In recent years, the best marathon running shoes have undergone an incredible transformation. Starting with Nike Vaporfly 4%, the entire running shoe industry changed what constituted a proper marathon shoe. And now, the best marathon running shoes are better than ever, and recent world record runs attest to that fact.
The best marathon running shoes used to be low stack height and as light as possible. The thinking was to minimize the weight the runner carried on his or her feet for such a long distance in order to save energy. But due to the emergence of super foams like Pebax, all of sudden, a super-light shoe with a big honking stack of foam was an option. These super foams were incredibly plush and unstable, so brands placed carbon fiber plates inside the foam to offer greater stability and springiness. What resulted were shoes that better protected joints that aid in quicker recovery from long grueling races. Oh, and studies claimed they improved performance by up to 4%.
With all that good press, the new super shoes became the most coveted marathon running shoes, and soon every brand was making one. Now, there’s enough that we can do an entire list dedicated to the best marathon running shoes. Our list below will explain some of the nuances of these shoes and help your figure out which will be best for your feet.
If you wish to see all of our running shoe reviews, you can check out our Running Shoe reviews page.
Categories are placed to help you find what you want. If you know what you need, you can simply click the category. If not, feel free to check out the whole list as your guide.
We would also like to hear your thoughts on this list, and you can even share your own list in the comments below.
Updated: 11.14.2024
Let’s get into our picks:
Best Marathon Running Shoes for Racing: Tier 1
Asics Metaspeed Sky/Edge Paris
The Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris and Asics Metaspeed Edge Paris are Asics’ best road racing shoes to date offering a fantastic combination of great fit, comfort, breathability, stability, improved midsole foam, and an impressively low weight.
Which one of the two shoes you’ll prefer isn’t clear, but if you can figure that out, you’ll end up with a high performing shoe that’s trustworthy for road races of any distance. Read the review.
Fits: True to Size, Drop: 5mm, Price: $250
Saucony Endorphin Elite
The Saucony Endorphin Elite is the first shoe to feature Saucony’s next PWRRUN HG foam. It’s a little firmer than the PWRRUN PB in the Endorphin Pro 3 but it’s also bouncier. The carbon plate is segmented at the toe for a little more flexibility but it and the midsole curves up sharply for added toe spring. You sit inside the midsole a bit to keep you on the footbed while the midsole also flares outward resulting in one of the more stable modern marathon shoes on the market.
The outsole has no rubber at the rear so if you’re a heel striker, you may not get great durability…but midfoot and forefoot strikers should be ok. The Endorphin Elite is also one of the most breathable shoes on the market making it a great fit for warmer races. The biggest drawback is the $275 price point…but just like the Alphafly, if you’re a shoe nerd and heavy into marathons, this shoe will deliver value to match. See full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price $275
Nike Alphafly 3
The Nike Alphafly 3 is the best Alphafly to date and its super bouncy nature makes it easy to maintain marathon pace. It’s more accommodating and comfortable than previous models and includes a less pronounced arch (but it’s still ever-present). It’s still not a very stable shoe around corners and a lot of the heel material is cut away so hard heel strikers will have better options. The price is high, but if you miss the original Alphafly magic, you’ll get most of it back by wearing the Alphafly 3. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $285
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
The Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 is huge step forward for Puma’s racing line. It’s $20 less than most race days shoes that sit at $250 but performs just as well. It’s much lighter than the previous version dropping over 2 ounces, the bounce is upgraded, and Pumagrip, as always, is reliable in all conditions. The Ultraweave upper is breathable but very strong and helps keep the foot on the footbed while ripping around corners. And while it’s not the most stable marathon shoe, it’s now a great option for race day due to the weight savings and increased pop from the Nitro Elite and PWRPLATE combo.
If you want a soft, bouncy, fun, and dependable long distance racing shoe that’s not in the $250+ price bracket you won’t be able to do better than the Deviate Nitro Elite 3.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $230
Nike Vaporfly 3
The Nike Vaporfly 3 is the most cushioned, comfortable, and stable Vaporfly to date thus making it also the best Vaporfly to date. It’s a great update. Stability, breathability, and comfort all improved while the Vaporfly line stayed bouncy, plush, and lightweight. Durability still needs work and the tongue is weirdly tall and wide but neither is a dealbreaker. The Vaporfly 3 is going to be many people’s racing shoe of choice. It puts Nike back in the upper echelon of marathon racing shoes for those (like us) who weren’t all that enthused with the Vaporfly 2 and Alphafly 2. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $250
adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
The adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 is a smooth-riding and bouncy marathon-focused racing shoe. The rocker is improved from previous versions with a sharper toe angle and improved carbon fiber energy rods that make the shoe feel faster and bouncier. Breathability is top-notch, the outsole grips everything, and, due to a widened base, stability is great for a race day shoe. You’ll want to wear thicker socks with a heel tab to avoid issues with the problematic Achilles stitching but that’s the only real issue in a shoe that’s one of the best marathon racing shoes on the market. See the full review.
