The Best New Running Shoes and Gear for 2020 – Runner’s World
The Best New Running Shoes and Gear for 2020 Runner’s World
The Running Event, if you’re not familiar, is the running industry’s annual show-and-tell. Every December, the biggest brands converge on Austin, Texas to debut the most anticipated shoes and tech that you’ll be able to buy next year. The Runner’s World test team spent a couple days canvassing the show to bring you details about the best new shoes and gear. Here’s what we’re most excited about going into 2020.
Asics Nova Blast
Dan Roe
Price: $130
Release date: June 1, 2020
This angular shoe debuts Asics’ new FlyteFoam Blast, a low-density, high-energy compound designed to deliver a bouncy ride with minimal weight. The shoe sports a thick sole and a hollowed-out bottom, designed to provide an energetic sensation underfoot.
Saucony Endorphin Pro
Jeff Dengate
Price: $200
Release date: June 2020
Many shoe makers are building their own go-fast shoes to challenge the Nike Vaporfly, but the closest approximation we’ve seen yet is the Endorphin Pro. It uses a lightweight beaded foam for soft cushioning and high rebound, and has a carbon-fiber plate for propulsion. The elite-level shoe will go for $200, but the Endorphin will also be available in a “Speed” model that uses a thin TPU plate instead of carbon-fiber and costs only $160.
Asics Gel-Nimbus Lite
Asics
Price: $150
Release date: February 2020
Weighing in at a full 2 ounces lighter than the Nimbus 22, the new Nimbus Lite puts some spring into Asics’ marquee neutral-cushioned shoe. The new FlyteFoam blend has a lower density than traditional FlyteFoam; a portion of the new material comes from cellulose nanofiber, a byproduct of sugarcane waste. Eco-minded runners will also appreciate the recycled polyester upper.
Diadora Mythos Blushield Elite TRX
Dan Roe
Price: $160
The brand new Mythos Blushield Elite TRX signals Diadora’s return to the U.S. market, and what a hefty return it is: A women’s size 7 weighs 10.2 ounces, and a men’s size 9.5 comes in at 12.5 ounces, according to a Diadora representative. If you don’t mind the weight, you’ll be rewarded with truly luxurious cushioning. During a brief jog around the Austin Convention Center, the shoes felt plush, bouncy, and stable—ideal for recovery runs and anyone who wants maximum cushioning.
Altra Escalante Racer
Altra
Price: $140
Release date: July 2020
This “faster” version of the Escalante was available in limited numbers this year, coinciding with major city marathons. But some things can stay limited for only so long. Altra is finally making this favorite racing flat available year-round. The brand took out the strobel layer (the foam board right under the sockliner), decreasing the stack height by 2mm. The Altra Ego midsole provides a firmer feel with increased energy return for a snappy racing experience. The hydrophobic knit upper is breathable and, of course, the racer wouldn’t be an Altra trainer without a roomy toe box and zero-drop offset.
Salomon Predict 2
Jeff Dengate
Price: $160
Release date: September 2020
The Predict is getting a major overhaul after only one year. The midsole still features segmentation into pillars that directly support the structure of your foot, but it uses a new foam made from polyurethane infused with nitrogen gas, which Salomon calls Infiniride, which should make it softer underfoot. The upper, too, has significant new construction. Gone is the bra-like molded heel cup, in exchange for a more traditional build. That combined with sturdy overlays in the midfoot make the shoe fit more securely than the original model.
Skechers Razor 3+ and Razor 3 Flow
Jeff Dengate
Price: $140
Release date: Fall 2020
We all know the panic-inducing moment when we hear that our favorite shoe is being updated. But Skechers is expanding the Razor franchise with two new versions, rather than mess with the model that captured our hearts—and a Gear of the Year award. The Razor 3 is still available, but will be joined by the 3+ (right), which gets a more subtle design as well as a nylon-and-polyester upper that offers a more forgiving fit. The other new model, the Flow, is designed for training, with an engineered mesh upper providing a more compliant fit for more foot shapes and better breathability for summer runs. Both now get rubber soles made from Goodyear—the car tire company—and the forefoot is a softer compound that is supposed to grip better in cold weather.
Aftershokz Aeropex
Aftershokz
Price: $160
When we’re on the road with cars, we like to hear them coming. That’s why we love the new Aeropex headphones which use bone-conduction technology to send sound waves through our cheekbones without blocking our ear canals. The sound quality and volume is greatly improved over earlier Aftershokz models, and the Aeropex now comes in four colors—black, gray, blue, and red.
