4 Biggest Running Shoe Trends Heading into 2026
As 2025 comes to an end, we are looking forward to all of the running shoe tech trends we expect to see in 2026. These include 4 specific areas we will be looking out for, including ATPU foams becoming more widespread, the continued use of PEBA foams in different applications, an optimization of some of the current technology, and improvements in the weight of shoes while still keeping the stack heights high. See below for all the details!
We expect 2026 to be full of fun new running shoes and we are excited to try as many as possible. Some of the running shoe trends we expect to see involve certain foams rising to the top, an emphasis on optimization, and a continuation of 2025’s trend of a race to be the lightest.
1. ATPU is Hot Right Now
There's always an "it" foam, and ATPU is having its moment. From the ASICS Megablast to the Puma Fast-R 3, the compound was in many of the top shoes of the year. At The Running Event, it became clear that ATPU dominance is only going to grow. Brands already using it are scaling it across the lineup, and new brands are adding it to their portfolio. We've enjoyed most shoes using this foam, so we're excited to see how it performs in standard, more affordable trainers like the Triumph 24.
ASICS Megablast
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
2. PEBA is Here to Stay
While ATPU is the hype newcomer, it's clear that PEBA still has a place on the market—it's not going the way of the dodo bird or standard EVA. Saucony is doubling down on PEBA use in the long-overdue Azura, a non-plated Endorphin Speed, and Mizuno just debuted two new elite racers using PEBA: the Hyperwarp Pure and Hyperwarp Elite. The new R.A.D UFO has also become one of the most fun high-stack daily trainers of 2025 with its dual-density PEBA midsole. While ATPU is the new frontier for aggressive energy return, PEBA is still the king for soft bounce.
Mizuno Hyperwarp Pure
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R.A.D UFO
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3. Optimization, Not Innovation
Not every year can be a banger. While some years bring tons of tech breakthroughs and new innovations, others deliver incremental improvements. From what we saw at The Running Event and through recent model leaks, 2026 looks to be a year where brands are making minor changes—shaving weight here, increasing stack there, refining an upper elsewhere. Look no further than the Evo SL Woven, Gel-Nimbus 28 and Endorphin Pro 5, all of which keep their core formula intact while making minor adjustments. Unless ASICS drops one of those racer prototypes we've seen teased, we'd bet that 2026 is a tame year when it comes to new running shoe tech.
Adidas Adizero Evo SL Woven
4. Weight to Stack Ratio Improvements
If 2026 is the year of optimization, weight-to-stack ratio is the variable to optimize. Said simply, brands are looking to offer more foam underfoot at a lighter weight. This translates to more protection and more bounce in packages that are easier to turn over. This is the new frontier; race shoes are deadlocked in a race to the bottom and max stack shoes now hitting the scale at last-gen racer weights. We already started to see this in 2025 with shoes like the Megablast and Mizuno Neo Vista 2.
Mizuno Neo Vista 2
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