The Best Maximalist+ Daily Trainer Running Shoes

[@earlaverilla9250]

Totally agree on the 70's and 80's runners (even the older ones). Looking at the reissue models (now for casual) of these racing shoes of old the materials aren't comfortable at all and by today's standards, some of them aren't even lightweight even if stripped down with synthetic materials and very low stack heights. Massive respect to them for churning out crazy fast times.

[@erl-qe9qf]

As a 68 yr old and ran cross country from 1969-72. New shoes I trained and raced in, the Adidas SL72 and Adidas Country (leather believe it or not) are being promoted and reproduced now as lifestyle shoes. In 1983, I ran a 3:10 in ASICS GT series and in 1986 a 3:23 in the same shoes.

[@joeyellwanger1289]

I had never had a max cushion shoe before, but then I tried the Gel-Nimbus 25. Definitely worth trying at your local running store. As soon as I put it on my foot, I knew I had to buy it.

[@annestrock4917]

Funny you mentioning the shoes of the 70s and 80s. Just the other day I was running in my Hoka Mach 4 with over 450 miles on them and I was thinking how much cushioning was still in them compared to the new shoes I wore back in the 70s!!! Thank the Lord for the cushioning improvements allowing an old lady like me to keep running!

[@ronmagierka]

As to surviving the 70's with the running shoes which were available, it was just a slab of EVA which did not give in much for ground concussion. When Nike Air happened the game changed. I was mucho younger then and ol' body just was able to take on more with daily running or feeling guilty about taking a day off. Like many-many others, I had nearly all of the running related injuries or owies to the lower extremities which I have mainly recovered from 50 years later. Now, it is mainly that the parts are just worn out and the advent of super cush shoes is a savior. Thank heaven for Spenco shoe inserts way back then !😃

[@thatwastakenagain]

what about bigger sized shoes w/ the free sockliner inserts stacked on top of each other like a ghetto max shoe

[@johnwhitesides566]

I ran 90-110 mpw in the 70's and 80's - by today's standards, the shoes were awful, but we thought some were great. I recall NIke coming out with the LD-1000, the first max-cushion shoe (relatively-speaking). How did we do it? We tried to stay on soft surfaces and we nonetheless got lots of minor to moderate injuries!!

[@chu88y1]

Love the library Seth. Us older runners are probably snapping these up.

[@scottjenkins433]

With back issues, I've been leaning into the max cushion shoes. Having a tight hamstring with a half marathon coming up in less than a month, the Invincibles have been the only shoes that don't aggravate the injury.

[@garethevans2499]

Interesting that the Bondi range isn't in the discussion here. It used to be THE go to for an easy day, heavier, foam packed option but has drifted from the choices. A sign that companies have to keep innovating which is great for us runners.

[@jozefberes250]

One thing came to my mind in this question. There is also difference for People in the shoes you are like 55kg? I am 100kg so almost twice your weight do you thing that runners with more weight should used maximalist shoes more often ?

[@pgladwell6311]

Seth, love your videos. Is there a reason you haven’t reviewed the new North Face Vectiv Pro? It looks really good? With gratitude from London, UK!

[@acpmedicine]

Prime x/Prime x strung My thinking has changed over time over these shoes I now use them quite often I enjoy the freshness and injury prevention these shoes provide and IR allows me to run more and enjoy my runs more So I use them in that fashion I haven’t gotten an Uber use injury and I contribute the usage of these shoes with respect to mg weekly mileage be a component to this

[@meredithjones8593]

Admittedly I actually looked at the clock when I saw this video just uploaded 😬

[@michaeltran2743]

Just got back from an easy run in the SC Trainer. I love love love them

[@ericperramond3463]

More v4 (road) and More v2 (trail) have been the leg-savers for maximalist, easy, recovery and occasionally long run days out there. Trabuco Max2 (incoming) will replace MOre v2 for trails, while I have many months to go on the road Morev4 before I have to make any next maxi-decisions.

[@luisprieto4589]

I run the same setup, and love it

[@philbrown9901]

Loving the Triumph 20. Borderline max stack and softens up really nicely around 50km. Helps run easy / recovery pace protecting the legs but can also pick up the pace a little too. Ticks a lot of boxes for me anyway!

[@michaelbfree2run883]

instagram is not available?...plus no strava uploads for 3 days?

