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Running Shoes Coming Up in 2026 | We Talk About the Shoes We're Expecting to See
2 Plays43 seconds ago
In this episode of the podcast, we discuss some of the shoes we're hoping/expecting to see come up over the next few months. From cushioned favourites to carbon plate race shoes, we talk about our views of the current version and what we want to see in an update.
Big thanks to Fear of Tigers for the killer intro music. You can listen to more of his stuff over at https://www.patreon.com/fearoftigers
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Transcript
00:00:04
Speaker
Hey,
Introduction to 2026 Running Shoes
00:00:05
Speaker
Tommy from The Run Testers and welcome back to The Run Testers Podcast. In this episode, we're going to be talking about running shoes coming out in 2026. So this will be a combination of shoes that we already know are coming and some things that we either expect to come or would hope to see over the next 11 months.
00:00:20
Speaker
This podcast is also a video version, so if you'd prefer to watch it, don't listen to this podcast. Right, let's chat about the shoes coming out over the next few months.
00:00:38
Speaker
Hey guys,
Running Goals and Marathons Discussion
00:00:39
Speaker
how's it as's it going? Hello. Happy 2026. A bit late to saying that now. Yeah, can't say happy new year, Nat. It'll probably be February by the time this goes out. Well, you know good hope well what the other phrase is, I hope you've had a good start to 2026 then. I always say in emails, how's your 2026 going?
00:00:58
Speaker
Nice, really nice. i don't acknowledge it. You can say that in March, can't you? I don't acknowledge the date at all. Why would I? It's not relevant to this conversation. Hope you are well, regardless of the date.
00:01:09
Speaker
But you also probably don't really hope, you know, you're not. No. Yeah. I don't put the I before the hope to leave it ambiguous. Someone hopes you're well. Well, it's it's a new year, new goals, new shoes.
00:01:24
Speaker
So in a bit, we're going to talk about 2026 running shoes. So what we think is coming, what we know is coming. You guys have recently been to the running event, so you've got bit of insight into quite a lot of what the brands are going to releasing over 2026. But before we go into that, let's have a chat about your 2026 goals. Grinning goals. I don't care about anything else.
00:01:46
Speaker
Wow. Emotional goals?
Tea vs. Coffee: A Runner's Debate
00:01:47
Speaker
No. Financial? Yeah, we can do financial goals. That's interesting for the listeners. I've got really into loose leaf tea. Do you want to about that? You're not going to say loose women then.
00:01:56
Speaker
Well, do two go hand in hand? No. Yeah, for those in America, that yeah that's a TV programme. It's an afternoon TV programme. It's afternoon, yeah. It would go down absolutely blinding with a nice pot of tea. I bet it does for lots of women. Yeah, yeah.
00:02:17
Speaker
Go on then. Actually, let's start with Kieran because Kieran's bound to have some ridiculous plans coming up over the next year. With tea or running? You're not really into tea, are you? The only time I like tea is when I'm really struggling and deep into an ultra, when it's got lots of milk and lots of sugar in it. That's the only time I really drink it. i It's like a rescue remedy for me at that point, but otherwise coffee all the way. Yeah, so no tea goals for me. None. No tea goals. Fair enough. right. Tom, or do you want to do the mic?
00:02:47
Speaker
what about What about running goals, Kieran? so i've got i've got I've actually almost by accident got a load of races lined up, but I'm going to be going to Brighton first, which I'll be doing the Brighton Marathon, my third time on the Brighton Marathon.
00:03:01
Speaker
One of the only marathon races that's brought me to a walk, and it's done it twice at that bit. that i don't know if they still do it, but it's way out by the power station. No, you're no longer, right? Yeah. i Looking forward to not having to face that. Then I'm going to do, then I'm on to Hamburg, which would be my like proper target race. and I've also qualified for the like fast oldies, ah Abbott World Marathon Majors World Championships.
00:03:25
Speaker
So I've got a place Cape Town. Oh, that'd be a good one to do. going be a major, that one, isn't it? Which will count as a major, so it will be a star. for them when it When is it? That's
World Marathon Majors & Cape Town
00:03:35
Speaker
May.
00:03:36
Speaker
May. Could you just go and jog it? So I'd probably, yeah. And then, you don't, Basically, i'd already I've also, my next race after that is going to be the Comrades. It's just three weeks after, so it's a little bit too long to, family didn't sign off on me going away for a whole month to run South African races. but You could run from Cape Town to Durban and then do Comrades. Perfect. Yeah. Probably not ideal.
00:04:00
Speaker
i mean, I know there are a lot of dogs in Romania, but there might be lions. I don't know. and This is this is the the Cape Town event where they have all the light officials coming to check it. and They did it in London, didn't they, one year? know People are all had special got back numbers with things on it, right?
00:04:17
Speaker
so In terms of the... World Marathon Major one. Yeah, so they basically, they cancelled it last year, didn't they? So I don't know whether that was supposed to be their submission race. Yeah, that's what I thought they were doing. Not sure if that's the case, but yeah. So I don't know now if this one has passed on to that and they're have to basically ratify it at this one. And if it does, then the star will count once they get into the podcast. Oh, of course they did, Kevin. Yeah, you're right. was really mad windy, wasn't it? That's a shame. That's quite a momentous thing to be involved with, Kieran. Yeah.
00:04:50
Speaker
you yeah yeah you should do that yeah bit of comrades mate done comrades three times i'm gonna to do both basically because i've already if i hadn't have already bought my flights to all right i'd already paid and it's just a shame like if they if they those guys talked i think you'd get a lot of people who might go and do both don't think you i think those people would be very happy to a marathon or comrades yeah yeah It's not comrade, is It's not set in Russia, is it comrade?
