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The best running shoes under $100
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Quality running shoes can easily run north of $100, but they don’t have to. If you’re a parent or student, your finances were likely thrashed recently with back-to-school essentials like backpacks, dorm room furniture, and other supplies. If your running shoes are on their last legs, you may be wondering how to find a new, high-quality pair without depleting the rest of your funds.
“While you do not need a lot of gear to enjoy the sport we love, the one essential piece of equipment, running shoes, are (unfortunately) not cheap,” says Bill Reifsnyder, a former professional runner and the CMO of athletic laundry detergent company Nonaste.
Thankfully, you can still find good deals on fitness essentials like a good pair of running shoes — you just need to know where to look (hint: read below).
“A quality pair of running shoes [can] cost anywhere from $110 to almost $300,” Reifsnyder says. “But rest assured, if you are shopping on a budget, there are recommendations to keep you happy and healthy.”
Reifsnyder and more running experts share their best men’s and women’s running shoe recommendations under $100 ahead, plus, we found even more reviewer-loved options.
The best running shoes under $100
We know that when it comes to running shoes, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all (pun intended) sneaker for everyone. Between expert recommendations and our research into the most popular and reliable shoes out there, we built a list with a good bit of variety. Here’s a quick look at the best running shoes under $100.
From specific needs like lightweight builds and extra shock absorption to sneakers that are all about traction, there’s likely something for everybody on our list. Best of all, the running shoes ahead are from trusted brands like Nike, Asics, Brooks and more, but won’t break the bank.
Most recommended: Brooks Trace 3
Brooks
Reifsnyder, Dr. Gregory Alvarez (a podiatrist at the Ankle and Foot Centers of America) and Dr. Marc Matarazzo (an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine) recommend these Brooks shoes.
“They’re said to be a good shoe for beginners,” says Matarazzo. “They offer good support, cushioning and flexibility.”
“These come with BioMoGo DNA cushioning to provide extra shock absorption,” Alvarez says. “The internal fit system ensures that the shoe fits securely and comfortably on your foot. They also feature a segmented crash pad for responsive heel-to-toe transitions.”
The result is a cushy yet responsive ride in a shoe that manages to be both flexible and supportive at the same time. So, it’ll handle everything from quick morning runs to longer endurance training sessions. Find them in men’s and women’s sizes. There are also options for standard or wide widths, depending on your foot type.
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Most supportive running shoes under $100: Asics Gel Contend 9
Asics
Runners on a budget will appreciate the Asics Gel Contend 9s. They’re no-frills, high-quality running shoes with a surprisingly supportive and lightweight design. For those who struggle with over- or under-pronation, the guidance line technology gently corrects your stride. At the same time, the plush, gel-infused foam and ortholite sock liner cradles your foot and protects it from the shock of each foot strike.
“They’re made by a quality running shoe company that combines durability with shock absorption to allow you to run in multiple different types of conditions,” says Andrew Blakey, a certified personal trainer and director of Your Future Fitness. Find them in men’s and women’s sizes.
This is probably the most advanced support technology you’ll find in an under-$100 running shoe.
Shop men’s sizes:
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Best low-drop running shoes: Saucony Axon 3
Amazon
“Saucony is known for making quality shoes for runners, and they don’t disappoint with this running shoe that can be a great shoe for both running and casual wear,” Blakey says. If you want a solid go-to choice that can hold up during jogs and errand runs alike, these might be the shoes for you.
With a tall stack (35mm) of PWRRUN foam in the midsole, each step feels cushy and comfortable. Best of all, the low 4mm heel-toe drop means you get thick cushioning under your entire foot, not just your heel. That’s great news for midfoot or forefoot strikers. It’s also a great design for people who tend to struggle with foot pain or plantar fasciitis.
Already a great deal at full price, these Saucony Axon 3 running shoes are on sale right now. Get a pair for $80, instead of $100.
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Cushiest running shoes: New Balance Fresh Foam Arishi v4
New Balance
“This shoe features a lightweight mesh upper with a seamless construction to provide breathability,” Alvarez says. “The Fresh Foam midsole cushioning provides exceptional comfort and responsiveness, while the rubber outsole provides excellent traction.”
Built as a daily trainer, it’s both soft and lightweight. The 6mm heel-toe drop is also on the low side, making this a good pick for runners who tend to strike with their midfoot or forefoot first.
Right now, you can get them while they’re on sale at New Balance for just $60 (reduced from $75).
Shop men’s sizes:
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Best trail running shoes on a budget: Merrell Morphlite
Merrell
If you want to start trail running, your regular daily running shoes won’t do. You need traction and grip you can rely on along with a bit of extra support to stabilize your feet on uneven terrain. A great shoe to start with is the Merrell Morphlite. It’s a mixed terrain shoe with a sticky rubber outsole that bites nicely into gravel or dirt and sticks firmly to slippery surfaces like boulders.
While it won’t hold up to super technical terrain, it’s a comfortable and dependable mixed-terrain trail running shoe that’s great for beginners or casual trail runners.
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More top-rated running shoes under $100
Is $100 enough to spend on a good pair of running shoes?
“There are many high-quality running shoes that you can pick up for $100 that can provide you with all the things you require in a good solid shoe,” Blakey says. So long as you know what you’re looking for (and at), there are some solid choices out there that are also budget-friendly.
If you’re new to running, simply aren’t interested in all the bells and whistles that come with some expensive shoes, or don’t have any injuries that need tending to, $100 should suffice for running shoes you’ll be happy with.
One easy way to get quality at a lower price point is to shop clearance shoes. Whenever a new model launches, the previous year’s version typically drops in price. So that’s the perfect opportunity for budget-conscious runners to snag a premium running shoe with a sub-$100 price tag.
