Editorial Policy

Independence

No brand, retailer or agency can pay for a place on this site, buy a higher ranking, or review a page before it is published. We don't accept free products, loaned shoes or event invitations in exchange for coverage. The site is funded by affiliate commissions, explained in full on our affiliate disclosure. A commission never sets a ranking — the published rubric does.

Where every figure comes from

• Product specs — stack height, heel-to-toe drop, weight, plate, foam, widths, battery life, capacity — come from the maker's own product or spec page. Where the maker doesn't publish a figure, we may use a measurement published by a named independent reviewer, credited on the spec and linked. Specs are dated because models change every year.
• Level definitions and mileage come from published beginner plans (the NHS Couch to 5K plan and Hal Higdon's Novice plans). When we give a weekly mileage range, it's our arithmetic from the published schedule, and we say so.
• Research claims (for example, what studies found about carbon-plated shoes) link to the study or to the governing body's own rule text.
• Prices appear only from a live, dated retailer feed. Otherwise the button reads “Check price on Amazon.”

Where a figure isn't published anywhere we can cite, we say “not published” rather than guess.

What we do and don't test

We don't run a test lab and we don't claim to have run in the shoes we rank. Our recommendations are editorial judgments from documented research: what each shoe is designed for, how its published specs fit the job, and what a runner at each level actually needs. If the owner behind this site adds first-hand notes from his own running in the future, they will be clearly labeled as such.

Health and safety

Running shoes are not medical devices. We describe shoe features (support, cushioning, width, drop), never promise that a shoe prevents or treats injury, and add a health note on fit and injury-adjacent pages. For pain or injury, see a clinician.

How we use AI tools

We use AI writing and research tools to help draft pages, organize research and check pages for errors. Every pick, spec and claim is tied to a cited source, checked against that source, and signed off by a person before publication. AI tools are never a source in themselves, and they don't choose rankings.

Updates

Roundups get a spec and availability review every quarter and an off-cycle update when a new version of a picked shoe is released. Comparisons are reviewed every six months; guides at least once a year. Each page shows the date it was last updated, and that date only changes when the content really changes.

Corrections

If you find an error — a wrong spec, an outdated version, a broken link — tell us through the contact form or at mike@blackironathletics.com. We check the report against the source, fix confirmed errors promptly, and note significant corrections on the page.

Language and accessibility

Pages are written in plain US English for US runners. We aim for readable contrast, descriptive image alt text (stock photos are described as what they show, never as a product they don't), and pages that work without JavaScript.