Mass Participation Races
00:05:16
Speaker
Yeah. The Russian version is very different. yeah
00:05:22
Speaker
So that's me. And then after that, don't know, we'll see where we get to. Not yet signed up for Berlin. but Where is Hamburg? When's Hamburg? Hamburg is same weekend as London.
00:05:33
Speaker
Is it? oh you just You just didn't take your be place up at London then? I was too slow on the uptake. I got offered a VIP place. and i Yeah, good for age London, surely. I would have had good for age Almden Arden. I fancied something different from London. Actually, found a little bit too intense this year. So I fancied something a bit of a change in Hamburg. I think it'll be fun. But yeah, that's basically me. So
Way of the Gods Trail Race
00:05:54
Speaker
marathons and then on the way to Coburn. Oh, and I'm going to go that race.
00:06:00
Speaker
Way of the Gods, it's a trail, but I found out actually at running event from an Italian Runners World journalist who's it's basically from Florence to Bologna yeah en route to the Diodora launch. So I'm going to be there at the same time and I'm not going to be, so I'm i'm just going to be drinking.
00:06:16
Speaker
Yeah, you standard stuff. Yeah, you'll be in Milan somewhere drinking probably. You won't be there early enough though, will you Tom? For Kieran doing that before the event, surely? always yeah Oh yeah, no, I won't be. i'd be yeah I'm going to sort of run my way to Bologna. Nice. Which would you be like a two day, i think we'll do it, Amos do it two days, pretty much self-supported.
00:06:38
Speaker
40 miles a day but it looks gorgeous it's like a beautiful trail route basically but starting in Florence and finishing in Bologna very nice very nice indeed go on then Nick what are your lofty goals this year so no I'm first off pretty pretty chilled when I finished Loch Ness Last year and had the I was like, I don't really want to another marathon PB bid at London. I'm going to run London because I need to, I think annoyingly, I now need to run London reasonably hard need to get the championship time for next year because Frankfurt is my big marathon goal in October outside the London qualifying period. So
London Marathon Strategy
00:07:12
Speaker
need to get the championship time. So I might plan to basically run maybe the first half of London quite hard pacing someone and then kind of roll in the second half pretty chill just get the time. I've got couple of half marathons coming up. Got to Paris half. And then think Paris half with Hoka. And then doing the Surrey half, not with my mate, who told me to sign up the race, then had triple booked himself that weekend. So I'm just going to Surrey half on myself. So that'll be good. But I think that should be quite a fast one. Yeah, training very hard now, but I don't know. I just, I really like the training and I kind of feel like I have to book races to justify doing all the training. So I've just booked those half marathons as something to have to go for. But most of them really enjoying running and then go for a half PB, run London, pretty chilled. And then yeah, Frankfurt is the big marathon PB goal this year in October with you, Tom. I'll be finding some top beer houses to well this is going to be a serious one you're not getting drunk the night before no I'm going to get any of my mates to do this one so I'll be safe I'll be well behaved yeah well getting I've got I've got civilian three weeks nice with ASICS which is for a shoe launch which don't think can talk about
00:08:22
Speaker
And then, but I didn didn't know I was doing that until very recently. And my distance up until about two months ago was twelve k ah most So i'm i'm up to I'm up to about 32K now, feeling pretty
Spanish Marathon Series Challenge
00:08:35
Speaker
good. But I think I'm just going to, yeah, might try for like my old fast time, like a 3.15 or something. Nice. Sevilla is lovely, to be fair. It should be, it's a very nice city to be in and a very nice marathon. Yeah.
00:08:46
Speaker
Yeah, i can't really remember. i did You did it, Kieran. Yeah, yeah. it was Mike did it, I think. it was good It was good weather. It's kind of, yeah. It's kind of perfect, I think, all the time, isn't it? Because you actually start basically in the dark, so it's always going to, even if it's a hot day, you're guaranteed to start in cool, yeah. It's warm. Last year was like really hot year, but even then, you know, most, because it's not the biggest one, most people I think had finished because only takes, I think it's like 14,000 or something. Basically, there was someone I knew was coming to it and they arrived little bit late it wouldn't matter because they were in one of the later start ways. Never had started. So they're getting through.
00:09:19
Speaker
Yeah, well, I've got... um So I'm doing that, but, you know, yeah i talked I told you about the Le Grand Five, for whatever they're called. Oh, the Spanish majors. Majors. And I'd never planned to do them, but I've just i've just ended up doing Barcelona, Valencia, now Seville.
00:09:35
Speaker
You've already done Madrid, and haven't you? Well, I'll have to Madrid again. and ah But the only other one is San Sebastian. yeah Yeah. I want to do that one, yeah. So I'm tempted to do San Sebastian and then just bang out Madrid. and There's no reason why I'd get this big five. but you You love Madrid, isn't it? Like your favourite marathon. It was my favourite one, but it was really hard. And I think I'd probably... i don't think I'd like it as much now because it's very hilly.
00:09:58
Speaker
ah How come you have to do it again? I only invented this recently, Kieran, this cash grab. I did Madrid in like 2013, 14. think they only started doing this officially like three years ago or something. They that in the UK.
00:10:13
Speaker
They haven't got it in the UK, have they? No, yeah. Who would it be? I was wondering. it would be London, Manchester, Edinburgh? Yeah, got to be. What else do you reckon? Cardiff. Brighton. Brighton. Yeah, I reckon. Sure, I would vote for Loch Ness, but it won't be Loch Ness. Loch Ness is London Marathon Events now, so it would be Loch Ness. It would definitely be included. Yeah, if London Marathon Events just did it, organised it themselves, they could just... yeah Extend it to Ireland and do Dublin.
