Best New Running Shoes: 11 Standout Previews Worth Watching

Introduction

After a couple of intense days walking the floor of The Running Event, a clear shortlist of upcoming shoes emerged. Some are fresh takes on familiar franchises, others are entirely new designs, and a few could genuinely shift how you think about max cushion and carbon racing. Here are the picks that stand out, what makes each one different, and who each shoe is likely to suit.

Brooks Glycerin Flex

The Glycerin Flex is an all-new addition to the Brooks lineup, slotting into the Glycerin family with DNA-tuned foam and one big twist: a scroove cut into the bottom of the midsole that lets the forefoot and heel work almost independently. The result is a more grounded, more natural ride than the stiff rocker shoes that dominate the max cushion space right now.

A first run in it confirmed a little more ground feel and control than something like the Glycerin Max, with a hint of that old slipper-like comfort reminiscent of the Nike Free era, though it is still very much a cushioned trainer. It is also one of the best-looking Brooks shoes in recent memory.

On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper

The Cloudmonster 3 Hyper upgrades the foam to a full-length PEBA top layer, which should make the ride more energetic for heel strikers and forefoot strikers alike, and lighter too. That matters if the first Cloudmonster Hyper felt a touch flat for fast training.

The more interesting option may be the LightSpray version, which shaves roughly 50 grams off the standard model and could transform it into a genuine super trainer. Expect to pay a premium for that upper, but if the fit works for you, this looks set to become a much more versatile performance shoe.

Saucony Paramount Max

Saucony is bringing itsIncrediRun foam into the daily trainer category with the Paramount Max, a max-cushion shoe tuned a little differently from the racing versions to be less soft and unstable. In theory, that means big cushioning with plenty of bounce and a dose of stability alongside it.

It should sit near shoes like the Triumph, and it is good to see this genuinely fun foam drifting into the everyday range. If you loved the Azura, this could become the comfort-focused companion in the Saucony lineup.

KipRun Ride Max

KipRun is moving upmarket, launching in the US in April with three lines, and the Ride Max is the new flagship of its daily training range. It is the most cushioned KipRun shoe yet, using a blended midsole with three different foams plus a separate insole foam, and somehow it stays lightweight for a high-stack shoe.

The surprise is the bounce: even a gentle first shuffle out the door delivers noticeable energy, and the shoe handled both near-race pace efforts and slow easy miles in testing. With an improved upper, competitive pricing, and broad availability, this is a max-cushion daily trainer to watch.

Brooks Hyperion Elite 6

The Hyperion Elite 6 is Brooks racing shoe moving into its next generation, going even lighter with a target around 175 to 180 grams while keeping a large stack of PEBA foam. The look stays more traditional than the bubbled Elite 5, closer in spirit to the well-loved Elite 4 PB.

Expect a naturally feeling fast ride with plenty of super-shoe bounce, and expect Brooks to keep getting more convincing in the racing category. If you found the Elite 5 slightly odd, this one may bring you back.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner

Tracksmith extends its footwear range with the Eliot Runner, a max-cushion daily trainer that deliberately avoids the max-cushion look. It hides a 45mm heel stack inside a silhouette that reads more like a 35mm shoe, using a big removable insole carrying about 25mm of foam set within a frame of another foam for a cradling, stabilizing effect.

The upper is typically premium Tracksmith, the whole package is impressively light for the cushioning on paper, and it is stylish enough to wear with jeans. You pay a Tracksmith premium, but you get a shoe that could serve as an everyday companion in a way few max-cushion trainers do.

Saucony Endorphin Elite 3

The Endorphin Elite 2 was energetic, fast, and a little wild. The Elite 3 aims to fix that wobble by adding foam and widening the platform, apparently without adding weight. That would make a very light, very bouncy racer noticeably more stable over long distances and on corners.

If Saucony pulls it off, this could appeal to a much wider spectrum of runners, since the Elite 2 was already one of the softer, more approachable carbon racing shoes around. Responding directly to that well-known weakness is exactly the update this shoe needed.

On Cloudboom Vault

The Cloudboom Vault is a new entry marketed as a 5k to 10k racer, built on a generous stack of On’s PEBA foam, which has proven bouncy in the Cloudboom Strike LS. Despite the shorter-distance billing, the stack is big enough that it could double as a marathon option for runners who prefer a more stripped-back shoe.

It looks fantastic, lacks the full Cloudtec elements of most On models, and should come in at a notably approachable price point, reportedly around $200. That combination of looks, foam, and price makes it one of the more intriguing new racers on this list.

Nike ACG Ultrafly

Nike’s ACG line turns its attention to trails with the Ultrafly, successor to the Ultrafly Trail. Where some carbon-flex trail racers are frankly intimidating, the original Ultrafly sat in the more stable, balanced middle ground, and this version has been stripped back further to be more nimble.

The new upper has a striking retro racing flat vibe, and the shoe promises comfort, bounce, and a light feel while remaining practical for ordinary runners rather than only trail wizards. If you want a trail racing shoe that ordinary runners can actually handle, this may translate better than the aggressive extremes.

Hoka Mach 7

The Mach 7 arrives with mostly upper-based updates, and that is fine: the Mach 6 was a favorite, a simple, lightweight, effective all-rounder that could handle track sessions, easy runs, travel, and everything between.

You still get that familiar supercritical foam experience, cushioned enough for nearly anything while staying lively and good value. The Mach often gets overlooked in the shadow of Hoka’s bigger cushioning shoes, but it quietly does their job and then some. If you liked the previous version, this is a safe and welcome refresh.

Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure

Mizuno launches a whole new Hyperwarp franchise, a trio of fast racers, and the Pure is the lightweight top tier. Unlike the wild Wave Rebellion Pro with its massive heel cutout, the Pure looks much more like a classic racing shoe while keeping aggressive geometry and Mizuno’s excellent, bouncy foams.

It is unbelievably lightweight and should absolutely fly through the gears for runners in good form, though the Elite and Pro models will cater better if things go wrong late in a race. Expect it to be less accessible on price and ride than the siblings, but for sheer excitement, this is the pick.

Buying Advice

If you want one daily trainer that does everything comfortably, the Brooks Glycerin Flex and Hoka Mach 7 are the most familiar-feeling picks, while the KipRun Ride Max is the value-conscious wildcard. If style matters as much as performance, the Tracksmith Eliot Runner and On Cloudboom Vault are hard to beat. Racers should watch the Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 for stability gains and the Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure for a fast, lightweight blast, with the Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 as the natural-feeling middle path. Trail runners, the Nike ACG Ultrafly offers a rare balance of speed and usability.

Conclusion

This was a strong showing across the board, with genuinely new ideas in the max-cushion category and increasingly competitive options in the racing market. Nothing here replaces a proper test in the shoes themselves, but each pick earned its place for a clear reason. If any of them match your running style, they are worth keeping on your radar when they land.