Winter will throw everything at you to keep you from getting your miles all year round. Freezing cheeks, harsh air irritating your lungs, and all sorts of betrayals under your feet – they’re all in cahoots to get you canceled for the season and leave your workouts languishing.
Sure, you could turn to the treadmill, but it doesn’t hit the same. The most stubborn runners will pull through though, and the right gear can help you avoid winter’s worst. The most important thing is to have the right pair of shoes. You want sneakers strong enough to stand on snow, ice and salt. Waterproofing is also essential, lest the elements get inside and start freezing your feet.
To help you keep running, we’ve rounded up the best winter running shoes on the market. If you persevere now, your spring and summer running times will thank you.
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On Running is the new Roger Federer-backed running brand that gives you good reason to stray from the usual sneaker suspects. Cloud is an apt description for its lightweight soles sculpted to eliminate unnecessary bulk, but this windproof and waterproof shoe is also as tough as a rock.
The Pegasus line is among the best Nike has to offer, and three consecutive years of the Trail version have brought success after success. It also happens to be the best looking winter running shoe you can find, which means you might want to keep wearing it even when you’re not exercising.
What the Speedgoat 4 lacks in weather resistance, it more than makes up for with its heavily cushioned midsole and grippy Vibram outsole. Hoka One’s One Kicks will make your runs more forgiving than you thought possible.
It might not be the sexiest sneaker, but Salomon’s Speedcross can be hard to find every winter due to the way it protects your foot. The fifth iteration is almost completely sold out in two of its color combinations, so you’ll want to take advantage of the full-size version of the army green version while it’s still available.
Adidas offers a winter version of its very successful UltraBoost range, but it can always make you want a little more security. The answer is the SolarGlide, which doesn’t have to sacrifice Boost cushioning to give you a more solid platform.
As stiff as it may seem, the Brooks Cascadia 16 has plenty of flexibility. The sole has a high degree of flexibility in every direction to tackle any surface you may be running on.