00:10:40
Speaker
Kieran was so cold at that. don't know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's bad idea. There's there's got to be some thoughts. Birmingham and Newcastle don't really have big marathons, do they? Because that would be nice. It's such an easy way to get people to do every single one and all you get all you need to do is just give them a slight medal. Some kind of interconnecting medal or some nonsense, yeah.
00:10:58
Speaker
i was i and I thought about this like a bunch of years back and actually I was thinking you you maybe even go outside of those that are already the biggest. If I saw a smaller bunch of races as well, you'd club together and go, actually, this is...
00:11:12
Speaker
Abingdon. Halstead in Essex. Boston Marathon. Yeah, the problem with that is that you need you need people who have done a couple of them already to get the bug to keep going, I reckon. yeah um did I shared i shared the Essex. Halstead Marathon is the one I really want to do this year, it's actually my daughter's birthday, so I can't do it It's like the Essex Marathon Champs, and it is very nice. I love running in Essex country lanes, but the race review described as North Essex is not known as an area of extreme natural beauty, but it has a lot of hidden back roads and undulating roads. i no one's
Running Approaches: Competitive vs. Enjoyment
00:11:42
Speaker
claiming it done it's just a lovely race but like you don't have to try and claim extreme natural beauty was a hidden back road undulating tora through lanes yeah um i was yeah was hoping to do that this year because it's not far after london so i never get a chance do hard and try and get a county medal but because i'm not doing london that hard i thought i could but nope too many birthdays in may
00:12:04
Speaker
well so I've got Seville then I've got Brighton half the weekend after and then the big race for me as you said Frankfurt where I'll be getting a coach back and I'll be probably coach all the way back from Frankfurt hey very good very good good stuff Very good. Well, I'm going to be getting... That's actually what I thought. In my head, was like, why is he getting a coach? The flying thing has gone extremely. Imagine how drunk you get a coach. He's still got a coach going, maybe I just saw him scared of coaches too and have a few drinks on air. That is a problem. I do like a beer on a train to work now. Yeah, so I was hoping to move back to Brighton by time I start training Frankfurt, but it's probably not going happen. So didn't really want to start marathon training for a sub three around where I live now.
00:12:56
Speaker
i don't I don't want to disparage your area, but the running doesn't look great. it It's very, very boring. I'm basically just going to be doing laps for four months. coming on The same area. Yeah. um So, at least it's in the summer, so kind of in the evenings. Love a bit summer training. Can't beat that. So, yeah. so maybe it may be a sub three in Frankfurt. I want i'm trying ah i don't even want to PB at the marathon anymore. anymore can't bother get under 253, but I'll be happy to get a sub three.
00:13:19
Speaker
Fair enough. Fair enough. Cool. All
2026 Running Shoe Trends
00:13:22
Speaker
right, then. Well, shall we yeah should have a chat about shoes 2026? Please. and please
00:13:38
Speaker
Okay guys, so it's 2026, a new year and lots of new shoes to look forward to. Some that we know a bit about, some that we can speculate about based on what we know about previous years. and But you guys are in a little bit of a good position because you went to the running event last year. So you saw a lot of the new shoes coming out and um was it a good year at the running event for hearing about new shoes?
00:14:03
Speaker
was our first year, so a good year in that sense. and Definitely there's some stuff, some brands just put full embargoes or didn't show anything new, but there was quite a lot of exciting stuff out there, I'd say. Yeah, and I think some some brands are going to have some bigger changes to their shoes or new additions, and some other brands are going to be a bit more iterative. There's not going to be huge changes, but if you like those shoes, you might well like the fact that there's not going to be too much change with minor improvements as well. But yeah, it was good fun being out there. I mean, it was the the other interesting thing, I thought there was lots of um lots of smaller brands as well trying to kind of um make themselves known. Particularly one thing maybe we'll come on to later, there's some sort of Chinese brands as well who had pretty big stands, which...
00:14:42
Speaker
Brands that were the first time I'd encountered for sure. So there may be some interesting movement on that as well. Yeah, definitely. Definitely seem to be a lot of new challenger brands popping up at the moment. I think there's always big challenge there's always lots of challenger brands popping up, but recently it seems like they're actually making a dent in in the shoe world. Making better shoes than usual, I'd say. Yeah, making better shoes. um All right. So ah my first question ah for you guys is what do you think is going to be the the the big trend in running shoes in 2026 or the trends?
00:15:17
Speaker
Trends, yeah. I've got a few trends, Tom. Mm-hmm. Yeah, i can so I'll give you one of mine, then Kieran you give one maybe? Yeah, go for it. Alternate trends. we haven't got the same trends. um One of the trends I think is going to be is, hey that's the Evo SL wannabes basically from other brands. I think that shoe- No, that's it. I'm out, I'm out. That's what I am. Number one bingo trend. and We've already seen this a little bit with the Endorphin Azura. I think that's sort the success of that shoe and how great it was surprised a lot of brands. And basically, we're now going to see top tier foams or almost top tier foams dropping down into shoes that are available a reasonable price. This kind of lightweight, simple shoe that, you know, we've got really max stack shoes, which is great. And these are still very cushioned shoes. But yeah, this just slightly more simple shoe with a really good foam in the midsole just works. And it worked really well for lots of runners. And Adidas has obviously got nuts making you know the new woven version the ATR version is probably gonna be like almost like a trail style version so they know how successful it was and other brands are going to do that so yeah endorphin azura we've already seen i think we'll see some from other brands i know we'll see some from other brands that will come out a bit later in the year and it's a formula i really like because i think it creates a really good shoe that's often available at pretty good price points i think it wins for the consumers and for us testing it My my concern is when the Evo SL2 comes out, that the price would increase.
00:16:37
Speaker
What's out? The Evo SL Woven is the Evo SL2. We actually saw some at the running event that had Evo SL2 written on them, but they decided it was just an upper update because to fix what people hadn't liked about some of the upper stuff. So that is the Evo SL2, and the price did say the same.
