Diadora Gara

The Diadora Gara Carbon is the Italian sportswear brand's first carbon-fiber plated running shoe. It features a 39mm stack of Pebax foam and a plate that was engineered in partnership with the racing brand Ducati. Priced at $300, it was the most expensive race day shoe that was widely available in 2024—$15 more expensive than the Nike Alphafly 3. The supercriticial PEBA midsole of the Gara Carbon is tuned for protective squish, and the aggressively angled carbon fiber plate flings the forefoot along when picking up the pace. While it’s not as aggressive as the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris or as bouncy as the On Cloudboom Strike, the coddling comfort shines through on long and taxing efforts. With a moderate 5 mm drop, it’s also accommodating for all foot strikes. For runners who loved the 1080v13 or the Nike Invincible 3, this is the best race day shoe with a similar comfort-oriented feel. The Gara Carbon has since been updated with a newly redesigned mesh upper in Version 2, so if you can find the original model for under $300, it could be a fun option to try for marathon race day or long runs.