I run about 500 km a month, my marathon best is under 2:30, and I picked these seriously. This is my conclusion as of Oct 21, 2026. The lighter your everyday trainer, the easier your legs feel over a long run. So I ranked five shoes by weight: 250g or less per shoe, under JPY 20,000, and no plate. No. 1 is the PUMA Deviate Pure Nitro at about 220g, No. 2 the adidas Adizero EVO SL at 224g, and No. 3 the New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 at 226g.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
For a light trainer, look at the Pure Nitro first. The reason is that it didn't cut the stack when it dropped the plate. Taking the plate out of the plated Deviate Nitro 4 took it from about 250g to about 220g, 30g lighter. The sole is still 38mm. It's also JPY 2,200 cheaper. At 500 km a month, 30g per step adds up. For an everyday shoe, I'd rather choose lightness than lean on a stiff plate.
Key points
- All 5 pairs are 250g or less per shoe and under JPY 20,000. The lightest is the Pure Nitro at about 220g
- The Pure Nitro is 30g lighter than the Nitro 4 and JPY 2,200 cheaper. The stack (38mm / 30mm) and drop (8mm) are the same
- If you can go over JPY 20,000, the SUPERBLAST 3 (239g) and the Pegasus Plus 2 (about 249g) are options too
Drop the plate and you find a light trainer
Say "light shoe" and you picture a plated race shoe. But for daily training, plated shoes are expensive and the stiffness can bother you. If you want lightness in a trainer, the quickest route is to look for a design that drops the plate and keeps the stack.
This article ranks five shoes by weight: 250g or less per shoe, an official price of JPY 20,000 or less, and no plate. Read them as shoes that can cover everything from easy days to tempo runs.
How I Chose: Best Lightweight Running Shoes
The order isn't by sales. We ranked them on three criteria.
| Criteria | Reason |
|---|---|
| 1. 250g or less per shoe (men's, around 27cm) | A 300g shoe and a 250g shoe differ by 50g per step. The longer you run, the more it counts |
| 2. No plate | For trainers, a straightforward build you can wear every day suits better than a stiff plate |
| 3. Official price of JPY 20,000 or less | A shoe you wear every day should be one you can afford to replace |
Lightweight Running Shoes Compared: 5 Pairs
Scroll the table sideways →
| Shoe | Weight | Stack height | Drop | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PUMA Deviate Pure Nitro | About 220g | 38mm / 30mm | 8mm | JPY 19,800 |
| adidas Adizero EVO SL | 224g | 38.5mm / 32mm | 6.5mm | JPY 19,800 |
| New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 | 226g | — | 6mm | JPY 16,940 |
| PUMA Velocity Nitro 5 | About 240g | 35mm / 27mm | 8mm | JPY 16,500 |
| Brooks Ghost AMP | 250g | — | 6mm | JPY 19,800 |
No. 1 PUMA Deviate Pure Nitro: The Plate Is Gone, the Stack Isn't
Why it ranks here: at about 220g, it's the lightest of the five. It's a new shoe that went on sale on June 4, 2026. Its stack (38mm / 30mm) and drop (8mm) match the plated Deviate Nitro 4. The only difference is the plate: it's 30g lighter and JPY 2,200 cheaper.
Compared with the Velocity Nitro 5, which also has no plate, the stack is 3mm thicker and it's 20g lighter (240 − 220).
Watch out for: the width listed for the men's is "Regular." If your feet are tight in shoes, look at No. 4, the Velocity Nitro 5, first.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA Deviate Pure Nitro
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 17,810 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 19,800. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaSee the Pure Nitro review for the details.
No. 2 adidas Adizero EVO SL: A Race Shoe Without the Rods
Why it ranks here: it weighs 224g, with a 38.5mm heel and a 32mm forefoot. It's the race-focused Adios Pro 4 with the rods (carbon rods) taken out, using the same foam. It adds only 24g (224 − 200), and you can run every day on the same stack height as race day.
Watch out for: it came out in Oct 2024, so it isn't new. The price is JPY 19,800.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
adidas Adizero EVO SL
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 15,840 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 19,800. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaThe EVO SL review also covers the differences among its four variants.
No. 3 New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5: A Light Shoe With Width Options
Why it ranks here: it weighs 226g and costs a reasonable JPY 16,940. Men's comes in D and 2E, and women's in B, D and 2E. It's a no-plate shoe that went on sale in Jul 2025.
It's only 4g different in weight from the plated SuperComp Rebel (226 − 222). What you add is a nylon plate and Infinion, and the price goes up JPY 7,040 (23,980 − 16,940).
