Running Shoe Recommendations

The world is your oyster.  Firstly- if your Air Maxes are working for you, then you may not need to change- but it sounds like you're interested in seeing how some other shoes feel.  My first recommendation - is not to worry about the trick shoes (i.e. anything by Hoka, Altra, Newton, Vibram).  Not that there's anything inherently wrong with them.  They each have a loyal following, and they're all pretty cool in their own right.  But, most people have great luck with the standard running shoe brands- that have been doing this for a lot of years.  ASICS, Brooks, Saucony, NewBalance- ok, and Nike.  

Secondly- each running shoe has certain characteristics.  The most important one is FIT.  After that- the amount of cushion, flexibility, weight, heel to toe drop.  Possibly in that order of importance.

The more running you do- likely, the more different pair of shoes you should have in your rotation.  If you run 3-5mi 3 or 4 times/wk; then 1 pair of Nike Air Max's will probably do it for you. But, if you're upping your game you might want a lighter weight pair for fast days and races.  Then, after you get a taste of those, you'll want something that still has some cushion, but isn't as stiff as those Air Max's.  Frankly- the more people run, often the 'less' shoe they want... to a point.

You are now beginning your lifelong search for the perfect running shoe for you.  It does not exist.  However- enjoy your journey.    We can tell you our impressions on the differences between different shoes... but how they each work for you, only you will be able to decide.  

...and don't get me started on trail shoes- that's a whole other category.