00:16:50
Speaker
and I mean, there'll be inflation and everything, obviously, that um but it's got so much room, I think, for the price to go up. If it goes up £10 and dollars, it's still a good value issue. everyone bought that shoe that's that's a lot of money to stick on the on the top of it yeah it's true yeah okay kieran what have you got nothing yeah no i'm out now yeah no i'm thinking i'm thinking of one and this is one thing that you kind of we've been pushing for for a long time and it's always sort of bit of the holy grail of the shoes is more protection less weight so looking at bigger stacked shoes that are going to be offering sort of high high foam protection without having to add extra weight into them. and So we're getting kind of faster and lighter, maybe, but still cushioned. And I think, you know, things that are sort of leading that charge at the moment, or there's some shoes I were really interesting. It's going to happen across the board, but particularly at the faster end, things like Mizuno have already out there with a kind of hyper-warp range, which...
00:17:42
Speaker
has put you know good cushion underfoot, but they've trimmed the weight off. I think we're allowed to talk about, yeah, but the Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 as well, which is coming in lighter.
00:17:52
Speaker
um
Innovation in Cushioned Shoes
00:17:53
Speaker
And all of these guys are kind of chasing that that so the benefits of lighter weight, but without um without sacrificing the protection and the cushioning. and Yeah, there there was another shoe that was going to spring to mind. i mean, I think actually even the Kip Ride, Kip Max, Kip Kip Kip. Yeah, Max cushion shoe, yeah. Is doing that as well. So I think that's one thing. And it's sort following along if you sort of saw from shoes that were already out with the Metaspeed Ray and the Adidas Pro Evo 2, those kind of shoes. And some of that may not may may trickle down, but there's definitely going to be a move towards sort of lighter, faster, but still giving you that protection. I think in racing shoes, I think like it's when there's so many now good shoes in the market and you're struggling to pick between them, an objective thing is weight. So it makes, you know, even if consumers can't try every shoe and all that people can't try every shoe, but if you see one that's 140 grams, you go, well, you know what? I can't decide between this and the other one. I'll just get the light one. We're kind of out of the really big bouncy era of ah carbon shoes for a bit, it seems.
00:18:52
Speaker
Okay. Anything else? One thing I think needs to happen and I'm hoping will happen is I feel there's been a trick like all the classic big lines of cushion shoes, the most popular shoes in brands, the Nimbus, your Triumph, all of that. I think they're now relatively poor shoes on the market. I think brands are not giving these shoes the best phones. I think that's changed a bit now. Something like the Nike Vemero Plus came out.
00:19:14
Speaker
That now sets a standard, I think, for all of those shoes. They can't be, yeah, we've made them a bit firmer, you know, they're not as fun, not as bouncy, they kind of ah all you know so suit everyone's shoe. And I think actually you end up with a product that's worse than quite a lot of the cheaper shoes in brands lineups where they give them more exciting foams and stuff like that. So I'm hoping, like Kieran says, those start to trim their weight a little bit, but just in general get better. better phone because i feel like a lot of the time the most popular, the most expensive, the biggest selling shoes in brand's range just isn't at all their best shoe and i' would like that to change basically because I think they're um not being given some of the the the fanciest stuff for some reason.
00:19:46
Speaker
but that's And it's really interesting when you've got these other shoes coming in that can pretty much, they can do an awful lot in your kind of, the type of runs you're going to be doing on a weekly basis at 140 quid. Yeah. And they're still 40 mil stars. It's why am I going to put myself in a Nimbus? I don't, i don't you know, yeah, for some of them, that they're they're almost as protective and as cushioned. And, you know, you start to see some of those shoes. I think we've talked about it over this last year where you're like, you put it on, you go, yeah, it's okay. It's kind of more of the same, yeah not particularly exciting, does a job. like I call them sort of competent shoes, you know, but they're not really wowing. And I think maybe...
00:20:20
Speaker
too expensive. like why why Why is anyone buying the Triumph over the Azura? like It's a 40mm stat, it's a very cushioned shoe. It doesn't feel like it's trying to make you run faster than me. You can run faster than it, but it's still really comfy. Or even the Rebel, right? The Rebel's are really comfy. I actually think it's better as just a comfortable shoe than a fast shoe. So why would I'm, you know,
00:20:36
Speaker
So I do think, i yeah some brands have done it, like say, Nike got the from Raray Plus, New Balance tried it with the Infineon phone the 1080. I'm not a huge fan of that phone, but i do think it's good that they've put, you know, they've launched their flagship phone into that shoe to try and rev it up. But yeah, I do, well, I've tried the general Nimbus 28 reason, is like i think it's like, I think it's probably the bottom of the attic shoes I'd buy, really, almost. Yeah. I think the 1080 has taken a step on. I definitely agree with that. I think it's a bit better. It's a bit more than always my current. I am yeah loving that shoe at the moment. but like and But yeah, and even if someone like myself, I'm not crazy into this finial foam. I felt like it bottomed out a bit for me over the long runs, but they've gone with it in that shoe, which is good. It's not like they've come in with like a 140-pound shoe that's, oh, it's only got 38mm stack. You'll still buy the you know this if it's slightly higher. Yeah. So...
