With the new year come the resolutions—eat better, get more exercise. The best place to start is right out your front door, and luckily for us desert dwellers, right now is the best time for outdoor activities. There’s no shortage of options either, from hiking and rock climbing to running and power-walking around town.

When it comes to performance and injury prevention, what you put on your feet matters more than you might think. Whether you’re hitting the court, scaling a mountain or logging miles at Red Rock Canyon, choosing the right footwear is key.

Take running, for example. Frank Luyando, store manager at Red Rock Running Company in Henderson, says that the No. 1 misconception about running shoes is that any one brand or style is the best because word of mouth told you so or it’s trending on social media. “Everybody’s different. You could be from the same family—mother, daughter, father, son—everyone’s gait and life experiences change their footwear needs.”

The terrain you train on matters significantly. Trail running shoes, with their aggressive polyurethane tread designed for dirt and rocks, can actually be dangerous on city sidewalks. “It’s similar to how you wouldn’t want to use snow tires on regular streets,” Luyando says.

This same principle applies to other sports: soccer cleats designed for grass fields differ from those meant for artificial turf, while approach shoes for rock climbing feature entirely different grip patterns than a traditional hiking boot. Basketball players need high-top shoes with excellent ankle support and cushioning for jumps, while tennis players require shoes with superior lateral support and non-marking soles for quick directional changes. Weightlifters benefit from flat, stable soles that provide a solid foundation for heavy lifts, contrasting sharply with the specialized spike patterns needed by track athletes.

Shoe longevity varies by activity and intensity, too. While runners typically follow a 500-mile rule (though this varies by shoe type), court shoes might need replacement based on signs of lateral wear. And climbing shoes could require resoling long before the upper shows wear. Luyando recommends that dedicated athletes maintain a rotation of different pairs to prevent injury, as “shoes do take on our bad habits.”

If running is calling to you this year, the choice becomes even more nuanced. Modern running shoe technology has made significant strides, particularly in combining stability with lightweight design. “In the past, most shoes were built for either speed or stability—you’d have a heavier shoe if you had more unstable needs,” Luyando says. “Now, stability shoes weigh just about an ounce more than their neutral counterparts.”

Whether you’re running your first 5K or are an experienced marathoner, it’s a good idea to consider a professional fitting. At specialty stores like Red Rock Running Company, the staff conducts comprehensive gait analyses, examining footfall patterns, biomechanics and existing medical conditions. This 15-20-minute assessment considers factors such as arch type, pronation (how your ankle flexes) and past injuries to determine the most suitable options.

But don’t let the technicalities sideline you before you even hit the road. In fact, Red Rock Running Company is shifting the very definition of what it means to be a runner.

“A runner isn’t just somebody going for a marathon specialty time,” Luyando says. “A runner is somebody who’s decided they want to move—whether that’s a server walking 30,000 steps during their shift or a 60-year-old woman coming out of physical therapy who just wants to walk again. The most important thing is that we start moving.”

For those interested in joining the running community, Red Rock Running Company hosts running clubs at all four of their Las Vegas locations throughout the week. These inclusive 5K runs welcome participants of all experience levels and typically last 30-40 minutes. Check the schedule at rrrc.run.

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