Minimalist And Maximalist Running Shoes

What are minimalist and maximalist running shoes?

The world of running shoes isn't as straightforward as we'd all like it to be. In the last 20 years there have been many changes and trends. After years of fairly standard offering there was a period of minimalist shoes, followed quickly by maximalist shoes. These different approaches are all based on the 'drop' and the level of cushioning. We'll demystify it all here!

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Minimalist, maximalist, zero drop, high drop - what??

Zero-drop (the drop is the difference between the heel and toe of a shoe and measured in millimetres) and minimalist shoes are not the same thing. A minimalist running shoe is developed to replicate the experience of running barefoot, but that doesn't necessarily make it a barefoot shoe. They generally have less cushioning, but the heel-to-toe drop can still be up to 8 mm, but no more. If there isn’t much cushioning, zero-drop running shoes could be considered minimalist. However there are zero drop shoes with plenty of cushioning, and these are technically maximalist shoes. A maximalist shoe can have a drop from zero to more than 10mm; they are defined as maximalist due to the amount of cushioning they provide.

What is a minimalist running shoe?

Minimalist shoes focus on a natural foot movement and ground feel. They have thin soles, flexible materials, and virtually no cushioning. They encourage a midfoot or forefoot strike, not a heel strike, which can help strengthen the foot and improve running form. Just because they are minimalist doesn't mean they have a low drop. We'll talk about the 'drop' below, but minimalist shoes can have a drop of up to 8mm. A minimalist shoe doesn't mean a zero drop shoe. Those who wear a minimalist shoe do so because they believe it is closer to a natural running style and they may have had some knee issues before that these shoes may help. There's plenty of debate as to how good they are so seek advice.

The minimalist shoes again, they’re no cushion, no stability. They’re really designed for barefoot or natural running form which lets the body supposedly mitigate forces and if you run with a true forefoot or midfoot strike that may be true. Maximalist shoes, they have lots of cushion. They have lots of external shock absorption and they have some external stability but they primarily want to let the shoe mitigate the forces in a sort of protected way that you would use the same kind of form that you would use with a barefoot running technique but it’s a little bit more protective.

Vibram Five Fingers - minimalist and zero drop

What is a maximalist running shoe?

A maximalist shoe as you'd expect is very different, but not the complete opposite. It offers a significant amount of cushioning in the midsole and higher sidewalls, designed to reduce the impact of running. Hoka running shoes are a great example. They can be especially beneficial for runners who experience joint pain or fatigue during long-distance runs. They aren't the complete opposite because they are often aimed at neutral runners and are very light, as opposed to a heavy stability shoe aimed at over pronators that is full of stability support and really heavy as a result. One of the reasons they are so light is because the soles are often flared outward, giving them a relatively supportive wide stance.Confused? Check out our jargon guide.

Maximalist shoes often have many of the same build components as minimalist shoes and many of them have a low drop heel. The soles can look very thick because the shoe is made of EVA foam in the midsole. It's still possible to find maximalist running shoes with a zero drop that are ultra-cushioned, like the Altra Olympus, so don't assume just because they are full of cushioning that they have a low drop.

Altra Olympus - zero drop but still maximalist

What does ''the drop' mean?

The drop, as it's known, is the difference between the height of the heel and the toe of the shoe. A traditional running shoe has a drop of between 10mm to 12mm, with plenty of cushioning in the heel. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a zero-drop shoe means there’s an equal amount of cushioning under the heels and toes. Most shoes from the likes of Brooks, Nike and Asics are 10mm, On and Hoka are 5mm to 6mm and Altra are zero drop. Many brands do have drop options, like Brooks with their Drift shoe, but most tend to stick to a band of drop and specialise in it. The trend with mainstream shoes has changed over the last ten years. Previously it was around 12mm and now it's more likely to be around 10mm.

A higher heel drop encourages heel striking whereas a small heel drop will give you a more midfoot or forefoot strike, considered by many to have a lower impact stride than a heel strike, but which puts more pressure on the Achilles Tendon.

The history of running shoes

Barefoot rooting, although perceived to be a fairly recent phenomena goes back many years. The first person to race an Olympic marathon barefoot was a Tswana tribesman Len Tau representing South Africa in 1904, followed by an Ethiopian, Abebe Bikila, who won an Olympic gold medal in Rome with a world record time in 1960. Zola Budd set several World Records in the 1980’s, training and racing in bare feet.

Then in 2004 Vibram Five Fingers were launched, followed soon after by Vivio Barefoot. Now there were commercial shoes for devotees of barefoot running. In 2009 the barefoot movement got a real boost with the release of a book called 'Born to Run' by Christopher McDougall. This told the story of a Mexican tribe that ran long distances wearing sandals made from old car tires. These Tarahumara inspired McDougall to follow their lead and detailed his success in doing so. The book was a huge success and many thousands took his advice, shunning traditional shoes as a result.

A huge book for the growth of the minimalist shoe movement

And then there was another shift. Just as the Born to Run book was inspiring barefoot running, two Frenchmen started work on a shoe brand that was as opposite to the likes of a Vibram Five Fingers barefoot shoe as you could get, Hoka. They were to an extent inspired by the desire for natural running, but without the potential for the injuries that were associated with barefoot shoes. The key was to develop a really lightweight, but very cushioned midsole. Although the development of maximalist shoes took ten years before they became a mainstream product, when they did the shift was significant.

Were they a response to discomfort or injuries from minimalist shoes? Quite possibly, or was it simply a cyclical development as happens in many sectors? Whatever it was, heavily cushioned shoes are now extremely popular, with their move from the triathlon and trail running world into the road running space and even the fashion world now confirmed.

What's right for you?

If you're getting into running for the first time and are choosing new running shoes it's really important to go to a running specialty store, speak to qualified staff and understand the difference between minimalist and maximalist running shoes. Chances are you'll more than likely to need a standard neutral shoe (over 70% of runners do) but find out from them for sure. It's only after many miles that you need to worry about maximalist or minimalist shoes, if at all. And if you do make a change to the shoes you're wearing, especially one that involves changing the level of cushioning or the drop of the shoes you're wearing you need to do it really slowly. Changing shoes to one of a different type must take time. Don't suddenly change overnight or injuries await.

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