5 Best Race Shoes in May 2025
Here we take a look at the 5 Best Race Shoes on the market in May 2025. Find out what new shoe made the list and where the Nike Alphafly 3, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris, Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3, On Cloudboom Zone, and Puma Fast R-3 came out. We will tell you why each shoe made our power rankings list this month and who they might be best for on race day.
In our May 2025 race shoe Power Rankings, there is a sense of calm before the storm. Longstanding staples of the marathon racing shoe segment such as the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3, Nike Alphafly 3, ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris, and On Cloudboom Strike continue to hold their spots on our list, but change is in the air. The introduction of the ridiculously lightweight Puma Fast R-3 to our list (and its immediate high ranking) is a signal of broader things to come. This Summer, ASICS is set to debut their new lightweight, soft, energetic compound FF Leap in the Metaspeed Ray, Sky Tokyo, and Edge Tokyo, and the prototypes we’ve seen of the Alphafly 4 point to Nike adopting a midfoot bump in an attempt to skirt the World Athletics 40mm heel stack rule. The next wave of top tier carbon shoes is coming fast. It’s clear that brands are bringing new innovations and design philosophies to the race shoe market that we anticipate will drastically shake up our power rankings. For now, though, we’ll keep giving these beloved shoes their flowers while they’re still on top of the game.
1. Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3: Best Overall
Holding its place atop our power rankings, the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 is still our #1 recommendation for the vast majority of runners. We recently called this shoe the best modern replacement for the much beloved Saucony Endorphin Pro 3; it’s got the same versatile, bouncy, protective ride experience that Hobby Joggers came to love, but delivered with even more polish. It’s going to be difficult to topple the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 from its throne.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
2. Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3: Best for Speed Efficiency
Weighing in at only 170 grams and lab-tested for optimized efficiency, the Puma Fast R-3 is the latest in a new crop of racing shoes pushing the frontier of lightweight performance for the marathon distance. Dethroning both the Alphafly 3 and Metaspeed Sky Paris in terms of pure “Demon Time” factor, the Fast R-3 delivers a responsive, aggressive ride unlike anything else we’ve tried.
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
3. Nike Alphafly 3: Best for Cushioned Bounce
If we weren’t in the shoe review business, we might take the Alphafly 3 for every 20 mile long run. While it has an aggressive, mechanical feel out of the box—perfect for crushing peak performance efforts in races—it transforms into the ultimate long run shoe after more mileage, becoming softer and more comfortable underfoot without losing its fun factor. We’re intrigued by Nike’s move toward more midfoot stack in the next version of the shoe, but the Alphafly 3 will always be a classic.
4. ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris: Best for Aggressive Speed
ASICS is about to refresh their marathon racing line in the coming months, but as we speak, the Metaspeed Sky Paris is still an incredible option for runners wanting a streamlined, direct, aggressive ride in their next race shoe. ASICS is moving to a dual foam approach in the next generation of Metaspeeds, so runners who enjoy a more simple, firm, no-nonsense feel in their carbon shoes might want to pick up a pair of the Sky Paris.
Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris
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5. On Cloudboom Strike: Best for Soft Bounce
With the aforementioned series of soft, fast shoes releasing from ASICS in the near future, the Cloudboom Strike’s grip on its top spot among soft marathon shoes is starting to looking shaky. For now, however, On’s top end carbon shoe continues to be the best marathon racing shoe on the market for those seeking soft, comfortable bounce without sacrificing speed capability.
On Cloudboom Strike
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