Back in 2017, Nike set out to prove to the world that breaking the 2 hour marathon barrier is humanly possible. So they gathered three of the best marathoners in the world and developed a new technology that would change the sport forever. They developed the first “Super Shoe”, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%. The shoe featured Nike’s ZoomX foam which returned more energy on impact than any other shoe at the time. The foam was incredibly soft and propulsive, all while being extremely light weight. There was also a carbon fiber plate wedged between the foam. The plate also was highly propulsive and that gave the shoe the bouncy feeling that the Vaporfly has. It was estimated that the shoe makes a runner 4% more efficient in every step that they take.
Since then, just about every major shoe brand has adopted their own Super Shoe with unique characteristics. Not every super shoe has the exact same type of plate (full length, fork, winged, cut out, rods), and this can affect the stiffness and overall ride experience. Also, different shoes use PEBA foam or TPEE differently which may affect propulsion or the perceived bounciness of the shoe. Below is a chart that will give you the basics of the industry-leading Super Shoes.
Shoe | Weight | Midsole | Plate | Forefoot Stack | Heel Stack | Drop | Price |
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 | 130g | LightStrike Pro Evo | Carbon Rods | 32mm | 38mm | 6mm | $500 |
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 | 201g | LightStrike Pro | Carbon Rods | 33mm | 39mm | 6mm | $250 |
Asics MetaSpeed Sky Paris | 181g | FF Turbo Plus | Carbon Fiber | 35mm | 40mm | 5mm | $250 |
Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB | 198g | DNA Gold | Carbon Fiber | 32mm | 40mm | 8mm | $250 |
Hoka Cielo X1 | 247g | PEBA | Carbon Fiber | 39mm | 46mm | 7mm | $275 |
Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 3 | 218g | Energy XP | Carbon Infused | 57mm | 61mm | 4mm | $250 |
New Balance FC SC E v4 | 230g | FuelCell | Carbon Fiber | 36mm | 40mm | 4mm | $250 |
Nike Alphafly 3 | 198g | ZoomX | Carbon Fiber | 32mm | 40mm | 8mm | $285 |
Nike Vaporfly Next% 3 | 184g | ZoomX | Carbon Fiber | 30mm | 38mm | 8mm | $260 |
On Cloudboom Strike | 213g | Helion HF | Carbon Fiber | 39mm | 40mm | 4mm | $280 |
PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite 3 | 196g | Nitro Elite | Carbon Fiber | 32mm | 40mm | 8mm | $230 |
Saucony Endorphin Elite 1 | 206g | PWWRUN HG | Carbon Fiber | 31mm | 39mm | 8mm | $275 |
As you can see, there are many road racing shoes (Super Shoes) that have been developed since the original Vaporfly. Each one has their own special name for their foam and utilizes a slightly different plate. What’s interesting to me is the variation in stack height and drop. For those who don’t know, stack height just refers to the amount of foam between the ground and the foot. So the heel stack is from the ground to the heel, and the forefoot stack is from the ground to the forefoot. The drop is simply the difference in foam between the heel and forefoot. The World Athletics has placed a maximum stack height of 40mm in all road racing shoes. This, however, does not apply to most high school athletic regulatory bodies. More cushion typically equates to a more plush and bouncy ride, but it really depends on the type of foam being used and how it’s intended to behave. Foams such as ZoomX (PEBA) are softer and bouncier, but foams like LightStrike Pro (TPEE) are not as light and take more effort to engage.
So with this information, which companies are doing the best job innovating? Which shoe sticks out from the crowd? Well, in 2025 there are a few specific shoes that I believe are going to be important in guiding the pathway of future Super Shoes and overall defineracing once again. Let’s now take a look at what a few brands have been up to and why I love the shoe!
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1
Originally revealed at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, Adidas developed this shoe to push the limits of what is possible in the marathon. The big innovation in this shoe is the new LightStrike Pro Evo foam – Adidas’s super shoes typically feature a TPEE (thermoplastic polyester elastomer) foam which is a highly propulsive foam that returns high energy, but is stiffer than comparable foams and usually takes longer to “break in”. But in the Evo 1, Adidas instead used a PEBA foam that is cut in a way that eliminates the outer “crust” that most foams have from production. This lack of crust means the shoe is in a sweet spot feeling right out the box. This is why the shoe is so amazing. The outsole on the forefoot also carries a liquid rubber that too lowers the weight of the shoe significantly. Adidas managed to lower the weight of this shoe all the way to a whopping 130g which for reference is lighter than most track spikes available right now. The shoe feels virtually weightless when on your foot. But all of this comes at a high price tag due to the complex production, and an extreme lack of durability. I think this shoe will be a defining factor in Super Shoes for the upcoming years.
