Carbon-plated shoes you can buy in 2020

Today, World Athletics is expected to report the findings from a panel of experts on the Nike Alphafly. This report will determine the fate of arguably the fastest shoe on the market. The shoe, which has given rise to terms like ‘cheaterfly’ and ‘shoe doping,’ will receive its verdict from running’s governing body.

RELATED: 4 reasons the Nike shoes aren’t going anywhere

Whether you’re for or against the Nike shoe, it’s obviously extremely effective. The good news is that other companies are catching up. Here’s a look at shoes that will hit the market in the coming months and hope to be competitive with one of the best shoes that the running world has ever seen.

June 2020 – Saucony Endorphin Pro, $250 CAD

Saucony’s carbon-plated shoe uses SpeedRoll Geometry to deliver a pop at toe-off to help the runner feel fast. The shoe’s midsole is made of the ultralight PWRRUN PB cushioning that’s 40 per cent lighter than Saucony’s PWRRUN+ (which is used in the Triumph). The S-shaped carbon-plate runs the full length of the shoe. The plate is designed to give a springboard effect at take off.

Since this shoe is designed for speed, the upper is inspired by track spikes and uses Saucony’s track technology to wrap the foot in light, performance-oriented materials. The shoe has an 8mm offset and runs light at 212g for a men’s size 9.

February 2020 – UA Machina, $190 CAD

The Machina is UA’s response to the carbon-plated craze. At the lowest price point of the bunch, UA is making a shoe that’s equal parts racing flat, with the comfort of a long distance trainer. The shoe features an uncaged version of their HOVR midsole, which provides the same HOVR feel without any added weight, along with a full carbon-plate.

February 2020 – Brooks Hyperion Elite, $300 CAD

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The Brooks Hyperion Elite is the shoe that Des Linden wore to win the 2018 Boston Marathon and in a few days it’ll be released to the public ahead of the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials.

The shoe, reportedly very light, placed an emphasis on the outsole (an area that some Vaporfly wearers have complained about). In wet conditions, such as the 2018 Boston Marathon, Linden claims the Hyperion Elite felt sturdy underfoot.

Available now – Hoka One One Carbon Rocket, $215 CAD

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The Carbon Rocket is the shoe that Rory Linkletter wore to run 16 seconds off of the Canadian record at the 2020 Houston Half-Marathon. The shoe features a ProFly midsole with a full-length carbon plate. It was designed as a replacement for their shoe the Tracer, which had previously been the only Hoka option for a racing flat.

Hoka also makes the Carbon X, which is company’s other option for a carbon-plated shoe, but with a little more cushion underfoot.

April 1 – Adidas Adizero Pro

Adidas has announced the release date of its commercially available carbon-plated shoe. The Adizero Pro is made of a Carbitex carbon-plate, a Lightstrike midsole (padded by a bit of Boost at the heel) and a Continental rubber outsole. The shoe will be available to select markets on April 1, 2020 and worldwide on May 15, 2020.