8 Best Carbon Plate Running Shoes – Tried and Tested Super Shoes

1. Nike Vaporfly 3

The original marathon super shoe has morphed again. You still get the core ingredients of that winning recipe: a big-stack ZoomX midsole, foot-long scooped carbon plate and stripped-back lightweight mesh uppers. But the magic combination has been tweaked to make the Vaporfly 3 more accommodating and cushioned. They’re now much closer to the Alphafly 2 than the more direct Vaporfly 2.

Also Available at
Amazon ; Road Runner

They’re still light, fast and built for speed. But, if you were a fan of the more direct, stiffer, ground feel of the first two Vaporfly shoes, the addition of extra, softer ZoomX foam makes the ride much more forgiving when you’re deeper into races and not moving with such locked-in form.

The new Flyknit uppers are lighter and very notably looser, more airy and breathable. There are changes to the outsole, too. The rubber covering is now thinner to enable a bigger volume of ZoomX foam without raising the stack height and adding weight.

The Vaporfly 3 is still one of the best race shoes going over any distance up to the marathon.

2. Nike Alphafly 2

The Nike Alphafly 3 has just landed and testers who’ve been lucky enough to get their feet in a pair seem to suggest it’s new and improved. However, now the newcomer has landed, you likely find the version 2 at knock-down prices. And make no mistakes, the Alphafly 2 is a very capable carbon racer.

Also Available at
Running Warehouse

It packs the winning combination: a big, 40mm stack of super responsive lightweight ZoomX foam, ZoomAir pods under the back of the forefoot to improve stability and control, plus a carbon plate and lightweight racy, foot-hugging bootie uppers.

See the Nike Alphafly 3 Review Here

The Alphafly 2 is a shoe that makes you feel race-ready the moment you put it on. It offers excellent run-efficiency gains with bucketloads of bounce and energy. It’s a carbon-plate powerhouse that genuinely helps later into long races. It’s great for racing but can be used for fast interval sessions. A punchy and lively ride that excels at chasing fast times over most distances.

3. Hoka Rocket X2

In my opinion, this is HOKA’s best carbon race shoe to date. It’s a wonderfully well-balanced, light and fast racer that has propelled HOKA much closer to its rivals in the battle for the best super shoes.

The revamped Rocket X2 now has a higher stack dual-density PEBA midsole. It pairs a soft layer of foam close to the foot with a firmer more responsive layer on the bottom. The spoon-shaped carbon plate is sandwiched in between and works with an early stage metarocker to add the extra stiffness and spring. The result is a shoe that rolls you through your strides with good efficiency.

One warning: the snug synthetic mesh uppers and gusseted tongues might be slightly problematic for wider feet so pay attention to sizing.

But if you’re looking for a fast ride with enough oomph, stability and versatility to cope at a range of paces and distances, this might be it. A good racing and training option.

4. Adidas Adios Pro 3

The Adidas Adios Pro 3 is another incredibly lively, punchy top performer that you’ll see on loads of feet at major marathons and races. The Pro 3 combines a big stack of dual-density Lightstrick Pro foam with a new single unit of carbon energy rods that follow the metatarsals in the foot for a more flexible ride. Up top there’s a lightweight upper and the grip and durability is taken care of by a thin covering Continental rubber on the outsole.

Also Available at
Amazon ; Running Warehouse

The Pro 3 offers a firmer more responsive ride than other supershoes and there’s improved stability from the previous Adios Pro 2 – in part thanks to the lower 6.5mm drop. Once you’re moving with intent and engaging the carbon rods and the midsole, they’re light, fast and right up there when it comes to leg-sparing energy.

The fit isn’t perfect. The uppers don’t quite nail that disappearing feel on the foot and there’s some pesky eyelets that can rub some runners (me included).

If you can find the right fit, they’re at their best going all out on reliable surfaces in straight-line urban half marathons and marathons. Though you can use them for intervals and speed sessions, too.

5. Adidas Prime X2 Strung 2

The Adidas Prime X2 Strung is a big-stack carbon race shoe built for all-out speed over every distance. It packs a powerful combination of three layers of lightweight, responsive Lightstrike Pro midsole foam, a dual carbon plate system and advanced technical strung uppers that use precision computational design to provide structure only where it’s needed most.

