Best Karhu Running Shoes 2021

Karhu has been making running shoes for a long time.

Beginning in the early 1900s, Karhu started making running shoes that quickly caught on. The Finnish brand outfitted amateurs and professional alike, racking up a slew of gold medals in the process.

That work continues today with the best Karhu running shoes. The newest generation of Karhu kicks features innovative technology and droves of data, but it hasn’t lost the competitive spirit of its early iterations.

Here are the best Karhu running shoes you can buy in 2020:

• Best for Most People: Karhu Ikoni
• Best for Cushioning: Karhu Synchron
• Best for Wide Feet: Karhu Ikoni HiVo
• Best for Support: Karhu Fusion Ortix

[This article is part of the Fleet Feet Buyer's Guide for The Best Running Shoes 2021. Find all the best running shoes from the top brands for all situations.]

Karhu built the original Ikoni from more than 100,000 3D foot scans captured during Fleet Feet’s fit id® outfitting process. The mountains of data informed the shoe’s shape and fit. The latest edition is even better.

Designers compiled more scans and more data to tweak the fit for the new model, making it a more comfortable, accommodating running shoe for most people. Fleet Feet testers said in the Karhu Ikoni 2020 review the fit works for a wide variety of foot shapes, and it feels comfortable from the first miles to the last.

Karhu outfitted the Ikoni with lightweight AeroFoam cushioning and a seamless engineered mesh upper for a ride and feel that’s well-suited to the bulk of your training miles and some up-tempo paces, as well.

Karhu’s plushest shoe, the Karhu Synchron delivers luxurious cushioning for big mileage.

Designers pumped the Synchron 2020 full of AeroFoam Nova cushioning, which delivers a softer, bouncier step than other formulations. Complementing the easy ride, Karhu draped the shoe in an engineered mesh upper and sewed it up with an asymmetrical lacing pattern for increased comfort and flexibility.

Like the Ikoni, Karhu gained insights from fit id data to create a more comfortable fit for most people.

The Karhu Ikoni, fit for more people.

Karhu developed the Karhu Ikoni HiVo with wider—or “high volume”—feet in mind. Designers leveraged the same fit id data to turn the outstanding Ikoni 2020 into a fit for wider feet.

The HiVo model delivers the same lightweight feel and well-cushioned ride as the standard width version, but it provides a wider toe box and midfoot to accommodate larger feet. Karhu also kept the same Fulcrum technology for a smooth transition.

The best Karhu running shoe for support is the Fusion Ortix, thanks to its 3/4-length Fulcrum technology.

Karhu’s signature Fulcrum tech helps maintain forward momentum by reducing how much you bounce up and down with each step. But the Fulcrum’s shape also delivers additional support.

The 3/4-length Fulcrum puts more medial support in the shoe, so you get a more stable ride, and it creates smoother transitions from heel to toe. Covered in a mesh upper, the Karhu Fusion Ortix is a lightweight, supportive running shoe that works for a variety of runners.

How We Picked the Best Karhu Running Shoes

We used data from our fit id® outfitting process, interviews with designers and real-life wear testing to determine the best Karhu running shoes for most runs and the most runners.

No two people (and no two runners) are the same, though. The best running shoes for you might not be the best shoes for your sister or that guy in your weekly pub run. You have to decide which shoes are best based on comfort, performance and price—that's why we offer a Happy Fit Guarantee, so you can try them out for yourself.

You can shop with confidence at Fleet Feet: We offer free shipping on all orders over $99, and you have 60 days to return any gear if you don’t like the way it looks, fits or feels. Plus, with our price-match guarantee, you can make sure you never pay too much for a new pair of running shoes.

Best Running Shoe Brands

Karhu makes some of the best running shoes in the business, but there are plenty of excellent shoes from other brands. See the best running shoe brands 2021 for more great shoes.