Untapped Salted Raspberry Maple Syrup
UnTapped
Price: $10 for 5
There are a lot of portable nutrition options available now, but the simplest comes from Untapped, which uses only maple syrup to provide you on-the-go energy. But its new salted raspberry option—available now—has a taste that’s not overly sweet and goes down as smoothly as a cup of water from an aid station.
NPE Runn sensor
Dan Roe
Price: $100
This new sensor from North Pole Engineering turns any treadmill into a smart treadmill, allowing you to run on Zwift without using a footpod. It attaches to the treadmill’s side rail and uses two optical sensors to detect a sticker that you place on the belt. The amount of time it takes for the dot to pass under both sensors is used to calculate the treadmill’s speed.
Saucony Switchback 2
Dan Roe
Price: $140
Release date: August 2020
The next generation of the Saucony Switchback ISO uses a BOA lacing system but introduces offset laces. BOA says the design should improve the shoe’s stability for lateral movement—the kind necessary for picking apart a technical trail at speed—and take pressure off of the top of your foot.
TriggerPoint Impact percussion massage gun
Trigger Point
Price: $200
Release date: January 2020
This new percussion massager from TriggerPoint is designed to provide the same therapeutic benefits as leading massagers for a fraction of the price. And at the top speed of 3,700 RPM, the battery will last for 2.5 hours of use.
The North Face Ultra Swift
Dan Roe
Price: $120
Release date: Spring 2020
This new trail shoe is designed to feel fast and responsive. A soft, XtraFoam heel (the company’s plushest EVA foam) absorbs your initial footstrike, and a firmer FastFoam under the forefoot provides a quick toe-off.
The North Face Endurance XF
Dan Roe
Price: $140
Release date: Spring 2020
Another new trail shoe from The North Face, the Endurance XF is the bigger, softer alternative to the Ultra Swift. It uses a full-length XtraFoam midsole for soft, forgiving cushioning, and sports a 6mm heel-toe offset.
Oofos Sport Flex Velcro sandals
Dan Roe
Price: $80
If you loved the original Oofos sandal but wanted a customized fit, check out the company’s Velcro version, which debuted in October. The company claims its foam absorbs 37 percent more impact than “traditional footwear”—we haven’t verified that in our Shoe Lab, but we can say the sandals are quite comfortable.
Ciele bucket hat
Ciele
Price: $55
Release date: February 15, 2020
Trail runners told Ciele they wanted a bucket hat, so a bucket hat is what they’ll get. The new hat has a soft brim, comes in two sizes, and will debut in white and black (more colorways will be released in April). Ciele is also dropping a visor on February 15; it’ll be $30.
Kahtoola Exospikes
Price: $60
Release date: Fall 2020
From the brand that brought you Microspikes comes a hybrid that is forgiving on pavement and tenacious on trails. Kahtoola demonstrated just how grippy the Exospikes are with blocks of ice on the convention floor. We tested them by doing the running man, and bent down mid-dance move to make sure the slippery stuff beneath our feet was real. The Exospikes have 12 lugs per foot and harness securely over your running shoes. We surmise they’re just as good for sprinting as they are for jiving.
Amphipod Freeform Vest
Amanda Furrer
Price: $165
Release date: February 2020
Convenience must have been the buzzword when the Freeform Vest was being designed. Amphipod wanted to create a vest that makes handhelds easy to grab—and put back. The Freeform comes with two handhelds (17 ounces each) that fit snugly in two front “freeform open pockets,” which a brand rep described as an energy return feature. What makes these handhelds grab-able is the clip-on backing that you can slide securely into the freeform pocket, or attach to a belt or waistband. The bottles are non-slip and adjustable, too, in case you don’t want to pocket them. The vest can store a 2-liter bladder in its back compartment, and has four smaller pockets for fuel.
YakTrax QuickTrax
Amanda Furrer
Price: $8
Release date: February 2020
For that time on your feet when you’re not running on dicey—and icy—terrain, the QuickTrax are like an insurance policy, because of course you’ll slip getting out of your car on your way to work instead of during a tempo sesh. Small and easily portable, you just stretch these over the forefoot of your shoes. Their small size makes them easy to store in your glove compartment, backpack, or coat pocket.
Clif Cubes Endurance Bites
Amanda Furrer
Price: $2.49
Clif Cubes are for the runner tired of snacking on sugary gummies. These endurance bites are pillow-shaped nut butter–filled chews with a date and nut casing. They come in three flavors (tart cherry, strawberry banana, and double peanut) and are low-glycemic, USDA-certified organic, and non-GMO. Say goodbye to biting off more than you can chew. And crumbs. All of the crumbs.
