Best breathable running shoes for hot summers

Breathable daily trainer

Asics Gel-Cumulus 26

While there are better neutral trainers than the Cumulus 26, ventilation is one area where it outperforms other shoes.

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Just so that you know, we also considered the Saucony Ride 17 (an excellent shoe, by the way), Brooks Ghost 16, New Balance 880 V14, and Pegasus 41 before recommending the Asics Cumulus 26 for this guide.

Is it the best everyday neutral trainer? No – we’d rather get the Saucony Ride 17 instead. But does it ventilate better than other shoes? Yes. The tongue is generously vented and lacks the padding of the Cumulus 25 – the previous model. The exterior mesh also does a good job of preventing heat-build up. That said, the Cumulus 26 isn’t very breathable per se – it’s less warmer comparatively.

The Asics Cumulus's midsole is soft but not mushy.

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

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The Cumulus 26 has been redesigned from the ground up. Mated to the new upper is an all-foam bottom; even the outsole is made of firm foam. It’s like a more comfortable (and less quicker) version of the Hoka Mach 5.

The Flytefoam Blast+ midsole and soft insole add comfort to everyday miles. The optimal blend of firm and soft makes it suitable for different pace ranges – be it easy cruising or slightly higher speeds of 4: 30 min/km or 7 min/mile.

The upper fits true-to-size and is also available in wide and extra-wide sizes.

Breathable trainer for overpronators

New Balance Fresh Foam 860V14

The 860V14’s engineered mesh upper is perforated for optimal air circulation.

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We’ll get to the breathable part of the 860 in a bit, but let’s first explain how the stability feature on this shoe works.

New Balance is the only brand that doesn’t use raised sidewalls or medial post for its pronation-control trainers.

The 860V14, like the Vongo, uses a plate for stability. Called the ‘stability plane’ by New Balance, this plate is solid on the inner half and perforated on the outer half. This limits the amount of inwards foot roll (pronation) by directing the bodyweight towards the outer side.

On the 860V14, the flexible section of the plate is limited to the rearfoot area. On the Vongo, it’s a full-length setup that even forefoot strikers can also take advantage of.

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This version uses a soft, dual-density Fresh Foam X midsole that makes it the most comfortable 860 to date. It’s the ideal trainer for overpronators to log everyday miles as well as the occasional 10K race or a half-marathon. It may not be a tempo-focused speed monster, but it’s versatile enough – as long as the workouts aren’t too aggressive.

The engineered mesh upper of the 860V14 is generously perforated with no overlays on the toe-box. The true-to-size upper scores well on ventilation and cools the feet during summer.

Breathable marathon racer

Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris

This lightweight and cushioned marathon racer also has an ultra-breathable upper.

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The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris is ridiculously breathable. The large pores on the mesh result in excellent airflow; even the tongue is generously perforated.

But that’s just one of the many good things about the Metaspeed Sky. It’s like a refined version of the Nike Vaporfly. The curvature of the Carbon plate is based on the Vaporfly, except for one major difference.

Unlike the Nike Vaporfly (and Metaspeed Edge), the front end of the Carbon plate doesn’t curve sharply downwards. A thicker stack of soft and bouncy Flytefoam Turbo separates the plate and outsole.

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On the road, that translates into greater forefoot comfort – but at the cost of a weaker ‘snap’ or spring from the plate.

This trade-off works well during a marathon, though. The plate configuration makes the forefoot landings softer and more comfortable. At the same time, the stiff Carbon plate makes the Metaspeed Sky speed-friendly.

And if you want a Metaspeed version comparable to the Nike Vaporfly, consider the Metaspeed Sky Edge Paris. It has the same breathable upper as the Sky but with a sharper Carbon plate curvature.

Breathable tempo trainer

New Balance Fuelcell Rebel V4

The extensive makeover of the Rebel V4 also includes a lightweight and breathable mesh upper.

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1. Read our detailed review of the New Balance Rebel V4 here.

The New Balance Rebel V4 doesn’t have much in common with the previous version. The midsole is wider and softer than the Rebel 3. The foam has also changed, so it doesn’t feel as bouncy as the Rebel V2 and V3.

Even with the changes, the Rebel 4 continues to be a competent trainer for uptempo efforts. However, it’s not a fast shoe per se, so we recommend that the Rebel be reserved for speeds that are 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile) and slower.

The upper has a roomier fit, and the updated Fuelcell foam feels flatter than the V3. The lightweight and spacious upper does a great job of letting the air circulate.

Breathable 5K, 10K trainer

adidas Adizero EVO SL

It’s hard to go wrong with a breathable trainer that has a rocker midsole made of Lightstrike Pro.

