10 Top Places to Get Wear-Tested Gear & Running Shoe Reviews

Looking for wear-tested gear & running shoe reviews?

• Thinking about trying some new stuff to train, run or race? 
• Time to upgrade?
• Ready to move from road to trail or vice-versa?
• Or maybe you've had your eye on some new release gear or shoes, but you're wondering if it's worth the cost and measures up to the marketing hype.

Honest, in-depth reviews from real runners can help you get all the info you need.

Check out these 10 best places to get gear and running shoe reviews, hand-picked by the WeeViews team...

Whether you run the road, trails, track, or treadmill, and regardless of your speed, level of competition or weekly volume, you ARE a runner!

🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️And every runner needs at least one pair of reliable running shoes. 👟👟

Even if you aren’t in the market for running shoes, there’s a chance you’re curious about:

• Competitive events
• Running accessories
• Outdoor gear

With so many options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to parse through every possibility; gear review sites can make that process much less daunting. 

While WeeViews staff might be just a bit partial to one particular running reviews site (bet you can’t guess which one), they also recognize the value other domains provide. 

The WeeViews top 10 picks for sites to get gear and running shoe reviews can help you navigate your next big investment in your running journey!

• We have combed through the vast interwebs to bring you an in-depth review of reviewers–sound a bit meta? That’s what we were going for! 
• From websites that specialize in one niche corner of sport to the websites that cater to the expert generalist, WeeViews has a gear review site for you. 

👇👇Below, you’ll find our top 10 (in no particular order) sites for gear and running shoe reviews:

iRunFar knows their niche and they stick to it! The iRunFar website specializes in covering all things ultra endurance with a sub-focus on trail running; but within their niche, iRunFar covers a lot of ground. 

• The most distinctive element of this organization is their live race coverage: salient clips and commentary on UTMB, Western States 100, Hardrock 100, and the Trail Championships captivate iRunFar’s audiences each year. 

Website content & focus:

Visit the iRunFar domain and you’ll find an ultrarunner hub of relevant blog articles, running news coverage, and information on healthy training techniques. 

The iRunFar website staff organizes their information with:

• User-friendly dropdown menus
• Gear reviews
• Gift guides
• Buyer guides
• Training information and blog posts

Review Structure:

The in-depth review style of iRunFar includes features tied back to product experience. 

• While the reviews are limited to a smaller range of shoes and products, each published review contains a deeper look into each element of the product. 
• Each buyer/gift guide supplies links to original and updated reviews of the products listed, making it simple for the reader to dig (or not dig) into the finer details. 
• iRunFar monetizes their reviewing process by implementing affiliate links built into the review article. 

If you’re after a heavy dose of the cold, hard facts lightly sprinkled with personal experience, Running Warehouse reviews are worth checking out. Shoe reviewers give:

• A star rating
• A quick summary
• And dive into the shoe specs that matter
• Some reviews also offer side-by-side perspectives from two different runners

Website content & focus:
While Running Warehouse is primarily an online retailer, they also provide free resources like a page for training tips, designated gear guides, and running culture articles. 

• As you browse shoes and gear on their platform, you can easily access reviews of shoes, clothing, and accessories. 
• Reviews are organized alphabetically by brand, making it easy to find what you’re looking for. 

Review Structure

The reviews on Running Warehouse examine shoe:

• Softness
• Ride
• Underfoot protection
• Flexibility
• Upper support

Reviews usually summarize, rate, and give the important specs. Some shoes have in-depth reviews written from the perspectives of two different athletes. 

Believe in the Run offers the low-down on shoe and gear for all corners of the sport, including:

• Trail
• XC
• Road running

Once companies send gear and shoes to Believe in the Run product testers, they run in shoes for 20-80 miles before they submit a final review.

• They have visually striking, in-depth video elements that get to the “sole'' of new shoe reviews. 
• In addition to their website, the staff of Believe in the Run also put attention into two weekly podcasts: The Drop and Fuel for the Sole.