[@nathanaltheide1700]

Ive enjoyed the few runs I have had in the endorphin shift 3, great fit! Nice to have in the rotation, I also have the ghost 15, which I love, , it can be nice to feel the road some, very durable

[@Peto02]

Forgot to set a release date/time for this video?

[@celeryriver]

Brooks Glycerin 20. Not the fastest shoe, and maybe not quite maximalist, but loved how legs did not feel beat up after intense long run. Seems like endless debate re: maximalist vs. minimalist shoes, but this excerpt from an article, "Point-Counterpoint: Are Maximalist Running Shoes Better Than Minimalist Running Shoes?" from the person arguing for maximalist seems important (if true): "As athletes age, their bones get a little more brittle and there is more wear and tear on the joints. The added shock absorption from a maximalist shoe helps protect these structures. This should allow runners to exercise for many more years."

[@runningwithstelvio]

Yes shoes are shifting to an higher stack height. But is this the right direction? Should we think to keep our feet strong with lower stack height shoes? I understand for the recovery runs, but for the other trainings?!?! My favorite HSH shoe is the Adidas Pro 2. Anyhow nice video as usual Seth!

[@Pianoman1234321]

Agree 100%! The more we rely on cushion for everything, the less we use our own anatomical strength. That said, my coach always used to remind us that strength is not gained during a hard workout. It's gained in the sleep and recovery days after the workout as the body rebuilds. There's always a place for max cushion shoes!

[@jakeflores4755]

I’m from Texas and was visiting Denver Colorado for work. I went for a run and couldn’t believe how hard it was to run with the altitude omg

[@jamiedalrymple3689]

Done two 10 milers in the Nimbus 25......warm butter ❤️✌️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@vincec3773]

Nike had a shoe called the Sock Racer i wore it in 1987 ran about16 minutes flat in 1987 wen i was 23 my best 5 K in my life, it was yellow mesh over a white sole, just slipped your foot in it had a black buckled strap to secure the foot it was pretty bouncy and light i finished third after the best local runners one was the state CC high school champ 6 years earlier here in SE Wisconsin,man i wish i could go back and appreciate it then the way i do now, still running but not quite as fast

[@Dogwalkerdave]

I remember those shoes. Those were awesome! And the Huarache as well. I am the same, I wish I would’ve appreciated running 30+ years ago as much as I do now.

[@antic4312]

Nice perspective in this video! I think the overall shoe trend last year was certainly towards maximalist shoes. It’s interesting to see what shoe companies decide to focus on and develop every year. I bought my first maximalist daily trailer this year, the Nike Invincible 3, and I’m really loving it so far. Tested it out on a medium long run, but mostly I have been enjoying it for easy recovery runs when my legs are beat up. I feel like I can go out, get some mileage, and recover faster with them on. I wanted a shoe that made me look forward to recovery runs, and these are really doing it for me. Was between these, the Novablast 3, and the Nimbus 25. I think I made the right choice for me.

[@jeanlee28]

Yeah, since I am still on the mend due to my metatarsal surgery I had 4 months ago, I am wearing maximalist shoes like NB More V4 and SC Trainer. I love More V4, but the shoe feels a bit clunky under my feet, whereas I like the snappy feeling with great energy return of SC Trainer. Hope to enjoy the comfy ride in Asics Gel Nimbus 25 soon. Thank you for your indepth reviews, Seth!!!

[@Nathaniel8888]

I returned my more v4 because they felt clunky to me as well. I just bought the gel nimbus 25 and I can say it's the best experience running I've ever had. It has more comfort than the more v4 and it disappears on the feet. I love it. I'm gonna be using it more than my speed 3.

[@jeanlee28]

@Nathan Oh! Great to hear that! I'm still waiting for my pre-ordered Asics Gel Nimbus 25 now.😉😊

[@robertburpee9473]

Hi everyone, great vlog Seth. As to the runners of the 70's & 80's I wonder if there is any research out there around injury rates as I bet there were less injuries as the less cushioned shoes required strong feet, kinetic chain, good foot strike & proper form. It would have been almost impossible to heal strike in those shoes due to the lack of cushioning in the heal & heal counter. I personally don't like big stack heights as I want my feet to work as naturally as possible, I have had far less injuries as my feet & legs have got stronger since I've transitioned to shoes with smaller stack heights and drops. I'm not a minimalist as I like protection around my feet but I do prefer stack heights below 5 mm.

