Your Running Journey: AI-Powered Plans by GPT-4o [349f]

In the past two years,running shoes with built-in carbon plates have started to attract more and more attention in the running shoe market,Nike's VAPORFLY 4% has almost swept major events, and this year, more and more brands are trying to incorporate carbon plates into their running shoes.

Today, we will delve deeply into carbon plate technology

and take stock of several carbon plate running shoes currently on the market.

Before we take stock, let's first understand this new material: the carbon plate.

Carbon fiber (CF) is a new type of fiber material with a carbon content of over 95%, known for its high strength and high modulus. Carbon fiber is "soft on the outside but strong on the inside," lighter than aluminum, stronger than steel, and has corrosion resistance and high modulus characteristics.

A carbon plate is a composite material made from carbon fiber and epoxy resin, bonded together through heat treatment. This process is similar to making fiberglass with glass fiber and epoxy resin. The carbon plate is a new material with excellent mechanical properties.

The carbon plate makes the shoe less prone to twisting and difficult to bend, thereby enhancing protection, improving foot stability, and effectively promoting rebound.

Carbon plate running shoes currently on the market

1. NIKE

Vaporfly 4%,4% Flyknit, Next%

Release date: June 2019

Official price: 1899-2099 RMB

Most people are already very familiar with Nike's three Vaporfly series carbon plate running shoes: 4%, 4% Flyknit, and Next%.

Zoom Vaporfly 4%:The most technologically advanced part is its midsole, which uses the Vaporfly Elite midsole material ZoomX and an arc-shaped carbon fiber plate. The heel thickness is about 38mm, the forefoot thickness is about 28mm, and the height difference is designed to be 10mm. Due to the shovel-shaped design of the carbon plate, the toe has a noticeable upward curve, giving a forward-running tendency. The first-generation Vaporfly 4% had a very low production volume, possibly due to the difficulty in manufacturing the midsole.

Zoom Vaporfly 4% Flyknit:It uses the Flyknit upper for the first time, enhancing both breathability and lightness. For example, the men's US size 10 weighs only 198g. The upper provides breathable support, combined with responsive foam and a full-length outsole design, enhancing both breathability and lightness; offering outstanding energy return.

ZoomX Vaporfly Next%:This new generation of top running shoes has been comprehensively upgraded in both the upper and the sole. The upper uses the new Vaporweave technology, a material similar to cicada wings, which is lighter and more breathable than Flyknit and importantly prevents the upper from absorbing sweat and rain. The addition of an asymmetrical lacing system and foam padding increases comfort. The sole adds cushioning to reduce weight, providing excellent energy return and a comfortable experience.

Zoom Fly 3, Zoom Fly FK

Zoom Fly SP Fast

Release date: June 2019, Official price: 1169 RMB

Starting from the previous generation Zoom Fly FK, Zoom Fly replaced the nylon material plate with a carbon plate and used React midsole material. Nike cleverly designed each generation of Zoom Fly to resemble the Vaporfly of the same period.

Zoom Fly 3: Continues the streamlined body design of its predecessor, with an enlarged swoosh logo; the upper material is replaced with the same Vaporweave material as the ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT%, reducing weight while enhancing waterproof performance; the midsole uses React material, and the outsole design has been updated. The laceless design also makes it easier to put on and take off.

Zoom Fly FK: Zoom Fly also adopts the Flyknit structure, equipped with the innovative Nike React sole technology, and like its predecessor, it also has a full-length carbon fiber plate. Both shoes have been comprehensively upgraded in running performance, providing better durability, lightness, and breathability.

Zoom Fly SP Fast: Uses a deconstructed upper to create a lightweight shoe with a free and comfortable feel. The Nike React technology underfoot is paired with a full-length nylon plate injected with carbon fiber, creating revolutionary energy return.

2. HOKA ONE ONE

HOKA ONE ONE was the fastest to launch its own carbon plate running shoes after Nike. In fact, the Carbon Rocket appeared at an overseas outdoor exhibition in 2015, but it is unclear whether it had a built-in carbon plate design at that time.

Carbon Rocket
Release date: March 2019
Official price: 160 USD (about 1490 RMB)

Currently, it only comes in a bright yellow and light blue color scheme, which will be quite eye-catching in competitions. It uses a double-layer fabric upper, with a large mesh inner layer and a small mesh outer layer similar to a screen. The two layers fit together, making it very soft and thin, with excellent breathability.

The Carbon Rocket uses the new Pro-Fly midsole, with a full-length carbon plate inside. The carbon plate is a material that combines lightness, resilience, and strength. The use of the carbon plate makes the shoe more elastic, providing effective propulsion for athletes.

