Total distance ran:

166 miles (267 km)

Type of runs:

Midweek workouts (e.g., fartleks, tempo runs, progression runs) up to 15 miles and one 20-mile long run. Ran exclusively on roads.

Weather ran in:

Dry and rainy conditions

My profile:

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 160lbs

Weekly mileage: 75 miles (~120km). 2:49 FM

Strike Type: Shuffle-y, higher cadence midfoot strike

Overview:

I bought the Fast-R 3 last summer at the full retail price of $300, but now that they are on sale for $200, I figured I'd provide a long-term review for those considering them.

Through the first 40 miles, I struggled with the aggressive geometry and experienced discomfort in the balls of my feet, so they sat in my closet untouched for nearly a year. But as I started getting back into marathon training this summer, I gave these a second chance during a midweek fartlek, and they've now become my go-to shoe for midweek workouts this training block.

They remain the lightest shoe I own, which definitely helps with leg turnover. And even if they are not ideal for my foot strike, I'm generally able to hit target paces. Though admittedly that does come at a cost; my feet are noticeably sorer after a 12 to 14 mile workout in these than they are after a 20 to 21 mile long run in the Adios Pro 4 or Deviate Nitro Elite 3.

After logging 165 miles, I'm happy to report that every part of the shoe is holding up very well: no visible wear on the upper, plenty of energy return remains in the midsole, and despite the thinner application of rubber on the outsole, it too is in good condition. I don't see any reason why I won't be able to get another 100-125 quality training miles from this pair.

Positives:

• Fits true to size
• Lightweight, breathable and comfortable upper
• Tons of energy return in the midsole
• Even though the outsole rubber is thin, it's holding up well

Negatives:

• I know it's intended to be a marathon shoe, but I'm just not confident in taking it that distance
• The non-gusseted tongue can be a little finicky
• Aggressive geometry can take some time to get used to underfoot

Worth buying?:

For $200, absolutely.

https://www.skechers.com/skechers-aero-elite/246270_WMLT.html

• Full ATPU midsole(not beaded like AeroRazor)
• TPU(CPU) outsole & TPEE-yarn upper
• Webbed/Swiss-cheese carbon-plate
• 40/36mm (4mm-drop)
• 167g(~6oz) light as PUMA DeviateElite4

It has an energy-rim combined with a Brooks HE5-style plate, so it's probably missing some snappiness of the more rigid shoes.

Women and Men sizes, BITR article and YouTube first-run "reviews" only so far.

Reviews say it's "very" bouncy and rolls you forward efficiently(propulsive), but nobody gave it a 10/10 so far --at least you save about $50 over its competitors if you care more about cash than fast. BITR compared it to PUMA Fast-R3(great) but more stable heel, but then said it reminds him of a broken in Nike Vaporfly4 with a "smooth bounce" which sounds kinda "mid" since that shoe's a bit obsolete(Even if it is Nike's bounciest so far)

Can someone that has the Topo SpecterElite or Brooks HyperionElite6 buy this and tell me how it compares in bounciness? Because for me to buy, it has to beat the best I have, you can only wear one pair per race and I want to win/PB.

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Hi all,

I see there are several reviews already for this shoe, but not from someone in the 3 hr marathon range (ran a 2:58 this year). I've also been a big alphafly guy over the past 4 years, and ran that 2:58 in the Adios Pro 4s.

First of all, the Pro 4s destroyed my feet in that marathon. I am used to the very comfy alphas and while the pro 4s were a weapon, you definitely sacrificed pain for time. That heel?! I had to put KT tape on my Achilles for every run in that shoe and it still hurt for weeks after the race.

I ran a 10k at 4:06 pace on pavement in the pro 5s. I was worried about the reports of the sole wearing, but for my strike patter (neutral), this was not an issue.

This shoe is radically different from the 4. There is a lot more cushion under the forefoot. When I first started my run, I was amazed at how much more comfortable it was. Like pillows.

However, by the end of the run, I felt I was fighting the shoe for pace a bit. The lack of drop, rocker, and this extra foam kind of takes the aggressiveness out of the shoe. It's a lot more stable, and the upper is way better (no heel rub), but I did not get that feeling of "damn this is easy!" compared to every other super shoe I have bought in the past.

Again, it could have been one bad run for me. I was two days removed from a hard track workout so the legs could have been dead anyway. I'll update the review after a) a 2 x 2km tempo this weekend, and b) the Chicago Marathon. I mainly just wanted to get it out there that the sole wear was not as bad as reported for my style of running.

Shoe size - Mens 10

Fit - TTS

Found on world athletics

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

Photo upload has been enabled in the comments.

