Why you need to start wearing performance sports shoes

IF you feel like your exercise routine needs a bit of a boost this summer, it might be time to get some serious performance sports shoes. Here’s the best of them.

Why you need to wear performance sports shoes

MOST of the comfiest shoes on the market are performance shoes, designed for athletes to beat world records, or beat the competition, or whatever serious athletes do.

We also have a sense that if only we buy those amazing running shoes, maybe one day we’ll be the next Cathy Freeman.

Sadly, becoming an athlete doesn’t quite work out that way and we end up wearing the shoes designed to help us be our best, while on a 2am McDonalds run.

With that in mind, we sent shoe nerd Alice Clarke to test out fancy sports shoes in the non-sporting situations where they’re the most useful.

Adidas Energy Boost 2.0

The Adidas Boost technology is kind of a thing of beauty. It looks like polystyrene, but has the rebound to give you bouncy energy return for a good few hundred kilometres of use. And the tech fit upper on the 2.0 version of the shoe makes it extremely breathable and soft while keeping your foot cool, so your feet don’t feel sweaty or uncomfortable. This is especially helpful when you sleep in and have to sprint to the train in the morning with your work shoes in your bag.

The Boost tech will make the run feel like less work, and the reduced foot sweat allows you to change your shoes in the office without killing co-workers in your immediate vicinity with your unholy stench. Everybody wins!

Bounciness rating: Tiny trampolines.

Comfort: 9/10

Support: 6/10

Price: $180

Available from:http://www.adidas.com.au/energy_boost-running-shoes

Nike Air Zoom Structure 18

If you have a foot that rolls inward, it can be really hard to find shoes that help you with that, and don’t look like something your grandma would own. Sure, you can get $1000 custom orthotics to solve the problem, and you can put them in different shoes, but who has the money for that? The Air Zoom Structure 18s really want to make sure your feet don’t roll in, they have three layers of foam to help you with that. Before you get them, make sure you go to Athlete’s Foot or something and get your feet tested to see what way your feet roll, or if they roll at all.

If they do roll in, these shoes are ridiculously pretty and extremely comfortable.

They would be the perfect shoe if you had to stand a lot at work, or knew you were going to a party that underestimated how many chairs were required. They’re lightweight with a slightly heavier upper than expected, but they’re still surprisingly breathable.

Bounciness rating: Wet tennis ball.

Comfort: 8/10

Support: 11/10

Price: $200

Available from: nike.com.au

Reebok The Blast

The main features of The Blast are its ankle support and somewhat intense cushioning in the interior. This probably helped many a 1990s basketball player look after their ankles, keep comfy, and produce so much foot sweat they had to wring out their socks after each game. But it still stands as an extremely supportive and comfortable shoe. If breaking ankles on the court isn’t your style, these are great to dodge all the slow moving people clogging up the city’s footpaths. The grip is better than you’ll find on any modern basketball shoe, so you’re unlikely to slip, and all that support will help you change directions on a dime without twisting your ankle.

Bounciness rating: Softball.

Comfort: 7/10

Support: 7/10

Price: $150

Available from: reebok.com.au

Adidas Crazylight Boost

Fun fact: I can jump nearly 15 centimetres higher in Crazylight Boosts than in bare feet. If I were at least a foot taller, this would be useful for dunking in the WNBL. Which is appropriate, as they’re very popular with some of the best NBA players at the moment, including Damian Lillard and Australia’s own Dante Exum.

However, since most of us are mere mortals who haven’t yet dedicated our lives to basketball, for us they’re super helpful for getting books down from the top shelf.

But they’re not just about jumping. The Crazylight Boosts were the most comfortable and versatile shoes tried for this experiment, and they come in the biggest range of colours. (Though they are still really great for jumping.)

They’re really lightweight and quite breathable, not to mention the added ankle support from the high tops. They’re comfortable enough to wear all day and help you reach whatever you need.

Bounciness rating: Blake Griffin

Comfort: 9.5/10

Support: 8/10

Price: $200

Available from:www.adidas.com.au

Nike Air Zoom Elite 7

The Air Zoom Elite 7s were designed with the help of athletes to make an amazing training shoe for elite runners.

But the bright colours, reflective patches, and angle that has you ready to run at a moment’s notice make them great for walking the dog at night.

The shoe’s very grippy sole makes it perfect for all the terrain your dog will drag you over to. The angled and lightweight designed keeps you ready to chase after Rufus the second he slips the leash. And the bright, reflective design will help you be seen more easily, reducing your chances of being run over. No downside!

Bounciness rating: Large, middle-aged dog who really wants to see over that fence.

Comfort: 8/10

Support: 8.5/10

Price: $180

Available from:www.nike.com.au

Reebok Kamikaze 1

The first thing you notice when you look at the Kamikaze 1s is just how gosh darn pretty they are. They go with most things, if you have the confidence to try.

The second thing is how cushy they are, they are almost the shoe equivalent of duct taping pillows around your feet and ankles.

There are nearly 130,000 square metres of shopping space at Chadstone Shopping Centre, and these Kamikaze 1s will keep you comfortable (and slightly warm) through the overzealous air con and long, long walk that a day of bargain hunting will bring you. Shopping ‘til you drop is all well and good, but when you have Christmas presents to buy, you want to put off the dropping until you’ve gotten home and can have a nice cup of tea. Not drop when you’re still half way through the list.

Keeping with the trend of 90s basketball shoes, they are a little heavy, and not quite as breathable as the more modern ones, but the cushiony support is nice, comfortable and familiar.

Bounciness rating: Glass marble.

Comfort: 7/10

Support: 8/10

Price: $150

Available from: www.reebok.com.au