Racers, trainers and trail shoes all see new additions to the market this month. Here we take a look at a range of new models.
ON – Cloudboom Echo 3 – £260.00
Highly anticipated and worth the wait, the latest version of On’s carbon-plated racer brings it right up to speed with the lead pack, having already seen some great results on the road from the likes of Hellen Obiri.
Now using a soft, PEBA-type foam, Helion HF (Hyper Foam), the shoe has the softer feel athletes were hoping for, along with a full-length carbon plate.
ON Cloudboom Echo 3
It’s still not the same shoe we’ve seen some of the brand’s sponsored athletes wearing (that’s a prototype ‘triathlon’ racer) but at least this shoe is softer, more agile and more responsive than the previous versions.
The fit is typical ON, which means it’s a sleek, wrap-around feel that hugs the foot and has a great build quality and finish.
It’s light at just 215g and the usual attention to detail is present. Silicon print on the insole prevents any in-shoe slipping and the upper tailoring is superb.
The softer cushioning on impact is welcome and the shoe feels like a road-going spike with extra cushioning; perfect over 5km and 10km where you can keep on the forefoot and attack the distance. For now, at least, it’s the best racing shoe ON has produced and the go-to choice for top-speed performance.
Nike Vaporfly 3 – £234.95
Unquestionably the leader in terms of super shoes, the Vaporfly is back in this third-generation model.
The shoe is ever so slightly lighter and slightly re-modelled, but ultimately it provides pretty much the same ride and performance as the previous version.
NIKE Vaporfly 3
While the overall stack remains around that World Athletics limit of 40mm, the amount of ZoomX cushioning has been increased by a couple of millimetres by reducing the thickness of the outsole to accommodate it. While this will most probably affect the durability of the shoe in the long term, the ride is slightly softer thanks to the perforated design of the forefoot rubber.
From the word go the shoe feels as fast as ever. That soft, springy ride is ever-present and when you put your foot down it delivers with a surprisingly high level of energy return.
The new upper uses a very open construction to the mesh with lots of space to provide what must be the most breathable upper on a racing shoe right now. The neat heel collar remains as do the stay-tied laces.
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