00:21:22
Speaker
I just think, and then there's the shoes that do it all, even like the Rad UFO, which is a challenger brand, but unbelievably good, just comfy, easy day shoe, but also so much bouncier and more fun than something like a Nimbus, really. I don't know why
Exciting New Shoe Designs
00:21:34
Speaker
I keep ragging on the Nimbus, but it's just because it's front of mind. Yeah, it's a tricky, I think what we'll see is those shoes will have to radically change or they will just fizzle out over time. The problem is they can't just get, they can't change them radically now because there's so many people just buy them because they're used to them. But I mean, and not everybody expects shoes to be really exciting, do they? They want, you know, people buy the Bondi. I understand. I think I get that people, not every shoe has to be exciting. It's like, yeah, but if it's doing the job that you need it to do and it is more exciting, more fun, I think you would buy that. I think if they did put that foam in a Bondi or something like that, people go, it's best Bondi ever. Because it was exciting, I guess, when it first launched and stuff. But you stuck, I don't know, a bit of FF Leap in the Asics Nimbus again. I'm going to go for Nimbus again. No, but whatever these shoes. And with Sockery, the Triumph got a really kind of weird version of Power Run PB really late. The most expensive shoe should have fun. Yeah, yeah.
00:22:29
Speaker
Well, we're already we're already seeing some of these shoes come out. there I've been testing Glistern 23 quite a lot recently, and it's an improvement on the previous versions, but it's not a massive improvement. They've they' added more stack to the forefoot, and does change the rider bit. But like you're saying, it's not a big change, and it's getting more expensive all the time. But the shoe that was going to bring up, which is also from Brooks, is the Flex. Now, I don't think the Flex is necessarily driving the future forward of shoe designs, but I think it's probably likely to be a bit of a thing where, because we're sort of hitting the limit with the stack height of shoes. there' There are a few that will keep adding stuff to it. But I think we're going to see some brands try to try to find what they can do whilst maintaining the same stack height, because there's a limit to what you can do with the same foams without increasing the stack height. I do think the Brooks Flex is an interesting, the Glycerin Flex is an interesting um i idea. I did quite lot enjoy running it actually. It was interesting, yeah. I think it didn't, it felt felt quite different to something like the Glycerin Max 2 for me, but didn't feel that different to something like the Glycerin. Yeah. So I think it, yeah, it's very much positioned against the Max Cushion shoes, I guess. Yeah.
00:23:38
Speaker
I got one more trend. We actually already kind of briefly mentioned it. It does seem like people are getting pretty wise to things like AliExpress and such. And I think we're to lot more Chinese shoes in general. um We haven't retested them yet. That's just because we have so many shoes to test already. Like we're not going seeking out new ventures that much. But I like to get some on my feet at some point. But, you know, that's kind of a word of mouth thing that's really catching fire a bit, I would say. Yeah, i've definitely seen it. I've been in some 361s in the past, but they've never really they've never really sort of set the world on fire. But I have seen people talking positively about some of the other brands. Yeah, Leaning in particular you seem to be making some like very... And obviously, even with shipping a stuff, AliExpress and all that, it means it's a lot cheaper still. um So that'll be interesting. And then i've I've got another one, Tom. This is, if we're allowed to venture off the road, go onto the trails for a bit, controversial, but more and more, I mean, we sort saw it starting last year and years before, but more and more trail shoes borrowing kind of road shoe, second DNA, road shoe foams crossing over. And I think that's happened at the speedier end, but also increasingly at the slower end as well. And
Trail Shoes and Road Technology
00:24:39
Speaker
um I think basically some of that converts into having shows that are really good for kind of road to trail crossover and more of those options for people who might be moving along lighter trails.
00:24:49
Speaker
lots of people taking up trail running for the first time, you know, re lighter foams, more energy, smoother transitions, all that kind of stuff. And then ah sort of attached to that is the whole gravel shoe thing that we will see. Whether people will go out and buy them and need them or want them, there will be more gravel shoes with, you know, lower lug depths and and things that are set up for slightly sort of trickier conditions maybe that can work on the road when it's a bit wet and sloshy or you can travel over onto light off-road light trails. Yeah. i was this was on my list as well and i know would prefer for hours was like oh it's just road trail shoes and it kind of is road shows you but they are really i've been impressed actually by the actual road to trail shoes because like i think the main actually difference for me with them is that they're not trail shoes that have become road trail shoes they're road shoes that become road trail shoes like you say kieran so we've been i've been testing out the salomon aero glide for gravel um and i really really like it and it's like i wouldn't when you've got something like this actually it's almost the biggest threat i think it is is more to the cushion shoe in my rotation. I want to get rid of that because this is great on the road and it gives me a bit more freedom. Right now i can still go in the forest, which is really muddy, but it's kind of it's still pretty good, the grip on it. And it just means all year round I've got a shoe that's a bit more capable, but it doesn't attract anything from the road because it's 40 millimeters of comfy foam. Yeah, when they get it right like that, I think it's a really, it's the kind of shoe that probably ends up being made the shoe that makes the most sense for people.
00:26:06
Speaker
Actually, I think most casual runners who do try and go in a city park and stuff like that, where you just, and if it's not really impacting the road performance at all. Like I think it does happen and with some of that. It doesn't really change. their It's like a really good shoe. which is And that goes back to that earlier point about some of those other you know longstanding daily trainers from brands that aren't that exciting. yeah
Versatility of Road to Trail Shoes
00:26:24
Speaker
Like, actually, I've got this shoe that it runs as well as... it i'm not going to say I'm not going to say that shoe again, Nick, but it runs as well as some other shoes when you're on the road and it's quite remarkable when you get it and it's a really nice feel and you've got it, it's more durable, it's yeah it's got that crossover. My run will make me like all those, I'm basically do almost like half on the road and then I'll flip onto the Thames path, which right now can be sloppy and a bit wet and it's all it's a bit rutted, but it's, and then it will flip to being kind of firm enough as well. So it's trail, but it's hard and you you know, so you can run from road to all of that really easily in some of these shoes and it's yeah it's really nice. And they also tend to be like quite easy to clean as well, which is like actually quite a big, I don't clean shoes a lot. If i go in the forest and want to use that shoe as a road to trail shoe, you know, will just slosh off the modern. that It's quite easy to clean as opposed to very fabric-y uppers. and
00:27:10
Speaker
and the And the outside was so thick because of that, it's also very durable. And now the foams are so good, the weight isn't crazy high because of that. it just ends up being just a shoe that go, oh yeah, that's easy option to do everything in, um everything easy in, and in case I do want to dive into the forest or onto a for like canal towpath. So Yeah, I think those shoes make a lot of sense. And although they're kind of seen as this slightly superfluous extra category, you know, when they first came out, I guess, actually, they probably make a lot more sense than lots of other shoes.
