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Should You Run in Super Shoes?

In recent years, running shoes have undergone a technological revolution, ushering in the era of “super shoes,” or what researchers term Advanced Footwear Technology (AFT). These cutting-edge designs, featuring lightweight, resilient foam and curved carbon fiber plates, promise significant improvements in running economy and performance over traditional running shoes. But what makes these shoes truly “super”? Are they right for every runner? Might they benefit you? Drawing on the latest research, including a comprehensive 2024 narrative review in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance by Geoffrey Burns and Dustin Joubert, this article explores the science behind super shoes, their benefits, and how they might transform your running experience. Whether you’re chasing personal bests or looking to extend the longevity of your running career, understanding these innovations can help you make informed decisions about your next pair of running shoes.

Photo of four pairs of super shoes on the ground in a circle

Super Shoe Technology

When you first pick up and try on a pair of super shoes, you might notice they feel impossibly light and unusually springy. But what makes these shoes truly “super” isn’t just what you can feel — it’s the sophisticated engineering that combines two game-changing innovations: advanced foam technology and a curved carbon fiber plate.

Schematic of how super shoes are constructed from Burns and Joubert (2024: 976).
Schematic of how super shoes are constructed from Burns and Joubert (2024: 976).

Advanced Foam Technology

At the heart of every super shoe is a revolutionary foam. Traditional running shoes typically use ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or polyurethane (PU) foam. Super shoes, in contrast, use polyether block amide (PEBA) foam. PEBA “was previously used as a rigid plastic, providing structure in ski boots or spike plates in sprint spikes” (Burns & Joubert 2024: 976). Now, as an advanced foam in super shoes, PEBA outperforms traditional running shoe materials in three crucial ways: resilience, compliance, and weight. 

While traditional EVA shoes have a resilience of about 66% and traditional PU shoes 76%, the advanced PEBA foam in super shoes have 87% resilience (Hoogkamer et al. 2018). This resilience combines with PEBA foam’s superior compliance — that is, its ability to deform under load — to enhance the shoe’s energy return. 

When your foot strikes the ground, super shoe foam compresses approximately twice as much as traditional foam under the same force (Hoogkamer et al. 2018). This allows super shoes “to store twice as much mechanical energy with each compression,” and when combined with the resilience of PEBA, “return most of it to the runner” (Burns & Joubert 2024: 976).

But these properties alone are not enough to make super shoes effective. If resilience and compliance came at the expense of a heavier material, the benefits would be negated since every additional 100 grams added to a runner’s feet can lead to a 1% decline in running economy (Franz et al. 2012). PEBA foam, though, is extremely lightweight due to its low density — it is approximately four times less dense than traditional EVA foam (Kram 2022). This “allows more of the beneficial foam to be used without penalizing the runner” (Burns & Joubert 2024: 976). The end result is that more foam with increased resilience and compliance can be used while actually reducing the shoe weight.

Carbon Fiber Plate

The second major innovation in super shoes is the rigid, curved plate embedded within the foam. While earlier studies had explored using rigid plates in running shoes and showed modest to mixed results, super shoes implement the technology in a unique way. The key innovation is that the plate is curved beneath the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint — where your toes connect to your foot — and works in conjunction with the advanced foam.

Initially, researchers thought this curved design served two main purposes: reducing energy loss at the MTP joint during toe-off and minimizing extra work at the ankle. However, recent research has challenged these assumptions. When researchers tested shoes with cuts through the plate — which should have reduced these proposed benefits — runners showed no significant loss in running economy.

Two additional ideas have emerged about how the plate might work. One suggests it acts like a lever, where pushing down on the forefoot creates an upward force in the heel, potentially enhancing forward propulsion. Another proposes that the plate helps distribute the impact forces across a larger area of the foam. This could prevent the foam from compressing too much in any one spot, allowing it to maintain its beneficial properties throughout your stride. 

Although we currently do not have a definitive explanation for why super shoes work, what’s clear is that the plate and foam work together synergistically — neither component alone produces the same benefits as their combination. This has been demonstrated in studies showing that shoes with carbon plates but traditional foam don’t deliver significant improvements in running economy. The exact mechanism may still be debated, but the performance benefits are clear.

