Standing at the starting line of the 2011 Ogden Half-Marathon, shivering slightly from the chilly air and nerves, I had my first sighting of a pair of max-cushioned running shoes—and I thought they looked clown-level goofy! The thicker-than-thick midsoles reminded me of circa-1970 Moon Boots, and I expected the lithe runner wearing them to bound down the course like she was wearing springs. 

Fast forward to early 2024 when I (finally!) took a debut run in my own max-cushioned running shoes. With nearly 1.5 inches of foam midsole under my feet (versus about 1.25 inches), I was immediately amazed at how responsive the shoes felt—I still was able to feel the road (in a good way) and push off forcefully, yet my aging back, hips, and knees felt infinitely more protected from pounding. Gone was my usual post-run backache.  

Now, instead of being just a race-day standout, max-cushioned running shoes are commonplace: Most running shoe brands offer at least one style of them. “They are good if you are looking for a more plush feeling run,” says Cynthia Vissers, a BAMRbassador and manager at Feet First Sports in Columbia, Maryland. Marathon-runner Vissers explains some foams are made to feel bouncy and others firmer. “Neither is better—it’s personal preference and what works best with your gait and body.” She suggests comparing several different brands, with the caveat that, “more isn’t always better—max-cushioned shoes aren’t for everyone.”

To help max-cushioned-curious runners find their ideal pair, we had more than a dozen BAMRbassadors weartest the latest models of these shoes. After many miles, they shared their feedback with us.

Topo Athletic Atmos

Price: $165
Sizes: Women’s 6-11, 12 standard + wide

A marathoner-in-training deemed the Atmos, “among the softest shoes” she’s worn, calling the cushioning “supreme!” This is “not a bouncy shoe”—it gives “a nice, high-cushion feel without being squirrely.” 

Both our testers think these shoes are ideal for long runs. A tester said she had “no bottom-of-the-feet soreness” after a double-digit run, an issue she sometimes experiences in traditionally cushioned shoes. “I’m not grabbing these for speed sessions, but these shine in the recovery- and long-easy-run game,” reported another marathon runner. 

Both testers said the shoe looked heavy, but was “lighter than expected.” (A women’s size 7 weighs in at 7.9 ounces, the lightest in this round-up.) Like all Topo Athletic shoes, the Atmos has a roomy toebox with a comfortably snug midfoot and heel for “a non-sloppy fit.”

Saucony Triumph 23

Price: $170
Sizes: Women’s 5-12 standard + wide

We know we’re not supposed to emphasize looks when discussing running shoes, but come on: These babies are available in 14 (!!) colors! One tester’s 22-year-old son deemed them “so fly!” And pretty is as pretty does: One marathoner summed them up, “The shoes are snug without being restrictive; supportive without being too heavy; and offer a nice spring-back with every step.” 

On neighborhood streets, one Pennsylvania runner deemed the Triumph 23 “soft and bouncy, yet still providing stability.” No stranger to max-cushioned shoes, she was pleased these kicks didn’t need much time to get used to: After a dog-walk and an easy 3-mile run, she was good to go farther. A South Carolina runner told us she needed two runs to get used to what she calls “the taper” at the heel of the sole, despite feeling “a little wobbly” doing her dynamic warm-up in them.

A marathoner-in-training appreciated the Triumph 23s while doing 800-meter repeats. “I got a good spring, so they helped me hit my goal pace on the repeats. And I enjoyed the benefit of the cushion on the recovery sections.” 

One tester experienced an unusual issue: Her orthotics squeaked loudly in these shoes. Various troubleshooting didn’t work, so she just turned up the volume on her AfterShokz headphones.

Altra Via Olympus 2

Price: $160
Sizes: Women’s 5.5-12 standard

Our testers were divided on this shoe: “They felt like running on a cloud—soft but incredibly supportive,” raved one runner, while a marathoner-in-training lamented, “the Via Olympus 2 cushioning is not springy” like other max-cushioned shoes she’s worn. This tester reported she needed “at least five runs of 5+ miles” for the firmness of the soles to give way to comfort. 

The two testers also proved that beauty is in the eye of the beholder: One thought “they look like orthopedic shoes,” while the other “loved the color instantly.” 

Like a few other shoes in this review, these Altras have a wide toebox, a feature one tester appreciated because she was coming back from a toe injury. They also have a zero drop, meaning there’s no difference in height between the heel and the toe of the sole, creating a flat, level platform to push off from. One runner was worried about the adjustment period for getting used to zero drop, but “it didn’t bother” her at all. 

One deal-breaker for the marathon runner was the weight: A women’s size 7 weighs 9.6 ounces, which is nearly 2 ounces (~25%) heavier than several shoes we reviewed. She told us: “My legs feel fine after wearing the Olympus, but I don’t feel the cushioning as much as I would like to” because of the added weight.

Brooks Ghost Max 3

Price: $160
Sizes: Women’s 5-12, 13 standard

For a tester who was a newbie to max-cushioned shoes, it was love at first run with the Ghost Max 3: “They felt squishy without actually being squishy. They were so cushy and cozy.” The “bouncy” cushioning was still responsive, which she appreciated. A different tester deemed the cushioning “a bit odd” at first. “But it truly only took a brief walk and some gentle running to get the feel of them and now when I put them on they feel natural.” In addition, her “legs don’t feel wrung out” after a run in them.  

The new-to-max-cushioned-shoes tester wore the Ghost Max 3 for a variety of workouts—recovery runs, tempo runs, intervals, and “easy” runs—and her body always “feels great after running in these shoes.”  

Both our testers found this version of the long-beloved Ghost shoe to have a slightly roomier toebox than the standard Ghost. Interestingly, coming in at 10.0 ounces, these were the heaviest max-cushioned shoes in our review—yet no tester mentioned the weight of them.

Topo Athletic Vista

Price: $175
Sizes: Women’s 6-11, 12 standard + wide

The Vista is the only trail shoe in our max-cushioned mix. Our testers immediately noticed how much “plusher and less stiff” the Vista is from their traditional trail shoes. “I have much more spring in my step in the Topos. After a few minutes, it felt quite natural and very comfortable.” Another gals summed it up: “Ooh, bouncy!” 

One tester appreciated how comfortable the cushioning felt both on the trail and road: “On several runs, I hit some stretches of pavement and barely felt a difference under my feet. It was wonderful to not dread the paved stretches and resulting achiness in my feet.” She deemed these shoes “perfect for runs with mixed terrain.” 

A Pennsylvania-based trail-trotter, who joked that mud season there is three seasons long, was thrown by the Vista’s pretty pale lilac uppers. (They are also available in black.) Then she noticed the hook on the front laces and Velcro on the heel for easily attaching gaiters, “a nice feature” she’d never had before in a trail shoe.

A few other small details that made a big difference to one trail-racer: The large loop at the back of each shoe made them easy to pull on, while extra lace loops on the tongue kept the tongue firmly in place for entire runs and made it easier to tighten the laces to the tester’s personal preference. “They seem like really simple features, but they really won me over because they made my life easier.”