Running shoes need to be swapped out regularly (every 300 to 500 miles, according to REI), so their cost can easily add up if you’re always opting for expensive pairs.
How we chose these running shoes
- Customer reviews: We combed through verified customer reviews – in other words, real buyers – to ensure they were consistently pleased with these brands and models.
- Expert recommendations: We spoke with former professional runner and Nonaste CMO Bill Reifsnyder; certified personal trainer and Your Future Fitness director Andrew Blakey; podiatrist at the Ankle and Foot Centers of America Dr. Gregory Alvarez; and orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine Dr. Marc Matarazzo for product recommendations and advice.
- Star rating: All of these products have a four-star rating or higher, so you know you’re getting high-quality running shoes all throughout our list.
- Your needs: We considered your needs for different widths, colors and more when choosing these running shoes.
Strapped into the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour, three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut returned to Earth early Friday, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico to close out an extended 235-day expedition to the International Space Station.
After a high-speed re-entry above Central America and a steep descent to the Gulf, Crew 8 commander Matthew Dominick, co-pilot Michael Barratt, astronaut Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin settled to a gentle, on-target splashdown south of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT.
NASA TV
A SpaceX team stationed nearby was on the scene within minutes to stabilize the capsule, make sure no toxic propellant fumes were present and then to haul it aboard a nearby recovery ship where NASA flight surgeons and support personnel were standing by to carry the returning station fliers out of the crew cabin.
Despite two hours of exercise per day throughout their stay in orbit, returning station astronauts need about a month or more to regain their “land legs” after months in the weightless environment of space.
As such, Dominick, Barratt, Epps and Grebenkin were expected to be carried out of the Crew Dragon and placed on stretchers before being rolled inside the ship for initial medical checks and calls to family and friends. All four appeared in good spirits, smiling and waving as they were rolled inside.
Mission duration was 235 days three hours and 35 minutes, during which the spacecraft circled the globe 3,776 times covering 100 million miles since launch from the Kennedy Space Center on March 3.
NASA
The crew originally expected to return to Earth in September. But the flight slipped into early October in the wake of a decision to delay the launch of their Crew 9 replacements because of problems with Boeing’s Starliner crew ferry ship.
NASA eventually ruled out bringing Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams back to Earth aboard the Boeing spacecraft. Instead, the Starliner came down without its crew on September 7 and Crew 9 was launched with just two passengers — Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gobrunov — on Sept. 28.
That freed up two seats aboard the Crew Dragon for Wilmore and Williams to use when they come home next February with Hague and Gorbunov.
Sorting all that out pushed the Crew 8 departure into October. NASA and SpaceX then were repeatedly held up by high winds and rough seas at the approved splashdown sites, much of it related to hurricanes Helene and Milton.
But this week, conditions in the Gulf finally met NASA’s safety guidelines and the crew was cleared to undock and head for home.
With Crew 8 safely back on Earth, the Crew 9 crew will board their own Crew Dragon capsule early Sunday, Nov. 3, undock from the Harmony module’s forward port and then redock at its space-facing port.
The next day, an ISS-bound SpaceX cargo ship is scheduled for launch from the Kennedy Space Center. After an automated rendezvous, the ship will dock at the just vacated forward port on Nov. 5, election day in the United States.
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A 15-year-old boy was charged Thursday with murder in the shooting deaths of his parents and three of his siblings at a home in Fall City, Washington, according to court documents obtained by CBS News.
The teen, whose name is being withheld because he is a juvenile, was charged with five counts of aggravated murder in the slayings of his parents, Mark and Sarah Humiston, two brothers, ages 9 and 13, and his 7-year-old sister, per King County court records.
He was also charged with one count of attempted murder for shooting and wounding his 11-year-old sister, the documents read.
That girl was in “satisfactory condition” at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg told the Associated Press Tuesday.
Autopsies performed by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that all five victims died of gunshot wounds. The handgun used in the shooting was believed to belong to the victim’s father, the court records state.
According to the charging documents, just before 5 a.m. Monday, the suspect called 911 with a false story in which he claimed that his 13-year-old brother “just shot my whole family and committed suicide too” at the family’s home in Fall City, which is a community located near Seattle.
However, at about the same time as that call, 911 dispatchers received a second call from a neighbor who lives about a quarter-mile away. That neighbor said the suspect’s 11-year-old sister had ran to his house and was bleeding from what appeared to be a gunshot wound, the documents said.
The girl said her entire family had been fatally shot and identified her 15-year-old brother as the shooter. The girl told dispatchers she was also shot by her brother and “then described holding her breath and playing dead,” the documents read. The girl later told detectives that she had escaped through a bedroom window.
Deputies responded to the Humiston home, where they found the suspect in the driveway and took him into custody, court records show. The five victims were found dead inside the home.
In a hospital interview with detectives later that day, the suspect’s surviving sister said that she identified the firearm used in the shooting as “her father’s silver Glock handgun,” court documents state.
She said that her father kept the pistol in a small lockbox that “he would sometimes put by the front door so he could bring it to work,” the documents read. She told detectives that the suspect was “the only one who knew the combination to the Glock lockbox.”
Investigators determined that the suspect “systematically murdered” his parents and siblings and “then staged the scene prior to the arrival of first responders to make it appear” that the murders had been committed by his 11-year-old brother, documents read.
The court documents did not speculate on a motive.
The suspect is scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a news release Thursday that the suspect is in custody at the Clark Child and Family Justice Center, which is a juvenile facility.
The teen is currently being charged as a juvenile, and prosecutors said a judge will determine whether his case “will be moved to adult court.”
In a statement Tuesday, public defenders representing the suspect said that “our client is a 15-year-old boy who enjoys mountain biking and fishing and has no criminal history.”