00:27:43
Speaker
Right, so
Anticipated 2026 Shoe Releases
00:27:44
Speaker
shoes coming up in 2026. What are you looking forward to most? And these can be shoes that we know that are being released or they could be shoes that you're just assuming are being released. Give me a give me a top couple of shoes that yeah luck you you would be looking forward to this year.
00:27:59
Speaker
You can go first, Kieran. can take off my bingo car. Yeah, I mean, looking forward to it. I've actually got one that i'm with we've almost nearly sort of finished testing. the rub The review will be up soon.
00:28:09
Speaker
but I'm excited. It's behind me here. It is the KitPride Max, which I've already talked about. What I'm really interested about that show is to find out what everyone else makes of it once they get it on their feet. because i I actually think that that ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to being kind of versatile and it can do a lot at a very good price. Also having Kiprun coming into the market with a wider range of shoes available you know now Europe and the US and arguably kind of growing up a bit, I think, and becoming a brand that can compete, arguably, with some of the others a bit more than they have done in the past. They look, these shoes are the first sort of Kipran shoe that I've run in that I think feel as good as the competition in this in this area.
00:28:48
Speaker
And I think, you know, it's going to be interesting to see what subsequent shoes sort of, and how they stack up in the other categories as well. I think it's a really good shoe as well. yeah I was interested to see what you thought of them because we ah we did our first run together and we were both quite keen and then I sent in my full review bits to Kieran and I was wondering what he was going to think. But I'm pleased you like it because I really like it as well. um I basically said, yeah, I was in whole of testing trying to work out if this is a really, really good shoe or the but the best cushion shoe. And I think I ended up with a really good shoe because i still like the Vemero Plus more. But it's got and it's really cheap in the UK for a max cushion shoe and just has a really good blended midsole.
00:29:22
Speaker
Yeah, I'm looking forward to see Kipron hit America properly because they are an underrated brand and I think they i think deserve to stop being seen a little bit as the good value brand. Although this shoe is good value and they should just be seen as a competitor brand who are making shoes as good as everyone else really. Shall do one?
00:29:38
Speaker
Yes, go for it. This one I'm excited about. This is the first time think I've gone into a year running and shoe I'm pretty... One of the shoes most excited is an on-running shoe. It's the CloudMonster Hyper with a light spray upper. Now, I really didn't like the CloudMonster upper, the first version, much. I thought it was wildly underpriced for a heavy, not really a super trainer. Good for going long in, as Kieran showed, though. And then, but this is going super lightweight. They've made it a full Piva midsole. It looks cool. It's great colors.
00:30:06
Speaker
The light spray upper i really liked on the Cloudbeam Striker LS. And I don't know. I mean, I've been, I've actually, say I've never been that excited. I have been many, have been stung many times by Onshoes I got excited about and run them and they haven't really delivered. But I think all the ingredients are there that I've tried from other Onshoes. think it will be quite exciting. It's going to be silly expensive, obviously, but I just think it looks cool and I'm quite excited to run it.
00:30:26
Speaker
Good. I haven't got any yeah that I'm majorly excited about. probably, i mean, hopefully we'll see a Mega Blast 2. butll see us We'll see a new Super Blast, I guess. Well, we'll find that was's going on with those two lines. yeah Yeah. I mean, yeah, I thought that might die, but it looks like we're going to get one, right? A Super Blast 3. We're going to need to see, i think the Magic Speed 5 has come out, or 4 or 5. It's got the FF Leap phone from the Ray and the Tokyos, and it'll be interesting see if FF Leap makes the leap to the training range and what that feels like.
00:30:57
Speaker
I'm also very excited by the Mizuno line-up. I would say that I'm not actually excited by the Elite or the Pro, but the Pure I am very excited about. That didn't feel like a low-stack shoe in my first couple of runs, and it's crazy light and really fun to run in, I think. Yeah, it felt, i've put it it was in there with a, like it sort of had Ray, Metaspeed Ray sort of feel to me, that lightness on the foot, which is, it just doesn't feel like you're wearing anything, right? it' so It's kind of, it's... Man, I used for a park run on Saturday and didn't realise how light it was meant to be.
00:31:27
Speaker
He lifted up his foot so high he kneed himself in the face. It didn't really help me out that much at the moment, but yeah, it's it's incredible. but We've got some um great shoes to actually test a race. I need to book some races in, but I just haven't really got any time free with all that was family stuff and so on. So it's um just got these two halves, one of which I'll be wearing a hoker shoe.
00:31:47
Speaker
Can't talk about yet. And ah and then the other one I'll um i have to pick one, but I don't know what I'm going to go with. I'm also like, we're going to get in, wheelout we're allowed to talk about it. if We've got it up. Endorphin Elite 3?
00:31:58
Speaker
Yeah, we can talk. We we haven't used it, but we we we've done the preview, yeah. which Which, by all accounts, basically going to be a bit like an Endorphin 2, but with a bit more control, right? Which I think we all, to some degree or other, liked the Elite 2, but found it a bit wild, right? Not wild enough for me.