Watch out for: the 6mm drop is the figure on the US site. It came out in 2025, so it isn't a 2026 release.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 10,164 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 16,940. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaNo. 4 PUMA Velocity Nitro 5: The Cheapest Trainer of the Five
Why it ranks here: at about 240g and JPY 16,500, it's the cheapest here. It's 10g lighter than the previous model, with the price unchanged. Moving 1mm from the heel to the front took the drop from 10mm to 8mm. The men's version comes in 2E-equivalent and 3E-equivalent widths.
Watch out for: the stack is 35mm / 27mm, on the thin side of the five. If cushioning matters most, other shoes suit you better.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
PUMA Velocity Nitro 5
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 11,938 (as of 10/20). Some shops ask up to JPY 16,500. Prices change daily. Shoes are best tried on in the evening, when your feet swell, with your usual socks. Fit varies by brand, so check the return and exchange terms on the shop page before you buy.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaThe Velocity Nitro 5 review also covers the GORE-TEX version.
No. 5 Brooks Ghost AMP: The Ghost Shape, 40g Lighter
Why it ranks here: it weighs 250g, 40g lighter than the Ghost 18 at the same price. The last that wraps your foot is the same Ghost, and only the sole changed to DNA HYPE (a PEBA and EVA blend). The drop goes from 10mm down to 6mm. It's been on sale in stages since late Aug 2026.
Watch out for: it's the heaviest of the five, at exactly 250g per shoe. The width is the men's D, the regular width.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Brooks Ghost AMP
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 17,800 (as of 10/20), ranging up to JPY 19,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaIf you can go over JPY 20,000: 4 light shoes without a plate
I left these out of the ranking, but a bigger budget opens up more shoes.
| Shoe | Weight | Plate | Official price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASICS SUPERBLAST 3 | 239g | None | JPY 26,400 |
| Saucony Endorphin Azura | 240g | None | JPY 23,100 |
| ASICS SONICBLAST 2 | 242g | Yes (resin) | JPY 22,000 |
| Nike Pegasus Plus 2 | About 249g | None | JPY 22,000 |
The SUPERBLAST 3 is a shoe that is light for its 46.5mm stack, at 239g. How the cushioned shoes compare is in the cushioned running shoes article.
Quick Guide: Which of the 5 Pairs?
| If you are | Pick |
|---|---|
| As light as possible, with the stack kept | PUMA Deviate Pure Nitro |
| Daily runs on the same stack height as race day | adidas Adizero EVO SL |
| Width options, light, and a lower price | New Balance FuelCell Rebel v5 |
| Light at the lowest price | PUMA Velocity Nitro 5 |
| A lighter shoe with the Ghost fit | Brooks Ghost AMP |
Who is it for?
- Good fit: people who run several times a week and want one shoe to cover easy jogs through tempo runs, and people who want to cut the load on their legs with a lighter shoe.
On easy long days, if you'd rather put softness first, there's another way to choose: cushioned shoes. If you're looking for a first pair, start with the running shoes for beginners article.
FAQ
How light is a lightweight running shoe?
Here I counted 250g or less per shoe, in a men's 27cm-ish, as light. All five come in at 250g or less, from about 220g to 250g.
Do light running shoes have thin cushioning?
It depends on the shoe. The Deviate Pure Nitro is about 220g and still has a 38mm stack. To see whether a shoe is both light and thick, divide the weight by the stack.
Which light running shoes cost under JPY 20,000?
All 5 pairs here are under JPY 20,000. They are the Velocity Nitro 5 at JPY 16,500, the Rebel v5 at JPY 16,940, and the 3 pairs at JPY 19,800.
Can I race in a lightweight running shoe?
Some trainers, like the EVO SL, have the same stack height as the race-day shoe. For race shoes with a plate, see the comparison in the thick-soled carbon shoes article.
Gear in this article
Ads and images: Rakuten IchibaSources
- PUMA Japan announcement (Deviate Pure Nitro)
- PUMA official Japan site: men's Deviate Pure Nitro
- adidas Japan announcement (Sep 25, 2024: ADIZERO ADIOS PRO 4 and ADIZERO EVO SL)
- New Balance Japan announcement (Jun 24, 2025; FuelCell Rebel v5)
- PUMA Japan announcement (Velocity Nitro 5)
- Brooks official Japan site: Ghost AMP
- ASICS news release: SUPERBLAST 3 (Feb 16, 2026)