Website content & focus:
Believe in the Run appeals to gearheads tired of spec sites lacking personality. The refreshing blend of running culture and technical, in-depth review gives you an informationally dense platform without that formulaic feel. 

Review Structure: 

The written reviews on Believe in the Run introduce the shoe features and then testers present “the good” and then “the bad,” sprinkled with affiliate links to purchase the shoe. 

• Each reviewer focuses on the experience they have with the shoes. 
• These long-form reviews balance technicality with personality. 
• Video reviews typically feature some witty banter between Believe in the Run staff members interspersed with shoe features (upper, midsole, outsole, and price). 

Trail Runner Magazine focuses on their target audience in the running world, pairing world-class photography with:

• Engaging interviews
• Video elements
• Running culture articles
• Training information
• A podcast
• Gear review lists

Website content & focus:

In terms of their gear page, Trail Runner Magazine publishes articles on:

• Shoes
• Apparel
• Hydration
• Fastpacking
• Accessories. 

The writers strive to keep their faithful trail-running readers on top of the current trends across gear categories. 

Review Structure:

Reviews on Trail Runner Magazine typically appear in “Best Of” lists or an in-depth review that features the specs and their respective pros/cons. 

With a greater focus on the product specs, individual experience of said gear is usually limited to a few sentences in their “Bottom Line” section, making it concise and easy to find. 

Looking for any type of athletic shoes? Run Repeat specializes in, well, everything. 

You can find shoe reviews to suit every athletic need: 

• Running
• Hiking
• Climbing
• Golfing
• Basketball
• Football
• Tennis
• Soccer
• Cycling
• CrossFit
• And even walking

Website content & focus: 

You won’t find much fluff on Run Repeat. The team sticks to their expertise that is shoe reviews and buyer guides. 

• Run Repeat buys all of the shoes they test, and they focus on the experience instead of shoe features. 

Review Structure: 

Run Repeat uses two review methods: 

• In-depth
• Meta review

The in-depth has hands-on lab testing consisting of their diverse athlete team running 30-40 miles per week in the shoes.

The meta review method includes outside opinions from the “real world” and from shoe experts. 

Run Repeat uses a high-tech algorithm to synthesize enough data to create the meta reviews and generate a numerical “core score” that ranges from 1-100 for each shoe.

Personality is the name of the game at The Ginger Runner! 

Ethan Newberry, AKA The Ginger Runner, is a filmmaker and former actor with a passion for ultra endurance. Newberry constructed his website around video content and his individuality; the gear reviews followed. 

Website content & focus: 

Striking photography and website design create an enjoyable experience for you as the user on The Ginger Runner website. 

Rest assured that you won’t describe the prolific specs and gear nerdiness as bland. 

Review Structure: 

All of Newberry’s reviews follow a similar video flow. 

• He starts off with what he enjoys
• Progresses into the dislikes
• And wraps it all up with a breakdown and conclusion

If you’re seeking an in-depth review experience and feature demonstration, The Ginger Runner is a fun stop to make before a big shoe investment. 

Gear Junkie epitomizes outdoorsy culture, appealing to every type of enthusiast who prefers to spend more time out of doors than in. 

The crew of Gear Junkie has populated the site with:

• Podcasts
• Short films
• Gift & buyer guides
• Reviews
• Blog articles
• A designated “deals” section with the embedded affiliate links

Website content & focus: 

As the name implies, Gear Junkie encompasses all things gear. You can find reviews on anything from vehicles and hunting gear to winter sport clothing and running hydration packs. The range of topics is evident in their 24-topic dropdown menu. 

Review Structure: 

Each “Best Of” review article provides readers with several options to fit their budget and needs. 

• The reviews mainly focus on the specs, their respective pros/cons, and price.
• Gear Junkie places emphasis on finding the best price at different retailers, making their reviews particularly helpful for the budget-conscious buyer. 

Take one look at Outdoor Gear Lab’s landing page and you get the idea; side-by-side comparisons of a wide range of outdoor gear, paired with an in-depth review dissecting product specs and subjective experience notes. 

