The Best Non-Plated Uptempo Running Shoes for Fall 2023
There's a plate everywhere we look these days. But not on this list, where, we've rounded up the fastest plate-free trainers to help you cruise in comfort.
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With every great pendulum swing comes an equal whoosh back the other way. The carbon plate craze has reached an absurd level of mainstream adoption, way beyond the infamous Gladwellian tipping point, and now we're waiting for the other shoe to drop. There's a growing segment of consumers looking for alternatives to the artificially fast feeling of running in a rigid, plated shoe, and companies are beginning to respond. Here are best, most innovative non-plated shoes out right now.
5 Best Non-Plated Uptempo Shoes
From plates in walking shoes like the Hoka Tranpsort X to double-plated 50mm stack height marathon racers (Adidas Prime Strung X v2), there's a plate every where we look these days. But not on this list. Here, we've rounded up the fastest-plate free trainers to help you cruise in comfort.
1. Brooks Hyperion Max ($170): Best Overall Non-Plated Fast Shoe
The Brooks Hyperion Max is the best overall option without a plate due to its fast and snappy ride, stable landings and excellent outsole traction. It's built with Brooks' supercritical nitrogen-infused DNA Flash midsole foam that provides a responsive and cushioned platform underfoot. Upfront, there's a generous rocker that aids toe-off and makes transitions easier. The Hyperion Max is a great choice for your fastest training efforts and is also serviceable at everyday training paces.
Pros
- Fast and snappy rockered ride
- Lightweight construction
Cons
- Firmer feel at slower paces
- Narrower toe-box than Cyclone 2 and Vanish Tempo
Brooks Hyperion Max
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2. Hoka Mach 5 ($140): Most Comfortable Non-Plated Tempo Shoe
The Hoka Mach 5 is a non-plated tempo shoe that uses a dual-foam midsole to provide a cushioned and responsive ride at every pace we've put it through. It's one of the only shoes we've tested that feels as good at a leisurely 10 minute mile as it does for a 5:00 minute mile–paced surge.The top layer of the Mach 5's midsole uses ProFly+ foam, a supercritical EVA that's soft but gives great energy return. The bottom layer is a standard EVA that provides stability and structure, also serving as the shoe's outsole. This is the fatal flaw of the Mach 5—without a traditional rubber outsole it will only last 150 to 250 miles for most runners. But the ride is so great that it's worth it—you'll just need to show restraint and mix it in strategically to your rotation so it lasts more than a month.
Pros
- Lightweight construction with well fitting upper
- Smooth and responsive ride that feels great across all paces
Cons
- Lack of outsole means durability is much lower than others on this list
- High mileage runners may want more cushion for 2 hour long runs
Hoka Mach 5
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3. Topo Cyclone 2 ($150): Best Non-Plated Running Shoe with Wide Toe-Box
If you're fleeing from plates to give your feet a more natural ride, consider the Topo Athletic Cyclone 2. The brand is known for its shoe lasts that accommodate wider feet and help toes splay out naturally. In the Cyclone, the brand takes their tried-and-true formula and applies it to a speed-day shoe, throwing an engineered mesh on the upper and Pebax (the OG superfoam) in the midsole. The Cyclone also has a lower stack and drop (28 mm heel, 23 mm forefoot, 5 mm drop), which allows the ride to have slightly more groundfeel and connection than a traditional tempo shoe. If you're used to running in shoes with more cushion though, you'll likely prefer something different for longer workouts.
Pros
- Bouncy PEBA foam in midsole
- Roomy toe-box accommodating for various foot shapes
Cons
- Not great for long runs due to lower stack height
- Likely won't work for runners who need stability
Topo Athletic Cyclone 2
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4. Altra Vanish Tempo ($170): Best Non-Plated Shoe with Zero Drop
The Altra Vanish Tempo is the brand's non-plated version of their marathon racer, the Vanish Carbon. It retains the same racelike DNA in the upper and midsole foam, sans the plate. The EGO PRO midsole is a supercritical compound with a bouncy and soft ride. Without a plate, the foam can be a bit soft in the forefoot, which is a demerit if you're a sub-3 hour marathon/sub-1:25 half marathon runner looking to push the pace in these. The platform is wide and accommodating, similar to the Cyclone 2, which helps with stable landings. Instead of an outsole, Altra uses an EVA rubber compound to cover the supercritical foam, so durability may be a question depending on your footsrike.
Pros
- Soft and bouncy ride is versatile for all types of runs
- More stable than other uptempo options
Cons
- Zero drop may not work for all runners, particularly heel strikers
- Foam can feel too soft for faster runners
Altra Vanish Tempo
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5. Saucony Sinister ($150): Best Non-Plated Racing Flat
The Sinister is bringing back the race day ethos of yesterday—make the shoe as light as humanly possible and let the training do the work on race day. Positioned by Saucony as both a 5k/10k racer and a low-profile workout shoe, the Sinister has a 25mm heel stack of PEBA-based soft and bouncy PWWRUN PB foam, which is minimal by today's standards, and an extremely lightweight upper. It comes in below 5 ounces for a mens size 9, making it by far the lightest shoe on the list, and lighter than most mainstream tempo and raceday options on the market today. You'll want to ease into this one if you're used to running in max stack shoes, but it's a great option for shorter hard efforts and repeats at 10k pace or faster.
Pros
- Featherlight weight at sub 5 ounces
- Fast and bouncy ride
Cons
- Not versatile due to minimal cushioning
- Extremely snug fit
Saucony Sinister
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6. Craft Nordlite Ultra ($160): Best Non-Plated Trail Racer
The Craft Nordlte Ultra brings the non-plated max stack superfoam template to the trails. It has a supercritical foam midsole that has a bouncy and responsive ride on both firmer and harder surfaced. The Nordlite Ultra was designed as a road-to-trail shoe that can handle both roads and light trails, so it's a great choice to take with you on vacation and for light day hikes. Keep in mind that this will be much heavier than road shoes, coming in at 10.2 ounces for a mens size 9—however, this isn't out of the ordinary for road-to-trail options, as the Peg Trail Gore-Tex from Nike comes in at 10.4 ounces.
Pros
- Versatile ride and durable road-trail light-lugged outsole
- Thick stack of bouncy and protective foam
Cons
- Heavier weight than some others on this list
- Lugs may be overkill if you run strictly on roads
Craft Nordlite Ultra
Final Thoughts
Plates have a purpose in our running shoe rotation, but there's a time and a place. Most runners don't need a plate in their daily trainer, recovery running shoe and walking shoe in addition to their racer. As brands start to expand their offering of high-quality non-plated but fast shoes, we look forward to seeing what more research and development in foam formulation can do for the performance of non-plated shoes.
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