Best New Road Running Shoes 2022: Our Early Picks Worth Watching

Introduction

A new year means new running shoes, and 2022 looks like one of the more exciting launch seasons in recent memory. Nearly every major brand is pushing deeper midsoles, softer foams, and more carbon plate experimentation than ever before. Here are the road running shoes we’re most looking forward to testing, from daily trainers to full-blown marathon racers.

Saucony Endorphin Speed 3

Saucony’s Endorphin Speed 2 made plenty of year-end lists, and the Speed 3 looks set to build on that success. The biggest change is that the shoe now uses independent tooling, so it will run, look, and feel noticeably different from its carbon-plated sibling, the Endorphin Pro. Saucony appears to be steering the Speed 3 more firmly toward the daily trainer market, with a beefed-up upper, a more substantial heel cradle, and extra substance around the midfoot for lockdown and durability.

The nylon plate remains, but with a new winged design at the midfoot that wraps around it, adding medial and lateral support and making the midsole more stable underfoot than the Speed 2 platform. Speed Roll technology carries over, though the rubber outsole has been stripped back to save weight, leaving more exposed foam, which may raise durability questions. Expect a slight weight increase of only a few grams.

Saucony Endorphin Pro

The range-topping Endorphin Pro gets even bigger changes. The midsole now reaches a 39mm stack height, just under the 40mm limit allowed by World Athletics, while keeping the same 8mm offset as before. Despite the extra compound, it weighs in at a very light 204g, helped by a stripped-back, almost transparent upper material that should be comfortable and very breathable.

The carbon fiber plate stays, but with a much more aggressive curvature this time around. With Speed Roll still present, the new Pro sounds like the original on steroids: faster, more efficient, and feeling very different from the Speed 3. No launch prices have been confirmed, but expect a bump over the current £155 and £190 price points, with availability around July.

Salomon Phantasm CF

Salomon is making a serious push into road running this year with four new models, led by the flagship Phantasm CF. It’s a lightweight, deeply cushioned carbon-plated race day shoe with a stripped-back matrix upper. The stack height sits around the 40mm limit, and it weighs about 225g in a Euro 42.5. Retail is expected around 200 euros, with availability in spring.

Like Saucony’s Endorphin range, it pairs the carbon racer with a more forgiving sibling: the standard Phantasm swaps the carbon plate for a polyamide and fiberglass version. Both use Salomon’s Surge cushioning compound from its popular Ultra trail shoe and the brand’s reverse camber rocker technology.

New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v3

New Balance’s top-tier carbon racer goes through a full overhaul this year, from upper to midsole. The new midsole blends a fresh FuelCell compound, claimed to be the highest energy-returning today, with New Balance’s new Energy Arc plate and midsole technology: a void running down the center of the midsole with the exposed carbon plate visible through it. The completely redesigned plate is built for a higher level of rebound.

New Balance calls this its highest-performing marathon race shoe yet. The upper has been re-engineered into a bootie, sock-like construction with a different weave around the midfoot for comfort and lockdown at speed. Expect a retail price around the £200 mark with availability in autumn.

ASICS Noosa Tri 14

The Noosa Tri 14 gets a relatively subtle update, with most changes focused on the upper and a slightly softer midsole compound. The heel gains a flared design to cut down on Achilles irritation, while the tongue becomes one giant pull tab, which should make the shoe easier to get into in a hurry, ideal for triathlon transitions.

Materials and fabrics look similar to the current version, and ASICS is sticking with the bold, wild colorways the Noosa franchise is known for, plus (hopefully) the matching elastic laces that fans of the shoe love.

Hoka Kawana

The Kawana is a completely new neutral daily trainer in Hoka’s lineup. It retails for £125 in the UK, weighs 283g in a men’s shoe and 237g in a women’s, and runs off a 5mm offset. True to form, it features a deeply cushioned rocker midsole built on a lively new blend of CMEVA foam, plus a distinctive swallowtail heel geometry borrowed from the Clifton Edge for a smoother heel-to-toe transition.

The upper uses a plush, breathable mesh with large perforations for airflow, the shoe is vegan-friendly, and recycled fabrics feature throughout the construction. It should be available early in the year.

Buying Advice

If you’re after a marathon race day shoe, the Saucony Endorphin Pro, Salomon Phantasm CF, and New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v3 represent three very different takes on the carbon racer. Daily trainer runners should find the Endorphin Speed 3 and Hoka Kawana more versatile, while triathletes will struggle to beat the Noosa Tri 14’s quick-entry design. Prices and exact release dates for some models are still unconfirmed, so it’s worth waiting for full reviews before committing.

Conclusion

2022 is shaping up to be a standout year for road running shoe innovation, with taller stacks, softer foams, and more plated options across every price point. Whichever camp you fall into, racer or daily trainer, there’s plenty of new heat coming to the shelves this year.