There are various types of outdoor workouts, and there are different types of athletic shoes that are better suited for each of these types of workouts, depending on what you are doing. Below I will break down my own personal assessment of the types of shoes I choose for each of the different workouts I do.
First, Find Your Fit!
With any of these shoes (especially Road Running!) it is important that you know your foot type and stick with a shoe that is made for it. Most any decent running specialty store will be able to check your foot pronation, and help you find the right type of shoe for your foot and gait. Do not skip this step, getting the right shoe for your pronation is very important for preventing injury. Once you know your pronation, you can look for a shoe that is specifically designed to fit it. Manufactures design shoes for each foot type, and will specify which pronation type a shoe is made for.
And don’t just base your shoes off of the cost, thinking that a higher priced shoe is better. Just because a shoe is more expensive doesn’t mean it is a good shoe for your foot. I have run in $60 shoes with no issues, and I have run in $160 shoes that caused me to have hip pain, knee pain, shin splints, and eventually plantar fasciitis. Were they bad shoes? No! They were great, higher-end running shoes from a reputable manufacturer. They were just the wrong shoes for my foot type.
Road Running
By “road running” I mean running on streets, pavement, sidewalks, and concrete. These shoes are typically just generically referred to as “running shoes”.
The more you run, and the farther you run, the better shoes you are going to need. If you are just getting into running, you can easily get started with a good quality $50 shoe, but you are not going to want to run a marathon in those shoes.
You will also want to keep up with the total number of miles you run in these shoes, because running shoes have a limit to the number of recommended miles you should put on them. The cushioning inside the shoes breaks down with use and they become less and less effective the more you use them. Most running shoes will only have a lifespan of 300-500 miles. Even if they look fine on the outside, running with the same pair of shoes for too long can start to cause hip and knee problems, as well a lead to other injuries.
Trail Running
By “trail running” I mean dirt, rocks, tree roots, and mud. Many people also refer to this as “cross-country running”. If your version of trail running is a paved path through a park with some trees in it, see the “Road Running” section above for the shoes you need. (Nike has a really good breakdown on Trail Running Shoes vs. Running Shoes)
True tail running shoes are going to be designed a little differently than road running shoes. They will still have the general cushioning and support that your feet need for running, but they are also going to have specific features designed for going off-road. Road running shoes are just not going to provide enough traction in rough terrain.
A good set of trail shoes are going to have deeper lugs for better traction, stiffer midsoles, rubber rock plate coverings over the toes, and tops that help keep out debris. They will have a design that works great when running through the woods in the rain, but won’t hold up as long if you wear them on the road.
I like my trail running shoes to have some pretty serious grips on them, because most of my trail running is up hills that sometimes get pretty muddy or covered in snow.
Outdoor Bodyweight Workouts
By “outdoor workouts” I mean exercising in places like parking lots and garages, playgrounds, and grass fields in a park. I personally prefer a lower tread trail running shoe for these types of workouts. I’ll be honest, there are some trail running shoes that are terrible for actually running on trails, but work pretty well for doing broad jumps in the grass or an asphalt parking lot.
I call these my “beatdown shoes”, and I usually look for something with decent tread, good toe coverings, and that are on sale. The reason I use trail running shoes is that they will have grippy treads for working in the grass or on wet pavement, toe coverings for things like pushups and burpees on asphalt, and since they are made for running they will have a decent amount of support and cushion for any running you want to do in the grass or on the pavement as part of your workout.
I typically won’t spend a lot of money on these shoes, because they are going to get destroyed much sooner than regular running shoes. I am also not as concerned about the pronation type of these shoes, as I will usually be doing minimal running in them. And don’t worry about keeping up with the mileage on these, you will probably wear the bottoms of the shoes out before you hit the max mileage on them.
Winter Shoes vs. Summer Shoes
In my part of the country, we get to experience a little of all four seasons, and since my F3 workouts are always outside, I need a shoe that is built for whatever elements I am going to be working out in.
In the summer our temperatures can sometimes get up towards the triple digits, so I want a shoe that is more breathable. Nobody wants to walk around with hot and sweaty feet, so having a good air flow in your shoe is important. Plus, we tend to sometimes work out in the creeks, so when I get out of the water I want to the water to get out of my shoes. Even if we are just running on the pavement in the rain, I am going to be splashing through puddles at some point. So for me, a good breathable/drainable shoe is important during the warmer months.
In the winter our temperatures regularly get into the teens, and can dip down into the single digits or below, and I know at some point I will be working out in the snow and ice. This is when I turn to some type of GORE-TEX (sometimes called GTX) or waterproof shoe. These shoes will help keep your feet warm and dry. Even if you are not in the snow, it is no fun getting your shoes soaked from the wet grass when it is 35 degrees.
There is a downside to waterproof shoes, however. If you do happen to get water in them it won’t drain out. The waterproof seal that keeps water out will also keep water in, so try not to step in any puddles.