Frequently Asked Questions

RunJudge ratings are based on multiple independent expert reviews from carefully selected running publications. We bring their findings together and evaluate every shoe using the same scoring framework, including comfort, energy return, stability and durability.

We follow 20+ carefully selected running publications worldwide, including RunRepeat, RoadTrailRun, Doctors of Running and others. We only use sources we consider reliable and exclude low-quality, promotional and AI-generated reviews.

No. RunJudge does not test every shoe itself. Our ratings are based on multiple independent expert reviews, which we consolidate into a consistent judgment. Every final shoe profile is reviewed by an experienced runner before publication.

The Performance Judgment — Elite, Strong, Solid, Limited, Weak — summarizes the shoe’s overall performance based on its individual performance scores.

Scores are partly relative to the shoe’s category and intended purpose. A high Energy Return score on a Daily Trainer, for example, does not necessarily represent the same absolute level of energy return as the same score on a Racing shoe.

Yes, but comparisons are most meaningful between shoes with similar purposes.

Comparing a Daily Trainer with a Max Cushion shoe, or a Racing shoe with a Tempo/Speed shoe, works well. Comparisons between very different categories should be treated with more caution, as RunJudge scores partly reflect what a shoe is designed to do.

Yes, but release year matters. Running shoe technology and expectations evolve, so scores reflect the standards around the time a shoe was released. This means a newer model can sometimes score lower than its predecessor because the bar has moved higher.

For the most meaningful comparison, we recommend comparing shoes released within about two years of each other.

RunJudge estimates a fair price for each shoe based on its performance, category and release year, then compares it with its current market price.

The result ranges from Strong Buy to Unjustified, showing whether the shoe represents good value at its current price — not simply whether it is a good shoe.

Running shoes improve and market expectations change. As a model gets older, its estimated fair value gradually decreases.

This means an older shoe can still be a great buy — but usually at a lower price than when it was first released.

Prices are manually monitored and regularly updated to reflect what shoes are actually selling for, rather than relying only on their original MSRP.

Absolutely. A previous-generation shoe at a substantial discount can offer better value than its replacement at full price. RunJudge evaluates performance and price separately to help identify these situations.

Go to the Compare page, find the shoes you’re interested in and add up to six models to compare them side by side.