Race-Tested Running Gear 2026: Three Picks Worth a Look

Introduction

Sometimes the most useful gear test is the one that goes wrong. A wet, windy 10K on the Brighton seafront is nobody’s idea of PB conditions, but it is exactly the kind of day that shows you what your shoes and watch can really do. Three products came along for this one: the New Balance SC Elite V3, the Coros Apex 2 Pro, and the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3, a shoe that has already proven itself over multiple distances.

A Tough Day for a 10K

The race in question is a simple, flat two-lap course along a wide coastal promenade: roughly two and a half kilometres out in a straight line, turn, come back, and repeat. In good weather it is close to a perfect 10K venue. There is plenty of room to run, the surface is fast, and the sea makes for a pleasant backdrop.

The catch is the wind. Coastal routes like this, including the nearby Brighton Marathon and half marathon courses, are notorious for it, and on this day it arrived with heavy rain. Any hope of a sub-38:18 PB evaporated quickly, and the run finished at 40:14 instead. Even so, the event itself was well organised with good marshalling, and at around 15 pounds it is one of the better-value 10Ks around. No medal, but a flat, cheap, potentially very fast course if you can find a day with zero breeze.

New Balance SC Elite V3

The SC Elite V3 is a clear step forward from its predecessor. The RC Elite V2 was comfortable but so soft that it felt like it was absorbing more energy than it gave back, deadening the run at speed. The V3 fixes much of that: the midsole is firmer, more propulsive, and the whole shoe feels lighter and faster on the foot.

Around steady paces of roughly 4:45 to 5:00 per kilometre, it has been genuinely enjoyable, and at race effort it stays cushioned and bouncy while feeling far more responsive than the V2. The fair caveat: compared with the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 or the Nike Vaporfly, the foam reads a touch denser and the shoe does not feel quite as light or lively. It is still firmly among the premium options for racing fast, and easily the most impressive New Balance racing shoe yet, but faster-feeling rivals exist.

For runners who found earlier New Balance racers too mushy, this is the one that finally gets the balance right.

Coros Apex 2 Pro

The Apex 2 Pro builds on the earlier Apex Pro with a batch of new features and updated GPS functionality. On a straight out-and-back 10K with no tall buildings to interfere, the GPS still measured about 70 metres long, so while accuracy has improved, it is not flawless. Pace also lagged slightly behind a Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, taking a moment to catch up with changes in speed.

Away from the data, the watch is a pleasant companion. It is lightweight and comfortable enough to forget about on the wrist, and the default data screens just need a few minutes in the app to be set up properly, with fields like pace, adjusted pace, and distance arranged on one screen. Anyone coming from another watch brand should also expect a short learning curve with the button layout, which is normal when switching systems.

Saucony Endorphin Pro 3

The Endorphin Pro 3 earns its place here on results. Every recent personal best, across distances up to the Chicago marathon, has been set in this shoe, and it remains the fastest-feeling option in this comparison. Its midsole feels lighter and bouncier than the SC Elite V3’s, with a lively, propulsive ride that keeps rewarding hard efforts.

The only blemish on its record is environmental rather than mechanical: a windy 10K at Littlehampton sapped too much energy to break the 10K PB, and the same story repeated on the coast this time. In fair conditions, it is the shoe that keeps delivering fast times.

Buying Advice

Match the gear to the job. If you want a cushioned, comfortable racer that has finally shed the deadening softness of its predecessor, the SC Elite V3 is a very good choice. If you want the lightest, bounciest ride for chasing PBs, the Endorphin Pro 3 remains the proven pick. And if you are after a comfortable, lightweight GPS watch with strong battery life and customizable data screens, the Apex 2 Pro makes sense, with the caveat that GPS precision still has a little room to improve.

Whichever way you lean, none of these choices will hold you back. The bigger variable, as this windy 10K proved, is usually the weather rather than the kit.

Conclusion

A miserable race day still produced useful answers. The New Balance SC Elite V3 is a genuine leap forward and a comfortable, responsive racer, the Coros Apex 2 Pro is a comfortable and capable watch with slightly imperfect GPS, and the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 continues to be the fastest shoe in the rotation. On a calmer day, any of the three would be pleasant company on a flat seafront course with a PB on the line.