00:32:16
Speaker
It was very soft, Tom. Surely even you found it soft. Well, I've not done a marathon in it, but for half marathon, I did that. It was fine. Not problem. I ran a good 10k in that shoe but mine the problem was i id I'd gone for the wrong size it was a bit too tight because it unisex sizing and um I couldn't really run too far in it without like crippling my toes.
00:32:32
Speaker
and i I loved it when I was running in straight lines in good conditions but yeah yeah i mean this if this has a little bit of extra stability in it then I think it might I will say, she say on the stock side, though, I know we've been bagging on the traditional shoes, not I think so. They are bringing a new phone to the Triumph and the Hurricane, aren't they? so that will be really interesting. TPU phone, because that's what I want to see brands doing basically is, yeah, we've got a great new phone. We're sticking it in the shoe that everyone's buying. We're giving them that experience rather than just relying on them buying the same old shoe. It's just tricky with those shoes, isn't it? Especially with the Triumph.
00:33:00
Speaker
does it There's so many other shoes that have come out. Do do they need to revamp that shoe or is it just a complicated member of the family now and you've got other shoes that do the job just as well? Like an awkward uncle who's still coming by. Whenever I do Glycerin, talk about the Triumph, I always mention that they've sort of not in their heyday at the moment, and it's nice to see a return of them, but I'm not sure what that return would be. Do we want them to be cushioned daily? Do we want them to be faster, versatile? I want them to do what they did with the Vemuro Plus, Tom, which is just go, yeah we're giving it a massive stack of our best phone, and it's still stable, but now it's much more fun and bouncy. Yeah, yeah, but then you've got like the glycerin max and everything. there There is arguably too many glycerins. yeah I'd argue that.
00:33:44
Speaker
i mean I'm glad that Sucony haven't got a Triumph Max. There's always time. It's time. Anything else? I guess on that point, though, it's got to be quite for the brand, it's quite difficult. When you've got shoes that are that established and around for that amount of time that you've got, you know if you change it too much, people are going to as half the people you sell it to are going to rail against It might be on some new audience. Yeah.
00:34:10
Speaker
I guess this is the line that the brands are always trying to tread. I'd love to see sales figures across the ranges because which of the shoes, like the Flex, they're not going expect probably to sell very many of, but they're trying to demonstrate something that they can do or something different or pull in a few different people to the brand. which of those shoes are selling big and which of the new shoes have come up like what does the Azura do to Sokani's line up does it just kill off a load of shoes yeah oh no I don't think it probably does because they position it as like a lightweight fast shoe but you go well no it's like twice as high your old cushioned Triumph was five years ago and the phones are softer were they They have given up on, like, the Canvara now, haven't they? That's not been around for a long time. The Canvara. It wasn't the Canvara Pro anymore, wasn't it? It was the Endorphin train. No, the Canvara is still... It came out last year, it? I thought you guys tested it. 15, wasn't it? Yeah.
00:34:55
Speaker
Oh, okay. It's got too many shoes. There is too many shoes. Yeah. That'll be a... A trend will be great, like... Nike looked like going to do it, didn't they? We're going have three shoe lines. from Aerostructure, Pegasus. But then they put three shoes in each line. And they're so confusing as well because I've not tested any of those. And when they started coming out started talking about them, I couldn't quite work out which one you were testing because the Pro and the Preview sound like the same thing. Yeah, I know. Yeah, just give them different... The premiums don't need to exist so far, I'd argue. I mean, the Vemero premium is amazing, but at least that does feel like an outlandish out there shoe. I what they're going to do with the structure premium because it's still going stability shoe. That's the one shoe I might, if it goes down in price a bit, I might buy that shoe. You've got to go with Vemero Plus. Vemero Plus is what cushion shoes should be. 99 quid now or something.
00:35:43
Speaker
but right Yeah, Vero Plus, isn't it was it wasn't even that crazy pricey. That was the thing. it was, you know, i mean, if they that did really well, I'm hoping that will prompt other brands to make their kind of flagship neutral cushion shoe for most people a bit more like that, a bit more fun.
00:36:03
Speaker
Okay, so ah last question for you. Well, this is going be a bit of ah a mixed question. um I'm going to run through some brands ah quickly. We're just going to chat through what we are expecting to see this in 2026. So Nike, what are we thinking?
00:36:21
Speaker
AlphaFly 4, I guess. Yeah, they have them like prototypes floating about, haven't they? It's been two years. Do they normally do every two years? Yeah, it's two years. And then there's the Structure Premium, I guess, that must come at some point.
00:36:35
Speaker
Yeah, they're going to have to do something major to the Alphafly aren't they? because ah Because it's been so long. I don't know. I feel like they're almost coming down that cushioned shoe mark. They don't want to change it too much. It's still probably the shoe I see the most, not Alphafly or Vapafly. But yeah, I guess it'll just be made lighter in line with the trend out there.
00:36:52
Speaker
Okay, Brooks. We pretty much know everything and that Brooks is doing. um You've posted videos about a lot of the stuff that's coming up. um there's Anything exciting from Brooks that we haven't said? There is another shoe. There's a ghost amp. There's another ghost. There's enough Christmas with the ghost amp, new DNA hype phone, and it's going to be basically lighter, more responsive version of the ghost, right? That's the idea, to give a bit more.
00:37:15
Speaker
I hope it will be there it could be their Evo as well, I guess, if we're going down that trend. yeah they were there Yeah, they will need one, won't they? No one else has got one. What about Hoka? Not much you can say about Hoka, I imagine. We've seen small updates, haven't we, Kieran?
00:37:28
Speaker
are we arenna We're not allowed to mention them, no. The only ones we can mention are the Mack Clifton and Arahi, which are just new uppers, aren't they? Yeah. So that was one of the brands I was talking about. seem They're not making big leaps, basically. They have got some other stuff.
