Carbon Plated Running Shoes Improve Running Economy

Picture from Runrepeat.com

Remember my post on whether super running shoes work or whether it was just a placebo, especially for recreational runners?  Well, for serious runners they definitely make one run faster. 

In theory, the super shoes reduces your energy cost when you run, making runners more efficient at the same running speed.

How do they actually make you run faster? In my past versus present post, I highlighted how super highly stacked midsoles, super responsive PEBA foam, and uppers are optimized biomechanically. In addition, the carbon plates offer runners with energy return on every stride. The propulsion and fit designed to minimize fatigue over the whole marathon distance, almost like pushing off, off a trampoline when you run.

However, what if one ran in carbon plated running shoes versus shoes that did not have a carbon plate? That was what a new systematic review investigated, how much lower the energy cost is when you compare running in carbon plated versus non carbon plated shoes and how big the effect was.

14 studies pooled by researchers to compare carbon plated versus non carbon plated shoes when running (Kobayashi et al, 2026). Each runner in all the studies ran in both types of shoes to minimize 'between-runner" variability.

The results showed that the carbon plated shoes significantly lowered metabolic cost (or energy cost) for all the variables measured. Running economy, oxygen consumption and energetic cost of transport (ECOT)  all favoured the carbon plated running shoes.

Here's what the researchers summarized that was interesting. The carbon plated shoes lowered metabolic demand during running by 2 to 3 percent on average. This means that the total amount of energy and oxygen required by the body to sustain cardiovascular function, muscle demands and heat regulation while running was less in the carbon plated shoes.

This matches what runners "feel" in super shoes. Not a night and day transformation but definitely a sufficient edge, more so when pace increases and race distances get longer. (Recap: runners were only running 6 minutes at 10 km/h pace in the super shoes or super placebo post).

So if you are still deciding on buying carbon plated super shoes for your next attempt to beat your 10km/ 21km/ marathon, (or insert your distance) personal best, the scientific answer is a definite yes. Especially if you are not a beginner and can afford them.

Reference

Kobayashi EN, Toledo RRF, de Almeida MO et al (2026). Metabolic Effects Of Carbon-Plated Running Shoes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis. Front Sports Act Living. 9(7): 1710224. DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2025.1710224