Kiprun Kipstorm Challenger vs ASICS Magic Speed 5

Kiprun's Kipstorm Challenger brings a carbon plate to the more accessible end of the brand's road racing range. Kiprun describes it as a shoe for racing and tempo workouts from 5K to the marathon, developed to target personal bests over the half and full distance and to bring race-day performance to more runners. It is the entry-level alternative to the Kipstorm Elite, and unlike the plate-free Kipstorm Tempo it relies on a plate for propulsion.

The midsole uses Kiprun's VFOAM cushioning, which the brand pairs with the plate to combine what it calls accessible cushioning with plate-driven propulsion. Durable rubber covers the outsole's key wear zones. Kiprun lists it as a neutral shoe without pronation-control technology and says it was co-created with elite athletes and everyday runners. It has an 8 mm drop and a claimed weight of 195 g. See also the carbon-plated running shoes guide.

Specs and features from kiprun.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.

Faster runs and races are the job of the Magic Speed 5, which ASICS builds around a full-length carbon plate that the brand says guides the foot and helps conserve energy. It offers carbon-plated speed below ASICS' Metaspeed racers such as the Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, and differs from the Sonicblast 2 by using carbon rather than a Pebax plate.

This version adds FF Leap, which ASICS says is lighter and more responsive than FF Blast, alongside a layer of FF Blast Plus. ASICS states that the stack is lower at both the heel and the forefoot than on the previous version, and that the shoe is substantially lighter. An ASICSGRIP outsole and an engineered mesh upper with at least 75% recycled content in its main material complete the design. The drop is 7 mm, and wide fittings are offered alongside standard.

Specs and features from asics.com and our own spec data. A factual overview, not a review.