The 6 Best Treadmill Running Shoes of 2024

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Breathability and support are two of the most important qualities to look for in treadmill running shoes. Since a session on a walking treadmill or running treadmill is much different than hitting the pavement outdoors (and you won’t encounter things like twists and turns, uneven terrain or slippery surfaces), outdoor running shoes aren’t always the best choice for indoor workouts. Plus, cleaning your outdoor shoes every time you run indoors can become a hassle. Instead, you may want to purchase a separate pair of treadmill running shoes that are lighter and more cushioned than their outdoor counterparts. These qualities can help protect your feet from the repetitive motion of landing on the same surface over and over.

Whether you’ve just bought a new treadmill for your home gym or you’re looking to replace an old or worn-out pair of training shoes, investing in a good pair of treadmill running shoes can protect you from injury and blisters, boost performance and up your comfort level. Find out what makes the best treadmill running shoes of 2024 superior, and how to find your perfect fit.

Our Picks for the Best Treadmill Running Shoes:

• Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Men: NoBull Runner+
• Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Women: Nike InfinityRN 4
• Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Speed: Allbirds Tree Flyer 2
• Best Cushioned Treadmill Running Shoes: Hoka Bondi 8 
• Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Long Distance Runners: Xero Forza Runner
• Best Budget Treadmill Running Shoes: Nike Winflo 10

Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Men: NoBull Runner+

Key Features:

• Price: $179
• Best for: Sprinting
• Drop: 8.5 millimeters
• Weight: 9.5 ounces
• Arch support: Neutral
• Fit width options: Regular
• Size ranges: 8–16 men’s 
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Nylon, foam, mesh and rubber
• Cushioning: Responsive

Whether you’re taking an interval training class on your favorite running app or sprinting on your own terms, runners should look no further than the NoBull White Runner+, which is our pick for the best treadmill running shoes for men. Featuring a 100 percent Pebax foam midsole that provides rebound and strong liftoff, and a full-length nylon plate that offers a flexible springboard for improved energy return, these minimalist treadmill running shoes are truly made for speed.

Overall, these shoes offer extra breathability with an engineered mesh tongue that promotes additional airflow when paired with the engineered mesh upper. Runners can also benefit from integrated wings in the upper that keep the tongue in place, plus a double upper eyelid for a more secure heel lockdown. Although these shoes are designed in minimalist form, comfort remains top of mind. NoBull White Runner+ has internal collar padding to boost comfort, a removable molded anatomical sockliner so you can customize your fit and a light weight of 9.5 ounces.

Related Post: Everything You Need to Know to Find the Best Men’s Running Shoes

Pros:

• Fit can be customized with removable sockliner
• Engineered mesh tongue creates extra airflow
• Double upper eyelid keeps heels locked down
• Minimalist design promotes natural movements

Cons:

• No wide width options
• Minimal arch support

Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Women: Nike InfinityRN 4

Key Features:

• Price: $160
• Best for: Runners who want extra cushioning
• Drop: 9 millimeters
• Weight: 281 grams
• Arch support: High
• Fit width options: None
• Size ranges: 5–12
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Recycled materials
• Cushioning: Super high

If you’re looking for a sneaker that offers support and cushioning with every step, check out Nike’s InfinityRN 4. These are the fourth iteration of the popular running shoe, redesigned with ReactX foam, which Nike says offers more energy return compared to older models. This helps to keep your stride bouncy while softening the impact as you strike the ground or tread. The InfinityRN is our pick for the best treadmill running shoes for women because of the combination of high support and high cushioning designed to improve your natural stride.

The InfinityRN has 4.5/5 stars on Nike’s website based on more than 60 user reviews with many praising the shoes' comfort. However, several reviewers said the sneakers were too tight even when sized up. One customer wrote “these literally hug your feet. It's like it's surrounded by a pillow. The material is very durable but lightweight and the ReactX sole is not too bulky. They do fit snug.”

