Get Asics or Brooks...everything else is garbage ;-)

The two pair of Asics I have had in my life fit poorly and gave me issues. Ergo Asics must be crap.

This is probably counterproductive, but here goes anyways. Be wary of "motion control" or "stability" shoes. It's all techno junk designed to screw around with your body. I've been fitted at running stores twice and both times they sold me stability or motion control and both times I suffered. First it was a knee, then it was a hip. As soon as I went to the ol' basic neutral shoe, life was good.

Get Asics or Brooks...everything else is garbage ;-)

I know you're winking, but we all know that's not true, lets not mislead the OP if we can. Everyone from Adidas to Mizuno to Puma to Reebok to Saucony all make good shoes - but some people prefer each one. I prefer Saucony and Puma, but will listen to you on Brooks. I can't stand any Asics I've tried. Good Luck

Oh, did I need to wink? I was just in the mood to agitate -- although I was serious about the motion control/stability stuff.

Tell that to my best friend (backroadrunner) who was sidelined for a year because she kept moving towards shoes that offered less and less stability, believing that too much control was the cause of her issues. She finally broke down and went to a sports med guy who put immediately her in motion control shoes and the next move was orthotics if that didn't work. He's an Ironman triathlete who also requires MC shoes, so he's not some hack who knows nothing of running. She has had not a single issue since and is finally getting herself off of the bench after years of issues including stress fractures and back problems.

I'd be happy to tell it to your best friend. I'm convinced that running stores and shoe companies are biased in favor of over-correction and sophistry. Doesn't mean your best friend didn't need m/c, but it also doesn't mean that anyone without a "high arch" should use an expensive shoe that prevents your foot from doing what it wants to do naturally. I don't know anything about your friend's situation so I can't possibly begin to argue with your description. Did the running store people tell her that she needed neutral and she followed their advice? If so, then it reinforces my view that running store folks are not always the best source of guidance. If not, then it reinforces my view that running store folks prefer to lead runners to the m/c shoes. Either way, I still have my experience. I'm glad your friend's better. I'm sure some people need those shoes. I just think the number is WAY lower than the shoe companies (Mizuno, Brooks, Nike, you name it) want you to believe. The upshot is, as I said before, I would be wary of those shoes and I sure as hell wouldn't buy them just because someone said I have a low arch or whatever the rule of thumb is.

And don't take up a salesperson's time, then walk out and go online to save a few bucks. For that first pair suck it up and do the right thing--buy from the kind person who helped you into that right shoe. Then once you've worn those babies out and know they are the shoe for you, THEN look for deals online for subsequent pairs.

Amen. Give your local small business a break. There's even a local store around me that will match prices found online or elsewhere (hey, why not?? A sale at 10-15% off is better than no sale at all. There's still a margin of profit in there.) Good luck, and remember - Brooks Adrenaline rules.

I'll tell you what I did, and my salesperson was supportive in this: I asked her not to tell me what shoes she was handing me. I just tried them on. ... Try the shoe, not the brand.

That is a brilliant idea.

I switched from NB to Asics a couple years ago for price. I discovered wearing stability shoes makes my shoes last longer. I used to wear out one side of the heel. Now my shoes wear out more evenly. Once you find your shoe you can buy the discontinued model a save a few bucks. Good hunting.