Full running kits by brand: Nike, adidas, ASICS, Brooks

All four shoes are neutral, cushioned daily trainers that suit easy runs, walking and longer training. The differences are in fit and feel, which is why trying them on beats reading specs. The totals below include shoes, shorts, a shirt and socks at list price, so you can compare the kits like for like.

The Pegasus is one of Nike’s longest-running models and a safe first choice for many feet. The Challenger shorts have a brief liner and three pockets; the Miler top has reflective details.

Nike’s running shoes are often cut narrow and run small, so many runners size up half a size. If you order online, order two sizes and return the one that fits worse, after checking the store’s return terms.

The Supernova Rise 3 is adidas’s everyday cushioned trainer, light for its class. Own the Run is adidas’s everyday running line, simple and often on sale.

Many runners find adidas shoes fit closer to their usual size than Nike. The clothes are the cheapest of the four kits at list price, and adidas runs frequent sales on apparel, so this is often the least expensive kit in practice.

The GEL-CUMULUS sits a step below ASICS’s plusher GEL-NIMBUS, and it is the lightest shoe of the four on the brands’ numbers. The Road line is ASICS’s mainstay running apparel, a little pricier than the others.

ASICS is known for its GEL heel cushioning and a wide range of widths in its daily trainers. If you have wide feet, ASICS and New Balance are good places to start. The Road shorts are the most expensive shorts here.

Brooks focuses on running, and the Ghost is its best-known neutral shoe. The Dash shirt and shorts are its everyday line; the socks come as a two-pack.

Brooks is widely stocked in specialty running stores, so it is one of the easiest brands to try on before you buy. The Ghost comes in wide sizes, and Brooks also makes a stability shoe, the Adrenaline, for runners who want more support.

• Start with the shoe. Try all four if a store near you stocks them, and buy the kit from the one that fits.
• Think about the whole year. A brand whose shorts and tees you like will usually make a long sleeve and tights in the same fabric for winter.
• Each brand has a sizing quirk. Nike often runs small; try half a size up.
• Mix and match freely. Many runners wear one brand’s shoes and another’s shorts.
• Check the women’s version. Every brand here makes the same kit for women at about the same price.
• Sign up for the brand’s free membership if you buy often; many give free shipping and early sale access.
• Do not stretch the budget for a matching kit. A cheaper shirt from another brand does the same job.

HOKA, Saucony, Salomon and Balega make well-liked running gear. We could not read their US stores’ list prices when checking, so they are not listed rather than guessed. They are worth trying on in a store if none of the four kits fits you. If you already own one of their shoes and like it, there is no reason to switch brands to match a kit. New Balance and On appear in running shoes by budget.

Socks are the easiest place to break the single-brand rule. Feetures, Darn Tough and the Brooks multipacks are covered in running socks and clothes, and any of them works with any shoe. The same goes for a phone belt or a water bottle, where running brands rarely make the best version.

• Which brand is best for beginners? The one whose shoe fits you. All four make reliable daily trainers.
• Do I need a matching kit? No. It just makes ordering easy.
• Which brand runs small? Nike most often. Try half a size up.
• Do brands make women’s kits? Yes, all four, usually at the same price.
• Which brand is best for wide feet? ASICS, Brooks and New Balance offer the most wide sizes.
• Is it worth paying more for one brand? The four kits sit close together at list price; sales matter more than brand.
• Do the kits work for walking challenges? Yes. Every shoe here is comfortable for long walks.
• How often do brands update these shoes? Most daily trainers get a new version about once a year, with the number going up by one.

Prices are list prices at the brand’s own store on the day checked. They change, and sales are common, so check the live page before you buy. We picked by specs, fit notes and price; we have not run in every item. Where a product is men’s, the brand sells a women’s version at about the same list price. Whichever you pick, a first goal like LOKI gives the new kit somewhere to go.