Brooks Dare Crossback
Amanda Furrer
Price: $60
Release date: January 2020
Brooks is on a mission to provide comfortable support specifically for runners. The Dare Crossback is just one offering in the new run bra collection that gives your boobs support without chafing or distractions. The bra is made of a smooth, sleek nylon that’s inconspicuous under baselayers, looks flattering shirtless, and has front and back perforations for breathability.
Recoup Cryosleeve
Amanda Furrer
Price: $90
We know how helpful it is to ice sore muscles and stave off injury, but it’s a royal pain when you’re out of commission for 15 minutes or more with an ice pack, lying on your couch. Recoup has a solution—because they know runners won’t stay still. This sleeve is stored in your freezer like an ice pack and slips on your arm or leg when you need it. What makes mobility possible is the Boa Fit System; just press down on the dial and crank for desired compression. Something else to look forward to: Recoup will be releasing a hot sleeve version, which will have a rechargeable battery pack, in March.
Locker Lifestyle Wrist Locker
Locker Lifestyle
Price: $20
Shorts pockets, racebelts, Koala Clips, as runners we’re always on the lookout for a way to store our valuables. The Wrist Locker is different because it slips snugly around your wrist and has a zipper pocket big enough to store a smartphone (the medium can store a 3.5-by-6.25 inch smartphone; the large, 4-by-6.5 inch model). The fabric wicks sweat, but when it gets funky you can toss it in the washing machine. A headband with a storage pocket is also available ($14.95).
Bü SPF 30 Sunscreen
Jeff Dengate
Price: From $8
Unlike most sunscreens that leave you feeling greasy or sting your eyes, this ultrafine spray from Bü goes on completely dry and doesn’t need to be rubbed into your skin. (The SPF 50 version leaves a slight sheen because it has more of the chemicals that protect you from the sun.) It also doesn’t use any artificial fragrances, but is available in lightly scented versions of citrus or white sage.
Topo Athletic Ultrafly 3
Amanda Furrer
Price: $150
Release date: March 2020
We awarded Best Debut to the first generation Ultrafly for its generous cushioning in spite of its minimalist profile. The Ultrafly 2 did its predecessor proud with a springy, responsive ride our testers loved. Now on its third iteration, the shoe is receiving major updates. A medial component has been added to the midsole for more stability, as well as a TPU heel counter. The upper has an improved heel collar with less fabric to prevent friction. This new Ultrafly will be lighter; there’s less rubber on the outsole and Topo has removed overlays on the upper. The new Zipfoam midsole also reduces weight—and boosts rebound.
Brooks Levitate 4
Amanda Furrer
Price: $150
Release date: June 2020
We loved the previous versions of the Levitate for their socklike-fit (ever seen a more dapper shoe with a ribbed collar?) and impressive energy return. However, a major hangup with the shoe was its heft. The DNA Amp midsole delivered impressive rebound but at the expense of extra weight. To solve this problem, Brooks has reformulated the midsole, decreasing the weight (a men’s 9 will weigh 10.3 oz, down from 11.6 oz of the previous model) while preserving the performance-driven ride the shoe is intended for. A stability version of the Levitate, the Bedlam 3, will also be released on the same date.
Brooks Ghost 13 GTX
Dan Roe
Price: $160
Release date: August 2020
The spooky good, award-winning Ghost (we’ve given the shoe multiple Editor’s Choice awards) is turning lucky number 13. The shoe is getting a revamp, with the DNA Loft foam no longer sequestered to the back half of the shoe; Brooks has extended Loft for easier, smoother transitions on your run, and an even softer ride. The shoe will be released on July 1, a month ahead of the Gore-Tex version. We’re looking forward to testing both, especially the 13 GTX which has a new lightweight, waterproof Gore-Tex Invisible Fit membrane upper.
Anita Extreme Control Plus Bra
Amanda Furrer
Price: $99
Release date: April 2020
German-based brand Anita has been in the lingerie biz for over 130 years—so you could say they know a thing or two about support. There are a couple offerings we’re looking forward to next year, but the Extreme Control Plus is at the top of that list. This maximum support sports bra comes in F to K cup. It has a seamless design and an airy mesh back with power tulle. Supportive features that accommodate these higher cup sizes include five-section cup construction and double straps for stability.