Running USA Survey reports runners prefer Brooks, Asics and Adidas

Running USA’s 2026 Global Running Survey reported Brooks, Asics and Adidas increased their appeal as favorite footwear brands with runners in both training and racing categories, while Nike, Hoka and On lost ground. Nike and Lululemon ranked first and second in preferred sports apparel, but still lost share with runners.

Launched as the National Runners Survey in 2007, the 2026 study, sponsored by Active Network, sheds light on the habits, preferences, and expectations of participants in running races. Beyond footwear and apparel, category appeal explored includes sports hydration brands, wearables, running apps and treadmills.

The 2026 global survey features responses collected from March to July 2026 from over 11,700 runners. A majority of respondents classified themselves as a runner or jogger (95.5 percent), in line with the total of respondents in 2025 who classified themselves as a runner or jogger (95.6 percent). Of this year’s runners or joggers, 54.5 percent identified as a frequent/fitness runner.  While the responses for the number of years running represented a wide range, 69 percent have been running for at least 10 years. Most of the respondents were from the U.S., with only 11.5 percent from outside the U.S.

Running Footwear Brand Perceptions

In the overall shoe category, Brooks retained its No.1 position in both racing and training shoes, with the brand gaining share in both categories.

In training shoes, Asics retained the second spot. Saucony moved into third, with Hoka sliding to fourth. New Balance continued to be the fifth most popular training shoe, with Nike retaining the sixth spot. Adidas moved ahead of Alta to take the seventh spot.

When asked about racing shoes, Asics jumped to the No. 2 spot behind Brooks from No. 4, Saucony remained in the No. 3 slot, and Nike fell from two to four. The remaining brands held onto the same rankings in the top ten, although Mizuno jumped ahead of On to land in the No. 9 ranking.

Overall, the favorite racing shoe was Brooks, cited by 21.9 percent of runners; followed in the top ten by Asics, 15.1 percent; Saucony, 13.5 percent; Nike, 11.0 percent; Hoka, 10.5 percent; New Balance, 8.1 percent; Adidas, 5.9 percent; Altra, 4.0 percent; Mizuno, 2.1 percent; and On, 2.1 percent.

Runner purchasing habits remained largely consistent year over year, with 55.4 percent of respondents reporting that they train and race in the same brand of shoes, compared to 54.9 percent in 2025. Run specialty stores remained the preferred place to purchase footwear, though preference dipped slightly from 44.6 percent in 2025 to 44.4 percent in 2026. Online purchases also remained steady, decreasing slightly from 38.6 percent to 38.3 percent. Respondents continue to purchase an average of approximately three pairs of running or walking shoes per year, with purchasing habits remaining nearly unchanged from 2025.

Sports Apparel Brand Perceptions

Nike remained the top choice for sports apparel although it lost considerable share, 11.7 percent of runners citing Nike as their favorite running brand, down from 17.2 percent. Lululemon retained the No.2 spot although it also lost share, with 9.7 percent choosing Lululemon as their top choice for sports apparel, down from 11.2 percent in the 2025 survey. Other losing shares in appeal for sports apparel with runners were Under Armour, Brooks, Adidas, Athleta, New Balance and Tracksmith while Rabbit and Asics were among brands increasing their appeal in apparel.

The top 10 favorite sports apparel brands were Nike, 11.7 percent; Lululemon, 9.7  percent; Under Armour, 7.2 percent; Brooks, 6.6 percent; Adidas, 6.1 percent; Rabbit, 4.7 percent; Asics, 3.4 percent; Athleta, 3.1 percent; New Balance, 2.9 percent; and Tracksmith, 2.1 percent.

Running USA noted that one of the biggest takeaways from 2026 is the increase in respondents who indicated they have no preferred sports apparel brand, rising to 19.6 percent in 2025 from only 2.3 percent a year ago.  “This suggests that apparel preferences remain highly fragmented, with runners often choosing from a wide range of brands rather than showing strong loyalty to a single apparel company,” said Running USA. 

Sports Hydration Brand Perceptions

Gatorade remained the top choice in sports hydration brands, but its share declined from 20.7 percent in 2025 to 12.7 percent in the latest survey. LMNT moved ahead of Nuun Hydration to become the second-most selected brand at 11.6 percent. Nuun Hydration followed at 10.1 percent, and Liquid I.V. saw a notable increase, reaching 9.9 percent compared to 3.2 percent in 2025. Water, selected by 14.8 percent of respondents, earned the most common overall response, up from only 2.3 percent in the 2025 survey. “No preference” was cited by 8.5 percent of respondents. Running USA said in the report, “The continued spread among hydration brands highlights an increasingly diverse market, with runners using a variety of products based on personal preference, performance needs, and individual fueling strategies.”

Wearable Devices Brand Perceptions

In terms of wearable technology, Garmin Watches continued to dominate, with 60.3 percent of respondents reporting use in the past 12 months, an increase from 58.4 percent in 2025. Apple Watch usage declined from 29.3 percent to 25.5 percent, while smartphone use remained steady at 23.9 percent. Other wearable technologies, including Garmin Heart Rate Monitors (7.9 percent), Fitbit Watches (5.8 percent), and COROS Watches (5.5 percent), continue to represent smaller but consistent segments of the market.

Running Apps Brand Perceptions

Garmin and Strava remain the two most widely used running apps, with Garmin slightly ahead in 2026 at 56.4 percent and Strava close behind at 54.2 percent. In the 2025 survey, 53.4 percent of respondents reported using Garmin and 58.3 percent reported using Strava, with Garmin regaining the top spot this year. Other commonly used apps include MapMyRun (15 percent), Apple Fitness+ (14.2 percent), Nike Run Club (12.7 percent), and Runna (11.1 percent). Only 6.6 percent of respondents reported not using any running apps in the past 12 months.