Best Marathon Racing Shoes 2024
If you are going to take the plunge and sign up for a marathon, taking onboard all the hours of training, lifestyle changes and expense of travelling to a far-flung city for the race, you might as well get the best shoe for the job. And if it’s a personal best you’re after, there is only one thing for it - a carbon-plated racing shoe.
Below we assess the seven best marathon racing shoes for 2024, with an easy comparison guide followed by more in-depth information for each shoe. Enjoy!
Nike Alphafly 3
Nike has dominated the super shoe landscape since releasing the first ever iteration, the Vapourfly 4%, in 2016. Boundless energy, unmatched comfort, and a stable ride uncommon for super shoes make the Alphafly 3 a worthy bearer of that torch.
The Alphafly 3 one of the best shoes out there when it comes to propulsion. It is significantly stiffer than the average due to the Fibreplate situated in the midsole, and the air pods at the front complement it perfectly to create a bouncy ride. No wonder it has seen so many world records throughout it’s various versions, with it being most recently used to break the men’s marathon world record by Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in October 2023.
Comfort wise, a huge stack of soft yet responsive ZoomX foam makes the ride forgiving and enjoyable. The difference this makes at the end of a marathon when your legs are tired is significant, as the shoe feels like it’s almost aiding forward momentum. The upper is also incredibly breathable, making for strong performance even in hot conditions, and weighing in at just 201g (UK size 9) despite its large size is another surprising bonus.
It is pricey, with a full retail price of £290, but potentially worth that investment if a PB is your main goal.
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
The most stable and durable marathon shoe, the Continental rubber on the outsole of the Pro 3 ensures that this is definitely not a shoe that can only be used for a couple of races. However, it is still propulsive - while it might not feel quite as poppy as the Nike competitors, it is still a seriously fast shoe.
The combination of a soft midsole foam and stiffness from the energy rods under each metatarsal gives this shoe it’s speed, but it is on courses with corners where it really comes into its own. Its wide forefoot allows for excellent control, meaning you’ll never experience any instability through the turns.
Like the Alphafly, the upper is breathable yet resistant to rain making it good it all conditions and it weighs in at just 218g (UK size 9).
Asics Metaspeed Sky / Edge +
Asics has again opted for two iterations of its super shoe, with the Sky aimed at runners that increase their speed by lengthening their stride and the Edge aimed at those who use a quicker cadence to run faster. Both versions work well, feeling snappy and propulsive from toe-off and through the transitions.
The carbon plate is similarly stiff, and the shoe weighs in at just 208g (UK size 9), but the foam is a little firmer than its main competitors, so that is worth considering for those who want a softer rider. This firmness does however promote impressive durability, so it can be seen as a slightly longer-term investment.
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer V4
The shoe on this list with the best cushioning, the FuelCell is guaranteed to keep your legs feeling good even into that last 5k of a marathon. The carbon plate still delivers good stiffness and combined with the soft mid-sole foam, it still a fast shoe, although lacks a little of the top-end energy return of the Nike, Adidas and Asics models.
Sustaining speed in this shoe is surprisingly easy, with a rockered feel to the transitions. Meanwhile, it feels remarkably flexible for a carbon-plated shoe. The outsole is robust, yet soft enough to give grip, making this shoe an all-round good option.
Saucony Endorphin Pro 4
The Pro 4 is the ultimate marathon shoe for heel strikers, delivering a stable and responsive ride. It’s 39mm heel stack height combined with a 9.5mm drop helps to rock you forward onto your toes during the transition, even when landing on your heels. Dual-density foam in the mid-sole helps preserve stability even in the face of this stack height.
The energy return from an incredibly stiff carbon plate, combined with a very comfortable upper, make this shoe a joy to run in, even though it isn’t the lightest on this list at 220g (UK size 9).
Puma Deviate Nitro 2
As a cheaper alternative to the other shoes on this list, the Deviate excels. It delivers great responsiveness courtesy of its carbon plate and soft mid-sole foam, and the outsole is incredibly robust, making it more at home on varied terrains and around corners than most super shoes. It is a shoe that feels good racing any distance, but perhaps lacks the top-quality cushioning of the other options on this list when it comes to the marathon distance and weighs in heavier at 257g (UK size 9).
