Maybe it’s just because I’m more of a forefoot striker, but I feel the best benefits from a plate when it is so stiff that the shoe doesn’t bend. I just ran in the Alphafly for the first time today, and I really enjoyed that about the shoe
@@benanastasoff8980 I'm a forefoot runner to and I haven't tried the alpha flys but I would say I felt it the best in the carbon x or the hyperion elite 2, everything else felt meh
QD: depends on the thickness and give of the midsole. In a thicker softer midsole Id go higher (around 8) so it really propels forward without sacrificing comfort after 26 miles. If it's thinner then somewhere around a 6. Still on the firm side but not as harsh, otherwise it wouldn't hold up well as a marathon racer. Can't wait for the New Balance test 😁 they've been really open with talking about their process in making the shoe and I have faith they did it right.
QD: 6-7. Also, sorry to hear about your sizing issues. I went true to size and have no issues with the toe box and the heel cup has no extra space. It’s still early for sure, but I’m really enjoying them so far.
QD: 10.5 That's really interesting that the fit was so wrong for you! I went true to size 10.5 US men's and I found the fit perfect, the thumb test for me was much different than you... Super strange. Then again, I don't mind having some float in my racing shoes... Racing shoe fit is a fine art :) have a fantastic day!
@@javierquintero9640 Hey Javier, I've only run in the Endorphin Pro out of those and for me I prefer the Hyperion elite because it's a more stable ride. I find in the endorphin pro it feels like my ankles are collapsing much more which makes me feel like I'm working a little bit harder. I'm not a very strong runner so perhaps as I get stronger it will be a different story, but for now... Loving the Hyperion elite 2!
QD: 5.5. Smaller frame and weight than most. Love the feel of the softer NB Fuelcell TC (Probably a 3). Just want a lighter version for racing. Hopeful that the NB Fuelcell RC does not push the stiffness to 7-8.
Just retired my pair after 2 years and only 170 miles. The DNA flash just did not age well. I should have worn them more often since I really used to like these shoes. Whatever they had to them however it's gone now. The foam isn't soft anymore at all. While it ised to be super sift, its so hard now that the plate can't do it's magic anymore.
On the fit front, as a larger runner (232 lbs) with a man-sized foot, Brooks are BY FAR consistently the best on fit for me. Conversely, Hoka are unwearable for me - every pair is immediately painful as soon as I put my foot in it. I can just about crowbar myself into Nike. So re Seth's view on the fit...he is a very slight guy with a very small foot. So I would say bear in mind your physiology and how comparable that is to Seth when assessing his views on the fit. Clearly he is swimming in this shoe but there are plenty of reviewers saying the fit is amazing.
Fairly new runner. Only one marathon under my belt (3:41) looking to cut 40 min to BQ. Anyway feel as though I’m leaning towards 9 or 10, finally just got a pair of alpha fly’s so hoping that’s a good choice
Stiffness depends on your weight...A Plate can Not be the solution in Future. Energy Rods Show the Direction. Functional footwear were the leather Boots by adidas Emil Zatopek used for training. Today too heavy. adidas SL72 and adidas Boston Super of 1984 were good ideas as the midsole is glued to the upper and is just Platform underneath the forefoot. That got lost when others started die-injection of TPU-midsole. Forefoot got caged by the rim of the midsole. At a adidas SL72 the forefood can adjust the upper by streching the suede-leather, like at the leather Boots of Emil Zatopek. The Tripod by Heel, big toe and fiths toe gets setup and works. All Crashpad Designs incl. BROKS Hyperion Elite 2 stabilizing by giving the foot incl. the forefoot a "rain-gutter" instead of a Platform for the Tripod. Also the Scarpa Rush is a Crashpad-Concept and the "rain-gutter" is there Like in a BROOKS Ghost. I already deflated BROOKS Ghost wearing a Rucksack while being 190m tall. You can very fast deflate shoes with Crashpad-design. DNA-Flash is very resilient Like Skechers Hyperburst-Foam against getting deflated. All gas-infuesed EVA-foams are Light and more resilient against getting deflated compared to Just EVA with some Rubber added. A Reebok Harmony/Sweet/Grass Road have rubberized-EVA full-length + Kooshride+TPU in the heel, Crashpad-conzept but No "rain-gutter"-effect. rubberized-EVA is Not so light. Several shoemakers Go towards functional footwear. Common Goal is Platform for the Tripod and limitation of rain-gutter-effect. That's possibke with TPU and/or TPU-base only. Reebok shifted from Floatride-pebax to Floatride-TPU. Pebax is just lighter and softer. TPU is the way to Go. NB FuelCell RC Elite FuelCell+foam is TPU-based with EVA.
