Pebax-infused soles

waldo_215

Runner
I'm a larger runner at 6'3 and 195ish and in my personal experience I have found that a pebax-infused sole works best for my trainers, most likely due to the weight/recovery ratio. I'm partial to the Pegasus Turbo (RIP) and Endorphin Speed on tempo days. I am looking to replace the peg turbos with something similar and was curious what is currently available? I believe the NB 1080v11 fits the bill? What other daily trainers are out there that have some pebax mixed into the sole without a plate and are built to reach 500+ miles?
Before you says "Nike Invincible" yes I know, I am just hoping to be cheap and not drop $180 on trainers :)
 

imnothammer

Moderator
Apologies, as I have not personally run in them, but the ASICS Novablast gets a lot of high praise in other runner forums for the "zoomx-ish" feel of its midsole. It uses ASICS' Flytefoam Blast.

Another one to consider, is the Mizuno Wave Rider 24. I have run in previous generations of this shoe and it remains a favorite of mine for an everyday trainer. The 24 uses a mix of Mizuno ENERZY foam and U4ic.
 

RW Admin

Administrator
Staff member
I'm a larger runner at 6'3 and 195ish and in my personal experience I have found that a pebax-infused sole works best for my trainers, most likely due to the weight/recovery ratio. I'm partial to the Pegasus Turbo (RIP) and Endorphin Speed on tempo days. I am looking to replace the peg turbos with something similar and was curious what is currently available? I believe the NB 1080v11 fits the bill? What other daily trainers are out there that have some pebax mixed into the sole without a plate and are built to reach 500+ miles?
Before you says "Nike Invincible" yes I know, I am just hoping to be cheap and not drop $180 on trainers :)

Hi @waldo_215,

Welcome to the TR community!

You read my mind with the Nike Invincible comment! I will steer clear of that for this recommendation list. Please note that @imnothammer ASICS Novablast recommendation is solid. So, I would definitely consider that among the two shoes below.

The first shoe that jumps to mind is the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v2. I've heard that it has that blend of softness and bounce that you typically get from the Pebax based foams. Personally, I haven't gotten my hands on a pair yet. However, I know a few people that have and are eyeing that as a potential shoe of the year candidate. I do not know if the Rebel would hold up for 500+ miles though. Most lightweight trainers tend to be 300-400 miles depending on user & terrain.
Another consideration would be the Skechers GOrun Razor Excess. The Skechers Hyperburst is one of readily available super foams. It won't be as soft as something like the Peg Turbo. However, it should provide a good blend of soft/bounce experience. The milage should be around 400 miles. That still will be dependent though.

I will note that the 1080 v11 is a great daily trainer with a soft feel. However, I don't know if you'd get the softness/bounce ratio that a Pebax based or similar should would give. It should certainly hold up for 400-500 miles though.

Please let me know if I can assist further or if you have more questions.


Justin
RW Staff
 

Andrew A.

Pacer
Would it help if we got some clarification of the relationship between Pebax (a proprietary trademark name) and TPU? I think of them as essentially the same yet perhaps they are loosely related. RW Admin Justin? My experience with the ASICS Dynablast leads me to add that recommendation. I am also looking at the ASICS Nimbus Lite v2 and the NB Rebel v2. One other option that has caught my eye in this vein is the Brooks Hyperion Tempo.
 
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RunTommy!

Varsity
Pebax is basically the brand name for a Nylon-based foam. TPU (aka like Boost) is very different. You're much taller and heavier than me, so the Pebax/Nylon provide much more rebound and return force from the foam resuming its normal shape after compression. The Pebax probably wears out much faster also for you. I have a whole litany of Skechers models and love the HyperBurst. Maybe the Razor Excess with the extra foam would be a good choice. I find the use of HyperBurst among the different models varies. The OG Razor 3 foam was very soft and the same softness as the Razor Elite and the Razor +. Its use in the Razor Cloaks is firmer, but does compress when you are really putting forth a hard effort. I find all the Razor shoes comfortable at all speeds from Recovery to Intervals.

I don't think the 1080 v11 is very similar to the Peg Turbos at all. That is a tried-and-true daily grinder of miles. The Rebel or Beacons might be a more similar feel. The new Rebel 2 looks interesting. The Beacons (and 1080) are somewhat a standard rubberized EVA (I think), while the bounce you'd get from the Fuelcell in the Rebel would be more similar to the Turbo 2s. I still see the Turbo 2 at my Nike Outlet occasionally for $59 or so, so snatch them up if that is your go-to shoe. I actually saw them at my local running store the Running Center of Tampa Bay recently also in stock.
 
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