I’ve been testing running shoes for a decade, and 2025 has been a spectacular year for new sneakers, with outstanding new options launched across all categories and brands.
It’ll be a hard year to follow, but judging from what I’ve seen of the shoes coming in 2026, we’re set for another great year.
Last week, I attended The Running Event (TRE) in San Antonio, Texas, a tradeshow where the biggest brands in running revealed their best running shoes for 2026. Some brands didn’t opt to reveal all of their shoes, and some were only shown under embargo, but a lot of eye-catching sneakers were unveiled at the event.
Here are the seven running shoes that I’m most excited about launching in 2026.
On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS
On showed off a lot of new shoes at TRE this year, with this update to the On Cloudmonster Hyper being the most exciting in my view. There are two versions of the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper to look forward to, but the one with the LightSpray upper is much lighter.
I tested this upper on the On Cloudboom Strike LS, and I was impressed by how well it held the foot while being so light. Using this material brings the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper under 7oz, which is impressive for a high-stack super-trainer.
The new shoe also improves the midsole setup compared with the original Cloudmonster Hyper, because it now has a full-length layer of PEBA foam on top, which should make for a bouncier ride. I criticized the original shoe for being heavy and lacking spring, so I’m hoping for a much-improved ride thanks to these updates.
The On Cloudmonster 3 Hyper LS is due to launch in March 2026 and will cost $240, which is $20 more than the standard Cloudmonster 3 Hyper. It’s not a cheap option, but it looks great and should run like a dream.
Brooks Glycerin Flex
I’ve already had a chance to run in the Brooks Glycerin Flex, which is the most interesting daily trainer I saw launched at TRE 2025 because of its flexible design.
It’s designed to offer a different ride to the highly-rockered max-stack shoes that have become the norm, and it does feel more natural and flexible on the run, and gives more feel for the ground.
The Glycerin Flex uses the same DNA Tuned foam as other Brooks models like the Glycerin Max 2, but has grooves on the outsole that allow the heel and forefoot to move independently and give a flexible feel. It’s also a little lighter than other Brooks cushioned shoes at 9.6oz in my US men’s size 10.
You’ll be able to order the Glycerin Flex from January 2026, and it will cost $170.
Kiprun Kipride Max
The Kipride Max is an exciting shoe in and of itself, but I’m also excited by the fact that Kiprun is launching in the US next year.
Kiprun is a brand that’s well-established in Europe as offering high-quality, durable products at reasonable prices, and from April 2026, it is making many of its top running shoes available in the US.
The Kipride Max will be among them, and it’s a max-cushioned daily trainer with a very bouncy ride. I’ve already started testing the shoe, and it’s springier than most max-cushioned shoes I’ve tried, and also not too heavy — it’s under 10oz despite having a stack height of 42mm at the heel and 36mm at the forefoot.
You’ll be able to get your hands on the shoe in Europe from January, and the Kipride Max will launch in the US in April 2026, costing $160.
Saucony Endorphin Elite 3
A lot of new carbon plate running shoes were on show at TRE 2026, with Brooks and Mizuno showing off exciting new racers, while Saucony revealed updates to its Endorphin Elite and Endorphin Pro lines.
Of these, the Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 is the one I can’t wait to test in particular, because it has updates that address my main problem with the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, which is a lack of stability.
Saucony has made the Endorphin Elite 3 more stable by adding foam to make it wider, without increasing the weight, which is just 7.2oz.
It still uses the very soft and springy IncrediRun foam that was introduced with the Elite 2 in its midsole, so if it is just as bouncy as its predecessor while being more stable at high speeds, the Elite 3 will be well worth a look when it launches in June 2026, even at its high price of $290.
Tracksmith Eliot Ryder
The Eliot Ryder is the fourth running shoe to be released by Tracksmith, and its first max-cushioned daily trainer.
What makes the Eliot Ryder stand out is its understated looks — I couldn’t believe it had a stack height of 45mm at the heel and 37.5mm at the forefoot, given how normal it looks compared to other mega-stack running shoes.
It’s also pretty light at 9.5oz, and should be stable despite having a high stack of springy foam thanks to the use of a drop-in insole, which is 25mm thick and surrounded by a firmer foam to add support.
As ever with Tracksmith, you pay a premium for Eliot Ryder’s good looks — it will set you back $220 when it launches in April 2026.
Hoka Mach 7
Most of the shoes on this list are brand new or major updates to a previous model, but sometimes a shoe excites you by mostly sticking to a tried-and-tested formula, and that’s the case with the Hoka Mach 7.
I’ve been a big fan of the Hoka Mach 6 since it launched because of its simple, effective design. It’s lightweight but well-cushioned, with a responsive foam in the midsole and a smooth rocker.
All that is true of the Hoka Mach 7, which just has a redesigned upper to improve the fit compared with its predecessor.
This makes me happy for two reasons. One is that Hoka didn’t mess up one of my favorite shoes, and the Hoka Mach 7 should be just as versatile and fun as the Mach 6. Two is that you can shop for deals on the Mach 6 without fear that the new version is going to be a huge upgrade.
Nike ACG Ultrafly
I’m primarily a road runner myself, which means trail-running shoes don’t tend to thrill me as much as road shoes, but there were a lot of exciting new off-road options shown off at TRE 2025.
Of these, the one I really like the look of is the Nike ACG Ultrafly, which is the successor to the Nike Ultrafly Trail, the brand’s carbon plate trail-racing shoe.
I ran my first ultramarathon in the original Ultrafly, and the updates to the new shoe make it lighter and leaner all around, while still hopefully retaining a lot of comfort for your longest off-road adventures.
The new shoe has a split carbon plate to provide propulsion but also flexibility on uneven ground, while the Vibram outsole should grip well on anything, bar deep mud.
You’ll have to wait until spring 2026 to get hold of the Nike ACG Ultrafly, which will cost $250.
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