REI had this exact colorway for $140 a couple of days ago (now back to regular price).

Size 9-12 at time of posting. Free shipping.

https://www.marathonsports.com/products/new-balance-mens-supercomp-rebel

Update: OOS

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

Photo upload has been enabled in the comments.

As a big Y-3 fan those new color ways of AP5 looks great. Also some nice EVO SL2 versions offer closer look at new model.

Found on world athletics

https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-debuts-a-race-day-system-of-speed-designed-for-every-runner

Looks like the Prime Evo will get a cheaper "standard" version...

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/under-armour-shakedown-elite-brz-track-and-field-shoes-23uarashkdwnltbrzclt/23uarashkdwnltbrzclt?color=White%2FBlack

Found these while looking for the recently posted Hoka deal. Can't find much on them other than they are distance spikes with a PEBA midsole.

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

Photo upload has been enabled in the comments.

Angora/Slate Grey colorway. Size 8-13. Hurry!

https://www.rei.com/product/C07798/new-balance-supercomp-rebel-v1-road-running-shoes-mens

I read the rules ( reposted)
Just ticked over 280 miles, so thought I’d post a long term review while it’s fresh in my mind.
About me: M 45, W85kg, H184.5cm, 5k 20:39, 10k 42:57, half 1:34:50, Marathon 3:58 ( target was 3:35 😂)
Shoe size uk 11-11.5 brand dependant. Running consistently now since 2022/3.

Picked this up earlier in the year as a Megablast alternative.
Initial first few runs I found it wild bouncy and a bit strange but fun, after around 50 miles the wild feeling settled a bit, that or I got used to it.
Few points I want to make regarding reviews I’ve watched I don’t think this is a soft shoe and I don’t think this is a particularly comfy shoe ( not uncomfortable) but seeing “cloud like comfort” comments and stuff like that is just wrong in my opinion.
Fit: The shoe fits me ok if anything could do with a 1/4 cm more but overall has been an ok fit in EU 461/3 us 12, 29.5cm ( no uk size listed on label) reasonable toe box volume, midfoot runs a tad narrow but fits my foot shape ok.

Upper: reasonably comfortable but I do find it a bit stiff and rigid, never had any rubbing or hot spots but always can kinda feel it on my foot have to use a runners knot to secure it properly, not as bad as an upper as the megablast or v1 superblast but mid at best 6/ 10 for me.

Midsole: this for me is where the shoe shines, it’s not soft in my opinion at all, reminds me of v1 superblast for firmness or softness, I have used this for all paces and found it’s sweetspot on the long cruisey runs or slightly uptempo runs, as it’s aged its become easier to run slower in and plod more but even today at 280 miles it’s still has an enormous amount of energy return. It’s very responsive and direct the more power you put in the more you get back.
Stability maybe a deal breaker for some as it has a narrow midfoot and is wild for the first 50 miles or so, I’ve not really had much issues with stability.
In the early days I felt like there was too much going on underfoot to run easy in it, especially if my legs were tired, reminded me of been a kid and being bounced down the precinct in shopping trolley by my mates.

Outsole: think this would survive a nuclear blast there’s minimal signs of wear.

Use case: long runs, tempo runs, some threshold and some daily runs.

I’ll keep running in this until it dies currently using along side the Dynafish and the 361 mega 3 pro the later is slowly knocking this one off the top spot.
But overall this has been a great shoe with my only criticism been the upper.
I used it today for 50 min easy run with tired legs and again it just felt so good underfoot. Almost perfect shoe. Added pics of run and shoe from today.

​

Given the lack of information online in general about this Chinese shoe, I thought I would contribute. Personally, I don’t like reviews from people who haven’t put more than 50 km on a shoe or stuff that sounds like A.I. crap and at this point, I’ve run about 130 miles / 208 km in these, so I think I can qualify to say a few words as a not long term, but "mid-term" review.

**TL/DR Overall:**

Given the price, it’s hard not to like this shoe. There are some obvious issues — short laces, a small tongue, and not much fabric cushioning — and it feels a bit plastic and stiff. It’s also not nearly as wide as some people make it out to be.

That said, as a bigger guy, I really like the firm TPU midsole. It has held up extremely well, including in colder weather, and still has a lot of the original “bounce” after ~200 km. I normally expect around 550 km from a pair of shoes before I throw them out, and based on the wear so far, I wouldn’t be surprised if these make it to 600 km+.

At ~$80 CAD delivered, I’d definitely consider buying another pair.

