For what it's worth, this is from personal sales rep observation in asking my various accounts in the southeast. I have this many '
run specialty stores' in my territory:
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Approx 130 true running stores. Another 40 general sporting goods stores, and another 40 'brown shoe/family shoe stores'. I always ask each account what is hot for them--selling or trendy, what do most of their customers prefer, etc., so even though it's not technical it is a general feel for the pulse out there. It varies some from store to store, and even locale to locale but overall this is a fairly good capsule of the shoe business.
Again--FWIW:
True hard core, veteran runners--they wear Brooks, Asics, Altra. All the other brands have decent followings but these 3 are
the leaders without question...
overall.
Hottest brand out there in Run Specialty Stores: Hoka. Without debate. They are selling great but it covers runners, people who want to help fix foot problems, people just looking for comfort, etc.
THE hottest brand of running/sports shoes across the board(run/family stores, general footwear stores): On....or On Cloud, On Running, etc---anyone would know who you're talking about if you call them any of these names. Many of my accounts who've been in the business over 30 years have told me they have NEVER seen a faster selling brand than On-Running. And this trend has been going for 3-4 years now. Several accounts have described them as "running shoes for people who don't run'....which screams of being 'trendy' and something to watch to see when it crashes, but in reality there are some serious runners who love them too. They are covering both fashion and function.
People who look at shoes like Altra for running are a little unique in that they are 'zero drop shoes' for the most part. Basically little to no heel. a flat-foot shoe that takes some getting used to but offers a lot of benefits(along with a wide toe box for the squatchy foot person). A good friend of mine who is one of the crazy ultra-runners(100 mile races regularly, marathon training races 5 times per week....5 marathon runs per week! I said he was nuts) He is a field rep for Altra and he would not want to run in anything else. Serious running shoe but a bit different.
Ok--I've rambled. Just putting out there what I have been told and witnessed in a LOT of shoe stores here in the southeast.
