Evergreen monthly benchmark — Apr 22
Running Shoes
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · Apr 22 selected · 12 snapshots
Key takeaway
The running shoes category has consolidated rapidly around ASICS as the dominant AI-recommended brand, with Adidas climbing fast on the strength of the Adizero Evo SL. Nike has lost meaningful ground — ChatGPT remains the only commerce-influenced holdout still defaulting to Pegasus 41. This is a clear signal of a brand momentum shift happening in real-time across AI recommendations.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
Scroll sideways to see all dates and labels.
Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Nike | ASICS | Saucony |
| Claude | ASICS | Saucony | Nike |
| Gemini | ASICS | Adidas | Saucony |
| Perplexity | ASICS | Brooks | Nike |
What This Means
- ChatGPT remains the only model to default to Nike Pegasus 41 as #1 — the other three models have moved to ASICS or Adidas.
- ChatGPT also uniquely surfaces Puma Velocity Nitro 4 and Under Armour Charged Assert 11 in budget tiers.
- Claude is the most aggressive about Adidas Adizero Evo SL, calling it "one of the best shoes period." Gemini surfaces New Balance Fresh Foam consistently as a top-4 pick.
- Perplexity provides the deepest brand ranking (10 brands) and uniquely includes Mizuno and On in its top 10.
Findings and Limitations
- Hoka only appears in ChatGPT and Perplexity rankings (and as "to skip" in Claude).
- Mizuno only appears in Perplexity.
- On only appears in ChatGPT and Perplexity.
- Puma only appears in ChatGPT and Claude.
- Under Armour only appears in ChatGPT.
- Major brands like Altra, Topo Athletic, and Inov-8 are completely absent from all models.
- Premium niche brands like Tracksmith are also invisible.
Recurring themes in the answers
- All four models agree the Novablast 5 is the consensus best daily trainer for the 20-25 mpw runner.
- Every model recommends a two-shoe rotation strategy.
- All warn against carbon-plated super shoes for recreational mileage.
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old man living in the USA who runs about 20-25 miles per week for fitness and occasional 10K races, looking for the best running shoes. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. Nike Pegasus 41 best overall do-it-all. 2. ASICS Magic Speed 5 best speed/training hybrid. 3. Puma Velocity Nitro 4 best budget all-rounder. 4. Adidas Adizero Evo SL best lightweight daily. 5. Nike Alphafly 3 best race day.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old man living in the USA who runs about 20-25 miles per week for fitness and occasional 10K races, looking for the best running shoes. What would you recommend?
Daily trainer picks: 1. ASICS Novablast 5 $150 consensus best overall. 2. Adidas Adizero Evo SL $150 lightest with best energy return, doubles as 10K. 3. Nike Vomero 18 $150 plush. Race shoes: Nike Vaporfly 4 $260, Saucony Endorphin Pro 4, Adidas Takumi Sen 10. Recommendation: Adizero Evo SL as only shoe.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old man living in the USA who runs about 20-25 miles per week for fitness and occasional 10K races, looking for the best running shoes. What would you recommend?
Top picks 2026: 1. ASICS Novablast 5 best do-it-all super trainer ~9.0 oz. 2. Adidas Adizero EVO SL speed specialist with 100% Lightstrike Pro foam. 3. Brooks Ghost 17 max-comfort workhorse with DNA Loft v3. 4. New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v14 plush power.
Perplexity · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 32-year-old man living in the USA who runs about 20-25 miles per week for fitness and occasional 10K races, looking for the best running shoes. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. ASICS Novablast 5 safest single-shoe pick. 2. Saucony Endorphin Speed 5 best one-shoe performance. 3. Brooks Ghost 17 stable daily trainer. 4. Adidas Adizero Evo SL faster trainer. Best setup: Novablast 5 daily + Endorphin Speed 5 race.
ChatGPT · Prompt 2
Frequently Asked Questions