Carbon plate running shoes

Running shoes with a carbon plate use a technology that makes running more efficient. They allow you to run faster, with less fatigue on your feet and muscles. But before you take the plunge and buy a pair of carbon running shoes, it’s worth taking a minute or two to understand what this technology is and whether it’s worth it to you, whether it will give you more for the extra cost.

Carbon is a very strong, solid material, but it’s also very lightweight. Initially, they put completely straight plates in running shoes, which didn’t work so well so they tried curved and asymmetrical, non-full-sole (fork-like) designs. These new discs have been replaced with softer, more flexible foams instead of the previous smooth EVA foams and this has had the desired effect. They put a rigid plate between two flexible foams, so that the foam could compress more effectively above and below the plate and kick out better, and there was less contact with the ground, and more efficient kick, so overall running was more efficient (you can run the same speed or the same distance with less energy).

It’s important to note that running efficiency is affected by several other factors even related to the running shoe, so a running shoe without a carbon plate may be more efficient than one with a carbon plate. The foam material used, the geometry of the sole and the outsole are also important, because a shoe is not fast if it doesn’t grip well.

Carbon is an expensive material, so running shoes with carbon plates are more expensive. Not only are they more expensive, but they are not as durable, as carbon plate can wear out more easily (on average, carbon plate running shoes are half as durable as other types).

So they’re expensive and need to be replaced more often, and that’s not the only factor that determines fast, efficient running. Some runners just miss that extra something that a carbon shoe can give. It may be misunderstood, but someone who can’t run sub-4:30 km consistently may not be sure that a carbon plate will solve their problem of running more efficiently (it’s an average and a number of other things will affect it).

There are alternatives to carbon plate technology, without being exhaustive such alternatives include Mizuno Wave technology, but the same is also used by Puma and Kiprun under the name Pebax® up’bar, Salomon now uses a fibreglass plate under the name Energy Blade, Adidas uses plastic bars under the name ENERGYRODS and with the improved name New Balance uses a TPU plate, which is a thermoplastic plate.

And if you decide to take the plunge and buy a pair of carbon plate running shoes, you can find them below (have a good run in them):