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The adizero EVO SL is new for this year and lacks a precedent. So what is the shoe really like? What is it capable of, and which shoe is closest comparable?

Here’s a take on the Adizero EVO SL you probably haven’t read. The EVO SL is similar to last year’s Adios Pro 3 but without the Energy Rods.

We say that for three reasons. The Lightstrike Pro foam has a similar firmness as the Pro 3. On a related note, this year’s Adios Pro 4 uses a softer LS Pro variant. The EVO SL’s stack heights (39 mm, 32 mm) are comparable to the Pro; the same goes for the perforated outsole.

The forefoot outsole uses Continental rubber with the climbing shoe-like texture that the Adios Pro 3 had.

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Given the similarities, can the EVO SL replace the Adios Pro 3? To a certain extent, yes. There’s ample comfort for up to a half-marathon, and the rocker profile makes it speed-friendly. That said, the missing Energy Rods decrease the forefoot stiffness and make the overall ride softer.

While the EVO SL feels quick because of the bouncy Lightstrike Pro foam and rocker, there’s a higher workload involved. The foot has to work through the soft forefoot without any help from the stiff Energy Rods. As a sum of parts, the Adizero EVO SL is the ideal tempo trainer or 5K/10K racer.

The upper is inspired by the EVO Pro 1’s design language, but with traditional features like a fully-padded heel counter. The upper isn’t narrow like the Takumi, and the interiors fit true-to-size.

The thin mesh and lack of an inner sleeve make the upper breathable.

Breathable trail runner

Nike Terra Kiger 9

This versatile trail runner from Nike is also great at keeping the feet ventilated.

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The Terra Kiger 9 is one of the most well-ventilated trail running shoes on the market. Even the Terra Kiger 8 excelled in that area, and we’re happy to see the newest model is equally breathable.

It’s easy to see why the upper does such a good job with air circulation. Most of the upper is made of vented mesh, and very few overlays crowd the exterior.

The outsole lip doubles as the toe guard – a feature that we loved on the Pegasus Trail 3 – and there’s a fused splash guard. Other than that, the forefoot and midfoot are constructed of open-pored mesh. Of course, this isn’t great for dusty trails, but excellent for summer trail runs.

As a trail running shoe, the Terra Kiger 9 is good for non-technical terrain. The React foam midsole adds ride comfort, whereas the two-piece outsole grips well on packed trails.

Nike recommends the Kiger 9 for technical trails, but we beg to differ. The Kiger 9 removes several features from the Kiger 8, including a rock plate, forefoot Zoom Air bag, and better outsole coverage. Even the Kiger 8’s better-layered upper offered greater protection.

Between the Kiger 8 and 9, we’d pick the previous model. Both versions are very breathable, so you can’t go wrong with the Kiger 8 either.

Solereview’s selection criteria

Over the years, we’ve realized that determining the level of ventilation in a running shoe is somewhat of a dark art. After reviewing hundreds of shoes, a pattern has emerged – one that informs us how footwear ventilation works.

Where it gets confusing is that not all shoes that appear breathable pass muster under real-world conditions. The sensory aspect of ventilation is also equally important.

The total ventilation factor is the sum of a perforated mesh and a roomy toe-box.

For example, many knit upper designs have a generously perforated surface. Based on outward appearances alone, these shoes should be very breezy. But some of these uppers are stretchy with a snug fit. Since the upper is in close contact with the foot, it feels hotter than a shoe with a regular mesh upper. 

A more spacious forefoot makes the shoe feel cooler – even though the mesh may not be generously perforated.

It gets even more complicated. Even if the upper mesh isn’t stretchy and doesn’t have an inner sleeve, how a shoe fits around the midfoot also alters the perception of ‘hotness’. A shoe could have a super breathable forefoot but a stuffy midfoot makes the shoe feel warmer.

There’s more.

If a running shoe has an insole top cloth or a midsole geometry that results in friction, then heat is produced under the foot. That, or if we’re talking about a shoe where the midsole doesn’t offer sufficient thermal insulation from the warm road. Here, pancake-flat racing flats come to mind.

The large tongue vents of the Endorphin Pro 3 take ventilation to the max.

Even indoor running can get surprisingly warm – say, in cases of naturally-ventilated gyms without air conditioning. A treadmill inherently runs warm; given the high RPM of electronic treadmills, rubber belts acquire heat both through friction with the shoe and the warm motor.

Walking instead of running leads to different ventilation outcomes. A running shoe that breathes well at a 5:30 min/km pace may run warm during standing or walking.

If the principle sounds familiar, that’s because air-cooled combustion engines work in the same way. At slower speeds, air circulation becomes inefficient.