High-Tech Sneakers

Vasque footwear makes shoes with a purpose. For starters, the Vasque Pendulum Trail Runner ($109; available February 2013 at Vasque.com) positions the foot closer to the ground so its wearers have a natural forefoot strike. Its immersion 360 technology offers a perfect fit that hugs the foot and keeps it secure on long runs, while its 3mm flux foam insole warms up to conform to the foot after 10 minutes of wear and then returns to its original structure once you get back home. It's a perfect fit every time!

The PUMA FAAS 350 ($85 at PUMA.com) really delivers on its promises. A lightweight, low-profile system is designed for faster training, road races, and speed workouts, while its clunky midsole (that's the 350 engineering) and heel-to-forefoot lateral release groove makes it the perfect sneaker for the trail runner too.

The Saucony Amp Pro2 Reco ($40 at Saucony.com) is the world's first post-exercise recovery shoe to feature Celliant fibers. What does that mean? It's lightweight, comfortable, and scientifically-proven to help increase blood flow and re-energize your feet after a long workout. This high-tech system essentially harnesses the body's natural energy and re-emits it back into the body to improve overall health and wellness. This shoe will make your feet anew!

Are you playing golf these days? If so, have we have the shoe for you. ECCO's Golf Street Sport ($160 at ECCO.com) is the perfect tee-off companion. Not only is it fashionable, ECCO's patented Street outsole has approximately 100 molded traction bars and more than 800 traction angles to last five times longer than rubber, which in turn will make you one of the best players on the grass (at least, it'll help!). The shoe also comes equipped with the Hydromax leather treatment and a removable textile insole to make it weather-resistant in all conditions.

We'd be lying if we said that the name of this running shoe didn't entice us. Supernova? How can you not get excited about that? This sneaker is made with love (i.e. enhanced cushioning and stability). Its GEOFIT and EVA insole technologies also make it anatomically fit every foot for optimal comfort ($115 at Zappos.com).

These Fila Skele-Toes 1.0 ($60 at Fila.com) are perfect for people who are interested in barefoot running but not ready to lose their shoes entirely. They might not be the prettiest pair of all, but their flexible, form-fitting, lightweight attributes make up for the unique appearance. From its EZ slide feature (that provides the toes ease of entry) to its 4-way stretch powers, we just had to add it to our list.

Besides all of the lovely color combos, what we really love about the Nike Shox NZ iD ($155 at Nike.com) is that it truly is a customizable shoe. Featuring the Shox technology you've seen before, buyers can actually design a pair—choosing materials, colors, and IDs. Now that is high-tech!

Brooks' newest and lightest shoe, the PureDrift ($100; available January 2013 at BrooksRunning.com), feels more like a second skin than a sneaker. Backed by running biomechanics research, every pair comes with a removable insole to allow every runner to customize his or her experience. Other high-tech features include a dual toe box split for better balance and a springy push-off and a sleek, anatomical upper with ultra-breathable mesh and featherweight feel.

We realize this shoe is not the typical sneaker or hiking shoe, but it's been optimized for all of your climbing needs. It's modeled after the best-selling climbing shoe, the Onsight, but was specifically designed for the female climber ($79 at Amazon.com).