Intuitives and gear nerds alike are sure to be satisfied with the information the folks at Outdoor Gear Lab provide. 

Website content & focus: 

Outdoor Gear Lab focuses solely on the content of their reviews; they do not write culture articles or feature comments on the website. 

• The only deviations you’ll find from their in-depth reviews are “How-to” guides for choosing the right gear for you. 

Review Structure: 

Each review article contains a “Top 20 Picks” side-by-side comparison of the products. 

The products are scored based on:

• Predetermined, discrete categories
• Star rating
• Pros & cons
• Product specs including price

Like WeeViews does for the Rising Stars, Outdoor Gear Lab sources gear for their product reviewers to provide detailed testing, comparison and feedback.

Runner’s World is the one-stop shop for a wide breadth of runner-types: 5K, marathon, trail, road, or track.

Their main focus is to build/promote the running community as a whole. Similar to Trail Runner Magazine, Runner’s World’s journalistic style and visually appealing content focuses on the faces of running.

Website content & focus:
With a primary focus on the “everyday” runner, RW aims many of their reviews to beginner and intermediate level runners. 

• They keep the jargon to a minimum, and make their content accessible and visually appealing. 
• Although Runner’s World is a subscription-based platform, you can still read a few articles for free each month. 

Review Structure: 

From pregnant runners, to those with flat feet, there’s a “Best-of” list somewhere on the RW site that will meet your needs. 

• The reviews on Runner’s World focus on technical specs of shoes/gear primarily, including small but notable points from the tester’s experience. 

It’s not a surprise that our staff wanted to pick WeeViews as their favorite. After all, the WeeViews platform was created to provided objective gear and running shoe reviews. 

 ✅ WeeViews sources first hand review content directly from a diverse community of runners.

Literally pounding the pavement (and of course dirt too), WeeViewers (a clever portmanteau–even if we say so ourselves) create unbiased, unfettered reviews of:

• Shoes
• Races
• Running accessories

Since each reviewer must create a unique profile, the focus on individuality is evident at first glance. WeeViews understands that each runner is unique and experiences with the same products will vary widely across body types, paces, preferences, and personalities. 

✅Review Structure:

Reviews of products and event experiences are not limited to those of a formal testing team; reviews come from REAL runners.

Photo-centric reviews take two forms on the WeeViews platform: 

• Full review.  The full review provides a personalized product photo, spec summary, pros/cons, full review, and tester experience. Similar to an in-depth review on similar sites, WeeViews gives contributors the opportunity to construct a full review that digs deeper. 
• WeeView. WeeViews founders recognize that reviewing can be time-consuming, especially for the everyday runner who balances the demands of full time work/family obligations with training. The platform allows reviewers to opt into a shorter type of review–cleverly coined as the “WeeView”, and the company’s namesake–that is a concise summary of the product experience in 250 characters or less. Paired with a sweet photo, these short WeeViews lower the barrier of entry to firsthand consumer knowledge. 

 ✅ The WeeViews community

• Since WeeViews is also a dynamic, flourishing community and not solely limited to a reviews website, members can engage in meaningful dialogue through a comment feature on each review and blog post. 
• This open format fosters productive interaction between runners from diverse backgrounds. The more that members interact with one another on the platform, the higher they rank as contributors. 

 ✅ Website Content & Focus:

If you’re in search of a website that seamlessly blends running reviews and relevant running topics in the form of engaging blog posts, and all while fostering a sense of community, WeeViews is at the top of the list. 

⭐Become a WeeViews Rising Star

With their Rising Stars program, WeeViews ethically incentivises participation on the platform. 

As members contribute more content in the form of:

• WeeView
• Full reviews
• Comments
• Rundown articles...

They accumulate points. Points also add up as members engage with one another through followership.

👉Once a WeeViewer reaches 50 points, they enter the Rising Stars where they unlock gear-testing opportunities. 

We spend our own money on products to send to the Rising Stars, further promoting honest, authentic experiences. 

Used any of the sites on our top 10 list to get gear and running shoe reviews? Any others you'd recommend? 

Tell us about it in the comments.