I test running shoes for a living, and here are 3 more exciting launches in 2026

A month ago, I ran an article about three exciting running shoe launches in 2026, saying this year is shaping up to be a great time for runners. It's not even the end of March, and I'm back again with three more releases that feel quite as significant.

Interestingly, two of the three new pairs I'll mention here are trail running shoes, showing how popular the sport has become in recent years.

I was lucky enough to attend UTMB in Chamonix last year, and it was mind-blowing to see how many people turned up for an ultra in a small (albeit well-known) mountain village in the Alps. Seeing people cheering runners on at 1 am is not something you'd have seen 10-15 years ago.

We all know that companies will jump on trends to monetise on the growing interest in any sport. Road running has been steadily growing for a number of years now, pulling trail running along with it, which means there are more races and more runners seeking top-shelf trail-running footwear.

This surge in interest might explain Japanese sports brand Mizuno's return to trail running, and why Brooks decided that it needs to launch a plated trail racer now. Plus, Adidas is pushing new foam technology to new heights.

Can't get enough

Even though it's only been a few weeks since my last article, we've seen a ton of new releases in the road and trail running space.

The North Face's Altamesa 500 V2 (£135, The North Face), previously a bit of a 'meh' franchise, stepped up its game by introducing the brand’s new nitrogen-infused DREAM midsole and an aggressive silhouette borrowed from the Vectiv series. It's still a pretty affordable shoe, though.

Arc'teryx has also tweaked its trail racer. The Syloan 2 (£200, Arc'teryx) has dropped weight, improved stability, and now features a redesigned upper and a more responsive midsole setup, including a carbon-fibre plate for extra propulsion and stability.

Back on the road, Hoka updated its fast daily trainer, the Mach 7 (£140, Hoka), which focuses on refining key areas such as weight, breathability and fit while maintaining the responsive ride that defines the Mach series. It's a small update, echoing the old adage: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Decathlon's own Kiprun is pushing the boat out with its new super shoe, the Kipstorm Elite (£180, Decathlon). The brand says the idea is to balance stability with a high-energy toe-off, a setup Kiprun claims delivers a 13% boost in perceived dynamism compared to its predecessor while also trimming weight. All for a rather attractive price.

On's expanded its LightSpray technology, which can now also be experienced in shoes other than just conceptual marathon racers. The Cloudmonster 3 Hyper (£270, On) is far from cheap, but it's an exciting technology that shows the way forward in terms of creating shoes with less waste.

There were also two smaller news stories. Nike keeps pushing its ACG brand, and raced a custom, spiked Ultrafly shoe against a car on an ice track. You can't buy the shoes, but it's a fun story. Lastly, Adidas launched a Labrum version of its Adizero Evo SL (£130, Adidas) – still the same brilliant shoes for the same brilliant price, but a different colour.