The 7 Best Carbon-Plated Shoes for Racing—From 5Ks to Ultras
Our testers and editors logged all the fast miles to determine the best carbon shoes for race day.
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It’s go-time. nike shoes air max 180 fertilizer spreader is upon us, and you’ve put in the training, are going to bed early the night before long runs, developing a taste for gels, and memorizing every rest stop in a 20-mile radius around your neighborhood. Now’s the fun part: the race. All you need is the right shoes to send it.
In 2017, Nike shook up running as we knew it with the unveiling of its Vaporfly 4%. The 4% referred to the percentage of improved running economy (not 4 percent faster, as some mistook). Running economy is a measure of how fast you can run based on the level of oxygen you use. Carbon plate shoes, or super shoes, help make your running more efficient, the high rebound from the super foam in the midsole helping you—ideally—to expend less energy, or run faster, with the same effort. This summer, brands have released a slew of updates on their pinnacle racers. Here, we recommend our favorites based on tester feedback and our own racing experience in them.
The Best Carbon-Plated Running Shoes
- Best Overall: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 (Men’s / Women’s)
- Best Cushioning: Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 (unisex)
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- Best Update: Nike Alphafly 3 (Men’s/Women’s)
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Besides our local testers, some of whom have been testing for us for the past 15 years, and staff who’ve also logged their share of road and trail time in these shoes, I have tested several of these shoes on race days. I have run 26 marathons since 2010, including 12 consecutive Boston Marathons. And I have made the split-second decision to race in new shoes marathon morning.
I’ve spoken with brand shoe development teams, and have kept up with the latest super shoe releases. New shoes not listed here are still undergoing the testing process and will be added once feedback is in.
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All of the shoes on this list were tested by local runners and Runner’s World staff. Our local testers include 300+ men and women of various running experience levels, paces, arch heights, and gait patterns. From enthusiasts who run for fun to an Olympic-qualifying hopeful, our mix of testers round out a sample of the overall running pop.
RW editors, including myself, have also raced in these shoes, from 5K to marathon distance (and some ultrarunners). We take into consideration fit, feel, and ride to determine the best racing shoes for almost every kind of runner hoping to PR, or just enjoy the propulsive experience of running on carbon plates sandwiched between super foams.
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Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
Pros
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- Form fitting, and more comfortable upper
- Excellent traction
Cons
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Adidas is at the top of its game in the super shoe race. It made a statement in 2023 with the release of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, which went for an exorbitant $500 with only 521 pairs available at launch. The shoe was specifically made for race day and weighed less than 5 ounces.
According to our 2:21 marathon PR tester, Trevor Conde, it’s not a gimmick—the shoe runs fast. The Pro Evo is now on its second iteration, but the true every-runner super shoe is the brand’s original super shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro; more precisely, the Pro 4.
The fourth iteration took elements from the Evo 1. The Lightstrike Pro foam is lighter and delivers more energy return, and the rocker point has moved to 60 degrees (it was formerly 67 degrees in the Pro 3). According to Adidas, this change in the curvature of the shoe had women respond better to the shoe’s mechanics. It makes the wearer require less force by allowing them to get to the rocker quicker, which can be beneficial over the course of racing 26.2 miles. Toe patch was also added for pushoff.
When I raced in the Pro 4, the two notable takeaways were how accommodating the fit was and how aggressive the shoe felt. And Conde rates the Pro 4 as second in his list of racing shoes, behind the Nike Vaporfly.
“This shoe feels really amazing and is certainly a fast and top-of-market road racing option,” Conde says. “I would compare it most similarly to the Nike Alphafly in terms of its feel, when stacking it up against the bounty of super shoes I have tested. I say Alphafly, not because of its weight or size, but because of the very soft, marshmallowy feel of the cushioning under foot. In terms of sleek design and weight it would be more in line with the Nike Vaporfly (still my favorite super shoe).”
Key Specs
| Weight | 7 oz. (M), 6.1 oz. (W) (among the lightest here) |
| Drop | 6mm (the least behind only the Hoka Tecton X 3) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 39mm |
Pros
- Improved ride with more padding
- Updated upper fits more secure
Cons
- Heavy compared to competitors’
When Hoka entered the super shoe race, the brand integrated what it's best known for into a potential PR chaser: soft cushioning that doesn’t beat up your legs. The brand began its journey with the Carbon X in 2019 and then continued with the Rocket X in 2021. Finally, it launched last year’s Cielo X1—and that shoe made all the difference when it came to contending with the likes of Nike’s Alphafly. Now on version 2.0 (the X1 in its name is inspired by F1 car racing, hence why it’s not called Cielo X2), Hoka has refined its marathon racer.
