As a team we’ve already picked out the best running shoes of 2023. To round off the year we also thought we’d give you our individual picks of the new shoes that launched this year that we’ve loved running in.
Next up is Mike, who follows Nick, Tom and Kieran on giving you the shoes that made a lasting impression on his running in 2023.
CHAPTERS:
00:00 – Intro
01:20 – Hoka Rocket X2
03:14 – On Cloudeclipse
05:24 – Saucony Triumph 21
07:35 – Nike Vaporfly 3
09:43 – New Balance 1080 v13
See the rest of the team’s top shoe picks of 2023:
Tom’s 5 favourite running shoes of 2023:
Nick’s 5 favourite running shoes of 2023:
Kieran’s 5 favourite running shoes of 2023:
Here come the affiliate links:
Occasionally, we use affiliate links on products we feature. If you click on these links and buy a product we do receive some money in return – but this doesn’t come at a cost to you. Our use of affiliate links does not affect what we say about products and if you’d rather not use the links you can find the items using the search engine of your choice.
Hoka Rocket X2:
On Cloudeclipse:
New Balance 1080v13:
Nike Vaporfly 3:
Saucony Triumph 21:
More ways to enjoy The Run Testers
Subscribe:
Follow Us:
Listen to The Run Testers Podcast:
Watch The Run Testers Shorts:
Some other videos you might find useful:
Best Carbon Running Shoes:
Best Garmin Watches For Every Type Of Runner:
Best Daily Trainers of 2023:
The Run Testers Awards 2023 – All the winners
Hey this is Mike from the run tessers And yes it is my turn to pick my top Five running shoes at launch in 2023 That I have loved running in this year Now I know it's the one you've been Waiting for because let's face it Nick's Too quick Kieran PLS too long and Tom Just rips the outsole off of all of his Shoes so now it's my turn to pick for my Top five the shoes that have really kind Of impressed me in 2023 and I think in General most running brand have had very Good years I think it's been a year Where we've seen some lines reinvented Which I think have been generally for The better we've seen some Innovation as Well there too I do think there's going To be a lot more next year and I think It's going to be a busy year of launches Next year that's 2024 though let's focus On 2023 most of my shoes or all of my Shoes are Road running shoes I haven't Done as much trail running as I would Like to have done this year in fact I Mean I haven't done as much running as I'd like to do in general but these are The shoes that really reflect the types Of runs I've been able to a bit of Racing I've been able to do this year as Well and the ones that I think are worth Highlighting and ones that have stuck Around in my rotation and depending on What launch is next year we'll probably Stick in my rotation as well too so here
We go this is my top five running shoes That launched in 20123 that I've Absolutely loved running in this [Music] Year so in at five is the Hawker rocket X2 now I absolutely love the rocket X And as I kind of mentioned in our kind Of last gen older shoes I still love Running it in I think that was a shoe I've really enjoyed running in now the Rocket X2 has been a shoe that I have Been able to do some racing and I did Hackney half in it earlier this year I Did the Olympic Park 5K recently with Tom and Nick as well too and I have been Able to do some kind of speed sessions In general get out on the track with This and it is a different shoe to the Rocket X but I think it's a different Shoe in a lot of good ways it definitely Feels like a shoe I would feel more more Comfortable running longer distances Compared to the Hawker rocket X I love The look of this shoe you know when You're stepping up on a on a start line And you're racing it feels like a racing Shoe and it feels like a racing shoe That mid so just feels more in line with The other kind of top tier kind of Carbon Racing shoes and you know you've Got like qualities of the Hawker shoes That make it a good racing shoe Something a little bit different from What else is out there but in its own
Unique way I think it offers something a Little bit different as well and I it's Got that explosive feel to it I think The ride feels great the outsole is Pretty good for me overall and I like The fact that the upper is nice and Light too so this is a shoe that really Kind of impressed me is expensive but Then most carbon you know top tier shoes Are but it feels like unlike the rocket X which I think you know not everyone Absolutely loved that shoe I did this is A shoe that is going to appeal to more People it's definitely a stronger Alternative to those other kind of top Tier issues from Nike aex Adidas so you Know Hawker you know it feels like h Really does have a strong racing shoe And launched a very strong racing shoe Probably one of the most standout ones That I've run in and been able to race In this year so yeah that's my fifth Pick the Hawker rocket [Music] X2 in at number four is the on cloud Eclipse now I didn't think I would be Mentioning a on shoe in my top five Shoes for 2023 but to be honest H has Had a very good year and probably had One of the stand out years in terms of The ran brands in terms of slightly Reinventing themselves I think making Changes to their lines I think needed to Happen and just making better running
