5 Biggest Running Shoe Surprises This Year
See below for Supwell's picks of the 5 biggest surprises in the running shoe industry so far in 2026. From exciting news in the marathon race market with the On Cloudboom Strike 2 and Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 to sleeper hits like the Topo Specter 3, we will help you decide if you should add one of these to your rotation.
Six months into the year and these are the storylines we definitely didn’t see coming. From the Cielo X1 3.0 turning into a legitimate Shoe of the Year contender to the Triumph 24 becoming one of our favorite daily trainers, 2026 has delivered plenty of unexpected twists.
1. The Competitive Pricing of the On Cloudboom Strike 2
Given the increasing cost of race shoes this year and On’s typical practice of charging a premium price for their performance models, to say we were surprised at the Cloudboom Strike 2’s $250 price tag would be an understatement. The original Cloudboom Strike was priced at $280. On is now positioning the standard Cloudboom Strike as one of the most affordable marathon race shoes on the market.
On Cloudboom Strike 2
2. A Surprising Racer of the Year Candidate in the Hoka Cielo X1 3.0
Coming from the Cielo X1 2.0, a mediocre race shoe with a mushy foam, we weren’t expecting the 3.0 to be such a drastic improvement. The Cielo X1 3.0 is a true racer of the year candidate, offering an unmatched combination of protection and speed assistance.
Hoka Cielo X1 3.0
3. The Topo Specter 3 is Actually Fire?
The Specter 2 was a solid, albeit very firm, protective daily trainer/long run shoe. We’ve been pleasantly surprised with the Specter 3’s modernized ride, moving from beaded PEBA to a bouncy, versatile ATPU. Grant from the Supwell Team recently picked the Specter 3 as his top daily trainer of the year so far.
Topo Specter 3
4. The Saucony Triumph 24 is a Banger
After back to back disappointing models in the Triumph 22 and Triumph 23, the 24 has returned this iconic nameplate to its former glory. Gone is the PEBA/EVA blend from the previous generation, replaced by a modern ATPU midsole that’s fast, fun, and highly versatile for stacking mileage.
Saucony Triumph 24
5. A Surprising Miss from ASICS in the Magic Speed 5
The Magic Speed 5 is a surprising miss in ASICS’ performance lineup. We were excited to see FF Leap be implemented in a lower stack speed trainer, but the standard EVA on the bottom mutes virtually all the bounce.
ASICS Magic Speed 5
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