Top 3 Road Running Shoes of 2021: Our Picks for Speed and Daily Miles

Introduction

Picking just three pairs from a full year of running shoes is never easy, but these three earned their spots through versatility, comfort, and raw speed. Two of them are lightweight, responsive trainers that can handle almost any session, while the third is built for one thing only: out-and-out performance over distance.

Third Place: Saucony Endorphin Speed 2

The Endorphin Speed 2 received only a subtle update over its predecessor, mostly to the upper construction, and it runs very similarly to the original version that was so widely loved. That is good news for anyone who made the original a staple of their rotation.

The PWRRUN PB midsole is the highlight here: it is genuinely comfortable underfoot while still giving plenty of rebound and propulsion. Paired with Saucony’s Speedroll rocker geometry, the shoe feels efficient over distance and lively when you up the tempo in speed or interval sessions. At 244 grams it stays light, yet there is real substance to the fit, with good support around the heel cup and comfortable padding in the gusseted tongue.

The standout design choice is the TPU plate rather than a carbon fiber plate. Compared with its carbon-plated sibling, the Endorphin Pro, the midsole is more flexible, which makes the Speed 2 far more versatile. It excels in tempo, speed, and interval work but also doubles up as a quick race day shoe for fast 5Ks or a full road marathon.

The main drawback? It is genuinely hard to run slowly in this shoe. If you want one pair to handle every session of the week, easy recovery runs have a habit of turning into tempo efforts. That speed-first personality is why it lands in third place, even though it was very close behind the runner-up.

Runner-up: New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2

The FuelCell Rebel v2 is a super lightweight neutral daily trainer, and it earned its place through sheer likeability. At just 221 grams in a men’s UK 10, it is remarkably light for a daily trainer, and the upper is one of the best fitting and most comfortable around. There is solid midfoot hold despite a non-gusseted tongue, good lockdown at the heel, and an overall feel that is light and airy on longer miles.

The FuelCell midsole compound is equally light, so the shoe feels superbly balanced while still remaining comfortable on longer weekly runs. And even without a plate in the midsole, the Rebel v2 springs to life at faster paces, feeling remarkably close to more expensive super shoes. At around £120 it is great value, and older colorways have been found for as little as £95, which is hard to beat for a shoe this versatile.

If you could only pick one shoe for all your road running, from recovery runs to intervals to race day, this would be a very defensible choice. One caveat: heel strikers or runners who prefer structured shoes may find it unstable. It is very flexible with minimal structure and a soft compound, so it suits neutral runners with a midfoot or forefoot strike.

Winner: Nike Vaporfly Next% 2

The Nike Vaporfly Next% 2 is built for one thing and one thing only: out-and-out speed and performance over distance. After a bad experience with the Alphafly, which felt too extreme and unstable around corners, expectations were cautious here. The Vaporfly Next% 2 turned out to be a revelation by comparison: it still feels like a running shoe, just an extremely quick one. No relearning how to run, no wide racing lines around every bend, and noticeably more stable underfoot.

The updated upper wraps the foot nicely and is super breathable, to the point you can feel air moving through it while running. The thin, non-gusseted tongue gets just enough padding at the top where the laces cinch down, and zonal padding pods around the heel cup keep the back end locked in. The laces deserve special mention: fine notches along their length hold tension so the midfoot lockdown stays put without loosening mid-run.

The midsole pairs ZoomX foam with a full-length carbon plate, delivering plush comfort underfoot while returning serious energy when the pace climbs. It is a genuinely thrilling race day package, arguably the most exciting running shoe of the year. The main warning is fit: the midfoot and heel are very narrow, forefoot width is limited, and even with Nike adding volume over the original version, wide-footed runners may struggle.

Honorable Mentions

Two shoes just missed the cut. The ASICS Noosa Tri 13 was another great value, versatile road shoe, edged out narrowly by the Endorphin Speed 2. The ASICS MetaSpeed Sky, another carbon-plated racer, also came very close, though it saw less mileage because the Vaporfly Next% 2 kept getting picked first for race pace work.

Overall Buying Advice

These three shoes cover different needs. If you want a single versatile shoe for mixed sessions, the FuelCell Rebel v2 is the strongest all-rounder. If your training revolves around tempo and interval work with occasional racing, the Endorphin Speed 2 balances performance and comfort brilliantly thanks to its flexible TPU plate. And if you are targeting fast half marathons or marathons and have a narrower foot, the Vaporfly Next% 2 is the outright performance pick. Matching the shoe to your gait and goals matters more than any spec sheet.

Conclusion

All three of these shoes share that rare quality of feeling special from the first run: the Rebel v2 for effortless lightness, the Endorphin Speed 2 for versatile speed, and the Vaporfly Next% 2 for pure race day performance. Whichever fits your running best, each one is a confident pick for the year ahead.