Performance Benefits

Super shoes bring about several biomechanical changes to running form. Research shows that when wearing these shoes, runners maintain the same ground contact time but spend more time in the air between steps. This means you take fewer steps per minute (lower step frequency) but cover more distance with each step (longer stride length). Studies have also found that runners generate higher forces against the ground during each contact. According to Burns and Joubert (2024), these changes create what researchers call “stiffer global spring mechanics” — a running style that’s consistently linked to better running economy and performance.

Improved Running Economy

The most well-documented benefit of super shoes is their improvement to your running economy. Running economy measures how much energy you need to run at a given speed, specifically when running at speeds that allow you to stay aerobic (where your body can meet its oxygen needs). Think of it like your car’s fuel efficiency — just as a more efficient car uses less gas to drive at 60 mph, better running economy means you use less energy to run at a given pace. This efficiency is measured by tracking how much oxygen you use to maintain a given speed — essentially measuring how hard your body needs to work to keep running at a particular pace.

Research shows running economy improvements can range from 1-5%, though the exact benefit varies by the shoe model and the runner. The original super shoe, the Nike Vaporfly, was branded the Nike Vaporfly 4% because laboratory studies showed these shoes led to a 4% improvement in running economy compared to traditional racing shoes. This means using 4% less energy to run at the same speed — a significant advantage in a sport where small margins matter. However, it’s important to note that running economy improvements don’t translate into equivalent race time improvements — I’ll explore that relationship in more detail below.

While improved running economy is the most studied benefit of super shoes, researchers have discovered another major performance advantage: they also boost the maximum speed you can sustain while staying aerobic — what researchers call your “critical speed.’”

Improved Critical Speed

Víctor Rodrigo-Carranza and colleagues (2023) found that super shoes improve your “critical speed” — the fastest pace you can sustain while your body can still maintain a steady state of oxygen use and energy production. Elite runners wearing super shoes in 10KM and half-marathon races showed a 3.31% improvement in their critical speed compared to traditional racing flats, while runners in the control group (not wearing super shoes) showed no significant change. This finding helps explain why these shoes are particularly effective for distance running. Not only do they help you use less energy at a given pace (improved running economy), but they also raise the ceiling on your sustainable aerobic running speed. Think of it this way: if running economy is about efficiency — using less energy at a given speed — critical speed is about the fastest pace you can maintain while your body can still keep up with its oxygen demands. Once you exceed this speed, your body starts rapidly accumulating fatigue and you’ll need to slow down. The combination of these two benefits helps explain why super shoes have led to such dramatic improvements in distance running performance, as demonstrated by the breaking of road records from 5km to marathon since super shoes were released in 2017.

Faster Race Times

While a 4% improvement in running economy doesn’t mean a 4% faster race time, researchers continue to work through the connections between the two. Translating the precise impact of super shoes on race times is difficult due to many confounding factors, from weather conditions to course elevation, race strategy, race nutrition, training methods, and fitness levels among athletes. 

We know according to prior research that each 1% improvement in running economy can lead to approximately a 0.7% lowering of 3KM race times (Hoogkamer et al. 2016). Another study supported that finding and “further predicted that a 4.0% improvement in running economy would yield a 2.6% improvement in speed at elite-level marathon pace, taking a 2:04:00 marathon to 2:00:48 for a small professional male racer” (Burns & Joubert 2024: 981, citing Kipp et al. 2019). 

Highly trained distance runners who substituted Nike Vaporfly super shoes for their track spikes in distances of 3KM and 5KM were reported to improve race times by 1.9% with a running economy improvement of 2.6% (Barnes & Kilding 2019). In a study of recreational runners, participants performed a 3KM time in both super shoes and lightweight traditional shoes. Their performances in super shoes yielded a 1.8% (13 seconds) improvement over traditional shoes (Hébert-Losier et al. 2020). 

In a retrospective study, Víctor Rodrigo-Carranza and colleagues (2022) examined the top-100 men’s performances from 2015-2019 in the 10KM, half-marathon, and marathon. They found that runners using super shoes “were faster by ~1% in the main road events compared to non-users” (Rodrigo-Carranza et al. 2002: 2661). Jamie Langley and colleagues (2023) performed an analysis of elite women’s performances before and during the super shoes era. Their findings suggest super shoes led to improvements of 0.71% (or 28 seconds) in the half-marathon and 0.93% (or 78 seconds) in the marathon.