Related Post: Best Running Shoes for Women

Pros:

• Water-repellent liner
• Adjustable tongue
• Added rubber on outside to improve durability

Cons:

• No wide width options
• Many reviewers say despite sizing up, these sneakers are still very snug

Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Speed: Allbirds Tree Flyer 2

Key Features:

• Price: $160
• Best for: Running and training
• Drop: 8.5 millimeters
• Weight: 10.63 ounces
• Arch support: Medium
• Fit width options: Regular
• Size ranges: 8-14 men's and 5-11 women's
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Tencel Lyocell, foam, rubber, wool, bio-based TPU
• Cushioning: High

In choosing our best speed shoe for treadmill running, we focused on two S-words: spring and stability. Those criteria led us to the Allbirds Tree Flyer 2.

• Spring: The Tree Flyer 2 has a midsole made with springy, lightweight SwiftFoam. Allbirds claims that SwiftFoam has a 70-percent energy return, which would compare favorably with some of the fastest running shoes on the market.
• Stability: The toe and midfoot have TPU overlays to help reinforce the shoe's upper. The stabilizing features also include an external heel counter and geometrically designed midsole.

Spring and stability can make it easier for you to keep up a brisk pace while maintaining good form. These factors make the Tree Flyer 2 an intriguing option for tackling a fast tempo on your favorite treadmill app.

Another S-word that's key to the Allbirds brand is sustainability. The Tree Flyer 2 and other Allbirds shoes use naturally derived or bio-based materials throughout their designs, including natural rubber in the outsole and eucalyptus tree fiber in the upper. This approach even extends to the laces, which are made from recycled plastic bottles.

Pros:

• Made with high energy-return foam
• Has stability-enhancing features
• Breathable upper
• Sustainably sourced materials

Cons:

• A bit heavier than some speed shoes
• No wide size options

Best Cushioned Treadmill Running Shoes: HOKA Bondi 8

Key Features:

• Price: $165
• Best for: People with injuries
• Drop: Four millimeters
• Weight: 8.9 ounces
• Arch support: Neutral
• Fit width options: Regular, wide and extra-wide
• Size ranges: 7-16 men’s and 5-12 women’s
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Foam, mesh and rubber
• Cushioning: Plush

HOKA Bondi 8 comes in as our top pick for best cushioned treadmill running shoes thanks to its high bed of soft cushion. The many unique comfort features that these plush treadmill running shoes deliver include a memory foam collar to cradle your ankles, a rear crash pad to balance your strides from heel strike to lift-off and a cushioned OrthoLite hybrid sockliner. Whether you seek out cushioned running shoes for long distance running or an injury, this ultra cushioned footwear is designed to help you get the endorphin-boosting benefits that running can offer.

In addition to its comfort-first design, HOKA Bondi 8, like the popular HOKA Clifton 9, also prioritizes breathability and durability. It’s made with engineered mesh construction, an extended heel, a lightweight foam midsole and a durabrasion rubber outsole designed to withstand tough, repetitive exercise. These treadmill running shoes also come with zonal rubber placement (or cutouts on the sole) that bring the weight down to just 8.9 ounces. We also love that there are extra-wide fit options available.

Pros:

• Memory foam collar offers ankle support
• Rear crash pad balances strides
• Heel-pull tab makes it easier to put shoes on
• Extra-wide fit options available

Cons:

• May be too plush for some runners
• Bulkier design compared to other shoes

Best Treadmill Running Shoes for Long Distance Runners: Xero Forza Runner

Key Features:

• Price: $129.99
• Best for: Long distance running
• Drop: Zero-drop
• Weight: 7.5 ounces
• Arch support: None, but has removable 3.5-millimeter insole
• Fit width options: Regular
• Size ranges: 6.5-15 men’s and 5-12 women’s
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Rubber, polyester, foam
• Cushioning: Light

There are different schools of thought about the ideal style of distance-running shoe, and the case for zero-drop shoes includes some intriguing points. For example, the American College of Sports Medicine advises that shoes with high heel-to-toe drops and thick cushioning could make you more likely to develop bad form. Poor mechanics could become a serious problem for long-distance running, which brings us to the Xero Forza Runner.