QD: 8.5-9, but I’m a larger (6ft 4” 210lbs) runner. So the stiffer the plate bends at my weight and pounding. Where I run into issues is all these companies minus Nike stop at a size 13. Which for my size 14ft doesn’t always work or can be too tight. Luckily after 8months of trying I just got my hands on a new pair of size 14 Vaporfly Next%
I have 1392 days for a streak on my fitness pal... things are a little rough on the scale right now but I can see why... now that being said... I NEED TO MAKE THE DAYS COUNT!!!!
Seth, maybe your shoe size is smaller than you think. It happens so often that you order to big shoes. Almost never happen to me or other people I know.
QOD: I would say between 4.5-6 being softer. But it all depends on the cushioning with it. Endorphin Pro was stiff for me, but the ZoomX foam in Next% and 4%, it felt great. The Alphafly’s to me felt pretty rigid, but with the combination of the pods and the foam it balanced it out a little, so it wasn’t as harsh. So it just comes down to the right combination.
QD: i’m going to go with about a 7. I like a fairly ridged shoe for that “pop” but at the same time a shoe that doesn’t leave you feeling too beat up around the end of a marathon. I bought the Endorphin Speed’s to try out as a “race day” (time trial) shoe. They MAY be a little soft, but I am super excited to try them! For the price point I feel like you can’t go wrong.
first off all what a cool t-shirt, love it! QD: 6. if you don't want a carbon plate I would go for the Endorphin Speed because it is nylon and less stiff First up is 11-04-2021 Rotterdam Marathon (NL)
I don't race marathons, instead I stay around 10k to half races, but I much prefer a softer ride or a more forgiving plate feel. I actually love the Saucony Endorphin Speed with its nylon plate, I feel like I get a bit more out of it without the added bulk of the Endorphin Pro, however for runs longer than 10-14mi I usually switch to the Pros because of the extra padding. So I am probably around a 4 on the scale
I have a pair and my experience has been a bit different. I have a "high-volume" forefoot and it fit 100% true to size, with no bunching of material in the front. I appreciated the width of the mid-sole which provided a more stable landing than some other narrower shoes. The collar around the top is a bit loose, however I it didn't affect the lock-down. Make sure you wear a sock that's high enough to avoid any chafing. I do wish the tongue was gusseted though. Overall very happy with the ride and comfort and perfect carbon plate stiffness. I'm 185 lbs and I felt very well supported.
The plate is really there is stabilise these unstable foam, though I would prefer less ridged shoes for marathon racers but for short distance the more ridged
Hi seth, just got my pair of hyperion elite 2, i have no problems with the fit or with the collar. I really like the midsole and the upper. This is my first shoe with a carbon plate, so on the qd i can't answer.
QotD: I feel like the Hoka Carbon x is my favorite plated shoe because the plate isn't very rigid. They opted for a slightly stiffer foam and a less rigid plate and I think it works great for me on a long run.
QD: I think weight makes a big difference I’m a tall guy at a fit 180 so I have a little more weight to load the carbon fiber plate so I’d go 8-9 rigidity because I think someone who weighs more is going to get more out of the plate when it’s rigid.
