Light Weight Running Shoes Men

Consider Your Running Surface
The outsole of your running shoe is where the rubber meets the road. It is often made of a variety of rubber or foam compounds placed in strategic areas to increase wear life or enhance bounce or flexibility. Materials that provide traction and durability without adding excess weight or stiffness, and for a footprint shape that matches yours and gives you the desired level of stability underfoot.

Midsole Shape
To make the shoe bend like your foot bends, many shoes use flex grooves under the ball of the foot. Turning the toe up, called toe spring, or cutting away the midsole into a rocker pattern also allows the foot to roll through the stride. Small differences in location or angle can alter the mechanics and feel, and what degree of flex works best for your stride as it changes with speed. Rocker-style midsoles tend to have more aggressive toe springs to facilitate a quick forward roll through the gait cycle. Look for a shoe that flexes or rolls the way your foot wants to move-at the pace for which you'll be using the shoes.

Heel and Forefoot Cushioning
Heel cushioning is the midsole material designed to minimize the impact shock of a heel strike. Besides using a variety of cushioning materials, some shoes feature a softer "crash pad" area on the outer edge of the foot or a rounded outer heel to smooth the landing. Research has shown that the body provides the majority of cushioning for your joints and that you land harder in a more cushioned shoe, so heel cushioning is largely a matter of perceived comfort. You'll likely want a balance between cushioning, stability, and ground feel.

Heel-Toe Drop
Drop is the difference in height between your heel and the ball of your foot when standing in the shoe.Pick a shoe that feels right throughout the stride, from touchdown to toe-off, and reduces stress on any weak parts of your foot.

Assess Your Gait and Running Style
Designers use a variety of technologies (such as medial posts, dual-density foams, varus wedges, guide rails, and wider shoe geometries) to try to keep the foot from excessive motion, primarily overpronation or rolling inward.Your shoe should offer stability as support, not over-correction. If you overpronate, you may want a shoe that provides more of these stabilizing features.