6 of Our Editors’ Favorite Shoes Are on Sale for the 4th of July

The Fourth of July is a great opportunity to celebrate these United States of America, and what better way to celebrate freedom in 2025 than by exercising the independence to shop Fourth of July running shoe sales? And to make sure you spend more time running, barbecuing, and then crushing said barbecue, we’ve done you a Classic American Solid by combining some of our no-longer-published archives of the best running shoes from previous years and other guides. You know, the ones our editors like Cory Smith and Lisa Jhung tested and dubbed “the biggest, brightest fireworks of the season” (well, no one called them that, but I’m trying to stay on theme here).

So, with still a few days to go until the summer’s grand finale of American-ness, we present six of our editors’ favorite running shoes, now on sale:

Best Distance Trainer, 2024

Brooks Hyperion Max 2

$180 $150 at Brooks (Men’s) $180 $150 at Brooks (Women’s)

Weight: 9.1 oz (men’s), 8.3 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 36-30 mm
Drop: 6 mm
Sizing: 7-13,14,15 (men’s); 5-12 (women’s)

As the more cushioned sibling to the Hyperion 2, the Hyperion Max 2 is a higher-stacked, lightweight uptempo shoe ideal for long tempos and faster-paced long runs. Gaining four millimeters more nitrogen-infused EVA foam underfoot than the first version, the midsole isn’t the bounciest we’ve tested, but what it lacks in bounce it more than makes up for in liveliness.

Those who like a firmer, more responsive ride over a squishy, bouncy one will feel right at home, and even our tester who usually prefers soft, trampoline-like running shoes found pleasure in the Hyperion Max 2’s quick-rolling feel. The peppy ride, enhanced with a semi-flexible embedded plate, shined on up-tempo days, but even at all-day paces, the Hyperion Max 2 felt smooth, comfortable, and supportive, making it a worthy candidate as an everyday trainer when racking up miles.

The most significant improvement is the new Jacquard mesh upper. Testers universally praised its high breathability, one noting how it kept feet cool even during a 90-degree, humid East Coast summer run. As expected from an uptempo shoe, the upper is minimal to reduce weight, yet one tester noted it “fits and feels like a sock.” Even our self-described “cranky person” when it comes to tongues, lacing, and heel security found no issues with the upper. “The sawtooth laces stay secure from the moment you tie them until you’re done, and they don’t irritate the instep at all,” he said.

Best Minimalist, Non-Carbon-Plated Marathon Shoe, 2025

Topo Cyclone 3

$155 $110 Running Warehouse (Men’s) $155 $110 Running Warehouse (Women’s)

Weight: 6.9 oz (men’s), 5.5 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 28–23 mm
Drop: 5 mm
Sizing: 8-13 (men’s), 6-11(women’s)

As foams have become increasingly lighter, marathon racing shoes are getting significantly thicker and more cushioned. Rather than allowing your foot to react to the ground and move naturally, these thick-soled shoes blunt the underfoot feel and dictate how your foot moves through the gait cycle to various degrees. While this works well for some runners, others prefer a more minimalist ride.

If you’re the kind of runner who finds today’s thick cushioned shoes squishy, cumbersome and as restrictive as a stiff suit of armor, look no further. The Topo Cyclone 3 is a free and flexible lightweight racer that lets your foot control the shoe, not the other way around. Testers described the ride as “nimble” and “flexible” with a “slipper-like” feel.

Except for the new upper, this version remains the same as its predecessor. The Cyclone 3 still relies on Topo’s PEBAX midsole to deliver the soft feel and springy response of a super shoe, but the comparatively thin stack height (28mm/23mm) keeps the squish and bounce moderate, and lets you feel the ground under the cushioning. You won’t find a plate embedded in the flexible midsole—instead, there’s a slight rocker profile to help smooth the transition from stance to toe-off.

We’ve always found that Topo Athletic makes some of the best-fitting shoes on the market, and the Cyclone 3 certainly follows suit. The updated upper brings a few subtle tweaks, including a lower-sitting tongue to prevent rubbing and a redesigned engineered mesh for improved ventilation, although we didn’t notice a significant difference. A tailored midsection with excellent lockdown gives way to a roomy anatomical toe box that complements the flexible sole and lets your feet move and engage naturally.

Another strong option, if you’re looking for a low-profile, flexible ride with some rotational support is the Brooks Hyperion GTS 2, which has a moderate stack height (34/26mm), responsive cushioning, and gently guides the gait with firmer, raised sidewalls alongside the rearfoot.

Best All-Around Stability, 2024

Brooks Glycerin GTS 21

$160 $105+ at Amazon (Women’s) $160 $100+ at Amazon (Men’s)

Weight: 10.5 oz (men’s), 8.9 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 38–28 mm (forefoot)
Drop: 10 mm
Sizing: 7-15, medium and wide (men’s); 5-12, medium and wide (women’s)

The Glycerin GTS 21 is a fantastic workhorse of a shoe; both plush and stable, it’s a reliable, supportive training partner from daily jaunts to long, slow, distance runs. Step-in comfort comes from a soft, flexible knit upper material that, joined with a thickly padded tongue and heel collar, enveloped our feet comfortably. “This shoe had good breathability with the soft mesh fabric,” said Boulder-based tester Kat D’Angelo, who added, “They keep airflow throughout my feet to keep them cool.”