As a zero-drop shoe, the Xero Forza Runner takes high drops and excessive cushioning out of the equation. In contrast with shoes such as the adidas Ultraboost Light, this Xero runner has a minimalist, "barefoot" design. If you're hesitant about hitting the treadmill in a low-profile shoe, remember that the Forza Runner has a removable 3.5-millimeter insole. In terms of holding up for long distances, Xero backs its FeelTrue rubber soles with a 5,000-mile sole warranty.

The Forza Runner is an adaptation of the brand's best-selling HFS runner, with reduced weight and a breathable knit mesh upper. Users give the Forza Runner 4.7 out of 5 stars on the Xero website, with around 100 reviews.

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Pros:

• Designed to promote "natural movement"
• Wide, roomy toe box
• Very lightweight
• Wide selection of men's and women's sizes
• 5,000-mile sole warranty

Cons:

• Adapting to a zero-drop shoe could take time
• Sizing runs half a size small

Best Budget Treadmill Running Shoes: Nike Winflo 10

Key Features:

• Price: $100 
• Best for: Casual jogging
• Drop: 10 millimeters
• Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Arch support: Neutral
• Fit width options: Regular
• Size ranges: 6-15 men’s and 5-12 women’s
• Closure: Laces
• Material: Mesh, foam and rubber
• Cushioning: Medium

As the most affordable buy on our list, Nike Winflo 10 are a budget-friendly pair of running shoes great for a treadmill that offer a fair price point without skimping on quality. This footwear includes a soft foam midsole that promotes bounce, a breathable translucent mesh upper and Nike Air cushioning that adds support and responsiveness throughout the entire shoe. Nike updated the Winflo 10s from previous models by redesigning the toe box to enhance the fit for all foot types, and added more padding in the collar to improve fit and comfort.

With a traditional 10 millimeter heel to toe drop, or the difference in height between the heel and forefoot, these treadmill running shoes offer a neutral fit and arch support that will work well for most runners. There are also more than a dozen vibrant color options. All that’s left is to pair your Nike Winflo 10s with a high-quality supplement for runners to achieve your fitness goals.

Pros:

• More than a dozen fun color options
• Mix of balanced and plush cushioning
• Suitable for most runners

Cons:

• No wide fit options
• Some customers complain of squeaky shoes

How We Chose the Best Treadmill Running Shoes

We chose the best treadmill running shoes by extensively researching and comparing leading footwear from top reputable brands. There are a number of factors we considered, including lightness, breathability, durability, comfort and cushioning. We also considered price, fit, arch support, design, performance and what customers and testers have to say about their shoes.

Related Post: The Best Running Shoe Brands of 2024

What To Look for In a Treadmill Running Shoe

A high-quality treadmill running shoe should have certain features to make it effective for treadmill running. Keep an eye out for these traits as you compare different shoes.

Fit

Your treadmill running shoes should be comfortable, especially if you do long distance running. Treadmill running shoes will naturally have a slimmer fit, and this is because shoes designed for treadmill use will prioritize stability in their design (which helps keep your feet secure as they land on the same type of surface over and over). A good treadmill running shoe that fits you properly will have a snug fit around your heel and midfoot, but will feel roomier around your forefoot near your toes. A rule of thumb is to seek out shoes that have at least a finger tip width of space in front of your toes. If your toes feel cramped, you may want to size up half a size.

Arch support

People are born with different arches that range from a high arch to a flat arch. Luckily, certain treadmill footwear works better than others depending on the type of arch you have. If you’re like me and you have a flat arch, you’ll want to look for a treadmill running shoe with motion control to help prevent overpronation, or your feet rolling inward. People with medium arches can benefit from a stability shoe with extra support in the midsole to also prevent ankle rolling. The best running shoes for high arches are a neutral treadmill running shoe that supports proper form.

Related Post: Best Shoes for Ankle Support

Cushioning

Cushioning is an important factor in all treadmill running shoes. Since cushioning provides shock absorption (and keeps you comfortable), you’ll want at least some cushioning in your footwear, but how much will vary depending on your needs. Highly cushioned running shoes will give you extra joint support and can be helpful for people with foot or ankle injuries, while firmer responsive cushioning will give you bouncy lands for better lift-off. For a springy feel, you’ll want to look for running shoes with balanced cushioning, as opposed to shoes that are ultra plush.