[@marrunslow3815]

I started running in the ‘70’s. Adias was the shoe brand back then. Push forward to the early 2000’s Anton Kupicka… was the king of minimalist running in the New Balance . My have the times have changed

[@GT-kx6hm]

Hi Seth, great review. Btw, as noted on a few recent vlogs, Asics recently updated their stack height measurement convention. Novablast height is midsole foam only, whereas the Superblast, Nimbus25 is measured like other companies (whole shoe including sock liner and outsole).

[@syhoover]

What’s that blue shoe with the blue foam in the top left of the thumbnail? It’s beautiful and I can’t find it anywhere!

[@karmaforgotme]

Since I am a size 14, my biggest issue with max shoes is weight. Example I just wore the Nimbus 25 (13.2 oz in my size) for a 12 mile run and I really could feel that weight after mile 8. I did find it better than the FF More (13.6 oz), in how the Nimbus pushes you forward more and is slightly more responsive. That said going forward I will not wear the Nimbus 25 on long runs and just use them for my recovery/easy runs. For long runs I guess for now I will stick to the Novablast 3 (which is actually 38mm in heel since ASICS didn't include the sock liner or outsole in their measurement) or the Triumph 20. I did think the Invincibles did a great job of making you forget about weight due to how bouncy it is, but in the end it give me knee issues. I would love to try the Superblast, but as I hate to point out, ASICS refuses to make size 14 in super shoes. I am curious about SC Trainers despite weight, but I have a feeling I will come away with them not being a good long run shoe.

[@andrewstewart1060]

These adverts are really annoying

[@fraac]

explain to me the point of daily trainer with carbon plates? do i need my daily run to be more energy efficient / longer? wouldn't i prefer it was shorter for the same effort?

[@Bodhished]

Prime x strung is my go to when the legs and feet are tired. Invincible 2 is also a favorite but forefoot protection isn't perfect.

[@swaginfinite9165]

Why is the offer only for women?

[@Mattlock52]

Some of us need them for every run. Bad knees and hips etc. 200lbs 12% body fat. Give me maximum cushion!

[@jethroduarteman]

Gotta give us the invincible 3 soon. The review we all want and need

[@mikkythehat]

QOD: Prime X for faster and Invincible Run 2 for easy. Not sure why the Prime X barely even registered a mention here but the comments section gets it. Maybe we’ll see a 50mm shoe soon? It’s already here Seth

[@tav4755]

Seth never gives adidas credit, for some reason. Even though the prime x has been out for eons, i wasnt surprised. He has his bias when it comes to adidas. Everyone does. Thats ok. We know.

[@YosefElgart]

OFF ROAD VESION VIDEO soon? really liked you 9:38 slipping in some offroad shoes on snow rocks

[@seekingUltraNick]

So many great shoes! Has me dreaming… I think my next easy/recovery shoe will be either ASICS or NB. Smooth like butter!

[@danielmoore9214]

Best max cushion in the last two years is the Invincible 2, something of a game changer....

[@therangersinger]

QOD, Nike invincible 2. Realized I should have placed a max cush shoe in my rotation months ago. When the legs are hurting these really give me the bounce to knock out some more miles.

[@felixyu755]

What's too much stack for ind.? Diminishing returns? Envisioning walking around/running around in 100mm...

[@jbeer2284]

Tried to use the link to the NB fresh foam and it didn't work. Purchased direct from NB site. They have a promo going right now so decent deal. Thanks for the review. Need something because feet been hurting a lot lately as I build miles. Only shoes I ever run in are kinvaras.

[@lexington476]

I never wear maximalist shoes, the most cushion shoes I wear are New Balance 880s to me those are enough. Now I also wear customer Orthotics and all my shoes, so maybe that helps with cushioning, but my Orthotics are not squishy.

[@philippegagne268]

QD: i think the stack height is getting a little out of hand!! There is a point when there is diminishing return I believe. Too unstable and boat like feel… The Glycerin line up work well for me when it comes to cushion shoes category. It strikes a good balance between cushion, comfort and stability.

