Four Running Shoe Releases: Which Are Worth Your Money?

Introduction

A fresh batch of releases has landed, and it is a mixed one: an ultra-premium spray-on racing shoe from On, a strange recovery collaboration between Nike and Hyperice, a weatherized Puma trainer built for grim winter conditions, and an early look at the next Saucony Endorphin Pro. Here is how each stacks up and who each one actually makes sense for.

On Cloudboom Strike LightSpray

The Cloudboom Strike LightSpray is finally available to buy, though at a substantial cost: around £310. The upper uses a 1.5 km thread spun into a seamless, boot-like fit, which means sizing has to be absolutely nailed on. Even a slight mismatch and the shoe can slip around. Getting it on foot is also famously difficult, and with many people having one foot slightly larger than the other, that sealed fit can become a real problem.

The midsole and outsole sit close to the standard Cloudboom Strike, with more CloudTec-style cutouts and a much lower weight: around 170 g for the sample size versus 219 g for the standard version. The outsole rubber spread is slightly shallower, and the whole design has been minimized to make the shoe lighter and quicker.

The issue is simple: at this price, it only appeals to a very particular buyer. If you want to try an On race shoe, the standard Cloudboom Strike is now discounted to around £180 and remains the better-value route.

Nike x Hyperice Hyperboot

The Hyperboot is a recovery shoe rather than a running shoe. It warms your feet and provides compression around them, aiming to help you relax while standing, walking, or traveling. It is an intriguing idea on paper, but the execution raises questions: the battery lasts only about one to one and a half hours, and in the UK it costs around £700.

Nike supplies only a 60-day warranty, with the rest handled by Hyperice. For a product positioned around recovery and comfort, that is a short safety net, and the sheer price puts it firmly in hype territory rather than essential kit.

For most runners, the money is far better spent on a great pair of racing or training shoes. This one is a curiosity, not a recommendation.

Puma Deviate Nitro 3 WTR+

Puma is about to launch a weatherized version of the Deviate Nitro 3, priced at roughly the same level as the standard version. The water-repellent build features a guard-like sheath across the top of the foot, with the standard lacing replaced by a toggle system that locks the shoe around your foot and helps keep moisture out.

Aside from the new upper, the midsole and outsole remain largely unchanged from the standard V3. That makes this a genuinely practical winter option for runners in wet climates like the UK, where keeping feet dry and warm can be the difference between getting out the door and skipping the run. In dry regions it is likely overkill.

Of the four releases here, this is probably the most usable day to day. If the standard Deviate Nitro 3 already works for you, the WTR+ could be an easy pickup for the winter months.

Saucony Endorphin Pro 5

A sneaky early look at the Endorphin Pro 5 shows quite a shakeup from the last version. Foam has been carved out around the heel area, while the sidewall, particularly on the lateral side, is slightly more pronounced. The PowerRun HG layer stays directly under the foot, and the outsole gains rubber similar to that used on the Endorphin Elite 2, another shoe that has been climbing the rankings lately.

There is also visible cut-out foam in the forefoot area, which invites speculation about what might be hiding underneath. Whatever the answer, the overall direction is clear: more foam removed and weight stripped out, in line with the current race shoe trend of dropping below 200 g.

Do not expect it until around February 2026, but this looks like a considered design change rather than change for the sake of it. Consider it one to watch when it lands.

Buying Advice

With a budget in mind: skip the Hyperboot unless heated compression boots genuinely fit your recovery routine, and think hard before spending £310 on the LightSpray when the standard Cloudboom Strike offers a similar experience for far less. The Puma Deviate Nitro 3 WTR+ is the sensible everyday pick for wet-weather runners, and the Endorphin Pro 5 is worth waiting for if you are shopping for a new race shoe early next year.

Conclusion

Four releases, four very different propositions. The LightSpray is innovative but hard to justify, the Hyperboot is an expensive curiosity, the Puma WTR+ is the most practical of the bunch for winter training, and the Endorphin Pro 5 looks like the most exciting future release. Match the shoe to your actual needs and the decision gets a lot easier.