Here we take a look at the 5 Best Fast and Fun Running Shoes, what we are calling Zone 3 Champs, on the market in June 2025. Find out where the ASICS Superblast 2, Hoka Skyward X, Adidas EVO SL, Speedland RX:FPY, and Puma Deviate Nitro 3 landed. We will tell you why each shoe made our power rankings list this month and how to choose which running shoe is right for you.
This month, we’re debuting a new category in the power rankings: the Zone 3 Champs. These are the shoes we reach for when we want our daily miles to be fast and fun. Until now, they were either crowding the speed training and max cushion lists—or worse, getting left off altogether. Think of this as the expansion draft of running shoes. With this new list, the speed category can focus on true workout weapons, the max cushion roundup can highlight plush cruisers like the Bondi and Nimbus, and underrated gems like the Deviate Nitro 3 can finally get their moment.
The Adidas Evo SL is the embodiment of this new Zone 3 Champs category—it’s a training shoe that’s designed to go fast, but not as fast as a true speed training shoe (that would be the Adios 9 or Boston 13 from Adidas) or race shoe (Adios Pro 4). While it lacks the aggressive speed assistance you’d get from a true carbon racer, the EVO SL’s 100% classic Lightstrike Pro midsole offers a unique bouncy, uptempo ride.
Love or hate the Superblast, there’s no denying the impact the line has had on the broader market, helping to usher in a new category of shoes that blend race day and daily training technology. Now in its second iteration, the Superblast continues to be one of the most popular shoes in this category, offering a firm, protective ride that excels at long, steady efforts.
Overlooked by many, the Deviate Nitro 3 is a fantastic uptempo trainer that elevates your daily mileage experience. It can handle everything from a 5k race to a Sunday long run, but we’ve found it shines brightest during fun, fast daily runs. If the Deviate Nitro 3’s traditional qualities—high drop (10mm), narrow toebox, and relatively firm foam—don’t bother you, this is one of the best “jack of all trades” daily trainers on the market.
The Skyward X might be a hefty shoe, but the leg saving quality you get from its geometry, carbon fiber plate, and towering stack of race foam more than make up for it. Long Zone 3 efforts in the Skyward X feel like an absolute dream. If you’re wanting a shoe to “set it and forget it” as you roll through steady miles, the Skyward X is what you’re after.
Check out Yowana's YouTube video below where he gives his 100 Mile Review of the Skyward X:
The $150 EVO SL is likely the shoe most reading this will buy, but it’s still important to highlight smaller brands pushing the envelope. Enter the Speedland RX:FPY, a $300 hybrid daily trainer/race shoe with a drop-in insole, removable carbon plate, and BOA lacing system. Ironically, the RX:FPY performs better without the plate, making the $300 feel even steeper, but the shoe is still a quality option from an independent brand.
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