The key takeaway is that running economy improvements lead to better times, but the relationship isn’t linear. As your running economy improves, you run faster, but then you have more air resistance to overcome at those faster speeds, so the performance improvements don’t directly match the running economy improvements. Plus, many other factors impact actual racing times, as noted earlier, from weather conditions to racing strategy and so on. But there’s no doubt that you can run faster in super shoes vs. traditional shoes, it’s just a matter of how much faster. 

Variability of Benefits

Super shoes can help you run more efficiently and faster. But exactly how much they’ll help — and under what conditions — depends on several factors, from how fast you’re running to what gradient and terrain you’re running on and even to your individual biomechanics. 

How Fast You’re Running Impacts the Benefits

How much you benefit from super shoes appears to depend on how fast you’re running. At a pace slower than about 8 minutes/mile, the benefits tend to be smaller. This doesn’t mean the shoes aren’t beneficial if you’re running slower — just that the energy-saving effects may be more pronounced at higher speeds. One study found a 5% running economy improvement at 8:23 minutes/mile pace with a running economy improvement of only 3.7% at a slower 10:16 minutes/mile pace (Paradisis et al. 2023). Although super shoes tend to provide greater advantages at faster speeds, researchers are still working to understand exactly why. But the key takeaway is that you’ll likely gain more benefits during your faster-paced speed sessions than during your long slow distance runs. 

Terrain Impacts the Benefits

Super shoe benefits also vary depending on whether you’re running on flat ground or hills. Research shows that while super shoes still provide advantages on hills, the benefit is slightly reduced. For example, one study found a 2.8% improvement in running economy on a 5% uphill grade compared to a 3.8% improvement on flat ground (Whiting et al. 2022). Research has yet to tease out which features of super shoes provide more or less benefit when running up or down hills. But the key point is that you’re likely to get the most improvement to your running economy when using super shoes on flatter ground, although you can still benefit when running uphill or downhill. 

Road Super Shoes vs. Trail Super Shoes

It’s also important to note that super shoe technology was initially designed and used on the roads — and track. So research done up to this point documents shoes designed for and used on those surfaces. Shoes like the Nike Vaporfly would be ill-advised for use on trails due to their lack of stability on rocky or uneven terrain. But more super shoes are being designed specifically for trail running — with segmented carbon plates that allow for more maneuverability on uneven surfaces. 

From my own use of several trail models — New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trail, Altra Mont Blanc Carbon, and Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra Trail — I can attest to their definite benefits off-road, even if those benefits may not be as fully pronounced when compared to my Nike Vaporfly when running on the road or track. Future research, I hope, will surely explore the nuances of trail super shoes. The key takeaway, though, is to choose an appropriate shoe for the terrain you’ll be running on. 

Individual Variability

The benefits of super shoes can also vary significantly from runner to runner. While some athletes might see substantial improvements in their running economy, others might experience more modest gains. It’s not clear what makes some runners “high responders” compared to those that are “low responders.” But even within a single individual, there can be day to day variation, as with any footwear. Future research first needs to filter out that within-individual variation before drawing firmer conclusions about high vs. low responders. 

Lessening Muscle Damage and Aiding Recovery

Although most research to date has focused on the benefits of super shoes for improving running economy and race times, an even bigger benefit in my mind is their ability to lessen the musculoskeletal impact of running and aid recovery. 

The first time I ran in super shoes, I was amazed at how fresh my legs felt after the workout. I did 6 x mile repeats just above my lactate threshold pace on the road — rather than the usual trails for me — a workout that would normally leave my calves feeling pretty hammered. But other than the usual post-workout fatigue expected for the effort, my legs felt great — more like they would feel after a similar Nordic ski workout than a running workout. This experience is typical among runners using super shoes. As Burns and Joubert (2024: 980) report, “One of the most common subjective pieces of feedback from runners regarding the purported benefits of AFT [advanced footwear technology] is the ability to ‘protect’ their legs, leaving them feeling ‘less beat-up’ and able to ‘recover quicker.’” 