[@hannaniakurkos8468]

No doubt for me .. is the Niki invincible 2 Didn’t try yet .. the NB SC looks interesting

[@paulhammerton4385]

Seth, as a trial and fell runner who tries to run on trial at every opportunity, I am really interested to know what similar runners think of the maximalist topic. While I love my Salomon ultraglides, etc I try to avoid maximal list trainers as I like to feel the gound a little. I'd love you to do ths type of comparison video with trial shoes

[@michaeldominic2070]

The SC Trainer was probably my favorite shoe of 2022. Absolutely love that shoe. But the Nike Invincible is hard to beat for comfort and saving the legs. The Prime X is still the craziest most awesome shoe, but the stack height and narrow platform is a little unstable so you need to pay attention to what your doing. Haven't tried the Superblast yet, waiting on some better colors LOL!

[@Scotty.Lincoln]

Man Im still waiting on my SC trainers to come in the mail it’s been almost two weeks! Finally found a deal on em too. Hopefully the superblast gets sone new colorways or get a discount on this og colorway. $220 is a hefty price tag

[@michaeldominic2070]

@@Scotty.Lincoln hope you like the SC Trainer! I'm in the same boat with the Superblast

[@davidernst5708]

Thanks for shoutout!

[@thecaptainchas2820]

And here I was while the video was playing about to say “Hey…Gel Nimbus 25,” and you went ahead and mentioned it. Btw, it’s 41+mm in the heel.

[@brucemihalick4117]

I have loved the Bondi's since version Bondi B

[@stoicrunner2757]

Hows the weight to stack height ratio on the Maxroad! I wouldn't have picked it as having a higher stack then the More.

[@maxk310]

Triumph 20 feels like you can pick up the pace a bit. Ran in the 18 which was super plush all over. Got a pair of 19s to try out soon before the 20s go on sale.

[@JohnBrown-be6re]

Really enjoyed this Seth, your point about past runners running in less cushioned shoes is really interesting. The film of Frank Shorter running the Munich Olympics shows him in what basically look like running spikes without the spike plate though his form is flowing and beautiful, maybe these guys paid for it down the line but maybe it came down to footstrike and good form.

[@brewlovinrunner]

Not sure if altra vanish tempo counts but it’s 33 mm stack and it’s the most comfortable shoe I’ve run in. Great balance of Cush vs rebound. I can’t do the overly squishy shoes. My knees feel wobbly in them.

[@iwrestle04]

Coincidentally I am just now reading Born to Run and finished the chapter about Nike’s first shoes and the benefits of barefoot training/running. What happened to all this, is there still a big barefoot/minimalist community out there? I am a mid-foot striker and am skeptical about these high-cushioned models coming out.

[@RAA-uw7kh]

Where's the glideride 3? That's my go to long run shoe

[@bailey9838]

Onwards and upwards!!

[@legswillmove]

I'd consider the Glideride 3 maximalist too.

[@Jaragreene]

Did anyone else who has the more V4 take a long time for it to break in? The more v3 took about 10 miles for me to break in but the v4 took 20 miles before it started feeling good on my feet

[@trinichinee6426]

It is little firm on your step despite the high stack ?

[@alexfan6776]

new timeslot?

[@Matt-cp9wh]

the SC trainer, if youre gona get a maximalist just get it haha, its awesome

[@jemrealalcaraz9593]

late night upload from seth? waaaaaat

[@ABucc]

The theory of runners from the 70's and 80's are just like the theory of baseball pitchers from the 70's and 80's. Runners of that time were never coddled with all this technology, thus were used to it, and didn't get injured as much. Pitchers back then were never coddled, and pitched 9 innings or more, and hardly ever had the injuries that the pitchers have today.

[@wyleekyote2247]

Prime x strung!

[@lexington476]

7:36 with that much stack height, how do people not rule their ankles? I've never worn a pair of Super Shoes so I don't know.

