Six of the best carbon-plated race shoes of 2024

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We look at the top road running footwear for athletes who are looking to end the year with a personal best

These reviews are independent and unbiased views based on running real miles in these shoes. This piece contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission if you purchase using these links.

New and updated November 2024

Diadora – Gara Carbon – £250.00

Returning to the running scene with a vengeance, Diadora has produced a top-quality racer that feels every bit as competitive as the other ‘big brand’ names.

The Gara Carbon features a full-length plate and combines it with a proprietary foam, Anima PBX, a PEBAS made with super-critical foaming to increase energy return and reduce weight. From the first few steps in the shoe, it feels as good as every other super shoe on the market right now and even better in some areas as it feels stable and controlled as both the miles and speed increase.

The Italian styling features a beautifully fitting upper that uses Matryx mesh, a material that uses carbon yarns for strength, added structure, and durability. Of course, the gold-coloured accents give the shoe a classically appealing aesthetic. The shoe performs as well as it looks, and with a range of training models soon to be released to back it up, Diadora is certainly sure of making an impressive return.

Buy the Gara Carbon here

Puma – Deviate NITRO Elite 3 – £195.00

When it’s time to pick up the pace a little, the Nitro Elite 3 is Puma’s premier race day option favoured by its sponsored athletes. Offering a super-smooth ride with a highly propulsive toe-off, the Nitro Elite 3 combines full-length NITROFOAM with a carbon plate for a fast, energised feel.

A maxed-out stack height of (race legal) 40mm provides ample cushioning even for the marathon distance, and when the pace really picks up, the benefit of the full-length carbon fibre plate is highly evident.

The shoe’s upper is a mono-layer mesh that keeps the weight down yet provides a good, dialled-in fit. A PUMAGRIP outsole ensures great traction in any conditions to get the most out of these fast-moving racers!

Buy the Puma Nitro Elite 3 here

Brooks – Hyperion Elite 4 – £220.00

Brooks would be the first to admit that their early generation carbon-plated shoes were a little firm for many runners. Here, we see a lighter, softer and bouncier shoe with all-round improvements, making it a more capable contender.

The DNA Flash V2 midsole is a Nitrogen-injected foam like that found on their high-end daily trainers as well as some competitor shoes. It’s softer with an instantly ‘springier’ feel than the preceding version and, combined with a new SpeedVault Race+ plate, has a more noticeable level of ‘energy-return’.

Although the Elite 4 is softer, it’s not as soft as many competitors and will still suit faster runners or those who prefer a more ‘planted’ or controlled feel. The upper is a very open mesh construction, so it is highly breathable yet still manages to provide a neat and supportive fit. The Hyperion is undoubtedly a fast shoe, but at the same time, it’s stable and durable, with the Nitrogen-injected foam capable of many miles of running.

Buy the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 here

ASICS – Metaspeed Sky Paris / Metaspeed Edge Paris- £220.00

The Metaspeed Sky and Edge are designed for runners who either increase their stride length to go faster or increase their cadence to increase their speed. Understandably, many runners were a little confused as to which model they should choose and, after all, most runners would increase both their speed and stride length as their pace quickened.

Both shoes weigh the same, at around 185g or 6.5oz, so they are two of the lightest racing shoe options on the market today. The new FF BLAST TURBO PLUS midsole used in both models feels much softer to the touch than in the previous model and has a springy feel to it that becomes more apparent once you put the shoes on.

A new upper, MOTION WRAP 2.0 is lighter and more breathable, its engineered mesh design allows plenty of air to circulate yet at the same time provides a snug and secure fit around the foot.

Where the two models vary is in the shape of the full-length carbon plate. In the Metaspeed Edge, the carbon plate has a much more exaggerated toe-off, with a more curved shape in the forefoot. This more aggressively shaped plate is much more evident when running in the shoes than it is in the Metaspeed Sky. In the Metaspeed Sky version of the shoes, the plate is a little ‘flatter’ and sits almost midway between the two layers of foam.

Of course, which you choose will be a personal choice, but our testers seemed to favour the Metaspeed Edge for five and 10km races and the Metaspeed Sky for long distances.

Get the Metaspeed shoes here

Adidas – Adizero Adios Pro 4 – out January 2025

Straight from the box, the Adios Pro 4 feels ultra-light (200g) and super responsive. A new double layer of the brand’s Lightstrike Pro foam feels softer than the previous version, and with the Carbon-infused Energy Rods, taken from the Evo 1, the result is a more responsive and instantly faster feel shoe.

The rods now curve a little further back under the foot than in the previous version, meaning the shift into the forefoot push-off phase is a little quicker and more engaged. A revised, single-layer mesh upper has a minimalistic design to reduce weight yet provide structure to the shoe and a secure fit. The Lighttraxion outsole provides the grip with a small Continental rubber insert at the toe for optimum traction at toe-off.

The Adizero Adios Pro 4 has already claimed a few race victories and records on the roads, so it should be as fast off the shelves as it is on the roads in January when it is released.

Get the Adios Pro 4 here

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