midsole has a muted quality to its bounce, and it’s not as soft. That said, the carbon plate adds a propulsive rocker effect while helping the foot load efficiently through the gait cycle. The Pwrrun PB midsole has sufficient cushioning to power through a marathon, and is quick enough for short-distance races like a 10K.

Recommended reading: The best plated shoes for heel strikers.

Tempo trainer for heel strikers

adidas Adizero EVO SL

The EVO SL has a rear stack of 34 mm, so that covers heel strikers, and then some.

Buy from adidas.com

1. Read our detailed review of the Adizero EVO SL here.

As a heel strike-friendly shoe for speedwork, the adizero EVO SL checks most of the right boxes. The 39 mm tall heel is Lightstrike Pro foam, meaning heel strikers will experience soft and springy cushioning during landings. The lack of an under-heel cavity improves the stability during heel strikes. Also, the LS Pro foam is firmer than the variant on the newest Adios Pro 4. The abundant cushioning comfort is ideal for runs up to a half-marathon. The Lightstrike Pro midsole is more fun than comparable ZoomX (Nike) and Pwrrun PB (Saucony)-based running shoes. The quick-to-respond foam is the bounciest among all super-foams.

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Heel strikers will also benefit from the grippy dual-compound outsole. A larger Continental rubber patch assists during take-offs, and the heel has equally capable clear rubber lugs. The EVO SL’s midsole makes going fast easy. Forefoot roll-offs are made quicker by the rocker midsole, so the foot doesn’t waste time during the gait cycle. The high-performance midsole offers speed and comfort during a 5K or 10K race.

The upper doesn’t have a tight fit as some short-distance racers do. The lightweight and airy upper leaves some breathing room for the toes without squeezing them tight.

Also recommended: Adidas Boston 13, New Balance Rebel V5.

Wait. Do we really need an article to tell us which shoes work for heel strikers? Doesn’t that include most running shoes? If only things were that simple. It takes a lot more than just a cushioned heel for a running shoe to be rearfoot-friendly. There are other overlooked aspects like the heel-to-toe offset, rearfoot stability, and a midsole design that promotes smoother landings. Just how do these factors help? Here’s a quick primer.

A high heel-to-toe offset

The ‘drop’ or offset of a shoe is defined as the thickness between the front and rear midsole heights. After reviewing shoes for over a decade, we believe that a heel-to-toe drop of between 5 mm and 10 mm is the sweet spot for heel strikers.

A high heel-to-toe offset implies that the rear is substantially thicker than the front. Not only does that result in a higher level of cushioning, but the thicker heel also promotes comfortable rearfoot landings. The opposite is also true, and that is why midfoot/forefoot strikers prefer running shoes with a lower offset.

Just know that this so-called ‘rule’ isn’t a blanket generalization, but it increases the chances of a running shoe being rearfoot friendly. For most runners, low-offset models will work just fine.

A supportive rearfoot

The wide midsole of the Cumulus 26 produces a neutral and supportive ride.

Not everything ends and begins with the midsole cushioning. If the rearfoot is the first point of contact during the gait cycle, it needs to be stable. The midsole should have a neutral ride character with minimal cushioning bias. In other words, one side of the midsole shouldn’t be excessively softer than the other.

A supportive heel midsole makes a running shoe suitable for heel strikers.

Also, the entire heel shouldn’t be overly soft. That’s the reason why this guide excludes models such as the Hoka Rocket X 3 and adidas Adios Pro 4. While those are excellent products, the heel isn’t stable enough for rearfoot landing.

A beveled heel edge

A heel with an angled curve (also called the heel spring) allows the foot to land gradually instead of edge striking abruptly. It helps if the outsole crash pad is segmented or split from the main outsole by a groove. Such crash pads flex during landing for gentle transitions. Not all shoes on this guide have an articulated landing zone, but we’ve tried our best to find the ones that do.