What Runners Are Buying Right Now
If you want to know which running shoes are actually winning in 2026, the clearest answer is this: runners are still buying comfortable daily trainers from proven brands far more than they are chasing novelty.
Public market data and retailer bestseller lists point to the same pattern. Running remains one of the healthiest categories in footwear, with Circana reporting that running was the second-largest footwear class and grew 10.1% in the latest period it highlighted.
That matters because it means people are still spending in the category, but they are spending selectively on shoes they trust. You can see Circana’s category snapshot here.
Running shoe brands leading the market
A market summary based on Circana data presented at The Running Event showed these brands leading the adult U.S. running footwear market:
| Rank | Brand |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brooks |
| 2 | HOKA |
| 3 | New Balance |
| 4 | ASICS |
| 5 | On |
Source: A Mile. A Minute. coverage of The Running Event / Circana data
That ranking lines up with what brands are reporting in their own results. Brooks said first-quarter 2026 revenue rose 23%, while HOKA reported $628.9 million in Q3 FY2026 sales, up 18.5%.
On guided to at least 23% constant-currency growth for 2026. You can read those updates from Brooks, HOKA parent Deckers, and On.
Specific running shoe models getting real traction
True national model-by-model sales rankings are rarely published in full, but public data gives us a useful directional picture. We have complied the table below to give you the best model by model ranking that is possible with available data.
Models showing the strongest public sales or usage signals
Type of signal | Model (linked to Amazon listing for current pricing) | What stands out |
|---|---|---|
Global usage | Strava’s most-used running shoe of 2025 | |
Global usage | Still one of the most-used shoes globally | |
Global usage | Continues to show broad everyday popularity | |
Brand sales | Brooks’ top seller in Q1 2026, up 34% | |
Brand sales | Up 31% in Q1 2026 | |
Brand launch traction | Brooks Glycerin Max / Flex line | Immediate contribution to Brooks footwear revenue |
Sources: Strava Year in Sport 2025, Brooks Q1 2026 results
Retail bestsellers: Shoes shoppers are actually buying
One of the more useful public retailer snapshots comes from Bryn Mawr Running Co., which lists its best sellers by quantity sold.
Men’s best-selling running shoes
Rank | Model (Amazon linked for pricing) | Brand |
|---|---|---|
1 | Brooks | |
2 | New Balance | |
3 | Brooks | |
4 | Brooks | |
5 | Brooks | |
6 | New Balance | |
7 | HOKA | |
8 | Nike | |
9 | ASICS | |
10 | New Balance | |
11 | HOKA | |
12 | ASICS |
Source: Bryn Mawr Running Co. men’s best sellers
Women’s best-selling running shoes
Rank | Model | Brand |
|---|---|---|
1 | Brooks | |
2 | Brooks | |
3 | Brooks | |
4 | New Balance | |
5 | Brooks | |
6 | HOKA | |
7 | New Balance | |
8 | New Balance | |
9 | HOKA | |
10 | On | |
11 | ASICS | |
12 | HOKA |
Source: Bryn Mawr Running Co. women’s best sellers
What buyers should take from this
If you are shopping right now, the market is telling you something pretty simple. The safest bets are still daily trainers and stability shoes from Brooks, HOKA, New Balance, ASICS, and On.
The most repeatedly visible models are not weird, flashy, or niche. They are reliable shoes people wear for a lot of miles.
If you want the shortest shortlist based on public sales and usage signals, start with:
- Brooks Ghost
- Brooks Glycerin
- Brooks Adrenaline GTS
- HOKA Clifton
- HOKA Bondi
- New Balance 880
- New Balance 1080
- ASICS Novablast
- ASICS GEL-Kayano
- Nike Pegasus
That is the center of the market in 2026.
See a version of this post for shoe business professionals.
