Top 5 Low Stack Racing & Speed Shoes
Here we are giving you our list of the top 5 low stack racing and speed workout running shoes. While we like the cushion, protection, and impact absorption of many of the higher stack, max cushion shoes, having one or two lower stack shoes is also part of a well-rounded shoe rotation. We will talk about how we would use the Adidas Boston 13, Salomon Aero Blaze 3, On Cloudboom Zone, Nike Streakfly 2, and the Nike Vaporfly 4 and why you might want to add one of them to your rotation.
If you have been following the Supwell YouTube channel, you know we are generally Max Cushion Gang when it comes to running shoes because we are fans of high mileage training. Max cushion shoes are great for recovery runs, for racking up daily miles, and often for long runs, but sometimes it is good to run in a lower stack running shoe. Not only is it good to change up the stimulus on your body, lower to the ground shoes are also good for improving your running mechanics, especially speed mechanics, as well as your proprioception, and how your feet interact with the ground. Having a lighter, more nimble shoe is also great for speed workouts, hill sprints, working on developing more power, and for running shorter distance races. Here is our list of the top 5 low stack racing and speed training shoes.
Adidas Boston 13
While the Adidas Boston 13 might not be considered a low stack shoe by many people, it is all relative. For us, after doing a lot of recovery runs in the Puma MagMax or the Nike Vomero Premium and long runs in the ASICS Megablast or Brooks Hyperion Max 3, the Boston 13 has a much more traditional geometry and streamlined feel. While it is lower to the ground, it still offers tons of protection, is great for bigger runners, and works really well for speed workouts. You get a nice spring off the forefoot and the foam is not too soft or squishy like many of the new shoes on the market right now. It has a very direct, controlled, and nimble feel. Even though it does have the glass fiber rods, there is a lot of flexibility in the midfoot and forefoot and it has a very natural feel. It blends the modern tech with the rods and the new LightStrike Pro foam with a more traditional ride. If you are looking for a shoe with a lower to the ground feel and a traditional geometry that works well for long runs, speed pick-ups, and strides, the Boston 13 is a great pick.
Adidas Boston 13
On Cloudboom Zone
The On Cloudboom Zone is another great marathon speed training option, much like the Boston 13. It is a lower stack alternative to a lot of the tempo shoes and long run speed trainers of today, like the Adidas Prime X 3 Strung, Brooks Hyperion Max 3 or even the ASICS Megablast. It has a very low to the ground, stripped down, streamlined feel to it. The PEBA foam is very bouncy and energetic and is great for speed training or track workouts. The one difference between it and the Boston 13 is that it is probably not as protective because the foam is a lot softer. It has a small plate in the midfoot, so if you land on the midfoot, you get a nice snap and the toe-off feels great. It does run a half size small, so you might want to order a half size up or just wear a very thin sock.
On Cloudboom Zone
Salomon Aero Blaze 3
The Salomon Aero Blaze 3 is a lower stack daily trainer that would be great if your long runs are only 7-8 miles or if you are running track or cross country and want to use it for tempo runs or even race day. This is in the same category as the Brooks Hyperion 3 or even the Adidas SL2 or Nike Pegasus Plus. They are all great shoes. It is a very normal feeling shoe with an 8mm drop and a nice geometry. The foam is a little firmer than in the Hyperion 3. So if you are looking for a do-it-all, versatile lower-stack shoe that you can use for daily miles, recovery miles, racing, and speed training, the Aero Blaze 3 is a great pick, especially at $140.
Salomon Aero Blaze 3
Nike Vaporfly 4
While much of the race-day competition is coming in right at 40mm in the heel (or higher due to the trickeration companies can do to get around World Athletics rules of measuring 12.5% from the back of the shoe), the Vaporfly 4 comes in at a lower 36-37mm of foam. It is a highly versatile racer that can be used for short distances such as the 5k or 10k, half marathon and even up to the marathon distance. You can often find it on a really good deal as well. And if you want a more normal feeling carbon-plated super shoe, this is a great option for speed training and workouts. It has the most direct feel of all of the carbon-plated racing shoes on the market. It doesn’t have as much speed assistance as you get with the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, the Puma Fast-R 3 or even the Nike Alphafly 3, but what you are losing with the speed assistance you are getting back in the opportunity to develop more strength and having a more nimble and direct feel. While it’s not as exciting as some of the other higher-stack, tech heavy shoes, it is reliable and easy to run in.
Nike Vaporfly Next% 4
Nike Streakfly 2
As you can see, Nike is doing the best job of all of the brands of giving us lower-stack training and race-day options. The Streakfly 2 has the geometry and low stack of a track spike, but it is built for the roads. It comes in around 28mm of foam in the back, so it is the lowest of all of these shoes and is best for very short distances and interval-style workouts. We wouldn’t recommend taking this for anything longer than a 5K race. This is the most aggressive of all the race shoes on the market and it is not one you want to have to jog in or even put your heel down at all. You need to be aggressively tackling the run on your toes. This is best for someone who has a lot of experience running in carbon-plated racing shoes or track spikes.
Nike Streakfly 2
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