Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 vs Endorphin Elite 3

At 170g, the Fast-R Nitro Elite 3 is one of the lighter full-stack carbon racing shoes we track, and most reviewers rank it among the fastest they've raced in. The price of that speed is stability, durability and a ride that only makes sense when you're working hard. That makes it a very good running shoe for a fairly small group: efficient mid and forefoot strikers racing 5K to the half, and quick marathoners whose form doesn't fall apart late on. The Run Testers raced it at the London Marathon and felt it was lighter and more efficient than the Alphafly 3, though never a shoe they stopped noticing. Running Shoes Guru was less taken, marking it down for wobbliness and early wear at this price. At £260 RRP it sits at the top of the market, and Puma's own Deviate Nitro Elite 4 is £45 less if you want a carbon racer from the same range without the Fast-R's quirks.

The Endorphin Elite 3 is Saucony's no-compromise carbon racing shoe, built for one job: chasing a personal best over the half and full marathon. This is a specialist marathon shoe, not a do-it-all trainer. You get a tall 40mm heel, a full-length carbon plate and Saucony's springy IncrediRUN foam, all wrapped up at a race weight of 210g. At £306 it sits right at the top of the market, alongside the Nike Alphafly 3 and the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4. What you are paying for is peak return at speed. The slotted plate and high stack give a rolling, aggressive ride that wants to move. It is less versatile than Saucony's own Endorphin Pro 5, and it asks for a fair bit of leg strength to get the best from it. We rate it as one of the sharpest tools you can lace up on race day, so long as race day is what you want it for.