PUMA SPEED ORBITER
PRICE: $175 | TYPE: Road
WEIGHT: 11.9 oz (M), 9.7 oz (W) | DROP: 12 mmThe midsole may look
like a fun house ball pit,
but there’s a reason for
all that chaotic design
around the border of
the Speed Orbiter (and
other shoes in Puma’s
Hybrid line). Those col-
orful TPU pellets are
Nrg y beads that Puma
added for extra cush-
ioning and responsive-
ness. They’re embedded
in the PU-based Ignite
Foam. Because of this
hybrid platform, the
shoe is considerably
heftier than your aver-
age road shoe; probably
too heavy for running
intervals. In spite of
its bulk, we were sur-
prised by how much weliked the Speed Orbiter
at an easy clip. We
experienced a smooth
ride with powerful
toe-off. The Proplate
is partially responsible
for these surges; the
Y-shaped plastic piece
on the outsole provides
a snappy sensation
when you increase the
tempo. The Orbiter
also has a sock-like feel
and reliable stability.
Of all the shoe’s traits,
however, its cushioning
stood out, especially
for one tester. “I am
obsessed with the foam
recoil in the soles,” she
said. “It was a game
changer for me.”
—Amanda FurrerI have a type, I’ll
admit: soft, light, fast.
The Beacon delivers
all three. I loved the
debut model a year ago
because it reminded
me of the original Hoka
Clifton and Saucony
Kinvara, two longtime
favorites that also hit
those marks. New Bal-
ance kept things largely
the same this year, but
really improved the fit.
The original model ran
short—up to a full size
for some runners. This
model dials the fit in,
so you can order your
traditional size online
without worrying
about return shipping
policies. We appreci-
ated the extra roomin the forefoot, and
really loved the new
heel. It has a molded
construction to cradle
your foot without using
rigid heel counters,
and the top of the shoe
curves away from your
Achilles so you don’t
get any hotspots there.
The midsole and out-
sole are identical to the
previous version. In this
case, that’s a good thing
because the Beacon
works. I love new tech
and innovative shoes,
but also appreciate
when good ones are left
alone. This is one such
model I hope remains
unchanged when v3 is
unveiled this time next
year.—J.D.NEW BALANCE FRESH FOAM BEACON 2
PRICE: $120 | TYPE: Road
WEIGHT: 7.7 oz (M), 6.6 oz (W) | DROP: 6 mm
THERE’S VERY LITTLE
RUBBER ON THE SOLE, BUT
THE FOAM HAS HELD UP WELL
TO HUNDREDS OF MILES.SOFT
A MOLDED HEEL
COUNTER ADDS
STABILITY.48 RUNNERSWORLD.COM