Alright, I have tried several shoes and my house has looked like a shoe store the past couple of months. Here is what I did - I tried each shoe with 3 different types of workouts:
1) steady state step (like Imax, Step Blast, Body Max)
2) High Impact (like HiiT, Tabatacise, and now X-77, my new fave, by the way)
3) Cardio Circuit or Metabolic Weight Training where you do lateral moves (like To the Max, Cross Fire, Afterburn)
I prefer to use one type of shoe for all of my workouts. However, sometimes with the high impact (Hiit, Tabatacise), I like to use Reebok RunTone with the "cushion pods" in the ball. However, for me those shoes don't work with the other workouts I like to do.
I exercise on carpet that now has barely any cushion below it because I have blown it out, so it is *almost* like being on concrete.
With the Ryka Assist XT 2 (the shoe that started this thread), I was a solid size 8. In fact for most shoes I am a solid size 8. Sandals I seem to be size 7.5. All of the new Rykas I was a size 8.5. I don't know if they changed their sizing, because I know my foot hasn't grown since all my other shoes still fit and my feet don't really swell during workouts. So for me all of the new Rykas run small (get a 1/2 size bigger). For the Asics and New Balance, I was still a size 8.
WINNERS:
* Intent XT - get them, they are the closest to the Assist XT 2 I could find. They did seem a little clunkier than the Assists, but not like wearing a clog or anything. Note that the solid white pair does NOT have mesh on the top like the purple and blue pair. I did not like that. Also, the purple pair is called "XT / Low" and the blue pair is just "XT". I do not know why. They look the exact same height to me and fit the same also. I did notice that when I first wore them, my ring toes felt the shoe rubbing. I thought for sure I would get a blister, but didn't. Then by the 2nd time I wore them I didn't feel them on my ring toes. Must have just needed a bit of stretching.
*Ryka Capture - These are a close second for me and I am going to get a few pairs. They seemed to give me the same support and comfort as the Intent XT, but felt a little less clunky (again, very minor). However, with that less clunky feeling, I kind of felt like I had less lateral support. Which is why they were 2nd for me. (comes in cute colors).
* Ryka Devotion - this is ONLY a winner for me for high impact (Hiit, Tabatacise) and would be a replacement for the above Reebok Run Tones I mentioned above. They have the "cushion pod" in the ball of the foot. However, they did not work for steady state step or lateral workouts for me.
ONES THAT I TRIED BUT JUST DID NOT WORK:
-The main reason I didn't like these was because the balls of my feet would get numb after about 30 minutes. I don't know if it was too little cushion or too much or what. Or there wasn't enough lateral support and it felt like I was going to burst through the mesh.
*Asics Gel Nimbus (however, get these for walking - so comfy, great cushion)
*Ryka Radiant
*Ryka Ambition
*Ryka Encore
*Ryka Illusion
*Asics Gel Intensity
*Ryka Influence
*Ryka Dynamic
*Asics Exalt
*Asics Equation
*Ryka Fit pro
*Asics GT 1000
*Ryka Crusade (however, these I really thought would work but I got a HUGE blister on my left foot on the right side below the big toe. I didn't feel the shoe rubbing me during my workouts and it is odd my left foot got a blister since my right foot is bigger. I think I may have gotten an irregular pair. I have never had a foot blister before so may try this shoe again to see if it was a fluke.)
I may still try the Endure if Zappos ever gets it.
@COMMITTEDTOFITNESS - thanks for sending Ryka your question
Let me know if you need any elaboration. I tried to take specific notes for each shoe doing each type of workout. On a side note, I must say that the majority of Ryka's come in really cute colors. Doesn't really matter to me since I only wear them for exercise, never outside or for other purposes, but I was looking cute in them.
Good Luck.
And it's funny that you posted this today because I was planning to hop onto this thread to say that the Intent XT is now my go-to Ryka. 