Best New Running Shoes of the Summer: Four Releases Worth Watching

Introduction

Summer brought one of the most crowded running shoe release schedules in recent memory, and four releases stand out from the pack: the Brooks Hyperion Max 3, the Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 11, the Adidas Adizero Prime X 3 Strung, and the Hoka Rocket X 3. Each takes a very different approach, from a max-cushion trainer to an ultra-stacked racer, and each earns a clear early verdict. Here is how they stack up, with numbers, prices, and who each shoe suits.

Brooks Hyperion Max 3

The Hyperion Max 3 gets the strongest early vote of confidence of the group. It launches with a 46mm heel stack, 40mm in the forefoot, and a 6mm drop, with a claimed weight of around 280g, which translates to roughly 305g in a UK 11. The midsole mixes foam compounds in a way that puts it directly in contention with the Nike Zoom Fly 6, at a similar price of £170 in the UK.

The details add up well: a moisture-wicking upper, plenty of rubber traction on the outsole, and clear design nods to its lighter sibling, the Hyperion Elite 5. Given how impressive that Elite 5 was, the Max 3 sits firmly in the “want to try this” category. Early verdict: a confident yay.

Availability looks healthy too. Although the release was slated for July 14th, it is already on sale at SportsShoes.com and several other UK retailers including Start Fitness. Some of these sites outsource stock directly to Brooks, so it is worth double-checking availability before ordering.

Adidas Adizero Takumi Sen 11

The Takumi Sen 11 arrived with very little fanfare, but the formula remains familiar to anyone who has followed the line since the V5. It carries 33mm of heel stack with a 7mm drop, putting the forefoot at around 25mm, and a claimed weight of just 188g, keeping it in the under-200g racing category. That is roughly a 10g reduction on the previous version.

It shares the upper and outsole build of the very affordable Adios 9 but adds 5mm of extra stack in both heel and forefoot, presumably to stretch its usefulness over longer races. The 12g difference between the Sen 11 and the Adios 9 is modest given the extra stack and the carbon-infused energy rods the Adios 9 lacks. One open question is which version of the Light Strike Pro foam sits inside, since different formulations now appear across the Adios 9, Boston 13, and Adios Pro 4.

Priced at £170, it is a buy-now shoe. The shoe has already been picked up for £150 with a discount at Frasers in the UK, and deals like that make the decision easy. Early verdict: a yay, though the Sen formula is about as bare-bones as it can get before it becomes something else.

Adidas Adizero Prime X 3 Strung

The Prime X 3 Strung is the most ambitious of the four. It comes in red and white and blue and yellow colorways, with a fluorescent yellow version reportedly also existing, and delivers a massive 50mm of Light Strike Pro stack in the heel with 43mm in the forefoot for a 7mm drop. The foam appears to be layered, with a softer formulation on top, a firmer version lower down near the outsole, and plates sandwiched in between.

Most sources list it at around 285g, which would put a UK 11 at roughly 310g, in line with the original Strung model that many still consider the high point of the line. Version two was excellent but felt too bulky and heavy for lighter-framed runners, so a return toward the original’s weight is welcome news.

At £220 it is the priciest shoe here, and a pair is already on the way. Early verdict: an enthusiastic yay.

Hoka Rocket X 3

The Rocket X 3 is Hoka’s third take on its super shoe, built around a maxed-out racing stack and a double layer of Piva foam. It is lighter than the Cielo X1 2.0, with an updated upper borrowed stylistically from that shoe, bringing a new symmetry to the Hoka race lineup. Published specs vary widely between sources, but the commonly cited figures are a 7mm drop, a maxed-out heel around 40mm, and a sample weight of 227g, all slightly more stack and slightly higher drop than before.

The design keeps the trademark Hoka rocker with a very beveled heel where the curve starts early, and even earlier in the forefoot. The warp-knit single-layer upper aims to recapture the glove-like fit of the Rocket X 2, and the winged and forked carbon plate remains sandwiched between the two foam layers, now with improved outsole rubber that is hoped to retain the slightly tacky feel of the X2.

The main hesitation is the raised drop. The Rocket X 2’s 5mm drop worked well, and the X2 was a durable, fun winter option whose thin, flexible upper resisted moisture. The X2 also left a little compression on the table, with foam cut away at the rear, so the added stack should address that. Early verdict: a tentative yay, pending more reviews to confirm how the new stack changes the ride. Expected price: £219.

Overall Buying Advice

Budget matters here. The Takumi Sen 11 and Hyperion Max 3 sit at £170, the Rocket X 3 at £219, and the Prime X 3 Strung at £220, so very few runners will buy all four. If you want a lightweight race-day shoe, the Sen 11 is the safest immediate pick, especially with discounts available. If you want a versatile, cushioned speed trainer, the Hyperion Max 3 is the most accessible. The Prime X 3 Strung suits runners chasing maximum stack for racing, while the Rocket X 3 is the patient pick for Hoka fans willing to wait for fuller impressions.

Conclusion

Three confident yays and one tentative yay: the Hyperion Max 3, Takumi Sen 11, and Prime X 3 Strung all earn an enthusiastic early verdict, while the Rocket X 3 stays on the watchlist until its altered midsole stack is proven. Match the shoe to your race goals and budget, and any of these could be a smart summer purchase.