Craft Running Shoes 2024: Explorer Hybrid, Pacer, and Endur 2 Compared

Introduction

Craft has been steadily expanding its running footprint, and its 2024 lineup covers a surprisingly wide range: a road-to-trail hybrid built around an unusual outsole partnership, an ultralight easy-mile trainer, and a refined update to one of its established performance models. Here is how the three stack up.

Craft Explorer Hybrid

The Explorer Hybrid is the most distinctive of the three, and the headline feature is its outsole collaboration with Vittoria, the tire brand best known in cycling and gravel riding. The pitch is simple: a tire-grade compound that is genuinely durable while still staying sticky, with added elements for wet traction and looser mud or dirt. Given Vittoria’s reputation for long-lasting rubber, that outsole story is the core of this shoe.

Underfoot, the midsole uses steamed TPEE beads at 38 mm in the heel and 32 mm in the toe, landing in that 6 mm drop sweet spot with a soft, bouncy feel. The upper is a two-layer engineered mesh with TPU overlays for protection on the inside.

Craft designed this one with the “gravel bike shoe” story in mind: a road-to-trail option with lugs that are not super deep, a slightly wider base, and relaxed geometry that makes it an easy shoe to roll along in for a bunch of miles. It is positioned as a lighter-trail, all-arounder rather than a technical trail racer. It is priced at $140 and slated for a spring 2024 release.

Craft Pacer

The Pacer shares the same steamed TPEE bead foam as the Explorer Hybrid, with a 38 mm heel and 32 mm forefoot for a 6 mm drop, but it is aimed squarely at the road. Rubber covers the high-abrasion areas while much of the midsole stays exposed to keep weight down, and the whole shoe comes in around 8 oz with a slipper-like feel.

That weight makes it versatile: you can push the pace in it, but the real appeal is as a soft, fun, easy-mile shoe that makes daily runs feel effortless. With its neon tortoise shell styling, it has a look that stands out too.

At $135 with the same spring 2024 window, the Pacer is the pick for runners who want one comfortable lightweight shoe that can cruise daily miles and still handle quicker efforts.

Craft Endur 2

The Endur 2 is the most conservative of the three: rather than a ground-up redesign, it is an update to the previous Pro Endur focused on the upper. The fit has been dialed in, the lacing system has been adjusted where needed, and the mesh on the inside is a little softer for more comfort while keeping the shoe locked down.

If the previous version fit you well but you wanted a touch more comfort or a better lockdown from the lacing, this update addresses exactly that.

Which Craft Shoe Should You Buy?

Choose the Explorer Hybrid if your runs mix road and light trail and you value outsole durability and traction above all. Choose the Pacer if you want an ultralight, comfortable daily trainer that can still pick up the pace. Choose the Endur 2 if you liked the original and want a more comfortable, better-locked-down upper.

Conclusion

Craft’s 2024 range gives runners three clearly differentiated options: a gravel-inspired road-to-trail hybrid with a standout Vittoria outsole, an 8 oz soft-and-light road trainer, and a comfort-focused upper update to an established performance shoe. Matching the shoe to your typical terrain and daily mileage should make the choice straightforward.