Welcome to the 2023 Women’s Running Product Awards!
Each year our panel, made up of luminaries from the world of running, along with some more familiar faces, ruthlessly test hundreds of running products, from shoes to skincare, to find out which ones we think are best.
Every bit of kit was taken on many runs, from 5K plods to actual ultramarathons; each nutrition item was consumed before, during and after our training, while clothing and shoes were scrutinised for technicality, durability, value for money and sustainability.
Over the next few pages you will find the pieces we loved the most, with additional awards being given for kit we think offers exceptional value, as well as our Editor’s Choice award being presented to special items we think worthy of additional recognition.
Turn the page to find out what we think is the very best running kit there is.
The 2023 Women’s Running Product Awards panel
THE TEAM
ESTHER NEWMAN
Senior editor
MEGAN GIBBINGS Head of advertising sales
HOLLY TAYLOR
Digital editor
KATE SELLERS
Commercial editor
TINA CHANTREY
Fitness editor
ALEX PARREN
Fitness writer
OUR EXPERT FRIENDS
SOPHIE POWER Ultrarunner and founder of She Races
HANNAH LEES Run Together coach and personal trainer
SABRINA PACE-HUMPHREYS Author and co-founder of Black Trail Runners
MARA HAFEZI Personal trainer and hybrid athlete
CHRISSIE WELLINGTON Champion triathlete and parkrun luminary
MELBOUND Founder of This Mum Runs
LUCY WATERLOW Author and running coach
RAHEMA
MAMODO
Brooks Run
Happy team
member
Shoes
BEST NEUTRAL SHOE ASICS Gel-Nimbus 25
£175 / asics.com
Loved the world over for guaranteed comfort mile after mile, our testers applauded the hugging fit of the new Nimbus iteration as well as the cushioning and bounce in every stride. Esther said: “For neutral runners, the Gel-Nimbus 25 is a crowdpleaser. Lightweight, flexible, cushioned and comfortable, it’s a reliable all-rounder for road runners of all levels and distances.”
BEST SUPPORT SHOE Hoka Bondi 8
£145 / hoka.com
Hoka has made great strides in support shoes over the years and these ones combine the famous maximalist bounce with an effective high-arch support. Mara said: “These beauties are brilliant for long or easy miles and I found the fit to be very good. I love wearing them for recovery runs after my hardest days where my legs need all the help they can get.”
BEST TRAIL SHOE Arc’teryx Norvan LD 3 GTX Shoe
£180 / arcteryx.com
Impressively lightweight and bouncy for trail shoes, this pair from uber Canadian brand Arc’teryx hits the spot design wise too. Sophie said “I absolutely love these shoes. The Gore Tex waterproofing works really well and gives amazing peace of mind when running through muddy puddles. The grip is outstanding; I felt very sure-footed and steady even on muddy, slippery trails.”
Best Value
HOKA MACH 5
£130 / hoka.com
A fantastic looking shoe with the performance to back it up. Holly said: “The thick soles were surprisingly lightweight and there’s plenty of space in the toebox. The firm bounce is magic when it comes to tempo runs and middle distance. Great value for money.”
Editor’s Choice
ON CLOUDMONSTER
£160 / on-running.com
On shoes have always been reliably stylish, but the Cloudmonster wowed us all. Alex said: “I loved the soft landings and the energy rebound I got from these well-fitting neutral runners – and I must confess, l really loved the look of them too.”
Best Value
DECATHLON KIPRUN KS900
£99.99 / decathlon.co.uk
Shoes for under a ton that will last 1,000 miles? If that’s the claim, sign us up! Mel said: “These felt really solid on the first couple of runs but improved once I’d worn them in. Good for distances up to 10K, and incredible value!”
Editor’s Choice
SAUCONY GUIDE 16
£130 / saucony.com
Saucony just keeps going from strength to strength; and we have loved the Guides. Chrissie said: “Plenty of cushioning makes them very comfortable. The light weight made me feel like I was bouncing off the floor as I ran.”
Best Value
ASICS GEL TRABUCO 11
£145 / asics.com
Asics has created a superb shoe here, at a very decent price. Meg said: “Great for trail and off-road running as the shoe’s rock protection plate helps shield your foot from rocks and rugged terrain.”
Editor’s Choice
BOA II LA SPORTIVA JACKAL
£175 / lasportiva.com
These are an under-the-radarar find for good grip on mud, grit and downhills. Hannah said: “The grip on the sole was great, and I tested them on a downhill with rocks and mud and they performed really well. Good fit and I loved the intergrated sock too.”