It’s been a genuinely busy fortnight for shoe releases — eight significant launches landed in the last two weeks alone, from a first-ever carbon plate at Merrell to a full foam overhaul at Mizuno. Here’s the trainer roundup: what’s new, what’s actually changed under the hood, and what’s still to come before the year’s out.
Recently released
Merrell MTL SpeedArc Peak — US $290 (UK price TBC)
305g · 6mm drop
Merrell’s first carbon-plated trail racer arrives with a three-layer “SpeedArc” midsole: a full-length carbon plate sandwiched between a soft top layer of PEBA foam and a firmer, more durable base layer. It’s a direct shot across the bow of Hoka’s Tecton X on technical terrain.
ASICS Sonicblast 2 — £170 (US $190)
242g (men’s) · 8mm drop · 38–46mm stack
A significant update: 14g lighter than the original, with a redesigned “forked” plate that lets more FF Turbo+ foam extend into a new forefoot “Trampoline Pod” for extra pop off the toe.
Nike Pegasus Plus 2 — US $165
270g (men’s) · 10mm drop · 38mm heel / 28mm forefoot
The big change here is a forefoot Air Zoom unit — the first time this line has had one — which Nike says gives 18% more energy return than the original Pegasus Plus. It nudges the shoe from “everyday trainer” territory toward something you’d reach for on a tempo day.
Salomon S/LAB Genesis 2 — US $150
281g · 8mm drop · 33.5mm heel / 25.5mm forefoot
A stability-focused update for technical trail: a redesigned “activeCHASSIS” and wider midsole base pair with a revised, grippier tread for rougher ground.
New Balance SC Elite v6 — US $275
190g (men’s) · 8mm drop · 40mm heel / 32mm forefoot
New Balance has swapped in a new “Infinion” supercritical midsole compound in place of the old FuelCell foam, describing it as more resilient and race-ready — a real step up from the v5, which rode more like a lightweight trainer than a genuine racer.
Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 — US $275
192g (men’s) · 7mm drop · 40mm heel / 33mm forefoot
Brooks’ marathon super shoe gets a wider midfoot — addressing the narrow-fit complaints that dogged the v5 — paired with a more aggressive rocker geometry.
Mizuno Wave Rider 30 — US $150
~266g (men’s) · 8mm drop · 42.5mm heel / 34.5mm forefoot
A genuine departure for the line: a softer supercritical “Enerzy NXT” foam replaces the old, firmer compound, and the signature Wave plate is now full-length rather than partial. Expect a much plusher ride than Wave Riders past.
ASICS GT-2000 15 — US $150
252g · 8mm drop · 37mm heel / 29mm forefoot
Asics’ stability workhorse adds 2mm more foam over the 14 for extra cushioning, while keeping the FF Blast Max midsole and 3D Guidance System support underfoot.
Also released this window, with specs still filtering through: Saucony Cohesion 19 and Endorphin Elite 3, Puma Velocity Nitro 5 and Deviate Pure Nitro, Altra Olympus 7 and Vanish Carbon 3/Pulse, On Cloudboom Strike 2, Hoka Clifton 11 (upper refresh only) and Arahi 9, and the ASICS Blazeblast — a road-to-trail hybrid at $150 / 252g / 8mm drop.
Quick comparison
| Shoe | Price | Weight | Drop | Stack (heel/forefoot) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merrell MTL SpeedArc Peak | $290 | 305g | 6mm | — |
| ASICS Sonicblast 2 | £170 / $190 | 242g | 8mm | 38–46mm |
| Nike Pegasus Plus 2 | $165 | 270g | 10mm | 38mm / 28mm |
| Salomon S/LAB Genesis 2 | $150 | 281g | 8mm | 33.5mm / 25.5mm |
| New Balance SC Elite v6 | $275 | 190g | 8mm | 40mm / 32mm |
| Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 | $275 | 192g | 7mm | 40mm / 33mm |
| Mizuno Wave Rider 30 | $150 | ~266g | 8mm | 42.5mm / 34.5mm |
| ASICS GT-2000 15 | $150 | 252g | 8mm | 37mm / 29mm |
Weights and stack heights are men’s/standard figures as reported by each brand — always check the women’s spec sheet separately, as it usually differs.
Coming soon
- Nike Alphafly 4 — expected October 2026. The next update to Nike’s flagship carbon racer.
- Nike Zoom Fly 7 — expected October 2026.
- adidas Adios Pro 5 — expected October 2026. Adidas’ elite marathon shoe.
- adidas Takumi Sen 12 — expected November 2026.
- ASICS Excite 12 — expected this month (September 2026). An entry-level trainer refresh.
- ASICS Metaspeed Edge/Sky 5 — expected November 2026. The race-day super shoes.
- Brooks Hyperion 4 — expected September 2026. A lightweight daily trainer.
- Hoka Skyflow 2 — expected September 2026.
- Hoka Mafate X2 — expected October 2026. Max-cushion trail.
- Mizuno Wave Sky 10 — expected October 2026. Max-cushion daily trainer.
- New Balance 880 v16 — expected October 2026. The popular everyday cushioned trainer.
- Saucony Kinvara 17 — expected November 2026. The long-running lightweight neutral shoe.
Nothing confirmed yet this window on the road-running side from Karhu or Under Armour — we’ll cover it here as soon as that changes.
James
Physiorun
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