The knit upper is replaced with breathable jacquard mesh, which saves weight and makes the shoe look sportier. Hoka also replaced the laces which—blessings—stay tied. The full-length PEBA midsole is tuned to be more aggressive, with more padding in the heel to absorb shock. The cutout is no longer on the lateral side, which means more ground contact and stability.
“This shoe is very unique, even for a super shoe,” says tester Elizabeth Borah. “With an extremely high heel drop, the Cielo X1 2. is designed to both cushion your foot while also propelling it forward. I have never tested a super shoe that did this, but I found it very effective. I felt like I was running on a trampoline but the shoe didn’t feel heavy at all.”
More praise for the Cielo X1 2’s cushioning: I raced in this year’s Boston Marathon wearing the shoe. My legs still felt fresh six days later when I did the double header racing the London Marathon.
Key Specs
| Weight | 8.1 oz. (unisex) |
| Drop | 7mm (middling offset) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 39mm |
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Pros
- One of the lightest we’ve tested
- High energy return thanks to aggressive rocker tech, extremely responsive midsole foam
Cons
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The Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is a prime pick for marathon racing, but it’s also a solid choice for everything else under 26.2 miles. The shoe is so lightweight and delivers such explosive rebound—“you feel like you’re running straight down a trampoline,” says a tester—that it left some of us feeling like we had brownie batter for legs after hard efforts.
The shoe was the talk of the industry pre-launch after Puma released a study (which the brand sponsored) comparing the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3’s performance to the Nike Alphafly 3, Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1, and Puma Fast-R 2. The study claimed the Elite 3 was 3.15 to 3.62 percent more economical than its competitors.
Putting those numbers aside, our testers agreed this is one powerful racing shoe. “The foam used in this shoe is very noticeable, even when simply starting with a short warmup in the shoe,” says tester Codi Januszkiewicz, who compares the ride to the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4. “Accelerating from a warmup pace straight into some speedwork intervals felt smooth; somehow moving faster in this shoe felt even easier than the warmup.”
But that power is a lot to handle. “The stability is lacking,” says tester Sean O’Connor. “Almost felt high heelish to me, and it jacked up my calves and feet a little as well. When I ran in them it felt like I was perpetually holding onto the shoe with my feet. I think that's why it made my calves and feet sore.”
Some can handle the shoe’s intensity over a long period of time. Others may assign the Elite 3 as their mid-distance racing shoe instead. I wore the Elite 3 at a Trackmith 5000m over the summer, hitting a PR at 19:12. It’s cush in the heel, but judging by my footfalls, which are heavy, I think racing them in a 26.2 would prolong my usual recovery time postrun.
Key Specs
| Weight | 6 oz. (M), 4.7 oz. (W) (lightest on this list) |
| Drop | 8mm (standard) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 40mm (standard) |
Pros
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- Smoother heel-toe cycle with more ground contact in the sole
- Comfier, sock-like upper fits more securely
Cons
- Loud, clomping sound
The shoe associated with the marathon world record—Kelvin Kiptum ran 2:00:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon—is different from its predecessors. Nike set out to improve the shoe by focusing on four key issues: reducing weight, maintaining energy return, making the fit more inclusive, and creating a smoother heel-toe transition.
The brand shaved off weight from the bottom up, incorporating a new outsole with “Fast Shot” technology and tweaking the ZoomX midsole foam—making it lighter and more responsive. The midfoot is also wider, making wide-foot runners like me finally able to race in a Nike shoe without feeling unstable and constricted. Finally, there’s no cutout by Air units; the Zoomx foam runs the length of the sole for more ground contact.
Testers couldn’t agree on favorite features. Some pointed to the lightweight of the Alphafly 3. Others liked the secure fit and appreciated how the shoe conformed to their foot. And still, others like tester Justin Kimbrough highlighted the smooth turnover: “I really enjoyed the rocking motion while running in these. Giving the same effort, I probably average 15 to 20+ seconds per mile faster than regular training shoes.”
One thing testers did agree on: runners will know you’re near due to the loud clonking of the Alphaflys. “I don’t want to describe it as a clomp, but there’s a definite sound to it,” says tester Shayne Murray. “A click, a clack, a clickety-clack-pop!? There’s also a distinct sound while running. So if you think you’re going to show up at a race or training run with friends and be discreet about your shoe choice, everyone will know you have super shoes on (and not because of the way they look)!”