Type of run

Whether you’re a long distance runner, an interval sprinter or a casual jogger, certain shoes will best support different running styles. Most runners can wear a neutral running shoe, unless you have a flat arch, which would make a motion control shoe more beneficial to you. If arch isn’t a concern, neutral running shoes are typically your best bet for slower-paced or steady runs. A stability shoe, meanwhile, will be helpful for interval sprinting that focuses on strength training.

Breathability

One characteristic that all good treadmill running shoes should have is breathability. This helps your feet stay cool and prevents things like sweaty feet or overheating. Breathability in training shoes can come in different forms, but usually presents itself as a mesh upper. The type of mesh varies and can be engineered, perforated or knit, but will always allow airflow.

Weight

True treadmill running shoes will always be lightweight. That’s why traditional walking shoes, which are typically much bulkier and heavier, aren’t your best bet for treadmill running. Outdoor running shoes also tack on extra weight from additional features like enhanced traction. A good weight for a treadmill running shoe is below nine ounces. A lighter shoe will be easier on your muscles, but long distance runners who can benefit from the support of additional cushioning (which adds a little bit of weight) may want a shoe with slightly more depth.

Cost

High-quality treadmill running shoes can be pricey and will typically cost anywhere from $100 to $190. While most people will need to replace their running shoes every 300 to 500 miles, this can vary depending on your weight, the intensity of your exercises and the overall quality of your footwear. Be sure to consider your budget as you shop around for the perfect shoe, in addition to how often you’ll need to realistically replace worn-out treadmill footwear. For the best price, we always recommend checking the official brand website and Amazon for any sales.

Treadmill Running Shoes FAQs

Here’s everything else you should know about treadmill running shoes before making a purchase.

Do you need different shoes for running on the treadmill?

While you can technically use the same shoes for running on the treadmill as you would running outdoors, your outdoor running shoes may not give you the right support for treadmill running and vice-versa, so it’s a good idea to have separate pairs. Plus, you don’t want to be stuck cleaning your outdoor shoes every time you want to use them indoors. Since a treadmill surface is smoother than outdoor terrain, which can be uneven, rocky or slick, you don’t need as much traction as you would in good outdoor running shoes. Instead, you’ll want extra support (which is usually a lighter and tighter-fitting shoe) to stabilize your feet as they hit the same surface.

Do running shoes last longer when you run on a treadmill rather than outside?

The good news about treadmill running shoes used specifically indoors is that they’ll generally last much longer than their outdoor running shoe counterparts. That’s because outdoor running shoes face much more abrasion, especially if you’re running on uneven or rocky surfaces. Not only are treadmills more gentle on your shoes altogether, treadmill running shoes tend to have more cushioning, which also reduces how quickly the shoes become worn out or overused.

Is running barefoot on a treadmill okay?

It’s best to avoid running barefoot on a treadmill. Running barefoot poses the risk of burning the bottoms of your feet as your treadmill becomes hot with use. It’s also much easier to injure yourself when running barefoot, such as by stubbing your toe on the front of the machine. To replicate the feeling of running barefoot while keeping your feet safe, you can always opt for a pair of barefoot shoes or minimalist running shoes that encourage natural movements and running styles.

What type of shoes are best for running on a treadmill?

Lightweight running shoes are your best bet for running on a treadmill. A good pair of treadmill running shoes should have breathability, a more stable and secure fit and balanced or plush cushioning to lessen the impact of your feet landing on the same type of surface repetitively.

Final Thoughts

Treadmills simulate road running, but benefit from a specific type of training shoe. A good pair of treadmill running shoes should be lightweight, breathable, durable and cushioned, while outdoor running shoes should have increased focus on traction and control. Walking shoes should be avoided altogether, since these shoes are often too bulky for comfortably running on a treadmill. Luckily, all of the top picks for best treadmill running shoes on our list check off the features that high-quality treadmill footwear should have—and are all worthy of being worn on your next run.

Prices are accurate and items in stock as of publish time.