Nike Alpahafly 3
This is Nike’s third iteration of the Alphafly, but it still continues to innovate and push the market forward. This version of the shoe is completely different from the Alphafly 2 in that Nike has made the ZoomX significantly softer and more bouncy. ZoomX is historically one of the bounciest PEBA foams out there, so making it considerably more bouncy simply is pushing limits on the ride. They also changed the way the AirZoom Units function in the shoe. When I run in the shoe, I notice they are far more trampoline-like than the Alphafly 2, and really engage with the more force you put down on the shoe. Nike cut out foam around this area to lower the weight and to fully allow the units to engage upon impact. The interaction between their magical foam, the two Air Zoom Units, and their widened carbon plate creates a product that simply is addicting to run in. They have done such a great job with keeping the runner efficient and gliding through every transition, it’s difficult not to go fast in this shoe!
PUMA Fast -RB Nitro Elite PR
Now this shoe feels a bit unconventional in terms of form factor. When you look at the shoe in this position, it screams “aggressive” and “elite”. As it signifies in the shoe’s name, this shoe is truly a rule breaker with its three carbon fiber plates (World Athletics allows only one carbon plate and the stack height exceeds 40mm for road racing shoes) . The geometry of this shoe is the big innovatie factor. It’s built for you to put on and simply go fast. The 12mm heel to toe drop will simply force your feet to turn over, almost giving you the feeling of falling off a cliff. This shoe may be illegal for professional athletes, but PUMA is pushing the limits on what you can physically pack into a shoe while keeping it functional.
On Cloudboom Strike LS
On has recently done an excellent job with their performance shoes and racing shoes in general. There is the On Cloudboom Echo 3 which is a very stiff, but high energy returning marathon shoe. Then On released the On Cloudboom Strike which aimed to be a far softer and more approachable shoe for the marathon. But On didn’t stop there, they decided to join the innovation train by releasing the first Super Shoe to have an upper sprayed onto the bottom of the shoe by a robot. This is where the “LS”, Light Spray, comes from. The shoe takes On’s bouncy Helion HF foam and carbon plate, and attaches it to a very snug fitting and laceless upper. The goal was to make the experience of wearing the shoe comparable to running in a sock. The lack of a lace system, tongue, etc. enables elites to simply slide the shoe on and have the effect of running in socks.
I think these four shoes are going to be a guiding force in what Super Shoes look like in the next few years and into the next decade. Even shoes that are not the “most innovative” are still carrying runners to their next PR. Let us know which of the four you think is the most innovative! With that, let’s now look at some of my favorite Super Shoes on the market now:
Nike Alphafly 3
The Alphafly is one of my favorite Super Shoes to wear simply because of its incredibly bouncy nature. The ride in this shoe reminds me of jumping on tiny trampolines and being propelled back up. In the third iteration, Nike increased the softness in the ZoomX which consequently enables your feet to sink further into the foam and return even more energy.
Hoka Cielo X1
Although this shoe is heavier, the shoe’s geometry enables a fast rocker. The shoe actually sits on the midsole and aggressively rocks you forward with every foot transition. Hoka also considered foot stability on the shoe, as I have found it to be one of the more stable Super Shoes to wear right now. Overall, this shoe is a lot of fun to wear and race in!
Nike Vaporfly Next% 2
Even though this is not the most current iteration, I really loved the Vaporfly 2. This shoe is what I think of when someone mentions Super Shoe. Comparatively, the Vaporfly 2 is far more aggressive than the Vaporfly 3. I really get the “elite” feeling when I put this shoe on. With less ZoomX than the 3, I actually feel the carbon plate doing its job. This shoe is also incredibly versatile as it can be worn from the mile up to the marathon. This also translates to workout and training. I have done mile repeats and long runs at marathon pace in this shoe and it is amazing.
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