The midsole, which gained two millimeters of nitrogen-infused, EVA-rubber blend foam without adding weight, had our testers using words like “vibrant” and “smooth, controlled, and springy.” The stable ride comes from a wide base and Brooks’ GuideRails, a non-intrusive strip of denser foam on the arch side of the shoe plus elevated midsole sidewalls on both sides, designed to gently guide the foot to stay in its preferred movement path even when fatigued. “They don’t have the zing of a super-trainer, but they let you relax and forget about your feet and shoes,” said a masters runner with lots of miles on his legs.

We felt stable, secure, supported, and comfortable in these shoes for miles on end, making them a great choice for marathon training or other situations—like getting back into running after a break—that require a build-up in mileage.

Best Plush Stability, 2024

Asics GEL-Kayano 31

$165 $125 at Amazon (Women’s) $165 $125 at Amazon (Men’s)

Weight: 10.7 oz (men’s), 9.2 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 40–30 mm (men’s); 39–29 mm (women’s)
Drop: 10 mm
Sizing: Men’s 6-16; Women’s 5-13

Our testers were big fans of the Asics GEL-Kayano 30, which was a big departure from previous versions of the franchise shoe and a great example of how shoe companies have been rethinking the traditional strategies to provide stability. The Kayano 31 built on the success of the 30, and we love it even more. “Since the Kayano is a stability shoe,” said a tester, “I expected it to feel harder. But I was very pleasantly surprised at the high level of cushioning.”

Like the 30, the 31 has a wide midsole and significant heel bevel, a flared sole under the forefoot, and soft, high-energy foam under the arch where we’re used to finding a firm medial post. Rather than attempting to block rotational movement, Asics says the bouncy insert, in combination with the shoes’ geometry, is designed to reduce the time at peak pronation and gently guide an over-rotating foot back into a more neutral position as it transitions from heel to toe-off.

The 31 boasts a new, engineered mesh upper that provided a great fit, regardless of foot shape. Testers loved how the upper “morphs” and “hugs” their feet, and raved about the plush comfort of the padded tongue and heel collar, as well as the cushioning underfoot. Also improved is the rubber outsole, which we found grippy on wet roads. This is a great update to an already reliable stability shoe that runs smoothly, responsively, and comfortably.

Best Lightweight Stability, 2024

Brooks Hyperion GTS 2

$140 $120 at Running Warehouse (Women’s) $140 $120 at Running Warehouse (Men’s)

Weight: 7.6 oz (men’s), 6.9 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 31.5–23.5 mm
Drop: 8 mm
Sizing: Men’s 7–15; Women’s 5–12

We loved the first-iteration Hyperion GTS for its lightweight comfort and springy, nitrogen-infused cushioning that one tester described as “fun and fast.” The second version is updated with a new midsole compound—nitrogen-infused DNA Flash v2—which Brooks says is lighter weight and more responsive than its predecessor. We concur—one tester described it as “snappy,” while another remarked on how it seems to push back while compressing and offers impressive rebound.

The GTS 2 still features stabilizing guide rails along the sides of the heel—a raised extension of the midsole foam on the outside, a firmer TPU piece on the inside—to help reduce heel shift and rotation for runners whose stride strays excessively inward or outward, especially towards the end of their run as a result of fatigue.

We appreciated the feeling of support while still being able to run smoothly and speedily when we wanted to up the effort. “I’d definitely speed train in these,” said a tester. “They’re responsive, nimble, and light.” These shoes are ideal for any runner looking for a daily trainer or racer that gives them a connected ground feel without being minimal. The cushioning is noticeable and lively, while the stability features are discreet. “I found these easy to run in at any speed,” said one. “They’re very responsive to whatever I feel like doing in them.”

Best Distance Trainer, Winter 2024

Adidas Adizero Boston 12

$160 $110 at Running Warehouse (Women’s) $160 $110 at Running Warehouse (Men’s)

Weight: 9.5 oz (men’s), 8 oz (women’s)
Stack Height: 37–30.5mm
Drop: 6.5mm
Sizing: Men’s 4–15; Women’s 5–12

Unlike many plated super-trainers that produce a hyper-cushy turbo boost, the Adizero Boston 12 allows a stable, connected ground-feel, delivering a more traditional running shoe vibe with a little extra pop—which some testers found preferable when putting in training miles. The shoe’s smooth roll comes from curved, glass-fiber-infused rods that parallel the foot’s metatarsal bones from heel to toes, sandwiched between a thick top layer of Adidas’s premium, bouncy, TPE-based foam (tuned softer than previous versions) and a bottom layer of a more-stable EVA blend. “I felt light on my feet and able to move and react quickly wearing these shoes,” said a tester.

The mesh upper is minimal and racy, which made us feel like going fast, and the Continental rubber outsole provides great traction for quick cornering and secure footing even on wet roads. This is a fun shoe to push the pace in, and a solid training partner for marathoners. Note: The fit is wide in the forefoot, leaving some testers craving a more secure foothold.