Key Specs
| Weight | 7.8 oz. (M10), 6.2 oz. (W8) |
| Drop | 8mm (standard) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 39.5mm |
Pros
- TPEE provides extremely cushioned, squishy platform
- Aggressive responsive ride with Speedroll rocker tech
Cons
- Unstable, especially at slower paces, due to bouncy cushioning
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I gave the accolade Most Responsive to the Endorphin Elite 2, but if I’m being honest, my superlative would actually be “Most Squishy.” I commented in our 2025 Shoe Awards how the shoe feels like running on pogo sticks, and I stand by that comment. The Endorphin Elite 2 feels soft and bouncy—so bouncy that I felt like Jello galloping down hills.
Saucony had to outdo itself following the original Endorphin Elite. When Saucony launched the shoe, it claimed the shoe’s HG midsole, composed of supercritical foam, was the “highest grade.” With the Endorphin Elite 2, the brand introduced its new foam incrediRUN, a softer, lighter, more responsive foam that’s a copolymer elastomer. To provide stability turning corners and descending hills, Saucony added a grippy Pwrtrac outsole.
“Saucony does it again with their racing shoes,” says tester Eileen Cody, who averages 45 miles at 7-minute pace and continues to beat me at local races. “I have yet to find a Saucony carbon-plated shoe that my foot hasn’t loved. They find the perfect balance of cushion and being able to feel the road for a stable ride. This sensation is especially true when completing tempo efforts as the shoe glides across the ground somehow being responsive and cushy without being hard and mushy.”
On the other hand, some testers, myself included, felt the Endorphin Elite 2 was too bouncy. And tester Anthony Calantoni, a 30 miles/week runner who averages 5:45 pace, agrees: “Even though I liked that the shoes were responsive for how squishy they were, they still had WAY too much bounce.” In this case, I’d have to opt for the brand’s other super shoe, the Endorphin Pro 4, which has firmer cushioning and feels more stable.
Key Specs
| Weight | 7.0 oz. (M), 6.4 oz. (W) (among the lightest here) |
| Drop | 8mm (standard) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 39.5mm |
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5
Pros
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- More propulsive ride than previous model
Cons
- Slightly bulkier feel than competitors’
When I raced the 2025 London Marathon, I had been training in the FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4 but instead opted for the FuelCell SuperComp Pacer v2. The Pacer was sleeker and had a more tapered shape. The SuperComp Elite v4, on the other hand, was just too much shoe for my small frame. Before race day, the New Balance team gave me a sneak peak of the Elite 5— and man, did I wish they had a women’s 6.5 for me to toe the starting line the next morning.
With the SuperComp Elite v5, the brand wanted to make the shoe more competitive yet still more accommodating compared to other super shoes on the market (as a wide-foot runner, I appreciated how un-tight the midfoot felt during long runs).
The brand made the shoe significantly lighter at 7.6 oz, men’s 9.5 (the previous version was 8.4 oz) and the carbon plate 30 percent stiffer. To get better heel-to-toe flow and more energy return, the team also changed the offset from 4mm to 8mm. The foam is 4mm thinner in the forefoot.
Testers appreciated the ride and propulsion of the SuperComp Elite v5, finding the shoe noticeably lighter than the previous model. The shoe felt stable to run in and the traction and durability were satisfactory during training.
Key Specs
| Weight | 7.3 oz. (M9.5), 5.8 oz. (W7) |
| Drop | 8mm (standard) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 40mm (standard) |
Pros
- Stability provided by parallel carbon plates sandwiched in midsole
- Responsive PEBA foam for racing on the trail
Cons
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The Tecton X gets an overhaul with its third iteration. For one thing, it now has PEBA foam, resulting in a softer, bouncier ride. Small winglets were also added to the parallel carbon plates in the midsole to add more stability on the trail. The most noticeable new feature is the sock-like gaiter attached to the shoe. It was a divisive element for testers. Some liked the protection, others experienced uncomfortable ankle rubbing.
The shoes on this list are intended for running fast and running long. The Tecton X 3 has the challenge of doing both of these things on uneven surfaces. Fortunately, testers felt the shoe checked off all these boxes.
“I liked the amount of cushioning,” says tester Kelly Ammon. “They were just plush enough for some longer miles. I topped out at 15 miles, but based on the cushioning, I could easily see myself wearing them for at least a 50K but maybe even longer. They felt fast and responsive like the La Sportiva Prodigios I just tested but were much more comfortable for distance.”
