3 Running Shoe Rotation from Every Brand - Part 2
This is our second installation of a series where we help you build a 3-shoe rotation from every brand that will have you covered for daily miles, recovery runs and longs runs, speed sessions, and race day. See where favorites like the Hoka Bondi 9, Saucony Endorphin Speed 5, Brooks Glycerin Max, and the New Balance SC Elite v5 could fall into your running shoe rotation.
This time we’re breaking down the perfect trios from Hoka, Saucony, Brooks, and New Balance. Whether it’s the cushioned Bondi 9, the versatile Endorphin Speed 5, the light and nimble Hyperion 3, or the race-ready SC Elite v5, each brand brings its own mix of recovery comfort, daily trainers, and high-octane racers. Every lineup is built to cover every run on the calendar, from easy miles to race day.
Hoka
The most versatile shoe in our Hoka rotation is the Mach X3 (or Mach X2 since the X3 is mostly an upper update), which features a bouncy, stable and fast dual-foam, plastic-plated midsole designed to handle long miles and speed training alike. For runs when your legs are feeling extra beat up, the Bondi 9 is an excellent recovery option, and the stable, workmanlike Rocket X3 delivers a reliable ride for race day.
Bondi 9: Daily runs, recovery runs
Hoka Bondi 9
Mach X2 or X3: Fun daily miles, long runs, speedwork
Hoka Mach X2
Rocket X3: Racing, key sessions
Hoka Rocket X 3
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Saucony
The Endorphin Speed 5 is the cornerstone of our Saucony rotation: it has comfort and stability for daily aerobic miles, and enough pep to handle tempos, progression runs and faster intervals. The Hurricane 25 is a perfect recovery-oriented counterpart to the Speed 5 with its robust, supportive PWRRUN PB / EVA midsole. We think the Hurricane 25 may be one of the most well-executed updates of 2025, improving the minor issues with the Hurricane 24. For race day, we’ve chosen the wildly bouncy and soft Endorphin Elite 2.
Hurricane 25: Daily runs, long runs, recovery runs
Saucony Hurricane 25
Endorphin Speed 5: Fun daily miles, long runs, speed work
Saucony Endorphin Speed 5
Endorphin Elite 2: Racing, key sessions
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2
Brooks
For our Brooks 3-shoe rotation, we’ve gone with the Glycerin Max as a high mileage comfort cruiser, the nimble Hyperion 2 or 3 for everyday miles and light speed work, and the Hyperion Elite 5 for the fastest of training runs and race efforts. With three distinct foam compounds, different drops, and varying stack heights, this rotation is optimized for injury prevention.
Glycerin Max: Long runs, recovery runs
Brooks Glycerin Max
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Hyperion 2 or 3: Speed work, daily runs
Brooks Hyperion 2
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Hyperion Elite 5: Racing, key sessions
Brooks Hyperion Elite 5
New Balance
New Balance’s lineup lacks a competitive speed training workhorse, so we’ve chosen the versatile and comfortable SC Elite v5 as a shoe to handle both racing and workouts. For everyday aerobic runs, we’ve gone with the no-nonsense 880v15, paired with the the soft, bouncy Balos for long, steady efforts. To see how the SC Elite v5 compares to other race shoes, check out our article Ranking the Carbon-Plated Race Shoes of 2025.
Balos: Progression runs, long runs
New Balance Fresh Foam X Balos v1
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880v15: Daily runs
New Balance Fresh Foam X 880 v15
SC Elite v5: Racing, key sessions
New Balance SC Elite v5
Check out Part 1 of our 3-shoe rotation from ASICS, Adidas, Puma, and Nike.
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