Shoes in general the oncloud beom echo 3 Was great the cloud Surfer was great as Well this came out a little later but For me this has been a standout on shoe For me and just a standout running shoe For me what I like about it is that I Love a kind of more uptempo daily Trainer something that you can go and go Run easy in but also if you want to pick The pace up in a run or you want to do a Little bit more something a little bit Quicker then that's the kind of shoe That I like having on my feet and I Definitely feel like this sits in that Criteria what I like about and you know What we typically get from one it is a Good look shoe so I am a psycher for a Good-looking shoe and that what you get Here with the on T clipse but that Change in the Mido is really what sold It for me and actually The Rocker and The ride that you get in this shoot as Well too it's a good weight that kind of Cloud Tech phase midsole which is kind Of influenced from the cloud Surfer but It's a little bit firmer in comparison I Just think works for making it a better Versatile daily training shoe compared To something with the cloud Surfer I Think it brings it in line with other More uptempo kind of daily trainer shoes That you can get it's not made for that Really quicker stuff but I do think if You want a shoe that you can ease off in
But also pick up the pace a little bit In place as well too this is a shoe for Me that has done that job really really Well and you it launched later this year But it's one shoe that I've continued to Put on since I've uh tested it and we've Reviewed it on the channel and it's one I'll continue to to use as well it's Kind of a shoe I would say if I'm going Away this is a shoe I would take with me Because I could wear it around walk in It but also I know I could run a variety Of different kind of speeds and paces in It and I'd be happy to have that kind of One shoe to kind of do it all in terms Of only having room to carry one thing Or to wear one thing so yeah my fourth Pick is the oncloud [Music] Eclipse so my third pick is the S Tri 21 Now it was a tossup between this and Another s shoe so the S axon 3 which I Think is a really good affordable shoe That s launched this year and a good Kind of alternative to something like The pum velocity nitr but I think when I Kind of weigh it up I still probably Would go for The Velo Nitro 2 over the Axon 3 where I think with the S Triumph 21 for me has been the probably the Standout shoe for me in s's launches This year now what I like about the Sakon particularly this version of the Tri is I think previously it has been a
Shoe that's been really great for those Slow Long Easy runs giving you that kind Of level of plushness and comfort where If you just want to go and go and run Slow and long that is a shoe it's been a Line that's well suited to do that now In the Triumph 21 I feel like the the Criteria of where this shoe sits or what It's capable of has changed and I think A bit like I said with the oncloud Eclipse I feel like this is a shoe that You can definitely still a shoe for easy Slow runs ultimately but it has a good Enough ride in it and I think a feeling To want to run a little bit quicker in It again you're not going to do speed Work in it but I think if you want to Run a little bit more on Tempo in this Shoe you can absolutely do it in this Shoe and it is a good weight I think Overall the fit is very good and Supportive I love the fit on this shoe And it's a shoe definitely since I've Tested you know if I saw it and I had to Go out and do a run like the ones I've Described that it's best suited for I'd Have no issues kind of picking it up and Going out and running in it because I Think it just gives you everything you Want from that kind of daily trainer but A daily trainer kind of veers a little Bit more on that kind of slow Long Easy Runs but also slightly quicker Al kind Of more uptempo running as well too so
Yeah for me as I said it was between This and the S axon 3 I think the S Tri 21 just edges it for me because I think It's a it's a good evolution of the Previous Triumph shoes whether it's kind Of the upper the feeling in terms of the What this shoe is capable of and the Best runs it works for and I think this Is you know it's one of my favorite Lines in sakon's range and I think the Triumph 21 is a very good installment And a good installment that we got in [Music] 2023 so just missing out on the top spot And coming in at number two is this you The Nik vaporfly 3 now I was the last Person in the team to run in a vapor Fly Shoe and thanks sport you for sorting Out a VAP 3 S for me this year and the Reason I have been like that is almost Because I've kind of thought well I Don't want to just be like everyone else And want to find another shoe that I Think would still work for that kind of Race kind of scenario and I found that And kind of things like The Meta speed Things like so indor in Pro three but This year I got to running this I got to Racing this when I felt confident to Start running quicker again and do a Race this is the shoe I picked up and I Get it I get why people love this shoe And for me it absolutely worked and it Felt great and I've you know since that