Key Specs
| Weight | 10 oz. (M), 7.9 oz. (W) |
| Drop | 5mm (lowest drop on this list) |
| Stack Height (Heel) | 40mm (standard) |
What to Consider
Unisex
Brands are now beginning to release carbon shoes in men’s and women’s sizes. Still, in some cases there’s not much difference between the types of shoes except for maybe the sizing and colorways. If the shoes are unisex, it may take a few try-ons to get the fit right. In my unisex racing shoe experience, I’ve found the collar can be loose while the midfoot can be tight. You may want to size up or down, and adapt the heel-lock tying method if the heel area feels too loose.
Stability
Do all carbon-fiber plates behave the same way? Sort of. An important lesson to learn here is that the plate isn’t the secret sauce of super shoes— it doesn’t cause propulsion. Instead, the plate, sandwiched between the high-responsive foams acts as a stabilizer to the super foam. This is why super shoes have such tall stack heights, and why World Athletics caps racing shoe stack height at 40mm. The super foam—and amount underfoot—is a major advantage.
When choosing a carbon-plate shoe, you’ll want to consider what you’re using it for—racing on the road or trail—and, if possible, have your gait evaluated to determine the best plate angle if you’re looking at shoes specific to running type.
Some plates are full-length or have cutouts, like the SpeedVault Arris plate in Brooks’s Hyperion Elite shoes. Trail shoes, like Hoka’s Tecton X, have parallel plates that act as support maneuvering over uneven terrain.
In shoes like Asics’s Metaspeed Edge and Metaspeed Sky, the plate’s angle differentiates running types. The Edge’s plate dips lower in the forefoot so cadence runners can roll off their toes faster. The Sky’s plate sits flat in the forefoot, allowing stride runners to leverage bounce on longer steps.
Price
A carbon-fiber plate shoe is an investment, costing anywhere from $200 upwards of $500. There are a couple of things to take into account on a personal level before buying: Can you afford a trainer that’s less durable compared to the standard workhorse shoe, which lasts between 450 to 500 miles?
While these super shoes are more durable than the ones made eight years ago, they still have a shorter shelf life due to high-performance foams—PEBA and supercritical blends—wearing down faster. Lastly, is the return there? While brands claim these shoes can improve performance, it’s not guaranteed your running economy will improve around 4 percent.
Carbon-Plated Running Shoe FAQs
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I spoke with Ted Fitzpatrick, Saucony’s VP of product management, about the differences. He made these key points between carbon and nylon plates:
- A nylon plate is semi rigid with some flexibility. A carbon plate is rigid with little or no flexibility.
- Popsicle analogy – Imagine the plate as the stick that holds the soft ice cream together. The fundamental use of the plates is to keep the dimensional stability of the foam.
- With each type of plate, it offers different levels of compliance. The plate maintains the forward rolling effect of super shoes. Carbon is the stiffest, which offers the most concentrated effect of speed roll technology. Nylon still adds stiffness, however, it offers better compliance in how the foot transitions in the gait cycle.
- Some individuals can respond better to different plates. It is down to what works best for the user.
nike dunk nylon 2009 shop free shipping promo 2017 Endorphin Speed 5, a training shoe that complements its racer, the Endorphin Pro. The shoe can also serve as a more affordable racing shoe, at $175. (The Endorphin Elite 2 and Endorphin Pro 4 cost $290 and $240.)
Can I train in shoes with carbon-fiber plates?
“The foam is what does the heavy lifting of a super shoe, however it’s the plate that guides how each foam behaves to the user,” says Fitzpatrick. “It is best to train in both to strengthen and build ‘muscle memory’ into different muscle groups.”
However, we wouldn’t recommend solely training in super shoes. For one thing, it would be extremely expensive to use these shoes as daily trainers when they have a shorter shelf-life compared to standard everyday shoes. We advise going on a couple of runs before racing in the shoes, to get used to running in them and check for hotspots. While running constantly in these shoes won’t necessarily lead to injury, overuse and desire to run faster in carbon shoes will likely lead to getting sidelined if you’re not careful.
Amanda Furrer, Editor, Running Reviews, studied journalism at NYU and writing at Emerson College. She has reviewed gear and covered other topics in the running space for almost 10 years. Since 2013, she has consecutively run the Boston Marathon. She also has a master’s degree in gastronomy from Boston University and was formerly a professional baker for two years before hanging up her apron.
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