These Are the Running Shoes Contestants on 'The Amazing Race' Swear By

Season 36 of The Amazing Race is currently running (pun intended), and every season I wonder how the contestants are able to stay on their feet and maintain their pace throughout the race. What sneakers are they wearing that are helping them power through? I try to squint at my screen and figure it out myself, but I’m mostly unsuccessful at answering my own question.

So when my friend and fellow reality competition show fan Danny Butler was actually cast on this season, I knew I needed to get all of the details from him and his teammate: his mom, Angie Butler. He also introduced me to his fellow castmate Mary Cardona-Foster ahead of the premiere, and I knew I also needed to chat with her and her teammate—who happens to be her dad, Chris Foster.

With four different perspectives from the show, I gathered their top picks, plus a postseason honorable mention. Here are the sneakers that the Butlers and the Fosters raved about that you’re going to want to snag—plus more details on how they prepared for TAR.

Saucony Men’s Aura Trail Runners

“I had some Saucony Trail Runners that were great,” Danny says. “They had good grip, which is really important to think about when you're on The Amazing Race because you don't know what terrain you're going to be on. Saucony makes great running shoes, I absolutely love them.”

Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23

“Like Danny said, I was definitely choosing sneakers with grip because we both chose to only bring one pair of shoes,” Angie explains. “Some people choose to bring more than that, and so we kind of wanted the ‘all occasion shoe.’ I'm a Brooks person. I have short, little fat feet, so I need wide shoes and Brooks are perfect.” (Psst, our assistant general manager Penelope Wall also loves these Brooks sneakers specifically for pain-free runs.)

Nike Tanjun

“My go-to sneaker is a Nike Tanjun,” Chris says. “It's a lightweight mesh, all-purpose sneaker which I found was light on my feet, it breathes on my feet super comfortably. It’s my go-to shoe. I love them for exercise and I love them for everyday use, and that's what I wore on the show.”

Asics Gel-Kayano 30

While she wore Nike Pegasus road running shoes on the show, Mary has switched out her favorite sneakers. 

“I have since upgraded to my Asics Gel Kayano 30s, which I absolutely love,” she says. “I feel like they really give me extra support when I'm running around my neighborhood. I'm not a treadmill runner, so it's nice to be on the pavement with shoes that are super, super comfortable.”

More Gear & Essentials They Loved

Osprey Talon 22L Pack

Both Mary and Chris swore by the Osprey Talon 22L backpack for its comfort and storage capacity.

“We had about 12 pounds of items in each of our bags, but it felt so much lighter than that,” Mary shares. “It really offered a lot of support. If I ever go backpacking, I would definitely bring that backpack. I think it was a huge help in alleviating back or leg pain.

“The Osprey is just fantastic,” Chris emphasizes. “Lots of pockets, lots of places to put stuff. I think my backpack weighed about 16 or 17 pounds and everything fit very, very well. It felt like we had everything we needed to survive the race.”

Liquid I.V. Electrolyte Drink Mix

Both teams I interviewed stated that Liquid I.V. was a must-pack item—and they’re grateful that they had it on hand.

“We were continually drinking so much liquids, but at one point, I just became so dehydrated,” Chris recounts. “Fortunately, my quick-thinking daughter had some packets of Liquid I.V. which she mixed up for me. And after about five minutes that gave me the energy to get myself back together. I really have to say that Mary bringing the Liquid I.V. and having that ready really saved the day for me.”

“Water with Liquid I.V. was really, really great for fueling our bodies during the race,” Danny also shares. 

Granola Bars

On The Amazing Race, any snacks you need, you have to pack with you, so granola bars were an easy choice for both teams.

“For the mega legs, they can be anywhere from 6 to 16 hours, and there may be some snacks along the way, but you are responsible if you want to bring more food,” Danny explains. “Nature Valley granola bars were a lifesaver for the mega legs.”

“We also had a couple of granola bars in each of our packs just as an emergency snack if we were driving for hours or on the road and racing for a long time,” Chris says.