Great Minimalist Shoes, Cheap
The best mix of rating and price on minimalist shoes for sale right now.
All minimalist shoes
8 shoes
Prices updated daily. Last checked Sep 14.
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Overall75Confidence1Cons
It lists at $295, well above the $170 median for trail shoes on sale.
At 9.6 oz the men's build is heavier than the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes on sale.
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#2 Nike
Free Run 5.082 Good · 7 reviews · Confidence 48/100
Daily trainer · Neutral
Reviewers highlight the flexibility and call it comfortable for everyday runs.
Comfort 95 Cushioning 69$74 $100 Buy now ↗ As of Sep 14, 8:32 AM UTCOverall82Appearance98Value96Comfort95Durability73Cushioning69Confidence48Pros
Reviewers highlight the flexibility and call it comfortable for everyday runs.
Value rates 4.9 out of 5 across seven reviewers against a $100 list price.
Cons
Durability draws the lowest ratings of any dimension, at 4.0 out of 5.
Cushioning rates 4.1 out of 5, and one reviewer keeps it to runs of six miles or less.
One reviewer says it holds on to pebbles in the tread.
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Overall97Confidence79Cons
A 2017 release, and the Free line has had four newer versions since.
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#4 Nike
Free Run 201883 Good · 6 reviews · Confidence 74/100
Daily trainer · Neutral · 7.0 oz (men's)
Comfort rates 5.0 out of 5 across six reviewers, who say the upper shapes to the foot.
Comfort 96 Cushioning 83Overall83Appearance98Comfort96Value89Durability88Cushioning83Confidence74Pros
Comfort rates 5.0 out of 5 across six reviewers, who say the upper shapes to the foot.
Reviewers value the minimal build, one saying it makes him focus on his form.
Reviewers use it on road, trail and sand alike.
Cons
One reviewer's only complaint is how many rocks get stuck in the outsole.
One reviewer running 30 to 50 miles a week says he wears through them quickly.
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#5 New Balance
Minimus Trail72 Decent · Confidence 20/100
Trail · Neutral · 6.7 oz · 4mm drop · 20mm stack
At 6.7 oz it is well below the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes on sale.
$120 $125 Buy now ↗ As of Sep 14, 8:38 AM UTCOverall72Confidence20Pros
At 6.7 oz it is well below the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes on sale.
It lists at $124.99, well below the $170 median for trail shoes on sale.
Cons
At 20mm the heel stack is far below the 36mm median for trail shoes on sale.
The version before this one dates to 2014, so New Balance left the line alone for a decade.
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Overall88Confidence42Buy it now
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#7 Altra
Solstice XT 364 Below average · Confidence 28/100
Daily trainer · Neutral · 8.8 oz (men's) · 0mm drop
Zero drop on a 22mm stack, at 8.8 oz.
Overall64Confidence28Pros
Zero drop on a 22mm stack, at 8.8 oz.
Cons
The Solstice XT 2 before it scores 65 on one review, against 62 for this version.
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#8 Altra
Superior 780 Good · Confidence 38/100
Trail · Neutral · 7.2 oz (men's) · 0mm drop · 22mm stack
At 7.2 oz it is well below the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes on sale.
$130 Buy now ↗ As of Sep 14, 8:37 AM UTCOverall80Confidence38Pros
At 7.2 oz it is well below the 8.9 oz median for trail shoes on sale.
It lists at $120, below the $170 median for trail shoes on sale.
Cons
At 22mm the heel stack sits well below the 37mm median for trail shoes on sale.
How this ranking works
Ratings come from our statistical models of runner reviews: the score is our best estimate of how a shoe is rated, and the bar behind it in an expanded row is the range we consider plausible given how many reviews it has. Shoes with few reviews rank more cautiously rather than shooting to the top on a handful of glowing write-ups. Prices are the live prices at the retailers we track, and everything ranked here is a shoe you can buy today.