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Not so long ago, shoe brands compromised comfort and stability by shaving off grams on a shoe to get it down to a competitive weight. Thanks to the rise in super shoes, lighter midsole foams, and paper-thin upper materials, that’s no longer the case.Runners are drawn to lightweight shoes over standard daily trainers (think Brooks Ghost 17 or Saucony Ride 18) because carrying less weight results in less energy expenditure. The right shoes can also improve form and biomechanics. By analyzing stride and gait patterns and using impact-measuring devices, brands have created proprietary foams that return more energy with each footstrike, which similarly boosts running economy. In short, the latest developments in design, chemistry, and biomechanics have led to shoes that can help you run faster and farther.ABOVE VIDEO: How Chari Hawkins, an Olympic heptathlete, conquers a marathonOf the hundreds of pairs of shoes we test each year at Runner’s World, the options below are the razor-thin racers, plush endurance trainers, and airy trail shoes that most impressed us with their phenomenal featherweight performance.Best Lightweight Running ShoesBest Overall: Adidas Adizero Evo SL (�ѱ��’s | �´dz����’s)Best Daily Trainer: Hoka Rincon 4 (�ѱ��’s | �´dz����’s)Best Trail Shoe: Asics Fuji Lite 5 (�ѱ��’s | �´dz����’s)Best for Racing: Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 (Unisex)Best for Trail Racing: Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra (�ѱ��’s | �´dz����’s) What to Consider When Buying Lightweight ShoesIntended UseThink of running shoes as specialized tools, meticulously engineered for distinct performance goals. In the case of lightweight running shoes, by eliminating redundancies in a shoe’s structure—for example, a padded tongue, plush heel collar, or rock plate—they design a lighter trainer intended for running high speeds on the road or achieving better ground feel on the trail. Some runners, however, have a more efficient stride and lighter footfalls, allowing users to run longer in lightweight shoes.Stability and ComfortLightweight shoes with ample cushioning and effective stability features do exist. For example, Brooks Hyperion GTS 2 (included below) weighs less than 8 ounces. The lightweight stability shoe has a guide rails system to help offset overpronation.If you’re more concerned about the impact of landing than the lag from pulling your feet back off the ground, you may want to consider more heavier options, such as the kicks on our roundup of the best cushioned shoes. How We TestedThe shoes below floated to the top of our charts as the lightest shoes in the bunch, and each pair provides a degree of cushioning for foot protection, according to our RW Shoe Lab data. Members of our test team, who evaluate hundreds of shoes a year, vetted these picks. And for the newest models they haven’t tested directly, we evaluated every feature that was updated carefully to ensure these are still top performers.Our Full ReviewsJeff Dengate, RW test director, declared the Evo SL the best shoe of the year in February. And swore he’d eat it if something better came along.We’re confident Dengate won’t be dining on the Evo SL any time soon. The shoe’s foam is just one reason we think it shines �� it’s the same foam Adidas uses in its marathon shoe, the Adios Pro 4: Lightstrike Pro. There’s no carbon-fiber plate, which makes the ride less aggressive, but there is a nylon shank in the midfoot for stability.This doesn’t mean the Evo SL is perfect. Some testers found the toebox slightly narrow and wished the tongue wouldn’t go askew midrun. Despite these drawbacks, our testers loved the Evo SL for its springy ride and versatility.“I liked that it was lightweight without compromising on cushion,�� said wear-tester Eileen Cody. “It was also an incredibly versatile shoe. I liked that it had that daily trainer feel and elements of a racing shoe, but without the hard carbon plate that is found in other super trainers. I felt like my stride was efficient without seemingly letting the shoe do too much work.�� Like Hoka’s Mach, the Rincon is a lighter daily trainer compared to the brand’s beefier running shoes. With the Rincon, Hoka strips away all the bulk without sacrificing its signature cushioning. We liked the balance of lightweight with Hoka plush in this responsive trainer.For the Rincon 4, Hoka pumped up the softness underfoot and increased durability with a dual-layer midsole. (The third version had a single-layer of compression molded EVA foam.) This update adds 3mm of stack height but doesn’t weigh down the shoe (merely tenths of an ounce extra).Tester A.J. Sanford really put the pedal to the metal with his hard tempos, running at a 5:20 to 5:35 pace to test the Rincon 4’s versatility during his workout. “I was nervous to do a tempo in these trainers especially with all of the super shoes in this day in age—I’ve been spoiled,�� he said. “But I had a pleasant surprise: I felt very strong in them. My stride opened up and I was pushing off the ground effectively, easily generating the force I needed in order to meet the demands of the pace.”When a trail shoe has “Lite�� in its name and gets high marks from our wear-testers, it’s a shoo-in for Best Lightweight Trail Shoe. Trail shoes tend to be weighed down by their rubber outsoles. Asics resolved this issue by saving weight with a cutout pattern on its outsole, revealing the Flow midsole underneath the shoe. The AsicsGrip outsole is made of softer rubber and has 3.8mm lugs. The brand explained to Runner’s World that AsicsGrip is comparable to putting winter tires on your car—it can handle wet and rocky conditions like magic.Tester Holly Benner found the treads effective on uneven and wet surfaces, and praised the shoe for its hardiness. “The traction and grip on these shoes is dialed,�� she said. “I felt secure and confident running on rocky terrain in early morning humidity and after summer rain showers. The durability on the Asics Fuji Lite 5 is also excellent. The upper and foam hold up very