Craft CTM Carbon Ultra Race Rebel Review: A Carbon Racer That Struggles to Justify Its Price

Introduction

The Craft CTM Carbon Ultra Race Rebel is a long-distance racing shoe from Sweden, developed in collaboration with ultra runner Tommy Rivs. The name is a mouthful, and so is the story behind it: the printed graphics on the upper are a nod to Rivs, who helped shape the shoe alongside Craft’s design team.

On paper, this looks like a serious race day contender. It has an ultra-light engineered mesh upper, an EVA-based midsole Craft calls UD Foam Pro, and a carbon plate tucked inside. But the ride and the price tell a more complicated story, and that is what this review digs into.

Upper: Ultra-Light Mesh With Minimal Structure

The upper is a very thin, ultra-breathable engineered mesh. There is very little structure to it, with just a couple of small padded pillows in the heel cup. For a racing shoe, breathability and lightness are exactly what you want, and this delivers on both counts.

It does not have a gusseted tongue. Instead, you get a thin, stretchy, perforated sponge-style tongue that is susceptible to folding over and bunching. It was not a dealbreaker in testing, but it is a detail worth knowing before you buy. The toe box also runs wide in the front, which some testers found hard to lock down regardless of lacing adjustments.

Midsole and Plate: EVA Foam With a Carbon Plate Inside

The midsole is Craft’s UD Foam Pro, which is an EVA-based compound rather than the nitrogen-infused super foams many rivals use. Yes, there is a carbon plate inside, and Craft earns some credit for printing the specs directly on the side of the shoe so consumers know exactly what they are getting.

The geometry is where the shoe’s character lives. The sculpted toe spring and rocker shape create a pivoting feel through the stride, but that comes from the shape rather than from energy return in the foam or the plate.

Outsole and Grip

The outsole is a standard rubber layout with decent coverage and good grip. It is a noticeable step away from last year’s Carbon Ultra, which had a more aggressive, teeth-like tread aimed at road-to-trail ultras. This racer keeps things simple and road-focused.

On the Road: Firm, Flat, and Lacking Pop

This is where the shoe stumbles. The ride is firm. Cushioning is not bad, but it lacks the balance and pop expected from a race day shoe. The energy you feel comes from the geometry, not from a lively midsole or an engaging plate.

In tiered comparisons, it landed closest to the 361 Flame and somewhere between the first and second Brooks Hyperion Elite. It does not sit on the top tier with shoes like the Nike Vaporfly or Alphafly, the Asics Metaspeed Sky, the Saucony Endorphin Pro-style elite racers, or the Adidas Pro-style super shoes.

One tester ran everything from easy miles to strides and faster pickups and never found a sweet spot. The upper felt too wide up front and too unstructured, and the whole package simply did not fit.

Weight and Price

For a men’s US 10.5, the shoe weighs about 8.5 ounces or 240 grams. The price is $250, and that is where the math gets uncomfortable. An EVA-based midsole at a $250 race price is a hard sell when rivals at similar or lower prices use livelier foams. At closer to a high-end daily trainer price, there would be more grace for the firmness.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Buy It

If you love Craft as a brand, appreciate clean all-black designs, or are a Tommy Rivs fan, there is real appeal here, and the shoe has sold out on Craft’s own site. If you just want the fastest possible race day shoe for your money, this is not the one.

Buying Advice

Skip this if you are chasing a top-tier race day experience. Consider it only if you specifically want a Craft racer, value the blackout aesthetic, or find it discounted enough to soften the price-to-performance gap. Fans of the brand should hope Craft takes the feedback and refines the next version.

Conclusion

The Craft CTM Carbon Ultra Race Rebel gets a lot right on paper: an ultra-light breathable upper, clear labeling of its specs, a carbon plate, and a distinctive collaboration story. But a firm ride, a loose wide forefoot, and a $250 price tag put it below the shoes it is trying to compete with. For most runners, there are better ways to spend that race day budget.