Although most research on super shoes has focused on running economy, a Nike Sports Research Lab study investigated whether the Nike Zoom Vaporfly super shoe could reduce muscle soreness and damage compared to the traditional Nike Zoom Pegasus during marathon training (Kirby et al. 2019). The study found blood markers of muscle damage and inflammation to be lower in the super shoe group (15% lower lactate dehydrogenase, 15% lower white blood cell count, and 43% lower interleukin-6), and the group using the super shoes reported 22% less overall fatigue, 46% less front thigh soreness, and 40% less rear thigh soreness. The researchers concluded that the super shoes appear “to provide notable protective benefits with regards to attenuating muscular soreness, damage and inflammation” (Kirby et al. 2019: S189) — and the group wearing super shoes was able to do more mileage at faster speeds than the traditional footwear group while both groups trained at the same heart rate targets. With participants completing the marathon in over 4 hours (ranging from 9:14 to 10:30 pace), this study demonstrates that the protective benefits of super shoes — reduced muscle soreness, damage, and inflammation — are accessible to recreational marathoners, not just elite athletes. You don’t need to run as fast as Eliud Kipchoge to benefit. 

From my perspective, this protective capacity of super shoes is even more exciting than running a bit faster. Running faster is fun, but — as an older 50-something runner who feels the wear and tear on my body more than I did a few decades ago — I primarily view super shoes as a tool to extend my running longevity. Obtaining some speed dividends in the process is an added bonus to that main benefit. 

A Practical Guide to Choosing Super Shoes

Understanding the research findings is one thing, but experiencing super shoes as a runner requires actually running in them. If you’re interested in trying out super shoes, here’s what to look for to ensure you’re getting the full benefits detailed in this article. 

  • Advanced Foam Technology: Look for shoes that specifically mention using PEBA foam in their specifications.
  • Carbon Plate Design: Ensure the shoes include a rigid carbon plate or similar structure embedded in the foam that curves under the ball of your foot.
  • Weight: Consider weight relative to what you typically wear, especially if you plan to race in them. For reference, top lightweight super shoes typically weigh between 170-210 grams (6-7.4 oz) for a men’s size 9.

Also, keep in mind that while comfort may be a good indicator of how well traditional running shoes will work for you, this isn’t necessarily true for super shoes. Researchers have found that a runner’s perceived favorite super shoe often isn’t the one that provides them the best performance benefits. This obviously doesn’t mean going with a shoe that causes blisters or foot pain — but if the super shoe otherwise fits, wear it. 

The good news is that when it comes to super shoes, any model with the key features above will provide benefits over traditional running shoes. If you have access to a specialized running lab with metabolic testing equipment, you might consider trying several different models to find your optimal match. But for most runners, focusing on these three key features will help ensure you’re getting a shoe that can deliver the benefits of this new technology.

What about Durability?

Super shoes cost more than traditional running shoes and a common concern is their durability. Will you get enough mileage out of super shoes to justify the cost? 

The research offers some reassuring news: even after heavy use, super shoes retain much of their advantage over traditional shoes. When Burns and Joubert (2024) tested PEBA foam performance after 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) of road running, they found surprisingly small declines in performance. The shoe’s energy return dropped only marginally — from 84.5% to 82.9% — and its ability to compress under load showed similarly small changes. Most importantly, even these “worn” super shoes still significantly outperformed “fresh” traditional shoes, which typically return only 65-75% of energy. This suggests that while super shoes may gradually lose some of their “super” qualities over time, they likely maintain a performance edge over traditional shoes even as they accumulate substantial mileage.

When and How to Use Super Shoes

If you decide to invest in super shoes, you’ll need a strategy for using them. Research suggests starting with your faster-paced workouts, where the benefits are most pronounced. Over time, you might choose to expand their use. While you can certainly save your super shoes exclusively for races and key workouts, don’t feel constrained by this approach. The protective benefits can make them valuable for regular training as well, but make sure you give yourself time to adequately adapt to avoid injury from doing too much too soon.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that we are now in the era of Advanced Footwear Technology (ATF), a.k.a. “super shoes,” and you don’t need to be an elite runner or a runner obsessed with faster times to benefit from them. Super shoes may be the best ergogenic aid out there for runners, helping to reduce muscle damage and inflammation while aiding recovery. All of this ultimately allows you to run further and faster while reveling in the sheer joy or running. 

