Serious runners know that buying a running shoe is an investment. You have to have a quality shoe with good support and that can stand up to the mileage you put in every week. But an interesting new analysis out of the Institute of Motion Analysis and Research at the University of Dundee, Scotland found that within a brand, expensive shoes really aren't any better then lower priced models.

That doesn't mean that you can go to your local department store and buy the cheapest shoe there. All of the models tested were name brand shoes, priced from $80-$150. But within each brand, the higher priced models with "better features" really didn't feel more comfortable or cushion the feet better than the lower priced models. In addition, study participants couldn't distinguish the more expensive shoes from the cheaper ones.

The bottom line? Buy a good shoe, but don't assume that within a brand that more is better.

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