Four Forthcoming Running Shoes Worth Watching: Adidas, Hoka, New Balance and Nike

Introduction

A fresh wave of daily and all-round trainers is on the way, and four of them stand out for different reasons. The Adidas Hyperboost Edge looks like a genuine reinvention of the Boost line, the Hoka Mach X 7 aims straight at the light trainer segment, the New Balance Elipace targets the do-everything crowd, and the Nike Pegasus 42 finally brings back a full-length air unit. Here is how they compare and who each one makes sense for.

Adidas Hyperboost Edge

The Hyperboost Edge moves away from Light Boost toward a PEBA pellet-based midsole material, which is the same family of foam that gives the Saucony Endorphin series its character. Early impressions suggest strong energy return, comparable to PWRRUN PB. The stack is 45 mm at the heel and 39 mm at the forefoot for a 6 mm drop, a configuration that slots it into a busy category alongside shoes like the Vomero Plus, Superblast 3 and Megablast.

Where it differentiates is weight and versatility. At around 247 g (8.7 oz) in the sample size, it is noticeably lighter than the Nike Vomero Plus at 289 g, which should make it the more versatile option of the two, even though it is expected to cost more. The Superblast and Megablast remain lighter still, but the full-length Lightstrike outsole gives this shoe an interesting balance of pros and cons against its rivals. It should also feel a touch more stable than the narrower Evo SL, which uses Lightstrike Pro. The main caveat so far is the upper, which has not impressed everyone.

If the reimagined Boost can carry the line back into the conversation, this is an easy pick.

Hoka Mach X 7

Hoka’s new Mach X 7 brings 37 mm of heel stack in a light package of roughly 237 g for the sample size, putting it right in Evo SL territory and making it a very direct competitor across the specs. The midsole uses a supercritical EVA foam, apparently nitrogen-infused for extra squish and airiness, and Hoka’s recent sticky rubber outsoles have been a genuine strength across its newer models.

The upper is refreshingly simple: normal eyelets, a normal lace loop on the tongue, and a decent tongue length, which matters if you use a runner’s knot. It carries a slightly higher price than comparable European shoes, though not by much. For anyone who loved the Evo SL’s weight and wants an alternative with Hoka’s ride character, this is one of the more promising launches of the bunch.

New Balance Elipace

The New Balance Elipace is positioned as a daily operator: 273 g, an 8 mm drop and plenty of outsole rubber, with 38 mm of stack at the heel and 30 mm at the forefoot. It uses Fresh Foam, which reads a bit like the old 1080 formula now offered at a lower price point of around £129.

That is exactly where the problem sits for performance-focused runners. At the same price, the far lighter Evo SL (224 g in its sample size) likely delivers better performance. The Elipace makes sense for a specific kind of buyer: someone who wants a denser, more stable cushion without pronounced energy return, and one shoe that can cover daily running, lifestyle wear and gym sessions. If that sounds like you, it is worth a look. If you already own shoes that fill those roles, there is little here to switch for.

Nike Pegasus 42

The Pegasus 42 has a firm April launch window in the UK, though a US delay would not be unusual. The headline change is the return of a full-length air Zoom unit, a setup associated with the best versions of the line, the Pegasus 35 and 36. For a middle-of-the-road shoe that still uses air, this is the right call.

The carrier foam is a slightly softer version of ReactX, curved in nature, so the airbag may respond a bit differently, not unlike a strobel unit in some Nike basketball shoes. Nike has also widened the toe box by updating the last, which should help runners who found previous Pegagus models narrow up front. At around £129, it sticks to a familiar price, and its biggest practical advantage remains availability: you can walk into a store in the UK and buy a pair, which is not true of many rivals. Long-standing reader requests to keep assessing the Pegasus line make this an easy pick as soon as it lands.

Buying Advice

If you want the most versatile performance trainer of the four, the Hyperboost Edge has the strongest case on paper. If weight is the priority and you liked the Evo SL, the Mach X 7 is built for you. The Elipace suits a one-shoe-does-all lifestyle, while the Pegasus 42 is the safe, widely available all-rounder with a welcome return to its classic formula.

Conclusion

Three yays and one nay, then: the Hyperboost Edge, Mach X 7 and Pegasus 42 all earn a spot on the review list, while the Elipace is easy to pass on unless the stable, denser ride is exactly what you are shopping for. It will be interesting to see whether any of them can disrupt a market that the Evo SL currently dominates.