[@jumpyl.h.8230]

Good job, Bro. 👍

[@scottwiggans6292]

Loved sc trainer but had send back because of rubbing on ankle but I loved it but hurt so much use invincible and going to try glide ride 3 today hope there good

[@garethmorgan2383]

Hope you enjoy running in your gliderides as much as I do . Great on the long run and shorter distances in my opinion 👍

[@scottwiggans6292]

@@garethmorgan2383 first run done in them today pal nice ride ☝️✅👍

[@jean-phil]

For the sc trainer, you can cut a piece of the heel counter with an exacto, I found that suggestion on reddit and it worked for me ;)

[@jaredyatckoske8762]

I’m all for Superblast, I’ve done well over 100 miles in it so far and no wear/tear and still feel new! Love how lightweight it is for as much stack as it has. I can use it for easy/recovery runs or longer runs with a little tempo mixed in

[@ChirsRichardson10]

Great vlog and 100% agree about the 70’s and 80’s! I have been going with the Invincible and More V3 so far. Have almost 300 miles on the Invincible and over a 100 on the More.

[@Roberto-Escobar]

I love the gel nimbus 25, it’s my daily trainer and for long runs. Anybody can recommend an ASICS shoe that has less cushion and good for tempo runs but still somewhat soft? (Don’t want a racer)

[@Mattlock52]

The new cumulus.

[@jeffbarbary5616]

Honestly I think they are getting carried away with the max shoes. It makes more sense to me on the roads but trail shoes it’s seems to extreme. At what point is the risk reward to much. I feel like your just asking to fold an ankle in half with some of them. Even on ez trails you just step wrong your going down. I guess maybe buffed out dirt rd like sunshine canyon or magnolia. Hey whatever gets people out running though that’s what’s important.

[@sunnlands]

Doesn’t any of the daily viewers care about Seth? Only mundane shoe comments, no one asking if Seth is well? You couldn’t care less could you?

[@themechanic4409]

35/27 is a sweet spot for me.

[@2wheels1guy25]

Running is my new hobby for ‘23 (liking it real good so far). Unknowingly I bought some 35mm+ shoes, namely the Adidas Adistar (38/32mm, it was on sale for €42 and since I am a pronator with sensitive shins I could use a semi stability with some nice cushioning. I really like this shoe for road running). The other shoe is a so called road to trail shoe; the Nike Pegasus trail 4 gtx (36/26mm, also on sale, but still quiet expensive if you ask me, €96. I don’t really like this shoe for trail running, it cushions so much that I hardly notice what kind of surface I am running on. So I can’t really focus far ahead and constantly am watching down. Also I think the lugs are to tiny for muddy grounds. My other trail run shoes asics trabuco10gtx (20/12mm, €90 on sale) I like way better than the nikes in muddy grounds)).

[@hufemeve]

QOD: my so called "maximalist" shoes are Novablast 3 & Saucony Ride 15. I do have the Boston 10 & Hoka 8 if they can be considered as such 😅 While I got me the NB more v4, I must confess that I barely use them, because I don't get to feel the ground the way I like, so to me my maximalist shoe is the Novablast 3, because their soft midsole helps the legs when they're tired, but I can also train a lot with them.

[@akwk2712]

The higher the stack, the more unstable a shoe becomes

[@wojtekkos341]

strange where this trend of maximizing the sole is going, for me it's a step in the wrong direction. Shoes increasingly distance runners from feeling the ground, receiving any stimuli from the feet, this is a turn towards maximizing unhealthy habits of the locomotor system. I will never find such footwear on my feet, I will not tie my feet in an extensive and built caftan...

[@corywaltz7238]

Coming down the pipe not pike.

[@RareAirTwo4]

Maximalist shoes feel like heavy bricks.

[@kalvin.]

Ok.

[@davecharles6286]

That sounds all well and good when you're trying to go slow. And no.

[@deshkanagrikhoon]

Some say go for Maximalist and others say go for minimalist and this creates a lot confusion.

[@jbeer2284]

Grab a pair of each and rotate? Going to try giving it a shot. I've only ever used minimalist shoes so should be interesting. Just purchased the NB mentioned in the video so should find out when they arrive next week.

[@pranayama-running-Jendrik]

I just love the Saucony Triumph 20 too, sooooo much for long runs. It feels like cheating for the long run Someone who has a good stamina 20 mile long runs are feeling easy in this shoe for you trust me. I have a pair of these, and they're worth of every penny I spent on them 🤗🤩🔥 You show the dirty SC Trainer in the camera. I've discovered in a video of hellagood the protecting spray crep for shoes. I ordered it a few minutes ago and will test it out how it goes to keep the shoes nice and clean, especially the bright ones.