Race and you know that was kind of an Attempt to go out and run my quickest And I ran 20 O1 I think basically so just missed out A sub20 and it felt fantastic I get it It's nice and light I love the up I Wasn't sure whether the upper would work For me but it was absolutely fine and it Just feels explosive and you're running It your quicker that kind of midsole and That foam just kind of comes into its Own and it just feels like a super shoe And I get why it costs as much get why People love this shoe and love the Vaporfly and for me this is a shoe that I'm already thinking you know I don't Know what's going to happen next year in Terms of the next launch we know we've Got the alphafly 3 coming and Nick's got That in at the moment but for me now That I feel a lot more confident to run A little bit quicker this is a shoe I'm Looking forward to picking up and doing A bit more racing next year and there's Going to be a lot of shoes that I'm Going to be wanting to race in next year But this is one that if I wanted to do Some shorter distance running I think if I wanted to do kind of slightly longer Distance in it this is a shoe that I Would have no issues picking up as I Said I've done I've raced in it I've Done kind of track sessions I've done Kind of kind quicker speed sessions in
It and that's where it excels it's not a Shoe that's versatile but if you save it For race day then you know you're going To get the rewards from it or I feel Like you're going to get the rewards From it so yeah in at number two for me Is the Nike vaporfly [Music] 3 okay so to my top pick and my number One running shoe that has launched in 2023 that I've absolutely love running Now what I factored in here is this is The shoe that when I first put it on to You know after reviewing and testing This is a shoe that I've continued to Wear and I've enjoyed running it in now This shoe for me represents a Reinvention of a line and I know that Reinvention hasn't been that well Received by everyone but I think in Terms of my experience of that line Previously and what this shoe is now I Think it is a positive change and I Think it just sits with a trend of one Of the trends we've seen in running Shoes this year so my top pick is this Shoe the New Balance 1080 v13 which also Having this baby blue color but I think I prefer the kind of more lowkey color Here now as I said this is I think you Almost have to put it out of your mind That this is a an identical shoe or a You know has the same traits as previous 1080 shoes it's totally different and
That's from what you're getting in the Upper from the kind of softer feeling Fresh foam X mid Soul foame you're Getting here as well too it just feels Like a different shoe now before this Shoe launched I think I would have Picked the ASX ja numers 25 in place of This what has sold it for me on this Shoe compared to that shoe and the Designed for the same types of runs I Would say is that this shoe is lighter This shoe has a nicer ride than that Shoe it has that plush soft feeling as Well it's a shoe designed for Comfortable easy runs you know giving You that good level of protection but That softer feel in general and that's Not what you got on the 1080 before but It's a shoe that I didn't really find a Place for it in general long term after I tested it I would say last two Generations of the 1080 shoe it's been a Different sort of the 1080 v13 as I said This a shoe first time I put it on and We did that first run to kind of Continue running it after we reviewed I've Loved running in this shoe and a Bit like the oncloud eclipse this is a Shoe that I would kind of describe as I've only got one shoe to take away with Me I've only got one shoe to to pick From that I need to go you know go away On a trip this is a shoe I do I can go Around and walk in this shoe this is a
Shoe that I know that I can run well in And I can run comfortably in and it'll Give me enough of a you know scope to Run a different a few different types of Runs in this shoe and that's really Important for me it's got a good level Of comfort you know ultimately as I said There's been a trend of these shoes These cushioned shoes like the asex gel Nbus 25 like the New Balance 108 B13 That softer feeling kind of daily Trainer that is just a very different Mold to the Daily trainers we've seen Previously and I think this shoe Represents the best of those new shoes And it's a shoe that I've enjoyed Running in the most as I said I know not AB absolutely everyone has loved this Shoe but it's a shoe as I said based on My experiences of the previous 1080 Shoes and what we've got here now it's Totally different but I think it is good Different so yeah my top pick has been The new B 1080 V3 just beat the night Vaporfly 3 but I think in terms of Looking at the new trend of shoes and The new biggest Trend we've seen in Running shoes this year this for me has Been a standout shoe in that in that Kind of category but overall has just Been a shoe that I've enjoyed running in From the first run to the last run and Also continue running it and keeping in My rotation as well too okay so there
You have it those are my top five Running shoe picks from the shoes that Launch in 2023 hopefully maybe that's giving you An idea or maybe some help in terms of Some shoes you might look to add into Your rotation as well I'm sure you w't Absolutely agree with all of the Selections so do let's know the shoes That have stood out for you in 2023 as Well too don't forget to go and watch Nick Tom and kieran's videos which are Already up on the channel as well too Where they pick out their top running Shoes from this year as well too as Always like And subscribe hit that Little bell to find out about our latest Videos and yeah we'll see you the next Run test this [Music] Video
