Doctors of Running Podcast · October 21, 2026 · 58 min
#316 Are Ultra Max Cushion Shoes the New Norm?
Nathan, Matt, and David dig into a fast-growing new category of super-tall, super-cushioned trainers, not necessarily made for speed but for comfort cruising. Is it a real category? Who is it actually good for, and is it worth $200+? They put eight of these shoes into a randomized bracket, including the ASICS Slowcush, Nike Vomero Premium, and Saucony Paramount Max, to see which one comes out on top. Rabbit is the presenting partner of our podcast. You can use code SPOOKYDOCS10 to get 10% off your entire order of $50.00 or more. Note that the code is limited to one use per customer and can't be combined with other discounts. The code is active from 1st of every month to last day at 11:59PM PST, but don't worry because we'll be bringing you a new code every month. Shop now at https://www.runinrabbit.com . Our In For Testing segment is fueled by Skratch Labs! Get 20% off your first order from Skratch with code: DOCTORSOFRUNNING ! https://www.skratchlabs.com Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:52 - In for Testing: Powered by Skratch Labs 22:36 - Breaking down a new category of shoe: ultra-max cushion 35:06 - Are these "good" for us? 39:32 - Bracketology 40:58 - Mizuno Sky Prime vs. Nike Vomero Premium 43:44 - ASICS Slowcush vs Adidas Hyperboost Edge 47:02 - Hoka Skyward X2 vs. Saucony Paramount Max 50:14 - Puma Magmax 2 vs. On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper 52:24 - Semifinals 55:10 - The Final 57:44 - Wrap-up