Zero Drop Running Shoes

With new zero drop shoes coming to the market at an increasingly faster rate, it is time to update our 2013 buying guide with a 2016 version. Unlike the previous version, we will be recommending the best zero drop shoes for different purposes such as walking, flat feet, morton’s neuroma, weight lifting, wide feet etc.

Zero drop for cross training

One of the most highly rated and well received cross training zero drop shoe is the Inov 8 F lite 235. It has a low heel profile like all zero drop shoes and has additional features that make it a great cross trainer as well. For one, it has better lateral support for cross training movements, including more room at the fore toe area. It also has excellent reinforcements at the mid section of the shoe for rope climbing activities

Fit wise, it is slightly longish in length and has a slug fit. The sole grip is very good and provide solid stability during high intensive workouts such as HIIT or insanity. (Editor note: here is our recommendations on the best HIIT shoes). Unfortunately, there is very little arch support for this shoe so it is not great for people with flat feet.

This is a zero drop cross training shoe through and through. You can use it for running but the results will not be the best.

Zero drop shoe for walking (Men)

For those who just wanted a nice pair of zero drop shoes to walk in, the Vibram Men Vybrid model is a fine choice. It has at least some minimal level of cushioning that makes wearing the shoe more comfortable than a barefoot model. In addition, there is good arch support that makes it a nice choice for flat footed people.

The material for the shoe is comfortable and will not cause you blisters or any sort of rubbing. When you walk in them for long periods of time, the cushioning and shape of the feet will not prevent your legs from tiring out so you can walk really long distances in them.

Compared to their running versions, this model has thicker sole. Together with the arch support, it makes the shoe much easier to wear for walking if you like to the barefoot experience.

In terms of design, I think it looks much nicer than the ugly 5 toe versions for their running shoe. Of course, design is a personal taste but from my conversation with other users, they also feel that design has improved.

 Zero drop shoes for weight lifting or powerlifting (Men)

The Reebok Crossfit Lite Lo is a wonderful shoe for weight or power lifting. They offer great stability due to the wide base that has low heel drop. The shoe has plenty of cushioning despite being a zero drop shoe and feels really comfortable on your sole. Speaking of which, the sole of the shoe has great traction and provides the additional stability when you are pushing for heavier weights.

Besides the comfort and the stability, the one thing I like is really the convenience. It is very easy to get in and out of the shoe. The laces are also easy to tighten or loosen so it adds quite a bit of flexibility to how you want to wear these shoes.

The only downside is that the shoe can get hot if you pushed it for more than one hour. The material is not as breathable as other as I have seen. This is not a big problem but something that I should mention for those who like their shoes to be cooling and such.

Overall, this is one of the best zero drop lifting shoes I have seen. Its price makes it one of the value for money product that I will gladly recommend to anyone.

Zero drop running shoe with arch support

When it comes to zero drop running shoes, there are many different models to choose from. Rather than recommending one best option, we are breaking down the choices via more specific demand. In this case, it is for folks who wants both zero drop and arch support in their running shoes.

One of the best option for such cases is the Altra Provision 2 running shoe. When you compared Provision 1.0 vs 2.0, one of the biggest difference is that you can feel is the arch support in the latter while it is almost non existent for the former. Another difference is that the sole support is stronger so you feel firmer when your feet is pounding on the surface. The shoe also has a wide toe box and a sole with good traction.  Finally, the shoe is pretty comfortable to wear as there are some cushioning even though it is a zero drop shoe.

The downside to this shoe is similar to the Reebok Crossfit Lite, namely it is hot to wear after extensive hours of running. If you have sweaty feet, you might feel a bit uncomfortable if you are into long hours of running.

4mm drop running shoes with cushion

One of the best 4mm drop running shoes in the market today, the Saucony Kinvara 3 model is very functional.  The biggest selling point for this shoe is the 4mm drop that allows you to maintain your natural running form, without making it uncomfortable to do so. Most of the 4mm drop shoes I have tried leaves a trail of blisters especially when I run long distances. Not so with this shoe as the cushioning really helps.

Another thing that makes wearing this shoe so enjoyable is the breathable material that is used on the top of the shoe. I hate sticky feet but running in this leaves my feet pretty cool and dry throughout the run, even on long distances. The front of the shoe is pretty wide so wide footed folks should not have a problem here.

Kinvara 3 vs 4, 5 and 6

One of the common question asked is why version 3, rather than the later versions such as 4, 5 or even 6? Let’s go through them one at a time.

• Kinvara 3 vs 4: Version added a power grip to the midsole as well as changing the upper forefoot into a slightly warp shape. However, the main reason I didn’t pick this as I feel it has less cushioning compared to version 3.

• Kinvara 3 vs 5: Version 5 feels more similar to 3 than version 4. The main change is to make the upper forefoot default back to its more roomy design, that version 3 has. However, compared to 3, the mid foot seems weaker than 3 as there seems to be more wear and tear after running 100km in them.

• Kinvara 3 vs 6: The 6th version of the shoe feels more narrow and tight, when compared to 5 and 3. My feet are slightly wide so I went for version 3 instead.

Conclusion

This guide has presented what I think is the best zero drop shoes for different sports and needs. If you have more recommendations, please free feel to leave a comment.