I Compared Chinese vs Western Running Shoes (Saved £488)

Are expensive running shoes actually worth it—or are we just paying for the brand? In this video, I compare six Chinese running shoes with their closest Western brand equivalents, breaking down price, specs, and real-world use. The results are surprising: across just six pairs, you could save £488 by choosing the cheaper alternatives. But this isn’t just about finding budget options. I also look at how running shoe prices in the UK have changed over the past 20 years—and why modern shoes often cost far more than inflation alone would suggest. So are premium brands delivering better performance, or just better marketing? If you’re a runner trying to get the best value for your money, this video will help you decide where it’s actually worth spending—and where it isn’t. Two top-notch reviewers of a wide range of Chinese shoes are ‪@jogoncrago‬ ‪@Road_To_Trail‬ Running Coaching from Dawn and John costs £50 per month. For this you get an initial consultation and athlete profiling, discussion of your goals and analysis of how best to maximise your training time. You get a personalised plan, updated on a regular basis on Training Peaks, a weekly check-in and open and regular availability to discuss / ask anything via WhatsApp. Where possible we like to meet up with our athletes intermittently too. Follow John on Strava here -   / strava   Follow Dawn on Strava here -   / strava   Join our online Facebook Community here -   / 787595085928039   We are both qualified England Athletics coaches with a wealth of running and coaching experience behind us. Having both been coached by high-level coaches ourselves, we have developed the skills, expertise and approach to support people towards their running goals. As we have both worked in education for several decades, we know how to get the best out of individuals. Coaching is far more than telling people what to do, just as teaching is about far more than imparting information to learners. We listen, analyse and plan to support you to improve and enjoy your running. Personalised monthly coaching costs £50 per month, for which you get a bespoke training plan towards your running goals, advice on supplementary issues to support your running, a weekly check-in via email and a regular exchange of information via WhatsApp. Please get in touch at [email protected] if you would like to enquire about personalised running coaching.