Bringing the heat: as we hit the summer, the heat turns up on the latest footwear styles
Puma – Fast R Nitro Elite 3 – £260.00
With a new, Elite blend of the brand’s NITROFOAM cushioning combined with a revised carbon plate, the Fast R 3 promises to deliver your best performance yet!
It wasn’t only Puma that thought the shoe would provide great performance; a research study by the University of Massachusetts found it could provide an average 3% improvement in performance! And it wasn’t only in the study where the shoe’s performance stood out; in the Boston and London marathons, the majority of runners wearing the shoes recorded personal bests.
The combination of its lightweight, revised cushioning and carbon plate gives the shoe an incredibly propulsive feel that comes into its own at speed. This new model certainly is Fast R!
Brooks – Hyperion Elite 5 – £240.00
The Hyperion Elite comes of age in this, the fifth generation of the shoe. Now utilising their PEBA-based DNA Gold midsole foam to sandwich the Speedvault+ carbon plate. The plate is uniquely sized to each shoe size to optimise the propulsive effect, and it works, with a very precise and effective toe-off.
The shoe feels super-smooth riding at any pace, making it a versatile option capable of tackling any distance from 5k to marathon.
At a shade over 200g, the shoe seems to disappear on the feet, with a minimalist, open knit mesh design featuring just a small amount of padding in the heel for fit and comfort.
Without doubt, this is the best road racing shoe to date from the brand and an option certainly worthy of consideration when looking for a carbon-plated model.
ASICS – Gel Kayano 32 – £180.00
Creeping up the stack height once again, the Kayano 32 now has more cushioning than ever while at the same time reducing the weight compared to the previous version. The FF Blast Plus foam combined with the 4D ‘guidance system’ provides a balanced and adaptive level of stability while all the time feeling smooth and cushioned in a shoe that has become the standard for plush comfort.
The brand’s Gel cushioning is still present, albeit in a small PureGel unit in the rearfoot, but it adds a little to the cushioning on heel strike.
The upper is as good as ever, with a neat engineered knit construction and sumptuous padding to create a fit befitting of this range-topping model. For those looking for a great level of cushioning and control, the Kayano is a great option.
MOVV – Nostara – £150.00
A new brand on the scene, the Nostara from Danish brand MOVV, aims to provide a minimal design based on the hundreds of thousands of foot scans, creating a uniquely shaped last for a naturally balanced and stable ride.
The durable TPU midsole cushioning is gently contoured to stimulate and support the arch, while allowing the feet to spread naturally. The result being a feeling that instantly puts you and your feet at ease, giving the shoes a familiar feel from the very first run.
The upper is a simply constructed woven mesh and complements the overall fit and feel.
One of the most ‘instantly comfortable’ shoes we’ve worn for a while, the Nostara is a no-nonsense shoe that offers dynamic stability in a very natural manner from the word go.
Topo – Atmos – £150.00
Topo’s max-cushioned model, the Atmos, offers a deep cushioned ride with a 5mm drop and their signature foot-shaped last to create a lightweight, yet responsive daily trainer.
The highest stack shoe in the brand’s line-up, the 5mm drop is a departure from their zero drop designs and provides a ride that should welcome more runners to the Topo label. The ZipFoam cushioning is constructed with dual layers, soft next to the foot and a little firmer nearer the ground. This combination makes for a plush feel, but one that is also great when you need to pick up the pace. The 5mm drop also contributes to this improved propulsive feel, rolling the foot through the gait smoothly.
The brand’s familiar, roomier toe box allows the feet to spread and create natural stability, making this a stable neutral model with a great, smooth ride and a touch of ‘pop’ when required.
Diadora – Mythos Blushield Volo 5 – £135.00
Bringing together the brand’s running shoe technologies, the Volo 5 combines Anima foam and Blushield geometry to create a light and stable neutral cushioned shoe at a good value price point.
While the shoe isn’t the brand’s most premium model, it does represent great value, and its performance excels. The ride is one of a faster-paced racer/trainer type shoe, with smooth cushioning, a stable ride and nicely responsive toe off. It’s a shoe that feels better as the pace increases, and we found it perfect for tempo training and longer intervals on the road.
The fit is typical Diadora, Italian-inspired design, with good attention to detail and a neat foot-hugging fit. If you are looking for something a little different to the standard offerings, the Diadora is worth seeking out.
Saucony – Triumph 23 – £170.00
Improving their cushioning yet again, but at the same time reducing the overall weight of the shoe, Saucony have eked out more performance from the Triumph 23.
The brand’s PWRRUN PB midsole foam is still present, but as the brand continues to enhance and develop its properties, we now have a version more tuned for everyday miles as well as that used in their racing models. The result is simply a great cushioned feel with a little extra ‘pop’ for when you want to mix things up a little. The shoes also feel slightly more stable and better balanced, although the previous version was also great.
The outsole coverage is reduced a little to cut weight, but traction isn’t affected, and durability shouldn’t be a concern. The fit of the upper is unchanged, although the design appears a little simpler, yet it has the same plush wraparound fit.
Under Armour – Echo – £135.00
Crossing the boundaries of fashion and function, the Echo offers all the technology of Under Armour’s best running product in a vibrant and reimagined shoe design.
A multi-layer translucent upper is lightweight and breathable in striking colourways that provide a close fit thanks to the asymmetrical speed lace system. Rubberised elements provide protection and durability, while the UA HOVR cushioning has an energised feel.
A unique feature of the shoe is the brand’s SlipSpeed convertible heel, which transforms the shoe into a slip-on for recovery mode! The whole package is visually distinctive but performs very well and offers a versatile option at a good value for money price point.