00:37:41
Speaker
Tune in next week. yeah yeah Yeah. But in that in that in that kind of... In some of their quadricore shoes, don't think we're going to expect to see a huge amount of change. It's...
00:37:51
Speaker
I should get hold of the Mac this week actually. i' Nice. That'll be exciting. Sock and E, there have been quite a lot issues out recently. We've covered quite a lot of them, but you just mentioned there. Hurricane and Triumph. you Paramount as well, Paramount Max.
00:38:05
Speaker
Ah, okay. That's got Incredi-run, hasn't it, Kieran? Yeah. so Another Max cushion shoe to go off with the Triumph and the Hurricane, but with a different phone. Good, because, yeah, we need another one. Yeah. Yeah, got to keep them coming.
00:38:16
Speaker
What brands have I missed? Puma. Just got the deviates. We're just covering them now. Review soon. i think any other bits we can't talk about? Yeah. suppose you We'd probably, there's but the the obvious ones that we'd we'd expect anyway coming out this year.
00:38:33
Speaker
I don't think there's going to be, there's like some new stuff. but don not I think they they're kind of, are they two years on the shoes like the magnifier they've lost to? Or is every year? I'm not sure. Are those every year? and Maybe every year. i Yeah, I don't know anything about that one. So we'll see.
00:38:47
Speaker
i Okay. The deviates are ah good. to The nitro elite four, I'm a big fan of Yeah. They're both very good. Yeah. um Okay. Any other brands, main main brands that i can't think of right now?
00:38:57
Speaker
At six, we haven't gone through, but we don't we don't know much, do we? We just assume there'll be a Superblast based on Leeds. Yeah. Good to try that magic speed if we can. i that i wouldn't... They update... so They do their racing shoes in line with major championships, quite don't they? yeahs Tokyo is for the world champs, and this year there is not a major championships. It's the Winter Olympics next. Where's that, Kieran? I'm probably getting the... Get studded racing shoes. Have I got everything there? should I really should leave any brands out, should i With loads of brands you've left out, mate. Like loads. Any DAS?
00:39:30
Speaker
Any DAS? Yeah, that'll do, yeah. but don Any... ah Well, I suppose there won't be... Let's see... Alios Pro 4. They're over two years, aren't they? Pros. I think there'll be a Pro 5. Yeah. Don't have to be another Pro Evo. I think two brands will save it for the Olympics next year, I guess.
00:39:47
Speaker
How did I seem to be obsessed with these massive altitudes at the moment? The Olympics aren't this year. like Winter Olympics are. Yeah, Winter Olympics in fair... The Olympics time-mime is a bit messed up, isn't it? Because of Tokyo moving about.
00:40:00
Speaker
No, it's World Cup, isn't it? World Cup. World Cup, yeah. So it's two years so after... Isn't the Olympics after two years after? No, the Olympics is this year. is it? Isn't it LA this year? Can't be. You can't have Winter Olympics in the same year, surely.
00:40:12
Speaker
LA is 28. LA is 28. Okay, there you go then. We're fine. okay good i'll cut that out still got time to qualify it's all right yeah okay so uh i've probably missed out some brands but let's do uh any challenger brands that are exciting that are coming out i'd like to see some what what rad have got coming next to be honest yeah lot to live up to difficult second album time um yeah the ufo was great and i think that foam could be used in lots of very exciting shoes if they want to I'd like to see shoe from them that which is a bit smaller.
00:40:41
Speaker
Yeah, I think just trim the massive splurge to the side of the shoe and keep the stack height the same. yeah um Yeah, that would be interesting. It's very soft and bouncy, that phone. Really comes back to you. Yeah, and tyre, which is, that yeah you know, have you tested tyre shoes, have you?
00:40:55
Speaker
i thought it was pronounced tear. I didn't, tyre makes more sense. Because it's a CrossFit-y brand, isn't it? A functional fitness brand. But they had the Maverick, think it's the Maverick 1. That's really good shoe.
00:41:06
Speaker
Really good. Interesting to see what they come with next. there'll be some new stuff from Under Armour but oh yeah which bitch yeah just depends if they can actually sort of get their head in the game properly really get who else?
00:41:20
Speaker
and Deodora as well Deodora are going to be trying some interesting stuff out i think yeah Deodora on have got a cool short distance racing shoe that like the look of a lot Cloudbomb Vault quite excited about that and they've updated the regular Cloud Monster as well haven't they Cool. all right Well, apologies to any brands that I've completely forgotten. I probably should have written list down, but they're the ones that are at the top of our minds. New Balance. New Balance.
00:41:41
Speaker
Oh, for crying that loud. i don't know. Honestly, what's going on with the Balos? I was thinking about that the other day. Really good shoe. I was actually clearing out my shoes the other day, and I found the Balos at the bottom of pile. i was like, oh, can't get rid of this. good Such a good shoe. Yeah. no No love for that, is there? Maybe. Who knows? Who knows? um But I can't think many anything of anything coming out from New Balance that is exciting. More Infineon foam shoes, I guess.
00:42:03
Speaker
yeah you might that fit Yeah, yeah, yeah. I suppose there's a do about New Balance Rebel V6. V5's quite old now, isn't it? Oh, Yeah, yeah. So that'll be exciting. All right, think that'll do us. Yeah, we've turned off in many ways, I think, Tom. Is anyone still listening to this? Might skip the whole last section if were you listeners, is it? Yeah. yeah so um that's it that's our round up of what we're looking forward to in 2026 and eighty six what we ah think that might be happening ah so thanks for watching or listening and we'll catch you next time and happy Happy New Year Happy New Year Tom that's actually quite rude didn't say that yeah bye bye
00:42:46
Speaker
This episode of the podcast was presented by Tom Wheatley, Nick Harris-Fry and Kieran Algar. It was produced by Tom Wheatley. The music was by Fear of Tigers.