Skechers Aero Elite lands October 1 at $225, under 6 oz

Skechers has a race day shoe. Believe in the Run came back from the Aero Elite launch event and called it a hit, and the spec sheet is the reason why. Full ATPU midsole, a carbon-infused Quantum Plate, a TPEE upper, $225, on sale October 1.

The headline number is the weight. Believe in the Run says the Aero Elite comes in under 6 ounces in a US M9, which the site calls a sharp departure from the much too heavy Aero Tempo it tested a year ago. Much of that comes from midsole cutouts and from the fact that both the midsole and the insole are pure ATPU.

The foam is a new supercritical ATPU that Skechers calls Hyperburst Pro. The plate is a web-style design with a thicker rim, and Believe in the Run says the idea is that the web propels you forward while the rim keeps you from crashing onto your big toe as you tire late in a race.

One reviewer, five miles

Here is the honest caveat. This is a first-generation racer and a first impression after five miles at a brand launch event, not a verdict. Believe in the Run says it expected growing pains from a debut shoe and did not find any yet. Wait for people putting real marathon miles into it before you decide it beats what is already in your rotation.

Cloudsurfer 3 gets 100km

Doctors of Running put the On Cloudsurfer 3 through 100 kilometers and weighed it at 318g, or 11.2 oz, in a men's size 10, matching other scales on this shoe. Stack height (how much foam is under the foot) came out at 45mm in the heel and 37mm in the forefoot, an 8mm drop, higher than the original specs suggested.

Matt from Doctors of Running says the new Surreal foam is EVA-based and firmer than expected at first, then picks up bounce as the Cloud Tech pods compress somewhere between 20 and 30 miles. He calls the heel rocker geometry the standout and says outsole durability has been fantastic. At $160 he puts it alongside the Nike Vomero and Hoka Clifton Pro as a premium daily trainer that runs lighter than the scale says.

What it is not is a speed shoe. Doctors of Running positions the Cloudsurfer 3 for daily training and long runs with a little pace versatility, and notes the forefoot is stiff with minimal flex.