Speedland RX:FPY Performance Review

Speedland started with trail running and makes my favorite trail shoe, the Speedland GS. Now, Speedland is taking its talents to the roads. The Speedland RX is a road shoe meant for long distances and comes with Speedland’s typical removable midsole and carbon plate. Speedland’s trail shoes are more tools than shoes, and the road shoe follows the same formula.

The specific model I tested is the Speedland RX:FPY. Speedland’s naming conventions are based on commissions. The model is the Speedland RX, but the FPY designation represents the specific athlete commission. In this case, Speedland Elite racer Don Reichelt collaborated with the Speedland team on many of the details included on the shoe, and the name pays homage to Fairplay, Colorado, where Don lives and trains. [Editor’s Note: Thank goodness Drew deftly explained the naming convention because I honestly had nothing…]

At the time of this review, the RX is accepting preorders in both the FPY and CCD makeups; so if you like what you hear (read), you’ve got some options. Now onto the review.

What is the Speedland RX:FPY?

According to Speedland, the RX:FPY is “[t]he first Hyper Performance Trainer that can transform from daily trainer to race day equipment. The RX:FPY is the ultimate road equipment for long distances. Precision fit is paired with maximum comfort and responsiveness to propel you across the road faster.”

I’d like to point out the “transform from daily trainer to race day equipment” part of that blurb. With economic pressures hitting the world harder and harder, versatility in purchases is key. I love when a shoe is built for multiple use cases and that’s made clear in the product description. Brands that think like this make it so much easier to recommend their products. For example, you’ll see lots of versatility on our list of Best Running Shoes. It’s a key differentiator between solid shoes and shoes that bring extra value to the table.

Cushion

As usual, Speedland’s cushioning setup uses a drop-in midsole, in this case made of a proprietary SCF blend. The carrier (the exterior midsole that also lives underneath the drop-in midsole) is made of uncompressed SCF Foam (similar to what was found in the adidas Adios Pro Evo 1), and there’s a rigid Carbon plate that’s removable.

That’s a lot of technical terms that in the end provide a plush underfoot feel that can get stiffer and more responsive when the carbon plate is inserted. Long runs with some marathon pace work thrown in? Add the carbon plate for that extra oomph on push-off. Or if you’re staying at recovery or easy paces the entire run, take out the carbon plate to maximize the softness and comfort.

While neither configuration provides the bounce of the best marathon racing shoes, this shoe excels the longer the distance. I took it for 18 miles out-of-the-box at the end of a hard marathon training week and felt it was well-cushioned and elastic the whole time. There was no sensation of the cushion bottoming out as I progressed through the miles. By the end, the Speedland RX was ready for more miles…I was not.

Another long run and some quicker training sessions convinced me that while the Speedland RX can pick up speed when needed, it’s an absolute beast at maintaining pace for miles and miles. It’s the first midsole thoughtfully built for runners that race triple digits on the roads and do all the training that comes along with that masochistic pursuit.

Support

The Speedland RX is built on top of a wide base (similar to the Speedland GS), so stability is never an issue. I didn’t have to think about turns, cobblestones, or cracked roads. The RX also did a great job cradling my foot as my tired legs caused my form to break down. I imagine that’s even more important during 100-mile (plus) races, but it’s nice to see how helpful it is even on “normal” long runs for mere mortals like me.

Traction

The Speedland RX:FPY uses a thin, scratch rubber outsole. Nubs or a waffle pattern are eschewed in favor of a more race-car-like outsole. And it works great.

Dust, gravel, and water didn’t cause any slippage, and I hardly see any wear after 50+ miles. This is an outsole that conserves weight without unnecessary rubber but is built to last a long time. In fact, this is an outsole that feels built for 600+ miles.

Upper

Gone is the dual BOA Fit System Speedland uses to lock the foot down on the trails. Did I miss it? Yes. While the single, multidirectional BOA dial did its job and locked my foot into the footbed, I occasionally wished for the security and hug that the extra dial provides.

Speedland likely removed the extra dial for weight and the fact that it’s sort of overkill for the road use cases where the RX is meant to play. So while I get it, I would have preferred the two dials and the extra mental security they bring.

Otherwise the upper feels almost exactly like the GS models with plenty of room for toe splay and a generally accommodating fit. The mesh and PerformFit Wrap feel plenty comfortable on-foot and don’t lose that feeling as the miles stack up.

Is the Speedland RX:FPY wide foot friendly?

Yes, the Speedland RX:FPY is quite accommodating. It fits long lengthwise compared to most road running shoes; so I went a half size down, and the fit was right on target. I think most wide-footers will be able to go a half down like I did or wear their normal running shoe size and have plenty of room.

The Speedland RX doesn’t get too narrow in the midfoot or heel either. The PerformFit Wrap and BOA combo allow you to dial in lacing tightness accurately, so narrow-footers won’t slide around and wide-footers won’t feel like a stuffed sausage. Speedland continues to make shoes that work just as well for both wide and narrow-footers.

Is the Speedland RX:FPY worth $299?

The answer is yes as long you’re running long distances several times a week or regularly doing long road races above the marathon distance. I’m talking about the type of person that knocks out multiple 20+ mile runs each week. 

Think of the Speedland RX:FPY similarly to how you’d think of a super shoe purchase for marathon racing. It will deliver value if you’re consistently wearing it to chase down big distance goals.

How to use the Speedland RX:FPY

The Speedland RX is best used to run long distances, whether for training or for races, and has the built-in versatility to handle both use cases equally. [Editor’s Note: ​​Please try to enjoy each use case equally, and not show preference for any over the others.]

Speedland RX:FPY Summary

I should have just ended this on my editor’s awesome Severance reference, but I need to wrap this up a little tighter.

The Speedland RX is a purpose-built shoe. Anyone training for 50 or 100-mile races on the roads should be considering it as a go-to training and racing option. I’ve never seen a road shoe built so specifically to handle these use cases, but there’s a (growing) niche audience that will absolutely love everything this shoe has to offer. It’s dependable in a way that the road ultra crowd has never seen before.

How does the Author Run?

Drew Whitcomb (age 43, 6’6″ 200lbs): Runs daily with a once a week rest day. Runs a lot of miles due to testing needs and a growing affinity for long-distance races. Regularly competes in marathons, half-marathons, 10k, and 5k races.

Disclosure

While Speedland did provide a pair of the RX:FPY to facilitate this review, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.