Most Anticipated Running Shoes of 2022: 15 Releases Worth Waiting For

Introduction

Some years in running feel quiet. This is not one of them. Across road, trail, and track, nearly every major brand has a release worth circling on the calendar this year. Here are the upcoming shoes we are most excited to see land on feet, from max-cushion daily trainers to some of the fastest race-day machines ever built.

New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trainer

New Balance is building its year around the FuelCell midsole foam, and the SuperComp line is the centerpiece. The SuperComp Trainer is a very high-stack daily trainer, so high that it is not legal for actual races, but that is exactly the point for runners chasing big miles in maximum comfort. If you are targeting something like a mid-three-hour marathon and want a training partner that still feels fast, this one deserves a spot on your watch list.

New Balance FuelCell Pacer

The FuelCell Pacer is New Balance’s short-distance competition shoe, aimed squarely at 5K and 10K racing. It comes with a full plate and positions itself against the quickest short-race options on the market. It is expected to arrive around May, though that timing could shift.

New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3

The race-day shoe of the trio replaces the RC Elite, and the design work is intriguing: the foam is split down the middle at the heel, which adds a touch of stability on landing and helps load the plate to push you forward. New Balance says it will be genuinely fast, and the early look backs that up. If you race anything from a half marathon up, keep this one near the top of your list.

New Balance Fresh Foam More v4

The Fresh Foam More v4 continues a line that already earned top marks as a max-cushion shoe in its previous version. Early testers report it is better than the More v3, which is high praise for a shoe that already set the bar. If plush, easy miles are your thing, expect this one to keep the streak alive.

Puma Fast Star

Puma returned to running with real momentum, and the Fast Star is the shoe we are most curious about. It pairs a cushioned Nitro foam up front with a carbon plate in the middle and a firmer heel, producing a comfortable landing with a springy toe-off. Early wear testing has been positive, and the design looks sharp.

Saucony Endorphin Pro 3

Saucony’s Endorphin series remains top-tier, and the Pro 3 gets a full revamp. It keeps the PWRRUN PB midsole but nearly doubles the foam: 39.5mm at the heel and 31.5mm at the toe, pushing right up against the legal stack limit. The upper gets a truer race fit, and early sightings on elite runners suggest it has the extra cushioning the original lacked. At $225 it sits in line with other super-shoe pricing, and the durable PWRRUN PB foam should reward you with plenty of miles.

Asics Novablast 3

The Novablast 2 was already a favorite daily trainer, and the Novablast 3 moves the entire midsole to FF Blast Plus foam for more energy return and a springier ride. That foam first appeared in the Nimbus 24 and immediately impressed. Some early chatter goes as far as calling it the best Asics shoe ever made, which is lofty, but the trajectory is real.

Asics Meta Speed Sky 2

Still a favorite racing shoe for many testers, the Meta Speed Sky gets an update focused on softness and bounce. Asics is adding more foam underfoot and moving the plate slightly further from the foot up front for a softer feel, while widening the plate because more plate loading gave athletes more forward spring. It is expected around early summer. One caveat: if you loved the firmer feel of the original, the softer ride may take some adjusting.

Altra Mont Blanc Boa

Altra’s designs have come a long way, and the Mont Blanc Boa may be the trail shoe of the year to watch. It uses dual-dial Boa closures for excellent lockdown, a seamless gusseted fit, and an aggressive trail package. At $215 it is not cheap, but it is more accessible than some of its Boa-equipped rivals, and the fit of the Mont Blanc line has been widely praised. Even if you are lukewarm on zero-drop shoes, this one belongs on your radar. It is expected around May.

Hoka Mafate Speed 2

The Mafate Speed 2 has already been tested by reviewers who keep coming back to it, and the release is still ahead. It reverses the layout of the Mafate Speed: EVA sits closest to the foot for a soft feel, with lighter supercritical foam toward the bottom for balance. Dual plates act almost like independent suspension, and the lugs are not overly deep, so it transitions well on lighter terrain. On technical ground it is less commanding, but on everything else it is a genuine nugget that can go the distance. It arrives in May at $200.

Brooks Hyperion Elite 3

Brooks took the wraps off the Hyperion Elite 3, and while details are still emerging, it stays in the conversation as the brand’s flagship racer. If the improvements track with what Brooks has done elsewhere in the lineup, it should be a meaningful step forward.

Brooks Glycerin

Some may raise an eyebrow at a max-cushion trainer making an anticipated list, but the new Glycerin earns it. Brooks moves its DNA Loft v3 supercritical foam midsole, already loved in the Aurora BL, into the mainstream Glycerin. Add Brooks’ reliably well-fitting uppers and you have a serious cushioned daily trainer. If you need stability, a GTS version is coming too.

Salomon Glide Max

Salomon is rarely mentioned for plush comfort, but the Glide Max changes that. Built as the brand’s answer to the max-cushion movement, it uses an Energy Surge midsole with a 38mm heel stack and 29mm at the toe, numbers that are wild for Salomon. It sits on the same wider last as the excellent Ultra Glide, which should finally open the brand up to runners who found the usual narrow European cut too snug. The colorways look great too.

On Cloudmonster

On has built its reputation on firm, responsive rides, but the Cloudmonster is the brand’s first true max-cushion shoe. It stacks layers of On’s Cloud technology underfoot, promising the soft ride the brand has never really offered. The look is bold, and if the weight stays reasonable, this could convert a lot of skeptics. Details are still thin, so expectations stay cautiously high.

Nike Alphafly 2

The Alphafly set a standard for race-day performance, helping runners to personal bests across marathons and beyond, and the Alphafly 2 is its successor. Early prototypes show a bit of foam added under the bubble, which could smooth the transition through the stride. The original was already one of the most interesting feats of running engineering, with legs feeling remarkably fresh in recovery, so the hope is that Nike refines rather than reinvents. Expect it later this year, and expect it to sell out fast: when the Street Flight went up for sale, stock disappeared in under a minute.

Overall Buying Advice

Match the shoe to the job. For race day, look at the Alphafly 2, FuelCell SuperComp Elite v3, Meta Speed Sky 2, and Endorphin Pro 3. For daily miles, the Novablast 3, Glycerin, SuperComp Trainer, and Glide Max cover plush-to-springy preferences. For trails, the Mont Blanc Boa and Mafate Speed 2 are the standout arrivals. Timing matters too: many of these land between May and fall, so patience may pay off.

Conclusion

This year’s slate is unusually strong, with meaningful updates to proven favorites and a few genuinely new directions like On’s first max-cushion shoe and Salomon’s move into soft comfort. Whichever category you run in, there is likely something here worth the wait.