affordable carbon plated running shoes pensole carbon plated running shoes
Preface
When it comes to carbon plate running shoes, the first thing that comes to mind is the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%. This shoe, designed for the Breaking2 project, features a full-length carbon plate made of carbon fiber in the midsole. Laboratory tests show that this shoe can improve running efficiency by 4%, which is the reason for its name. The revolutionary 4% has also ended the dominance of Adidas' Boost. Currently, the most high-end and popular full-length carbon plate running shoes are Nike's 4% and this year's new NEXT%. However, the price of over 2000 yuan is not affordable for all runners.Coupled with hunger marketing, only a select few elite runners get to enjoy them.
The emergence of carbon plates has also led many manufacturers to follow suit and launch their own carbon plate running shoes. Nowadays, there are more and more running shoes equipped with carbon plates. Recently, I experienced a cost-effective full-length carbon plate running shoe, the Pensole Carbon Plate Running Shoe.
This shoe is a retro-style carbon plate casual running shoe designed by former Nike design director Jeff Henderson in collaboration with a Chinese manufacturer.
The men's size 42 shoe weighs 266 grams and is priced at 299 yuan.
From the product positioning, it can be seen that this is a shoe suitable for casual outings and daily jogging. The design style is conservative and leans more towards casual shoes. The upper uses a traditional sandwich mesh design, which makes the shoe very breathable. Even after running in temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius, my feet remained dry. The breathability is indeed excellent.
The wide design of the toe box is a bit too conservative, but considering it's also for casual outings, the wide toe box makes the toe area very spacious. You can even make a peace sign with your toes inside!
I particularly like the design of the tongue, which is integrated, thick, and wide, providing a great fit to the instep without shifting during running. However, I am not very satisfied with the laces; they are too casual, thick, and conservative, unlike the light and thin laces of running shoes.
The support and comfort of the heel are good, and the small drop from heel to toe also indicates the shoe's casual positioning.
The static comfort is very good, similar to casual shoes, making it great for daily wear without feeling tired or stuffy.
The core selling point of this running shoe is the carbon fiber carbon plate embedded in the midsole.
What is a carbon plate?
A carbon plate is a stress-bearing plate made of carbon fiber, which can be seen from the sole of the shoe.
What are the characteristics of a carbon plate?
It has high hardness, good elasticity, and quick acceleration.
The hardness of the carbon plate makes the stress points more balanced upon landing. Since everyone's running posture is different, the landing positions also vary. Some land on the forefoot, some on the heel, and others on the full foot. Traditional EVA midsoles can cause excessive concentration of stress points on uneven surfaces, leading to significant wear over time and insufficient rebound. Insufficient hardness of the contact surface also poses a risk of spraining.
Adding a carbon plate effectively solves the problem of uneven stress distribution. Moreover, the elasticity of the carbon plate is better than that of traditional EVA midsoles, providing a booster-like feel for advanced runners. This is why the 4% is so popular.
Of course, full-length carbon plates do not bend as naturally as traditional running shoes, making the shoes feel stiff to beginners. Therefore, beginners should strengthen their lower limb and core strength training.
After running over 70 kilometers, the shoe's feel is indeed very bouncy with good acceleration. The thick and wide midsole of the heel also provides excellent cushioning. However, the wear-resistant rubber on the outsole is relatively small, making the durability slightly weaker.
Overall, the Pensole full-length carbon plate running shoe performs well. It is comfortable and breathable, and the price of 299 yuan is very affordable, making it a great choice for a first carbon plate running shoe.
This shoe is suitable for casual outings and jogging. It is also good as a training shoe. However, due to its weight and design leaning towards casual shoes, it is not suitable for competitive running.
I personally think the design could be more aggressive. Using a woven upper to reduce weight and leaning more towards a training running shoe design might be better!
However, for a full-length carbon plate running shoe priced at only 299 yuan, there is nothing to complain about.