Do Super Shoes Really Make You Faster?

Modern competitive running entered a new era in 2016 when Nike introduced a prototype trainer to elite athletes. The shoes, which were designed to resemble Nike’s Zoom Streak 6 but with a groundbreaking new sole, quickly made their mark. At the Rio Olympics that year, athletes wearing the prototype swept the men’s marathon podium. In 2017, Nike released the Zoom Vaporfly 4%, the first true "super shoe" available to the public. The name refers to a lab-tested 4% increase in running efficiency.

“Most super shoes follow the same basic formula,” explains Jens Jakob Andersen, founder of RunRepeat.com, a site that tests and analyzes running shoes. These shoes typically feature a curved sole with a stiff carbon plate sandwiched between layers of high-performance foam. The result is a shoe with a heel height that can reach up to 40mm, the maximum allowed in competitive racing (regular trainers typically range from 25 to 35mm in heel height).

These design elements make running easier. Research shows that recreational runners use less oxygen and report feeling less fatigued while wearing super shoes compared to regular trainers. The platformed soles promote a slightly longer stride, which means fewer steps per kilometer. Additionally, the foam absorbs impact and rebounds, reducing the strain on leg muscles. By requiring less energy to maintain pace, super shoes allow runners to focus more on speed.

The impact is clear. Of the 50 fastest men’s marathon times, only nine were set before 2017. For women, the figure is just three. In the eight years since Nike launched the Vaporfly, more than three times as many men’s marathons have been completed in under 2:05 than in the eight years prior. For women, the number of marathons run in under 2:20 jumped from 26 to 35 in 2024 alone. Studies estimate that these high-tech shoes have shaved between one and four minutes off elite marathon times.

But the benefits aren’t just for pros. In 2019, The New York Times analyzed real-world marathon data to measure the speed gains from Nike’s Vaporfly and Next% models—both leading shoes at the time. Using Strava data from amateur runners, they found that those wearing super shoes completed races 4-5% faster than those in regular trainers, even after adjusting for ability and training. The study also found that wearing premium shoes increased a runner's chances of setting a personal best by 73%.

However, this performance boost doesn’t come cheap. Adidas’s top model, the Pro Evo 1—worn by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa during her record-breaking 2023 Berlin Marathon—costs $500 and is marketed as a single-race shoe. As the miles add up, super shoes lose grip, and the foam in the sole deteriorates, diminishing the springiness that gives them their edge.

So, with an important race coming up, and a budget to spend on new shoes, many runners may wonder if it’s worth investing in a pair of super shoes. According to Andersen, it’s a good idea to break them in first—around 20-50 kilometers of use before race day can help reduce the risk of blisters and improve performance (some foams actually become bouncier with a little wear). While buying a new pair for each race can get expensive, it may be worthwhile for runners who are chasing a personal best.