The best men's cushioned running shoes

The Hoka One One Bondi 5 is a maximum-cushioning shoe that will provide you with a smooth ride and a soft feel to take the sting out of long runs.

While it may look like the ugly duckling of the bunch at first, this shoe delivers when it comes to comfort. The Bondi 5 is Hoka One One's most cushioned neutral road shoe. While it keeps the soft platform and rounded sole of previous versions, the newest version now has a roomier toe box for added comfort. The redesigned upper features engineered mesh and seamless construction for more breathability and a better fit.

The Bondi 5 has a 37mm stack height, but rest assured you won't feel like you're walking around in platform heels. As the tester from Running Shoes Guru describes, your foot sits down in the cushioning quite a bit, and much of it wraps up and around giving these shoes a pillow-like feel. Despite the higher stack height, the heel to toe drop is at a slight 4mm and even with all the cushioning the Bondi 5 only weighs in at 10 ounces. The rounded rocker design of the sole provides a smooth heel to toe transition, making these a very enjoyable shoe to run in.

In a review by The Active Guy, this smooth transition, along with the comfort of the engineered mesh upper and widened toe box, were all appreciated. However, the tongue did lead to some discomfort because it felt too long. He ended up cutting the tongue down, while the tester from Running Shoes Guru used a different lacing technique for added comfort. Overall, most Amazon reviewers love the fit of the Bondi 5, finding it true to size. This reviewer calls his experience with the Bondi 5 "love at first fit" and praises the larger toe box and cushioned feel.

The Bondi 5 is easily the type of shoe you could walk around all day in, but it really shines on long runs and recovery runs. While not a contact sport, running still has a high impact on your body and can leave you feeling like you've been wiped up and down the field by J. J. Watt. This can be avoided if you train smart and give your feet the support they need. Cushioned shoes like the Bondi 5 give your joints and muscles a nice respite from the impact of the road as you grind out the miles.

Pros: Soft cushioning, smooth ride, lightweight and responsive feel, true sizing with width options

Cons: Some reviewers felt the tongue was too long and rigid, limited color availability