A Sneak Peek At 5 Shoes Triathletes Will Be Lusting After in 2023
Hoka (finally) reveals “That Shoe” we saw in Kona, a look at a funky (and pricey) pair from Mizuno, Reebok revamped, and more from last week's The Running Event in Austin, TX.
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Every year, all of the major shoe companies gather with media and retailers in Austin to show off the latest and greatest shoe tech for the next season. This year, Outside Run hit the floor in full force to tease out the speedy shoes that triathletes will want in 2023. Take a look at what they found.
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Section dividerHoka Rocket X 2
$250, hoka.com; 7.9oz. (men’s size 9), 5mm offset
Hoka’s long-awaited Rocket X 2 is almost ready for launch. After being on the feet of its elite athletes in the Boston Marathon, Ironman World Championship, Chicago Marathon and New York City Marathon, it will finally become available to consumers on March 1. The Rocket X 2 has a new formulation of Hoka’s super-critical midsole foam and 40mm in the heel, 35mm in the forefoot.
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Section dividerMizuno Wave Rebellion Pro
$250, mizunousa.com; 5.5oz. (women’s size 8), 4.5mm offset
Mizuno’s long-awaited Wave Rebellion Pro was unveiled on Wednesday. The carbon-plated marathon racing super shoe has a extreme beveled heel design and sculpted-out midsole that encourages (or demands) a midfoot/forefoot gait. It has a dual-density midsole composed of Mizuno’s Enerzy Lite and Enerzy Core foam compounds, a lightweight engineered polyester mesh upper, and a thin G3 rubber outsole. It will be available in early 2023.
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Section dividerSpeedland GS:TAM
$275, runspeedland.com; 10.7oz. (men’s size 9), 7mm offset
Speedland’s GS:TAM is one of the most anticipated new trail running shoes coming out in 2023. The maximally cushioned shoe has a unique dual-density midsole with a carbon-fiber plate embedded between a layer of super-critical Pebax blended foam underneath the foot and a layer of beaded Pebax foam close to ground between the plate and the Michelin rubber outsole. It has 37mm in the heel/30mm in the forefoot and a dual BOA Li2 fit system that secures the breathable knit bootie upper by wrapping three thin suede wings of fabric over a runner’s foot with bidirectional adjustability. The shoe is available for presale now and is expected to be delivered in March.
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Section dividerReebok Floatride Energy 5
$110, reebok.com; 8mm offset
Reebok has fully revamped the speedy Floatride Energy with this latest update. Look for a new outsole, a new midsole, and a new upper to highlight this throwback design. Triathletes should especially be interested in this pair of budget-conscious lightweight trainers/long-day racers, as the Floatride Energy 5 speaks to neutral runners, but offer heaps of support for those either new to running (beginner triathletes!) or those on tired legs (all triathletes, after T2!). Look for this versatile shoe to be available in February.
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Section dividerSaucony Kinvara Pro
$180, saucony.com; 8mm offset
This new entry to the very popular-for-triathletes Kinvara line is considered “carbon for the regular runner” with a dual-density midsole sporting two flavors: Saucony’s PWR RUN plate below and PWR RUN PB above. This carbon setup is tuned for higher-mileage weeks, basically a tear drop-shaped carbon shoe that could be used outside of racing. Think: a racer for “slower” runners—(i.e., not pros) 8:30 pace runners who do not necessarily get the full benefit from carbon race shoes because they are not running the faster paces. Kinvara Pro will be available in summer 2023.