Do shoes really affect your stride?

[Tim]

I wanted to get opinions on whether or not different shoes can affect how you run.  I have two pairs of shoes, Asics DS Trainers and Brooks Glycerin.  When I run in the Asics my feet feel lighter and I fell like I am able to have a longer stride and run smoother, I don't notice the sound of my feet hitting the ground as much.  When I run in the Brooks I sometimes feel like I'm trotting along, it seems like my stride gets shorter and my feet are hitting the ground with greater impact and I'm exhausting more energy.  The weight difference between the two shoes is about 2 oz.  Can the shoes really cause me to run differently or is it pure mental?

[Jon Allen]

More than the weight, I am guessing the shape of the bottom of the shoe is affecting your footfall and noise.  Having a different heel shape and shoe roll could affect (at least a bit) how your foot tends to land and how much "slapping" noise your shoe makes.  Does it matter?  I have no idea.