Top-Rated Athletic Shoes for HIIT, Running, and Daily Home Training
A New York Post roundup tested shoes for HIIT, running, and walking, ranking three pairs that survived across surfaces, mileage, and gym-floor wear.
For home-training readers, the takeaway is binary: the wrong shoe tanks workout consistency, and the right one disappears under your feet.
The test criteria
The review scored cushion density, midfoot flexibility for jumping, lateral stability for HIIT work, and outsole grip across varied surfaces. Walking and running demand different stack heights and rocker geometry; HIIT needs a midfoot flex groove that allows loading without heel sink. Most athletic shoes fail at least one of those tests. Only the Alo Runner and Clifton 10 cleared the bar in this roundup. The Glycerin 23 is mileage-specific and overkill for the average home trainee.
What the data shows
Alo Runner — Dual-density midsole, stabilizing heel clip, multi-terrain outsole grip pods. Mesh upper at 70% recycled fibers. Size run 4.5–16.5. Weight reads as low per the reviewer, who logged heavy step counts in NYC daily. Holds up for walks, gym sessions, and mixed HIIT blocks. Skip for track intervals — the rocker profile isn't engineered for tempo work.
Brooks Clifton 10 — Lighter than the Clifton 9, cushier landing, with an early-stage MetaRocker geometry that springs the foot heel-to-toe. Functions as a daily trainer for tempo and easy runs. Stack height and rocker favor steady-state mileage over explosive lateral work.
Brooks Glycerin 23 — Plush, tuned cushioning designed for high-mileage runners. The reviewer notes it still wants more padding for knee protection on heavy weekly volume. Useful only if you're exceeding 30 miles per week; otherwise, it's an expensive overcorrection.
The cut
Alo Runner is the buy for home-training readers juggling walks, gym sessions, and HIIT in the same week. Clifton 10 is the pass for runners who want cushion without a weight penalty. Glycerin 23 is the skip unless mileage is the primary mission.
Footwear doesn't build VO2 max or tensile strength. But cost-per-use is a recovery variable. Spec sheets lie. Field testing matters. Pick by mileage and surface, not by colorway.