well for trail shoes.”Benner is referring to the Fuji Lite 5’s breathable woven upper, which has a toe sweep for protection as well as a lace garage so your loops won’t snag on a rogue root midrun.The Endorphin Elite 2 feels like running on pogo sticks. Saucony bested its HG foam, featured in the Elite 2’s predecessor, and replaced it with incrediRUN, a TPEE-based foam that’s soft and squishy. Because the ride is aggressive and the stack height towers at 39.5mm, a sticky Pwrtrac outsole serves as a stabilizing hold during descents and cornering..Tester Eileen Cody, who trains at 7:00 pace, found the Elite 2’s stability more than satisfying. “The shoe finds the perfect balance of comfort, speed, and stability, which is the ideal for a racing shoe,�� she said. “Its stable bottom allows for an even foot strike no matter whether it’s flat or a hilly terrain. This shoe combined the best aspects of the Pro 2 and the Elite 1, which makes for the ideal Saucony shoe.”On the other hand, others noted how unstable the shoe felt. “During cornering on road workouts, some instability was present with quick turns or 90-degree turns, as grip is also minimal as a weight-saving measure,�� said tester Sean Phillips.It’s an ideal racer if you want explosive rebound throughout your next marathon. But if you need more stability, there’s always Saucony’s Endorphin Pro 4 to fall back on.When Adidas Terrex began designing the Agravic Speed Ultra over two years ago, the team had one goal: to build the fastest off-road shoe. Like other modern trail racers we’re seeing, the Agravic Speed Ultra has a thick midsole��42mm under the heel and 34mm at the forefoot. That may sound like a recipe for disaster on uneven ground, but the midsole spreads quite a bit wider underneath the foot in order to keep your foot stable.It’s not the squishiest midsole out there. It’s made from Lightstrike Pro, which is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) that’s more durable than the PEBA used in many super shoes and needs a short break-in period. That also means it won’t pack out and flatten as much over the life of the shoe. It doesn’t have any extra rolling or compression that can sap confidence in foot placement when you need it most.The upper is light and thin, similar to the speedier Adidas road shoes. It won’t provide much protection against rocks or roots, but it breathes well and doesn’t absorb water. The fit provides a good lockdown for running at race pace, and navigating winding trails, but it does run long, which led to my foot slipping a bit on steeper descents. So consider sizing down at least a half size.If you want to construct a lightweight shoe, why not eliminate the outsole? For the past couple of years, Under Armour’s Velociti line has churned out shoes with rubber-less bottoms. Instead, the Flow midsole is patterned with grooves and ridges to provide traction. Based on our testing of previous Velociti models, including the Velociti Pro and Under Armour’s racing shoe, the Velociti Elite 2. We know how reliable these shoes are on the road, rain or shine. The Velociti 4 is no exception.Testers confidently ran on various surfaces, including wet and dry road, wet grass, and gravel. One runner did strideouts on wet and dry track, experiencing no slippage.Tester Shelby Brett found it difficult to narrow down one thing she liked about the Velociti 4. “If I had to pick only ONE thing that I liked best about the Under Armor Velociti 4, it would be the excellent cushion and overall comfort,�� she said. “It felt grippy and secure on track and road curves, allowing me to feel the turns and toeing off to get to the top of a climb as well as the confidence and security to let it rip on steep downhills. The Velociti 4 is a great addition to my rotation of shoes and I’m confident that these shoes will see a lot of miles because they are comfortable and yet not heavy and clunky.�� The Hyperion GTS 2 matches the ride of its neutral counterpart, the Hyperion 2. Despite a slight weight increase due to the guide rail system (Brooks’s guide rails are denser foam on the lateral and medial side of the shoe to help control pronation), I found myself switching between the neutral and stability models without much thought�� typically, stability versions feel clunkier because of the added tech. Testers, like Quin Conde, found the Hyperion GTS 2’s ride smooth and speedy. “This shoe was amazing,�� said Conde, who has a flat arch and midfoot strike. “There was great support in the shoe, but this is the least clunky stability shoe I have ever worn. The ride in the Hyperion GTS was really special for me. It just felt sleek and fast. There was a really nice movement in the shoe from midfoot strike to toe-off, and a great pop or snap that I got from my stride.”Tester Allison Fiorini, who is an overpronator and previously ran in the Hyperion, found the shoes to be a bit snug but liked how she could press on the gas running in the Hyperion GTS 2. She also said the Hyperion GTS 2 was a “solid upgrade�� from the Hyperion GTS, which she previously ran in and didn’t like. Mount to Coast’s mission is to build better ultrarunning road shoes. The R1’s midsole foam, LightCell, is PEBA-based and nitrogen-infused. To combat the foot-swelling that ultrarunners experience when accruing hundreds of miles in the span of a couple of days, the shoe has a dual lacing system that includes a cinch cord similar to “Quick Lace�� designs, which can be easily adjusted to provide more space as the foot swells.The neutral trainer is ideal for speedwork because of its high rebound, but we also found it versatile for longer efforts. Even though the trainer is only 8.5 ounces (men’s 9), we were shocked just how supportive the shoe felt after hours of running on hard pavement.“These shoes ‘disappeared�� while I was running, said tester Erica Bobsein. “They were so comfortable that I barely noticed them. They fit perfectly and the ride was so smooth. My favorite part is the dual-zone laces. They allowed for extra room if necessary, though for me the ‘factory setting�� was spot on.��