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Born out of the Nike Breaking 2 project in 2017, the carbon plate trainer has become a staple in the offerings of pretty much every running shoe brand, with new iterations emerging year on year. 1mm Copper Plate

The shoes in this guide have been tested by a variety of runners of all shapes, sizes and abilities over a wide range of distances, but focused primarily on the marathon. We assessed the shoes for their fit, feel, cushioning, responsiveness, comfort, grip, breathability and overall performance.

Perhaps the most revered shoe on our list, this is the one if you have Kipchoge levels of expectation from your shoes – or maybe even Kevin Kiptum. After all, these are the ones Kiptum wore when he set the men’s marathon world record at the Chicago Marathon in 2023.

The Alphafly 3 is a shoe that wants to go fast and show you what it’s capable of. You can really feel that propulsion and responsiveness coming from Nike’s ZoomAir pods in the forefoot, and the ride is punchy, light and, well, an absolute joy. Compared with the previous iteration, the ride feels slightly more aggressive, with more of a tippy sensation on each step. However, this just adds to the overall liveliness and enjoyment of the ride.

Eliud Kipchoge may have worn the even-higher-spec Alphafly to break the two-hour barrier, but a glance at the sharp end of any major marathon tells you the Vaporfly is a go-to for many serious racers. And thankfully the third iteration feels just as lively and fast as the previous two. Nike has overhauled the Vaporfly from the rubber up, looking to make it the lightest yet.

One attempt to shave weight came in the midsole shaping. The foam is still the same ZoomX that delivers top-of-the-line energy return, but a cutout on the lateral sidewall – your foot doesn’t need support there – and a small channel under the midfoot reduces material. Gone too is the big, flat slab of rubber under the forefoot, replaced with a web of diamond shaped lugs – think waffle sole, rotated 45 degrees, with cutouts. Our testers reported the shoes felt planted in dry conditions, and the new construction eliminates the loud, slappy sensation found in almost all the new super shoes.

That efficiency comes in part from a new foam, Pwrrun HG (‘highest grade’). In lab testing, Saucony found it outperformed the brand’s other foams on energy return. Besides energetic foam, any decent super shoe needs a carbon-fibre plate and the Elite’s is slotted and shaped like a fork to provide aggressive toe-off. The result is a shoe that testers felt finally feels like a true equal to Nike’s Alphafly and Vaporfly when it comes to all-out speed.

Like Saucony’s other racing models, the Endorphin Pro+ and Endorphin Pro 3, the Elite’s propulsive ride demands that you run faster. Testers reported that easy four milers transformed into marathon-paced long runs and the ‘indisputable bounce’ had them eyeing up extra races.

The squishy, bouncy v2 was a totally different shoe than v1, and the v3 is a complete rebuild again. Though it feels different underfoot, it’s still capable and speedy. So, what’s new? Well, start with the thick sole that’s 40mm under the heel, right at the limits of what’s allowed by World Athletics, but 5mm thicker under the forefoot than the v2 (which was 39mm in the heel and 31mm in the forefoot). Despite the extra thickness, it doesn’t feel quite as soft and bouncy as before, but it’s still ‘a good lightweight racer with a responsive forefoot and a cushy heel stack’ as one tester summed it up.

The new bootie upper proved polarising. Some testers loved the snug fit all around their feet, but those with high insteps found it hard to get into the shoe and felt pressure on top of the foot in the run. One tester also reported some foot pain from the rope used for eyelets after a 10-miler.

1 February 2024 will see the release of the V4 which we tested and reviewed here.

If major races won is a barometer of how good a shoe is, since it first appeared, the Adizero Adios Pro has helped a number of elites to the top step of the podium – and none more so than the latest Adizero Adios Pro 3.0, worn by everyone from Amos Kipruto when he won the London marathon last year, to Peres Jepchirchir, who won the 2022 Boston marathon wearing the shoe.

This latest version is as fast as ever, with no carbon plate as such in the midsole, but five energy rods (mimicking the five metatarsal bones of the foot). These make the shoe lighter and less 'slappy' and also provide some stabilisation to counterbalance the super-bouncy Lightstrike foam.

