Best Non-Plated Lightweight Tempo Trainers 2024: 8 Shoes Worth Knowing

Introduction

The non-plated lightweight tempo trainer has quietly become one of the most interesting categories in running. As stack heights have climbed and plates have appeared in more everyday trainers, this segment still offers something valuable: a light shoe with a low stack, real ground feel, and the chance to let your legs do more of the work.

Why This Category Still Matters

Running in lighter, lower, non-plated shoes can help strengthen the fast-twitch and stabilizing muscles that plated, heavily cushioned shoes tend to buffer. For many runners, mixing a shoe like this into the rotation rounds out their overall profile as an endurance athlete.

The shoes on this list all share three traits: a sub-9 oz weight (most below 8.5 oz, some below 8 oz), heel stack under 36 mm, and no plate of any kind. Together they cover a wide range of personalities, from old-school ground feel to modern super-foam speed.

Saucony Kinvara 15

The Kinvara 15 is the original in this category and the longest-running series in the non-plated lightweight trainer segment. It started life as the minimalist shoe that brought a lightweight, barefoot-adjacent feel to the masses, and while stack height has crept up over recent generations, it still delivers a lighter, closer-to-the-ground ride. It is also the lone holdout here still using standard EVA, so if you liked the rides of past Kinvaras, this remains true to them.

The 15 shifts toward a daily-trainer style with the ride moving toward Power+ foam and a more padded upper. Weight stays at 7 oz and price holds at $120. Worth noting: the Kinvara 14 has already been seen on sale for around $60, so if you are not chasing the latest version, picking up the previous model on discount is a smart move.

Topo Spectre 2

The Topo Spectre 2 sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Kinvara. It uses a 100% PEBA midsole, the same class of foam that makes plated super shoes feel bouncy and energy-returning, but without a plate. Topo is building on the success of its Cyclone and positioning this as a shoe designed to take on plated models like the Boston 12 and Mach X, only with more freedom in the ride.

The pitch is simple: one shoe that can do it all. Warmups, cooldowns, long runs, and any type of workout. If you prefer to manage a small rotation of one or two shoes, this is a strong candidate, and newer runners who do not want to race in a plated shoe could even use it as a race day option. Specs: 7.6 oz, 37 mm heel, 32 mm forefoot, 5 mm drop, $165, arriving in August 2024, an unusually low price for a 100% PEBA shoe.

Hoka Mach 6

The Mach 6 follows a Hoka Mach 5 that delivered a lightweight, soft, cushioned ride with a nice rocker profile, though many runners found the outsole durability lacking. For version six, Hoka is adding rubber outsole pods and moving to a midsole combining a top layer of Profly with supercritical EVA over a bottom layer of firmer standard EVA.

The stack matches the Topo Spectre at 37 mm heel and 32 mm forefoot with a 5 mm drop, and weight goes up slightly to 8.2 oz for a US men’s size 9. The added rubber should bring more protection underfoot for that softer foam layer.

Brooks Hyperion 2

Brooks is splitting its lineup here. The Hyperion Max 2 gets a plate, softer foam, and a push toward the plated trainer category, while the Hyperion 2 takes over as the brand’s lightweight, non-plated, flexible fast trainer. The current Hyperion sits at 22 mm heel and 14 mm forefoot; the 2 climbs to 26 mm and 18 mm for an 8 mm drop, with softer DNA Flash V2 foam promising a more cushioned ride.

The main criticism of the current generation is that the foam is very firm, to the point where the shoe only really feels alive at fast paces. The Hyperion 2 looks aimed at fixing exactly that, making the shoe friendlier across a range of paces. Expect it to drop in summer.

Adidas Adios 9

The Adios 9 moves to a full 100% Lightstrike Pro midsole, stepping away from the dual-foam construction of the Adios 8, which paired standard EVA in the heel with supercritical Lightstrike Pro in the forefoot. With no plate, this promises a fast, fun ride, almost like a non-plated version of the Takumi Sen, a standout short-distance speed shoe that does use energy rods.

This also fills a gap in the Adidas rotation, which currently has no non-plated Lightstrike Pro shoe. Keep in mind that detailed footage and full specs are still scarce, so treat early impressions as preliminary.

New Balance Rebel V4

The Rebel V3 was widely considered a standout shoe of its year, praised for its low stack, ground feel, and extremely flexible platform that encouraged a natural stride. The Rebel V4 changes the spirit of the shoe somewhat: stack height goes up and the FuelCell blend of supercritical TPU and EVA gives way to a PEBA-based foam.

That modernization brings more cushioning, more energy return, and a wider platform, but it nudges the shoe closer to where the broader market is heading. It remains a fast, non-plated option, just one that trades some of the old Rebel’s raw ground feel for a plusher, more contemporary ride.

Nike Pegasus Turbo 4

Nike has confirmed the Pegasus Turbo 4 is coming, and leaked images suggest it will use a 100% ZoomX midsole with no plate, which keeps it eligible for this lineup. The intent is a return to the spirit of the earlier Pegasus Turbo shoes: a lower-to-the-ground, simple, fun and responsive ride that can still handle regular daily training.

The positioning is a hybrid between a daily trainer and a workout shoe, aimed at being versatile and enjoyable for a broad range of runners. Specs, release date, and pricing have not been announced yet, so watch this space.

New Balance Fresh Foam Balos

The Fresh Foam Balos is a hybrid daily trainer and tempo shoe that sits just under the 36 mm threshold with a 33 mm heel stack. Its giant rocker geometry creates the illusion of far more stack than is actually there. It is New Balance’s first Fresh Foam shoe to incorporate PEBA into the midsole, which gives it a more energetic ride than the 1080 or 880 while keeping a cushioned feel from the EVA blend.

Think of it as a stripped-down option for everyday miles of roughly 8 to 12, where you want the freedom to pick up the pace or throw in strides. It looks competitive for runners who want energy without a plate. The one drawback is the $200 price, which is steep for a non-plated shoe.

What’s Still to Come

Two more shoes in this space remain under wraps. The Superblast 2 had been shown only to retail partners and select media, with no public details. Asics also has not shared information on it broadly. Meanwhile, Ultra is spotlighting the Vanish Carbon 2 and its plated trail racer, leaving the Vanish Tempo 2 without confirmed details, though it is believed to arrive in 2024. Keep an eye out for news on both over the coming months.

Conclusion

This category is alive and well. Whether you want the classic ground feel of the Kinvara 15, the PEBA-powered do-it-all ride of the Topo Spectre 2, the durable refresh of the Hoka Mach 6, or the energetic rocker of the Fresh Foam Balos, there is a non-plated tempo trainer here for almost every kind of runner. Pick the one that matches your rotation and let your legs do a little more of the work.