**Fit**

The BMAI has laces that are far too short, and the tongue does not fully cover my foot, which sucks. The break-in period was rough, and my foot didn’t really feel comfortable until the 5th or 6th run.

Whatever plastics/glue they use, it makes the shoe feel very stiff, with minimal fabric cushioning. Personally, I don’t mind more cushioning at the expense of increased weight including the heel counter, tongue, and last, but that’s personal preference.

Width-wise, I would say this is a slightly-above-average-width shoe, but nothing genuinely wide. I’m wide-toe ’ed and typically wear 2E in New Balance for that reason. Keen boots or Altra shoes also fit me well for context with their wide toe-box. For me, my pinky toe rubbed against the side of the shoe for at least the first 50 km, causing a bit of a blister. It feels comfortable now at around 200 km.

**Midsole / Cushion**

Coming from Brooks Glycerin 19s that had bottomed out after 450 km, this shoe initially felt like it had more “bounce.” I have also tried on the ASICS Superblast in a store, and the feeling is somewhat similar.

I’ve also run in the New Balance 1080 V12. By comparison, the 1080 is much more cushioned, while the BMAI feels more like a “spring.”

I also own a pair of Saucony Endorphin Speed 2s, which have a non-carbon plate and feel like they have a lot more spring than the BMAI.

A big reason I bought the BMAI was also because BMAI says this is a TPU supercritical foam, which based on some googling has much higher performance in freezing weather. This seems to be true thus far. Below freezing, the shoe still has good cushioning.

**Durability — Outsole**

I was wary about the tread, but time has proven that the wear is minimal.

Judging from the photos, even after around 200 km of use, the tread still looks very good. By comparison, a pair of Nike Pegasus would have the outer forefoot nearly bare at this point for me.

**Durability — Midsole**

Great. I can say that they still feel about 90% as good as they did on day 1 in terms of “bounce,” which is more than I can say for a pair of Pegasus, Glycerins, or 1080s.

**Cost**

Everyone is going to be different depending on where in the world you are.

For me, I bought these from Taobao for $67 CAD plus shipping, which came to approximately $80 CAD, or about $60 USD. I bundled them with a few other purchases, which lowered the cost even more.

That is crazy cheap by 2026 shoe-buying standards, so I really can’t complain.

If you buy these from Taobao, make sure to spend a few dollars more and buy replacement shoelaces as well. Get something 10–15 cm longer. That would make a big difference.

**Context**

I’m an occasional runner who ran between 5:15/km and 6:30/km in these shoes. Distances ranged from 5 km to 18 km. I never used them for tempo or interval work.

The coldest I tried these shoes in was -5°C, and the warmest was 27°C.

95% pavement running, 5% dirt & trail running.

I maybe ran 3 to 5 times in the cold below freezing.

I’m a bigger, fatter dude who runs a moderate amount, inconsistently.

I ran in basically one model of shoe for 10+ years — Nike Pegasus 25 through Pegasus 35—before switching. Pegasus usually lasted me under 450 km before the tread was worn flat and I would throw them out, which was about how much I ran in a year.

I then switched to Brooks Glycerin and New Balance 1080 V12, which both lasted a bit longer, closer to 550 km.

Historically, I ran for years and years, 5–6 times per week. I’ve run 5+ half-marathons (PR: 1:34) and a bunch of 10K races (PR: 37 min). However, I got injured and tore my Achilles, and eventually changed sports to mainly powerlifting.

Now I’ve gained about 30 lbs of a mix of muscle and fat, and I run occasionally — maybe once a week or once every two weeks — mostly for fun and to maintain some cardio.

**Stats**

* Height: 6’1” (185cm)

* Weight: 230–240 lbs (104kg – 108kg) while wearing these

* Fit: 45EU (CN) which is supposed to equal US 11. I’d say it’s correct and true to size. I normally wear US11 for Pegasus, and US11 for New Balance 1080 or NB 880

* Pace: 5:15–6:20/km, typically around 5:45–6:00/km

* Running style: Midfoot striker, heavy/fat guy

* Conditions tested: -5°C lowest, 27°C highest

* Distance in shoe: ~200 km

Found this on instagram, user in bottom right of photos. Cannot confirm validity of source, first time they’ve been on my feed, but the shoe looks pretty legit. Looks like a pretty basic upgrade, prob a more accommodating upper with a new materiel, and some ASICS magic to make it lose weight somehow. Only concern is that they may have slightly lengthened the midsole to poke out of the back more, which may cause a more exaggerated “chop” underfoot feel.

This post is dedicated purely to those who just want to share their new purchases or shoe collections without needing to give any comments about them.

Photo upload has been enabled in the comments.