I'd like it more than the next% if it had a better ankle lockdown, but I still kinda like it more, QotD: I like the hyperion 2 or the new balance rc elite
QD: I guess I prefer a more rigid plate considering I’ve only run in nike cfp shoes... so 7-8. The 4%’s are fairly rigid, but they helped me break an hour in the 10 miler so I’m not complaining lol.
QD: 8(racing) 6(tempo). I think heavier people can activate the plate easier than lighter weight folks. So I lean towards stiffer plates as a 190lb guy.
Good review. However, they do fit true to size for me. So folks, be careful and for sure wouldn't order smaller size. Probably better off trying them in person.
Probably not. Especially heel strikers. For the forefoot and mid foot competitive people though, I think that carbon plates are awesome. The stiffer the plate, the better in my opinion
Hi QD: I’ll say 7/10 for how rigid I would like it to be. If I’m paying 250$ I want to feel it help spring fwd. However, if too rigid, I can see it hurting my feet for long distances personally. Look fwd to the NB RC Review!
Just some feedback for reviewing. I have very wide feet and I am a US 13. This pretty much eliminates 90% of all trendy shoes. Hoka, Nike, Adidas, etc are all write offs for me. When you talk about fit, it would be great if you explicitly mention whether the shoe is suitable for people with wide feet because it sucks so hard to watch a bunch of reviews, get excited about a product, and then realise it’s not for you.
I can’t quite answer the QD but I have another question. Once you’ve run in all the carbon fiber-plated marathon racers from all the big companies can you do a big running shoe battle? Maybe something tournament style lol
Hands down picking up the Next% over this shoe at $250. The light weight and proven foam in the current Nike road racing shoes just makes these other shoes not worth the money to me.
Nike always sold out and Saucony seems to have same issue, not sure what's wrong with Hoka? as their Carbon X has been always available (didn't like it as awful for my foot shape). I don't believe in hype but would be very interesting to test out some of these shoes ☺️
I can't help but think how the review would be if you did have the correct size for yourself. Ideally most folks will get the size that suits them and have the best experience possible.
Seth something is wrong..either with your feet or you've ordered wrong size of the shoes.I have 8.5 mens size and they are true to size - same true to size fit like Hyperion Tempo..
QD: I have run in Nike Next% Vaporfly, Nike 4% Vaporfly, Saucony Endorphine Pro and Asics Metaracer all carbon plate shoes. For marathon racing I personally prefer a little more stiffness in the shoe as I feel it provides more energy return through gait cycle and propulsion at tow off. I would estimate about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Steve Walsh I have raced in Nike 4% and Nike Next %. The Next % is favourite. Similar feel and ride but personally the Next% I found to be better fit in toe box. My toes got beat up in the 4% ( both shoes are US M10). I have not worn Saucony Endorphin Pro on a marathon race day, only done a middle distance run of about 6:30/mile pace in them so can’t give a full comment in performance of Endorphin Pro over 26 miles. Does feel responsive and is definitely a challenge to Nike’s Next% and Alphafly in the marathon shoe market. Hope this helps. Happy running 👍
Great analysis. Cheers. At $250, no way will I be buying this shoe. My max budget is $130. I can get Peg Turbo 2's, Novablast's, and Zoom Fly 3's for that.
Here's a crazy thought. It seems to me the carbon plate should vary with the weight of the runner, sort of like shocks on a car would vary with the weight of the vehicle or shocks on a motorcycle would vary with the weight of the rider. Having the same carbon fiber plate for a 100-pound Runner vs 180 lb runner makes no sense.
Hi Seth a bit off topic here. Have just purchased the speedcross 5s after your recommendation for here in sunny Scotland, Thinking about buying waterproof running socks as further protection against the elements. Can you recommend any, or would you consider doing reviews in this area for worthy candidates ( as the nights draw in ) kind regards Robert
OTQ question, how did Des run in the shoe before it was released? Didn’t that “available to public” rule take effect before that? Maybe they did a super sketchy limited release and then were gonna do a bigger release late? Grt review, total bummer about fit and price... looks great though... just remembered that nike also gave out alpha flys to sponsored and no sponsored athletes that same day also
