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Complex’s Controversial List of The 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time

Complex Magazine has published it’s list ofThe 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time.’

Perhaps a better name would have been ‘The 27 Greatest Nike Shoes of All-Time and 23 Others.’

I don’t know if Nike owns Complex or if the Complex writers were simply trying to remember the 50 most popular pairs of shoes they saw their friends wearing through the halls of junior high school.

The #1 shoe on Complex’s list was the Nike Air Max 1 from 1987.

I’m no shoe snob and have only been running a decade or less so I don’t recognize most of these shoes, but in the past decade MANY really good shoes have been made that should have made this list.

  1. Nike Air Max 1 (1987)
  2. Nike Air Max 95 (1995)
  3. adidas ZX 500 (1984)
  4. Nike Air Max 90 (1990)
  5. New Balance 1300 (1984)
  6. Nike Cortez (1972)
  7. Nike Air Huarache (1991)
  8. adidas SL 72 (1972)
  9. adidas EQT Torsion Support (1991)
  10. ASICS GT II (1986)
  11. New Balance 1500 (1988)
  12. Nike Bermuda (1979)
  13. Nike Air Stab (1988)
  14. adidas ZX 8000 (1989)
  15. Nike Terra T/C (1981)
  16. ASICS Tiger X-Caliber (1982)
  17. Nike Zoom Preston (2000)
  18. ASICS Gel Lyte III (1990)
  19. Nike Air Footscape (1995)
  20. New Balance 577 (1989)
  21. Nike Zoom Talaria (1998)
  22. Saucony Jazz (1981)
  23. Nike Air Rift (1995)
  24. adidas Fire (1986)
  25. Nike Waffle Trainer (1975)
  26. adidas EQT Running Support (1992)
  27. Nike Zoom Spiridon (1997)
  28. Nike Air Huarache Light (1993)
  29. adidas APS (1986)
  30. Nike Epic (1984)
  31. Nike Zoom Citizen (1999)
  32. Nike Omega Flame (1983)
  33. Brooks Chariot (1983)
  34. Nike Cram Vendetta (1985)
  35. adidas Torsion SP (1995)
  36. New Balance 991 (1999)
  37. Nike Air Tailwind (1978)
  38. Reebok Insta Pump Fury Road (1994)
  39. Nike Air Mariah PR (1990)
  40. adidas Oregon Ultra Tech (1991)
  41. Nike Air Windrunner (1987)
  42. Nike Air Pegasus 92 (1992)
  43. Etonic Quasar (1984)
  44. Nike Free 5.0 (2004)
  45. Nike Zoom JST (1998)
  46. Reebok ZL6000 (1986)
  47. Nike Air Span (1989)
  48. Nike Lunar Racer (2008)
  49. Mizuno MZ-84 (1983)
  50. adidas ZX 930 (1988)

View Complex’s List Complete with Photos and Commentary @ Complex

Most runners agree that Nike makes horrible running shoes. I wore them for my very first marathon and could barely walk for two weeks afterwards.  I haven’t even thought twice about lacing up a pair of them since.

However, those that I know who wear Nike running shoes are usually elite runners and they are often wearing the Nike Lunar Racer.  The only shoe from the 2000’s that made this list.

Others I recognize on this list are the Nike Air Cortez (1972) which created a huge hoopla in the running community in the early 70’s, New Balance 991 (big boys wear), Nike Air Pegasus, and of course the Nike Air Max versions.

The list is laughable in the fact that a Reebok Insta Pump (#38) made the list.

What’s up with a shoe named after Mariah Carey (Nike Air Mariah PR #39) making the Top 50?  Surely that’s not really named after Butterfly Carey is it? Although, she first made it big around that time.

What is your favorite running shoe of all-time?  What do you think about this list?

Hat tip to @katierunsthis

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This post was written by:

- who has written 1138 posts on Run It Fast®.

Joshua Holmes has completed 325 marathons/ultramarathons while running 100+ miles 62 including races such as the Badwater 135 (9x), Western States 100, The Last Annual Vol State 500K (4x). He is the founder of Run It Fast, the most driven club on the planet. His favorite races to date are the Vol State 500K, Badwater 135, Barkley Fall Classic, Catalina Eco Marathon, Chimera 100, Across The Years, Savage Gulf Trail Marathon, Strolling Jim 40 Miler, Tunnel Hill 100, RUTS, EC100 and the Flying Monkey Marathon in his home state of Tennessee. Follow @bayou Follow @joshuaholmes on Instagram

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3 Responses to “Complex’s Controversial List of The 50 Greatest Running Shoes of All-Time

  1. Bob A says:

    My favourite shoe of all time (so far) is Etonic Jepara SC (1). I’m currently running in the last pair of 12D that I could find anywhere (at least for a reasonable price). Next up are the Jepara SC 3 But how in the world can anyone choose “the greatest running shoes of all time”? What, or maybe better, whose criteria would you use? Maybe that’s why you titled this “Complex’s Controversial List…”

  2. Jonathan says:

    Asics Gel Lyte IV was better than the III. The list is ridiculous and seems to be written by non-runners. The Lunar Racer is a great shoe, and I am currently wearing a pair. I would also add the Mizuno Wave Rider to the list. By the way, Nike seems to be coming along in its running shoes in the Lunar series. I wore the Glides for about 6 weeks and really enjoyed them.

  3. towers says:

    this list wasnt made by people who run…it was made by people who collect sneakers, obviously the air max 1 isnt the best running shoe right now it came out in ’87…did you even read the descriptions of all the shoes that made that list?

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