This is one of the most fun carbon plate shoes you can buy. What you get is a lively, snappy, bouncy, leg-sparing ride that delivers high energy in every step. Though if you need any kind of stability, don’t expect that here. They’re wobbly and not the best in tight corners. However, when you move with precision and intent, these are right up there with the most energetic carbon running shoes I’ve tested

Comfort once they’re on the foot is solid. They hug the foot in a race-shoe way. They’re heavier than a lot of carbon shoe rivals and arguably less equipped for shorter distance racing. But for straight-line urban marathons, these are up there with the best race shoe options.

Oh and just so you know, this shoe breaks the World Athletics’ legal stack height limits so if you’re planning to race at the Olympics you’ll need another shoe.

6. Saucony Endorphin Elite

The Saucony Endorphin Elite cuts a slightly different path than the likes of the Nike Alphafly, the Adios Pro 3 and the the Prime X Strung 2. It’s a capable carbon racer that balances propulsion, energy and response with a touch more stability than those carbon plate rivals.

Also Available at
Zappos ; Saucony

The midsole uses a new PWRRUN HG foam (the HG stands for hydrogen). It’s Saucony’s most energy-efficient foam to date. A foot-long carbon plate delivers stiffness from heel to toe and there’s an aggressive toe-spring and Saucony’s Speedroll geometry to help create an efficient roll through and lively toe off. At just just 7.5oz it’s one of the lightest racers going. In part due to thin – and slightly fussy – uppers with lots of weight saving cutouts.

What stands out here is how the Endorphin Elite manages to be light and racy without feeling too unstable, stripped back and exposed. The running platform is more protective and that means you can rely on it if your form gets ragged.

It might not be as punchy as the Alphafly and it’s a good option for chasing marathon PRs though many runners might find it ideally suited to speedy half marathons.

7. Under Armour Velocity Elite

Under Armour’s first carbon plate race shoe divides opinion. But it’s on this list for one main reason – it’s one of the most versatile carbon shoes you can buy. In fact, had Under Armour plugged it as a plated daily trainer, it might have been better received.

The Velocity Elite sandwiches a full length carbon fibre plate between two midsole layers. A cushioned-but-springy Pebax foam layer close to the foot and a softer, lighter supercritical Flow foam underneath. Up top, roomy WARP 2.0 mesh uppers make for easy step-in comfort and good security.

The design is more subtle and even a little more traditional. The ride is light, agile, and nimble. There’s a firmness that encourages a faster foot turnover and the transitions are snappy.

However, if we’re being honest, it lacks the all-out energy – and some of the long-run protection – of its carbon rivals for the marathon distance. The directness works better over faster, shorter efforts. But the subtle ride might actually be its secret weapon. Because this is excellent as a fast daily trainer.

8. New Balance SC Elite V3

There’s an SC Elite V4 that we’re yet to test but the SC Elite V3 will still be a great carbon plated contender – particularly if prices drop. What you get here is a light, lively and versatile carbon racer built for speed and stability over almost any distance.

Also Available at
Zappos ; New Balance

Like the UA Velocity Elite, it doesn’t pack the all-out energy of the Nike Alphafly Next% 3 or the Strung X2 but it delivers a subtle, smooth and lively ride that opens it up to a wider range of runners and arguably a broader selection of runs.

The SC Elite V3 uses a dual density midsole. There’s a double-layer of FuelCell foam with firmer EVA/TPU foam directly under the foot and a softer tuned foam as the main cushion bed. The carbon plate is sandwiched in between.

The 4mm drop is the lowest among the carbon super-shoe elite but the pronounced rocker shape makes it feel higher. Overall, this is a carbon racer that feels more connected to the ground. It’s still lively, energetic and responsive with snappy transitions and a smooth turnover at top paces. There’s enough here to help you shift up the gears.

Wider-footed runners will likely find the socklike mesh bootie uppers a little snug across the midfoot and may wish to half a size up. But if you like it locked in, they tick that box.