Running Shoes to Watch in 2024: 12 Trainers and Racers Worth Knowing About

Introduction

Every running season brings a wave of updates, and this one is no exception. Some of the shoes below are already available and proving themselves on daily runs, while others are expected follow-ups we are watching closely based on each line’s release rhythm. Either way, these twelve models cover the full range: cushioned daily trainers, carbon-plated racers, trail workhorses, and max-cushion recovery shoes.

Cushioned Daily Trainers

Brooks Ghost 16

The Ghost 16 is the update many runners have been waiting for. The big change is the addition of DNA Loft v3 foam, previously seen in the Glycerin 21, and it makes a noticeable difference. The shoe keeps the familiar Ghost experience but feels more enjoyable and a little livelier underfoot, with good balance and a comfortable, smooth ride.

What stands out most is the price. With many daily trainers creeping upward in cost, the Ghost 16 stays affordable while feeling more polished than its predecessors. Early impressions suggest it will not alienate longtime Ghost fans, and it may well win over runners who previously found the line forgettable.

Race Day and Fast Training Shoes

Under Armour Velociti Elite 2

The original Velociti Elite was a polarizing super shoe, and the second version improves on it meaningfully. It has good energy and an interesting ride, but it leans heavily on a pronounced rocker for propulsion rather than the springy foam feel you get from the leading super shoes.

The ride can feel slightly awkward when landing flatter on the foot, almost as if there is a knot of foam under the ball of the foot that only disappears once you are up on your toes. It is a competent, enjoyable shoe, but it has not yet made the leap to the very top tier.

Hoka Rocket X3

The Rocket X3 has earned fans thanks to a direct, punchy ride that feels lively over half marathon distances. It relies on its rocker for energy and offers a bit more ground contact than most super shoes, which suits runners who like to feel they are doing some of the work themselves.

The open question is whether the next version adds more foam to chase the trampoline feel of competitors. Some runners compare the Rocket X2’s character to earlier Vaporfly generations, and that directness is exactly what they hope Hoka preserves.

Asics Magic Speed 4

The Magic Speed line has improved with every version, and the third iteration finally delivered the quick up-tempo daily trainer Asics fans wanted. Expectations for the Magic Speed 4 are correspondingly high, especially given how strong Asics’ recent speed shoes and the Super Blast have been.

Price is part of the appeal. The Magic Speed 3 undercut much of the competition while delivering a genuinely quick ride, and holding that affordability against rivals like the Endorphin Speed would make this one of the best-value tempo trainers available.

Nike Pegasus Turbo 4

This is the one shrouded in the most speculation. The Turbo 1 and Turbo 2 were beloved for being light, snappy, and endlessly versatile, and many runners still wonder why the line was discontinued. A return would be risky: the old Turbo 2, pulled from the drawer years later, no longer matches modern rivals like the Saucony Speed 4.

If Nike brings it back, it will need modern ZoomX-based performance to recreate the magic, and the unfussy geometry of the original, with its just-right platform width and weight, is worth preserving.

New Balance SuperComp Trainer v3

The SC Trainer v2 landed in an awkward spot: comfortable, but not the first choice for easy days and not responsive enough for faster sessions. The hope for the v3 is a shoe closer in spirit to the Super Blast, blending the soft ease of the 1080 v13 with the pick-up-the-pace attitude of the Rebel v4.

If New Balance manages that balance, the SuperComp Trainer v3 could become the definitive do-everything super trainer.

Trail and Road-to-Trail Picks

The North Face Summit Vectiv Pro 2

The original Vectiv Pro was a solid trail shoe with a carbon plate, best suited to hard mountain paths and compact terrain rather than anything technical. The second version moves the plate deeper into the midsole, adding more foam between the plate and the foot, which softens what previously felt too firm.

The result is a noticeably more comfortable ride, closer in feel to the Tecnica Ton X shoes, and it worked impressively well straight out of the box on a race effort.

Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra

A shoe with a lot of names but a clear purpose. On runnable, compact trails, the Agravic Speed Ultra essentially runs like a road shoe, with plenty of energy return, protection, and a wide, comfortable toe box. One tester took it fresh out of the box on a 30-mile ultra over groomed trails and came away impressed.

It is best suited to runnable courses with secure footing, such as flat, hard-baked ultra routes, rather than steep, twisting descents where a more aggressive trail shoe earns its keep.

Merrell Mo Flight

At around £100, the Mo Flight is a road-DNA shoe adapted for the trail. It carries a sizable stack in a light package, nearly as light as the Skyfire 2, with multi-depth lugs in two patterns so it runs smoothly on tarmac yet grips on dirt.

This is a genuinely well-balanced shoe for newcomers to trail running, parkrun regulars dealing with mixed surfaces, or anyone whose routes blend road and trail. Merrell has historically flown under the radar, but between this and the Agility Peak 5, the brand is quietly producing some of the most surprising shoes in its lineup.

Stability and Support

Asics Gel-Kayano 31

The Kayano 30 marked a major shift, replacing the thick, plasticky medial post of old with a softer, more subtle approach to stability. It became a shoe even neutral runners could enjoy, and it arguably set the template for where support shoes are heading across the industry.

Expect the Kayano 31 to refine rather than revolutionize, in much the same way recent Nimbus updates have evolved. The direction is right, so there is little need for dramatic change.

Max Cushion and Super Trainer Debate

Nike Invincible 4

Few shoes divide opinion like the Invincible. It has a devoted following among runners who love its absurdly soft ZoomX ride, yet others find the wide, hexagonal platform clunky and intrusive on their natural gait. The bigger issue is identity: it is no longer the supremely soft fun shoe it launched as, nor a genuinely versatile daily trainer.

The hope is that Nike simplifies things and gets back to what made the first version special, leaning fully into softness with a touch of bounce. With its foam and brand recognition, it absolutely could own this category again.

New Balance More v5

The More v3 and v4 are favorites precisely because Fresh Foam X in that shoe feels softer and more enjoyable than the firmer tuning in the 1080 v11 and v12. The worry for the v5 is that a switch to the softer 1080 v13 foam, combined with an already max stack, could tip it into being too soft.

Given how well the More v3 and v4 worked as plush, easy-pace shoes, any change to that formula will be worth watching closely.

Buying Advice

If you want a reliable daily trainer right now, the Brooks Ghost 16 and Merrell Mo Flight offer the best value. For racing, the Hoka Rocket X3 and Asics Magic Speed 4 cover half marathon and up-tempo training duties well, while the North Face Vectiv Pro 2 and Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra handle runnable trail events with impressive comfort. For recovery and easy mileage, the Invincible and More remain category contenders, though both would benefit from clearer direction in their next versions.

Conclusion

This generation of running shoes shows brands converging on two ideas: softer, more capable daily trainers, and lighter, livelier race shoes. Whether you are upgrading an existing rotation or picking your first proper pair, the twelve shoes above give you a strong shortlist, and the next round of updates should only raise the bar further.