7 Best Low Drop Running Shoes in 2024 (2024)

The third time’s a charm as Altra Rivera 3 emerged as our best daily trainer among lab-tested low-drop running shoes. With a seamless blend of natural feel, protective cushioning, and energy return, this all-around shoe gave us a fun and forgiving ride. With a slight 1.7 mm offset, we believe it's a great shoe to try before deep-diving into the zero-drop world.

The midsole truly enhanced smooth, free-flowing strides with its modest stack and flexible build that gives a good ground feel. Our 90-degree bend test shows Rivera 3 is 20.9% more adaptive than average, making it versatile and comfortable enough for any distance or pace.

While the 28.4/26.7 mm platform has a below-average heel, we feel we have enough cushioning to protect our feet. Our durometer confirms the plush sensation we noticed — the foam measures 34.7% softer than average. Despite its softness, it's bouncy and energetic, which makes pushing the pace in the Rivera 3 a breeze.

Unfortunately, Rivera 3’s laces are so smooth that they frequently came undone during our runs. We recommend double-tying them for safety.

The Kinvara 14 proves that low-drop shoes aren’t necessarily minimalist. It’s a surprisingly lightweight and flexible shoe in spite of its healthy stack. This makes the Kinvara 14 as forgiving on the foot as it is a relentless speed demon and, with only a 4.1 mm offset, easily our choice for best low drop speed trainer.

With 15.3N of force required to bend the shoe in our stiffness test, the Kinvara 14 is incredibly flexible compared to the average road shoe. This runs contrary to most modern performance shoes that make use of stiff and uncomfortable carbon plates to increase responsiveness. As such, the Kinvara 14 feels extremely comfortable underfoot as it is able to conform to the bending of our foot with little to no resistance while still feeling reactive enough for high paces.

“Barely there “ doesn’t do a good enough job describing how the Kinvara 14 feels on the foot. Tipping the scale at a ghostly 6.84 oz (194g), we had to make sure we actually had them on for our test runs! This makes pushing the pace in this shoe feel like accelerating barefoot despite the shoe’s substantial stack, which is 1.7 mm higher than average at the forefoot.

While the Kinvara 14’s midsole performed extremely well in our freezer test, becoming only 6.1% firmer compared to the average of 28.3%, the same can’t be said for the shoe’s overall flexibility. After chilling for twenty minutes, we found that the shoe stiffened up by a whopping 86.9%, almost double the average of 44.2%. The shoe won’t feel as comfy during frosty winter runs.

With the lab and the streets as our witnesses, ASICS Metaspeed Sky+ is our best marathon pick among low-drop running shoes. We blazed through grueling miles without the burning feeling with its superior combination of blissful comfort and insane responsiveness. This lightweight marvel gave nothing but peak performance in our runs.

With a 33.5/30.8 mm heel and forefoot stack, we savored the extra cushioning in our runs, notably in the forefoot. Its leveled 2.7 mm drop encourages a natural feel without absorbing much ground impact because of its stack that saved our legs from fatigue as we pushed our speed to the limit.

The heavenly comfort is balanced with energy that keeps us lighting fast! Its pronounced rocker design promotes smooth forward momentum, while its stiff carbon plate powerfully launches us. Backed up by our 90° bend test, it’s remarkably 131.0% stiffer than average. This stiffness translates to record-breaking responsiveness.

Wearing this pair feels like a breeze (literally!), scoring the highest 5/5 rating on our lab breathability test. Every step is light, carrying only 7.2 oz (205g) vs. the average of 9.4 oz (266g).

However, this high-quality shoe comes with a hefty $250 price tag. It’s more expensive than other carbon-plated shoes that only average $210. Runners on a budget should look elsewhere.

Fresh Foam X More v4 represents its name well with plenty of cloud-like cushion. It’s great for easy runs when we want to soak in the mileage without being conscious about pace. It’s all about comfort, making it our best pick for low-drop running shoes with plush cushioning.

The heel area is 3.6 mm taller than average. This contributes to a less inclined 4.6 mm heel drop, 48.3% lower than average. The cushion feels soothing, dampening the impact of every stride, We checked with our durometer in the lab: it's 36.2% softer than average.

Even with its stack, the shoe is easy to maneuver with its flexible midsole (41.8% more than average). Our runs surprisingly don’t feel wobbly with the pronounced sidewalls that guide our feet in place. Also enhancing stability is its wide landing platform. Fun fact: this model is available in Wide sizes.

The outsole is resilient on any surface with its extensive rubber coverage in high-impact areas. We tested it against slippery pavements and it exceeded our expectations. Upon checking with our durometer, its rubber is softer than average, meaning it’s grippier as more rubber holds onto the ground upon landing.

Lots of padding also means more heat. The upper is one of the densest we’ve seen under the microscope. Avoid this pair on hot and humid days.

We tackled technical trails with ease and confidence in Saucony’s Peregrine 13. It’s a light, nimble shoe that kept us in control with its leveled platform, flexible midsole and grippy outsole — making it our best low-drop trail shoe.

For starters, its grippy rubber could withstand any trail condition — mud, dirt, and snow. It has a full-coverage outsole and 4.8-mm deep lugs patterned to keep the ride smooth and secured without bringing the trails home, as it could shed off the mud.

We moved quickly on our feet with the shoe’s airy weight of 9.6 oz (271g) vs. the 10.4 oz (296g) average trail shoe. It consists of a heel-to-toe drop of 3.9 mm, 49% lower than the average. With its leveled platform and non-rocker design, we easily navigated through uneven terrains.

Adding a sense of sure-footedness and agility is the flexible midsole that flows naturally with our movements. Upon checking with our flex test in the lab, this emerged as one of the most flexible trail shoes we’ve tested (33% below average).

Peregrine 13 is not the most explosive racer on the trail. Best to check other options if speed is a priority.

After a series of tests in our lab, we found that Saucony Axon 3 is our best budget low-drop shoe. It’s a more than capable all-rounder for its $100 price. With its focus on comfort, versatility, and durability, it performs as well as (or even better than) its steeper-priced counterparts ($130 average).

We measured its stack at 33.6/27.9 mm — one of the most cushioned cheap daily trainers in the market. Together with its 18.3 HA softer-than-average cushion, Axon 3 delivers comfort for all-day running. We also found its low-drop geometry suitable for forefoot strikers.

Its light feeling on foot came as a surprise. We checked in the lab and our scales show it’s only 8.6 oz (244g), 12.5% lighter than the average daily trainer! Adding to its airiness is the breezy upper that scored a high 4/5 on our breathability test.

Double-digit miles barely scratched the Carbon Rubber outsole and we had no issues with traction. With a caliper and durometer in hand, the rubber measured 3.9 mm thick and 82.8 HC or hardness. Both figures are above average, which shows Axon 3’s focus on durability. Thicker and harder rubber means more resistance to wear.

Axon 3 is on the stiffer side, both torsionally and longitudinally. Those who seek more flexibility should look elsewhere.