Carbon X
Release date: June 2019
Official price: 180 USD (about 1690 RMB)

As a racing shoe, all the design of the CARBON X is aimed at lightweight, and the upper is no exception. Its upper is only a thin layer, using an engineered mesh design. There is no woven material for support at the forefoot, only a circle of thermoplastic material at the toe inside the shoe chamber to prevent forefoot collapse.

The biggest highlight of the CARBON X is still the full-length carbon plate between the midsole and outsole. Unlike the almost flat carbon plate of the CARBON ROCKET, the CARBON X has a precisely curved design, with the bend occurring at the side of the forefoot toes to ensure a smooth transition when the runner steps forward.

3. NEW BALANCE

New Balance recently launched a newly upgraded running technology platform—FuelCell, breaking traditional professional design to inject vitality into every step of running. The newly upgraded FuelCell midsole technology, developed by the New Balance Innovation Design Studio, aims to provide runners with the ultimate speed experience anytime, anywhere. The latest FuelCell product line will become the best choice for energy feedback in the New Balance running shoe family.

FuelCell 5280
Release date: March 2019, Official price: unknown

The 5280 is a high-speed running shoe without spikes, made using data collected from top one-mile road race athletes in the New Balance athlete family.

The sole incorporates a multidirectional carbon fiber plate, which can flexibly accommodate foot landings from multiple directions during the landing phase and follow the gait changes to provide ample propulsion during the push-off phase. The midsole uses FuelCell, New Balance's most energy-efficient midsole material to date, helping the feet respond sensitively and dynamically adjusting the shoe shape based on running data. The Hypoknit upper design is lightweight and high-performance, providing high-performance support to the feet where needed.

FuelCell, FuelCell Propel

FuelCell Rebel
Release date: June 2019

Official price: 999 RMB

New Balance recently released three new products in the FuelCell product line, targeting a larger base of runners, which can be seen to some extent as a popularized version of the 5280 technology.

A more mass-market speed-type running shoe, with excellent energy feedback performance suitable for daily running; using the outstanding energy feedback FuelCell midsole technology, providing extraordinary power and strong pushback force for the feet, helping runners break through themselves and enjoy a fast experience; a one-piece Trace Fiber woven upper, hidden curved carbon plate, fitting the shoe to the foot, comfortable foot feel, ultra-lightweight design, very fast, stylish, and suitable for various surfaces.

4. PENSOLE

Pensole was founded in 2010 in Portland, USA, by former Nike Jordan design director Dwayne Edward.

The name Pensole comes from the homophone of Pencil. Pensole always insists that all product designs should originate from pencil sketches.
Sole, which means the sole of a shoe in Chinese, is the part of each shoe that best reflects its technicality and functionality, and is also a key element in sneaker design.

Pensole is committed to infecting every consumer with good quality, design, and price.

Pensole Point

Release date: March 2019

Official price: 990 RMB

Pensole1805 is a retro carbon plate running shoe. The upper uses lightweight and breathable mesh fabric, with hot pressing on the forefoot and heel, adding a strap to the instep to reduce soreness during long runs.

The midsole uses a full-length carbon fiber plate covering more than 90% of the stress area, providing top-level stability and forefoot and heel transmission; minimizing the physical exertion of athletes during long runs and providing power for each step; professional lightweight midsole formula, cushioning and comfortable.

Pensole Point full-length carbon plate running shoes in white

¥0.00

¥299.00

Buy now

Experience carbon plates at a bargain price, truly making carbon plate shoes affordable for everyone.

PS: During the event from August 22 to September 1, purchase Pensole full-length carbon plate running shoes at the lowest price on the entire network and enjoy free shipping.

5. Do-win

In March this year, Do-win's official Weibo announced that the company would launch new running shoes this year. The biggest feature is that they will also use carbon plate technology.

Recently, this running shoe quietly went online, the new training-level 3 series running shoe,

officially named: MR3900

This running shoe embeds a carbon plate in Do-win's arch anti-torsion stability I-ESSpro system, effectively enhancing arch support, dispersing heel impact, reducing the torsion caused by improper foot landing during running, and preventing midsole twisting and breaking.

MR3900

Release date: August 2019

Official price: 299 RMB

With Nike's carbon plate running shoes achieving great success in the market, other running shoe manufacturers will not sit idly by. Various brands are continuously revealing carbon plate running shoes. The above listed are the shoes that have already been released. Other brands like Skechers, Brooks, Saucony, and Li-Ning have also released many related product leaks, but they are still not available for sale, making gear enthusiasts anxious.

Li-Ning Boom

Expected to be released soon

Finally, a friendly reminder from the editor: shoes are just a catalyst for running performance; the real runner is the runner themselves.

Running shoes with carbon plates are not necessarily the best, and running shoes without carbon plates are not without highlights. Don't blindly pursue carbon plate running shoes; what suits you is the most important.