Rating the Most Popular Marathon Racing Shoes on Comfort, Speed, Durability, Traction, Bounce, Weight, Fun Factor and Value
Here we will break down the comfort, speed, stability, durability, traction, bounce, weight, fun factor, and overall value of the most popular marathon race shoes currently on the market—the Adidas Adios Pro 4, Puma Fast-R 3, Nike Alphafly 3, and Saucony Endorphin Elite 2.
Welcome to our newest series: Choose Your Player. In this series, we’re giving running shoes an overall score based on 10 key categories—ranging from pure speed to all-day comfort—each rated from 1 to 100. This week, we’re breaking down the stats on 4 of the most popular marathon race shoes on the market right now.
Comfort
If you’ve been a long-time listener of the Supwell YouTube channel, you know that we often define comfort as a lack of anything bothersome. We find the Nike Alphafly 3 to be the most comfortable of these marathon racing shoes, with the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 and the Adidas Adios Pro 4 taking a close second and third, respectively. The Puma Fast-R 3 is by far the least comfortable of the four due to its aggressive geometry, decoupled midsole, and firmer foam.
Speed
The Fast-R 3 takes the win in the speed category. Not only has it been lab-tested as the fastest of the popular marathon racing shoes, but we’ve also found we can hit 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon paces with noticeably less perceived effort in the Fast-R 3 compared to the others. Its aggressive geometry, lightweight build, and plate positioning make it a serious speed weapon. The Nike Alphafly 3 and Adidas Adios Pro 4 offer similar speed capabilities, so the choice between them comes down to how well you respond to the softer foam of the Pro 4 versus the more mechanical pop of the Alphafly 3. Coming in last is the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2—we found the foam in this shoe to be distractingly soft, limiting its speed potential.
Puma Fast-R Nitro Elite 3
Stability
Stability isn’t typically prioritized in race shoes, but brands seem to be trying to make them more accessible—even for runners with stability needs. Of these four, the Alphafly 3 and Fast-R 3 are the most stable. The softer foams in the Adios Pro 4 and Endorphin Elite 2 make them noticeably less stable in comparison.
Durability
Race shoes have never been known for long-lasting durability. Some brands—like Adidas with the Pro Evo 1 and 2, or On with the Cloudboom Echo 3—even market theirs as only suitable for one or two marathons. But for us hobby joggers, durability matters, especially with prices pushing $300. The Alphafly 3 and Endorphin Elite 2 score the lowest here. Nike’s ZoomX foam tends to lose its pop after just 75–80 miles. The Adios Pro 4 and Fast-R 3, on the other hand, use more durable foams in our experience.
Adidas Adios Pro 4
Traction
The Fast-R 3, with its PumaGrip outsole, leads the pack when it comes to traction. The Adios Pro 4 is close behind, thanks to its Continental rubber outsole. The Alphafly 3’s forefoot grip is solid and gave us no issues on wet pavement. The Endorphin Elite 2, however, doesn’t hold up as well against the other three and isn’t a shoe we’d trust on a wet course or around slick aid stations.
Bounce
All four shoes bring strong bounce to the table. The Endorphin Elite 2’s IncrediRun foam delivers the most noticeable bounce—it’s springy and energetic underfoot. The Alphafly 3’s ZoomX also provides an extremely bouncy ride, earning it second place. The Fast-R 3 and Adios Pro 4 trail just behind, but still perform very well in this category.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 2
Weight
While the Alphafly 3, Endorphin Elite 2, and Adios Pro 4 all hover around 200 grams in a men’s size 9 (according to Running Warehouse), the Fast-R 3 undercuts them by a significant margin—coming in at just 170 grams. That 30g difference can definitely matter over a full marathon.
Fun Factor
The ZoomX foam and air pods in the Alphafly 3, along with the incredibly bouncy IncrediRun foam in the Endorphin Elite 2, make these two shoes the most fun to run in. The Adios Pro 4, while soft and energetic, doesn’t quite reach the same level in terms of feel. The Fast-R 3 is undeniably fast, but we wouldn’t call it “fun” due to its harsh, aggressive ride and decoupled midsole.
Value
The Endorphin Elite 2 scores lowest on value. At $290—and with poor traction, the least speed, and low stability—it’s hard to recommend. The Fast-R 3 is the most expensive shoe at $300, but at least delivers elite-level speed, durability, traction, and stability. It’s also the lightest by far. The Alphafly 3, now priced at $285-295 (depending on the colorway), excels in speed, traction, comfort, and fun—but loses value points due to its less durable foam. While not our favorite overall racer, the Adios Pro 4 currently offers the best value—especially with launch colorways selling for $200 (MSRP $250) and potentially even less with a Supwell discount code, bringing the price closer to $180.
Final Thoughts
Each shoe brings something unique to the game—from the sheer speed of the Fast-R 3 to the bounce and fun of the Alphafly 3, the accessible comfort of the Adios Pro 4, and the incredible bounce of the Endorphin Elite 2. Choose your player wisely—your race day might depend on it.
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