Fit: Typical adidas, Drop: 6.5mm, Price $250
New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4
The New Balance FuelCell SC Elite v4 is a complete overhaul of the New Balance SC Elite line delivering improved cushioning and a better, easier to put on upper. It’s got plenty of pop from New Balance’s first 100% Peba midsole, a snappy geometry, and finds a nice balance between comfort and performance. The only problem with the upper is a weird floppy tongue that doesn’t always do what it should. And though the fit is accommodating for a racing shoe, a wide version is on the way just in case. To top it off, the outsole delivers on wet and wild surfaces Read the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 4mm, Price: $250
TYR Valkyrie Elite Carbon Runner
The TYR Valkyrie Elite Carbon Runner is TYR’s first high end performance running shoe. It’s got an accommodating fit, top of class stability, impressive durability, and a fit that will work for most people and allows good toe splay. The beaded Peba LaunchPX midsole is bouncy with a stiff carbon plate that provides an extra flick on toe off. It’s a little heavier than other racers but the trade offs are a well-built upper and superior stability. It’s not built like other marathon racing shoes but it’s battle ready and easily one of the better race day picks for larger runners. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 6mm, Price: $250
Best Marathon Running Shoes for Racing: Tier 2
Saucony Endorphin Pro 4
The Saucony Endorphin Pro 4 is more accommodating than previous models and mirrors the fit of the Endorphin Speed 4. The bounce from the PWRRUN PB and carbon plate combo is smooth and propulsive. The built-in knit tongue is comfortable and the entire upper is more pliable and feels better on foot. If you used the Pro 3 as your preferred marathon shoe, the experience only got better. You’ll enjoy the changes and feel as fast as ever. Read the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price $225
Salomon S/Lab Spectur
The Salomon S/Lab Spectur is aimed at runners with marathon times above three hours. It does that by adding extra stability and comfort for runners who will be on the course a bit longer. And it works. Salomon effectively created a marathon shoe that still offers great bounce but a better build to withstand all the issues (like form breakdown) inherent with so much time on feet. At $220, it’s a great value and delivers a better experience for the majority of marathon runners. Read the review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $220
Puma Fast-R 2
The Puma Fast-R 2 is an aggressive, bold racer with fantastic traction and bouncy cushioning. It’s a fun, wild-looking shoe that performs well and gets attention. The Fast-R 2’s alien geometry also gets better the faster the pace and the more forefoot centric the stride. Heavy heel strikers will be better served by other racing shoes but anyone who wants an aggressively built super shoe should take note. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 8mm, Price $260
Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2
The Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2 is a solid first marathon shoe for the brand. It’s lightweight, has great bounce, fantastic traction, and is way more stable than expected. But it needs to be more accommodating and be priced lower. The Phantasm 2 is a throwback super shoe that feels similar to the original Vaporfly while adding awesome traction and tongue padding. So if you want that early super shoe feeling back, this is for you. Read the review.
Fit: Go down a half size, Drop: 9mm, Price: $275
Hoka Rocket X 2
The Hoka Rocket X 2 is easily the best Hoka racing shoe ever. It competes with super shoes from other brands well, is fun to wear, picks up speed nicely, works well on the track, and can handle long distances without issue. It’s Hoka’s bounciest shoe (with its new Peba foam and carbon-plated midsole), and though it’s not as plush as some super shoes, it’s still soft similar to the adidas Adios Pro 3.
The upper reminds us of Nike’s Vaporweave. It won’t take on water or stretch out but also fits tight, especially through the midfoot. This race fit won’t be for everyone but at least the toebox has some solid wiggle room. Wide footers will need to try them on or go up a half size. The upper does have some dead space in the heel and a collar that not everyone will like…but the lockdown was great despite this. Your foot won’t move around inside the shoe or pop out of it.
The outsole shows wear quickly but there’s plenty of rubber so it will be just as durable as other marathon racing shoes. Hoka has taken their racing shoe game to a new level with the Rocket X 2. Both Hoka fans and long distance road runners will be impressed. Watch Kofuzi’s review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 5mm, Price: $250
Saucony Endorphin Speed 4
The Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 continues to be the best shoe in Saucony’s line despite a full aesthetic overhaul. There’s something about the way the TPU plate, Saucony’s Speedroll rocker, and the PWRRUN PB work together. It’s magic on speed days and really earns the Speed name. Despite a more narrow toebox, the Endorphin Speed 4 is one of the most versatile shoes on the market. And, if you don’t like carbon-plated shoes, the Speed 4 is a great option for race day. Read the full review.