Along with its twin the Metaspeed Edge+, Asics' Metaspeed Sky+ is one of a pair of super shoes designed to suit runners with different mechanics – those who take longer strides to speed up, and those who take more. While the Sky+ is tailored for ‘stride’ runners, you’ll feel a boost in either model. Although you have the option of drilling down into the cadence and pace data from your Garmin, the best way to choose between them may be simply to go with what sounds more enjoyable.

The Endorphin Pro series has rightly acquired an excellent rep for helping runners push the PB envelope in longer races. In terms of evolution, the Pro 2 was basically the same as the original version, but as a teaser between the second and third iterations, Saucony released the limited-edition Pro+, on which the upper was built like a track spike and the overall package came in ultra-light. Its follow-up, the Pro 3, hits the sweet spot weight-wise: it’s lighter than the Pro 2 and just a smidge heavier than the Pro+.

Despite the towering platform, the bouncy, propulsive sensation that won hearts and soles in previous models remains, thanks to the carbon-fibre plate and Pwrrun PB foam cushioning. In fact, it feels springier now. Like other Pros before it, the 3 begs that you go fast.

Designed for marathoners who speed up by increasing their cadence more significantly than their stride length, this super shoe excels for road runners of any gait style, racing any distance from the mile to a 50K. The Edge has more foam underfoot than its predecessor and uses Asics' most premium nylon-based Flytefoam Turbo, the lightest and springiest the brand currently dishes. However, the Edge still has less of the material than the Sky, with a carbon-fiber plate placed lower inside the midsole.

Its full-length plate dips closer to the ground near the forefoot, making it easier for cadence runners to roll quickly into each stride. The aggressive rocker and steep toe spring in the Edge remind us more of Saucony’s Endorphin Pro. Compared to the Endorphin Pro, though, and also the Vaporfly, the Edge+’s forefoot and heel are a smidge wider and, as a result, transitions feel very stable. And though the ride is exceptionally springy, it remains smooth and predictable; when climbing steep hills, our tester said they 'felt the carbon plate propelling my toe-offs, but it remained nicely controlled from stride to stride'.

The upper is made from a translucent airy mesh that Asics calls Motion Wrap, which although doesn’t stretch and looks fragile and sheer, it’s remarkably sturdy – just stiff enough to lock your foot down on the midsole.

The Rocket X2 is a technology-packed shoe that looks to rival the Nike Alphaflys of this world. The carbon fibre plate is sandwiched between two layers of super responsive foam, with an internal midfoot cage for a locked down fit that you’ll value on race day. Weight-savings have been made through a barely-there upper, although the paper-thin heel counter is likely to divide a crowd.

There’s a noticeable sense of propulsion when running in the Hoka Rocket X2. The rocker shape pops you up on your forefoot, while the carbon-plate combined with the new Peba midsole creates a responsive and cushioned feel underfoot. So if you’re looking for a soft but speedy ride, this is it.

The Cloudboom Echo 3 is On Running's high-performance carbon-plated shoe – designed for race day. It features On’s signature CloudTec technology, a full-length carbon speedboard and new Helion HP hyperfoam.

Weighing in at 215g, there’s no denying it’s a lightweight shoe, but the ride is definitely on the firmer side and lacks the level of cushioning you’ll find in the likes of the Alphalfy. In fact, one of our team described it as feeling ‘more akin to that of a racing flat’ and to get the most out of it, you have to really hit race paces – the more you put in, the greater the energy return and sense of propulsion.

Of course, if you're already a fan of On Running, then the shoe's high-quality materials and advanced design make it worth the investment, but if you're after something that feels a little softer and more cushioned, then perhaps steer your gaze towards New Balance's FuelCell SC Elite v3 instead.

One tester compared the Velociti Elite’s manoeuvrability on the road to sprinting on the track, while another praised the comfort and the fact that, in contrast to other super shoes, ‘it doesn’t feel heavily contoured or shaped; it doesn’t force the foot to mould to the shoe’.

Rick Pearson is the senior editor at Runner’s World UK. He’s been with the brand since 2017 and loves testing PB-friendly shoes for on and off road. Rick is a sub-three marathoner and occasionally likes to remind people of this on the Runner’s World podcast, which he co-hosts. He once raced a steam train over 14 miles (he won, narrowly) and a horse over a marathon (he lost, comfortably).

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