Key takeaways:

  • Super shoes combine two revolutionary technologies: highly resilient foam and a curved carbon fiber plate that work together to help you run more efficiently and potentially faster.
  • Research has demonstrated that super shoes can improve running economy by 1-5%, meaning you use less energy to run at the same speed. 
  • You don’t need to be an elite runner to benefit from super shoes, although the benefits tend to be more pronounced at faster paces.
  • Beyond running more efficiently and faster, research indicates that super shoes can help reduce muscle damage and aid recovery. 
  • When choosing super shoes, focus on three key features: advanced foam technology, a curved carbon plate design, and lightweight construction. 

References

Barnes, Kyle R., and Andrew E. Kilding. 2019. “A Randomized Crossover Study Investigating the Running Economy of Highly-Trained Male and Female Distance Runners in Marathon Racing Shoes Versus Track Spikes.” Sports Medicine 49 (2): 331–342. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-018-1012-3.

Burns, Geoffrey T., and Dustin P. Joubert. 2024. “Running Shoes of the Postmodern Footwear Era: A Narrative Overview of Advanced Footwear Technology.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 19 (10): 975–86. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0446.

Franz, Jason R., Christine M. Wierzbinski, and Rodger Kram. 2012. “Metabolic Cost of Running Barefoot Versus Shod: Is Lighter Better?” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 44 (8): 1519–1525. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182514a88.

Hébert-Losier, Kim, Sheena J. Finlayson, Michael W. Driller, Benoit Dubois, Jean-François Esculier, and Chris M. Beaven. 2020. “Metabolic and Performance Responses of Male Runners Wearing Three Types of Footwear: Nike Vaporfly 4%, Saucony Endorphin Racing Flats, and Their Own Shoes.” Journal of Sport Health Science 11 (3): 275–284. DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2020.11.012.

Hoogkamer, Wouter, Shalaya Kipp, Ben A. Spiering, and Rodger Kram. 2016. “Altered Running Economy Directly Translates to Altered Distance-Running Performance.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 48 (11): 2175–2180. DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001012.

Hoogkamer, Wouter, Shalaya Kipp, Jesse H. Frank, Emily M. Farina, Geng Luo, and Rodger Kram. 2018. “A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes.” Sports Medicine 48 (4): 1009–1019. DOI: 10.1007/s40279-017-0811-2.

Kipp, Shalaya, Rodger Kram, and Wouter Hoogkamer. 2019. “Extrapolating Metabolic Savings in Running: Implications for Performance Predictions.” Frontiers in Physiology 10: 79. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00079.

Kirby, Brett Sean, Elizabeth Hughes, Michelle Haines, Sarah Stinman, and Brad J. Winn. 2019. “Influence of Performance Running Footwear on Muscle Soreness and Damage.” Footwear Science 11 (sup1): S188–89. DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2019.1606325.

Kram, Rodger. 2022. “Ergogenic Distance Running Shoes: How Do We Think They Work and How Can We Understand Them Better?” Footwear Science 14 (3): 139–146. DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2022.2127545.

Langley, Jamie O., Helen R. Branthwaite, Nachiappan Chockalingam, and Jacky J. Forsyth. 2023. “Determining the Effect and Magnitude of Advanced Footwear Technology on Female Distance Running Performance.” Footwear Science 15 (3): 161–69. DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2023.2219651.

Paradisis, Giorgos P., Elias Zacharogiannis, Athanassios Bissas, and Brian Hanley. 2023. “Recreational Runners Gain Physiological and Biomechanical Benefits from Super Shoes at Marathon Paces.” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance 18 (12): 1420–1426. DOI: 10.1123/ijspp.2023-0115.

Rodrigo-Carranza, Víctor, Fernando González-Mohíno, Arturo Casado, Jordan Santos-Concejero, Miguel Ángel Galán-Rioja, and José María González-Ravé. 2023. “Impact of Advanced Footwear Technology on Critical Speed and Performance in Elite Runners.” Footwear Science 15 (1): 9–15. DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2022.2164624.

Rodrigo-Carranza, Víctor, Fernando González-Mohíno, Jordan Santos-Concejero, and José María González-Ravé. 2022. “Impact of Advanced Footwear Technology on Elite Men’s in the Evolution of Road Race Performance.” Journal of Sports Sciences 40 (23): 2661–68. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2023.2183103.

Whiting, Christopher S., Wouter Hoogkamer, and Rodger Kram. 2022. “Metabolic Cost of Level, Uphill, and Downhill Running in Highly Cushioned Shoes with Carbon-Fiber Plates.” Jour

Updated on February 5, 2025

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