Fit: True to size, Drop: 8mm, Price $170
Asics Superblast 2
The Asics Superblast 2 is an all around improvement from last year’s cult classic. It’s versatile enough to handle anything a runner needs to do including easy runs, tempo runs, speed work, and race days. It’s wide foot friendly with an accommodating engineered woven mesh upper that molds to your feet. The traction, stability, durability, and breathability are all top notch. And the great upper sits on top of a soft yet bouncy FF Turbo+/FF Blast Plus Eco midsole that delivers a fantastic ride. The Superblast 2 doesn’t have any glaring negatives (a rare occurrence in the shoe reviewing business). It’s one of the best shoes on the market. See the full review.
Fit: True to Size, Drop: 8mm, Price: $200
Can I Run a Marathon in Everyday Running Shoes?
Yes, you can. For many people, that’s the best plan. Typically, it’s better to run a marathon in a shoe you’ve worn regularly during training and feel comfortable in. This limits potential issues (like blisters or bruised toenails) on race day because your shoes already handled the long grueling runs you did during your marathon training.
A good place to start looking is our list of the Best Long Distance Running Shoes. All of the shoes on that list can go the marathon distance when needed.
If you buy one of the marathon racing shoes on this list, be sure to mix it into your training and use it for both some speed work and long runs. The idea is to break the shoes in enough that they mold to your feet (to avoid any painful rubbing during the race) but at the same time, save the cushioning, so it’s still super bouncy on race day. Your legs will appreciate the extra bounce or plushness as you work to maintain your marathon pace for 26.2 miles.
Best Marathon Running Shoes Now on Sale
When the best marathon running shoes listed above go on sale, they move to this section.
Best Marathon Running Shoes – Coming Soon
adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
The adidas Adios Pro 4 is the most comfortable and lightest Adios Pro model to date. It won’t have enough impact protection for all runners and isn’t a good shoe for wide footers, but it ratchets up the squish and snappiness of the Adios Pro line to a new level.
Pro athletes wearing adidas shoes like the Adios Pro 3 and Evo 1 are already setting records. I suspect that will continue with the Adios Pro 4. The adidas product team created a shoe that feels fast as soon as you hold it in hand and feels even faster once it’s on foot. It delivers the majority of the Evo 1’s innovations to the table at half the price. Because of that, we’re going to see a lot of runners running very fast in the adidas Adios Pro 4. Read the full review.
Fit: Typical adidas, Drop: 6mm, Price $250
adidas Evo SL
Between its high-but-not-max stack height and its unbelievably reasonable $150 price tag, adidas is set to rewrite the super trainer playbook with the Evo SL. Rather than proving its performance chops via a jacked up midsole and a jacked up price to match, the Evo SL takes the best from models like the Adios Pro Evo 1 and the Adios Pro 3 to make one of the most exciting, versatile, and value-packed trainers to date.
The Evo SL features a high-performing and durable Continental Rubber outsole, a simple, but very effective engineered mesh upper (whose only flaw was a slippy tongue), a small midfoot shank, and a lively, full-length Lightstrike Pro midsole. Much of the setup mirrors that of the Adios Pro 3 (minus that shoe’s carbon rods). But the Evo SL adopts its rocker geometry from the exceptional Pro Evo 1, placing the rocker point farther back. The result is a shoe that’s bouncy yet stable, great at daily running, and also makes going fast feel easy. Despite its lack of a stiffening element like a plate or rods, the Evo SL has an elite toe-off that competes with shoes well above its price point, making it a perfectly viable (and affordable) option for those looking to go carbonless on race day.
We’d recommend going with your typical adidas size with regard to length (often a half size down from your size in other brands), and the forefoot room makes the Evo SL one of the more wide foot friendly adidas models. However, those who need more space at the rearfoot may need to try it on, as the Evo SL narrows at the heel. See the full review.
Fits: Typical adidas, Drop: 6.5mm, Price: $150
Thinking of a shoe we should add to the best marathon running shoes list? Comment below or message us on Instagram or Twitter.
Hi,
Which do you prefer out of the Saucony Pro 3 and NB SC elite v3? Which would be more stable and faster shoe and better for 5km to marathon distance. Thanks in advance.
Steve
That really comes down to personal preference around fit. Both are fairly stable with the NB SC Elite v3 being a bit more plush/cushy. The EP3 is more of a traditional running shoe upper while the NB SC Elite v3 is a sock-like fit. I’d say the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 is the more popular shoe but performance wise they offer similar benefits.