If you’ve signed up for any trail races recently, chances are you’ve spotted the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE. This shoe has appeared on the feet of KIPRUN’s top trail athletes for a good part of the year and on long-distance podiums across Europe and beyond. Available in the US market for the first time, it’s also turning heads stateside with noteworthy rubber-necking at this summer’s Western States when Thomas Cardin flew through the finish in 4th place in his first WSER while premiering the KIPSUMMIT RACE.
For a brand better known for affordable running gear, the KIPSUMMIT RACE is a bold foray into trail racing. At €200, does it still fit KIPRUN’s mantra of making performance running accessible to all? If so, can a €200 race shoe designed with elite athletes offer anything to the average Joe looking to smash their own trail PB?
We took the KIPSUMMIT RACE from alpine trails to sandy beaches to find out where this wild card fits in the trail shoe race space.
Upper and Fit of the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE
What works for me
I’d been eyeing the KIPSUMMIT RACE for a while before finally getting the chance to test them, and gosh, they sure didn’t disappoint in person. Dynamic, fresh and racy, this shoe is a head-turner. Gone with the low budget backwards swish. In its place, the oversized KIPRUN logo proudly takes its place on this shoe alongside all the big names on the start line.
Lacing up, a stretchy sock collar replaces the traditional tongue, wrapping the foot snugly and locking everything firmly into place. Shoe designer Brieuc Ferron wasn’t kidding when he said you’re literally climbing right into a race car. There’s very little room for movement in the heel section, and it’s entirely intentional. This is a different direction at a time when many US brands are leaning into relaxed, high-comfort fits for their trail super shoes. Here, the philosophy is about giving the foot exactly the space it needs, stripping away all excess and keeping the platform firmly planted beneath the foot. The result is a highly precise, race-focused fit for a shoe designed to go fast. It’s worth mentioning that despite the snug fit, my toes weren’t crammed in. The rest of the fit felt ample for my toe splay.
At just 255 g in a men’s EU 42 / roughly 9 oz in a men’s US 9, there’s very little unnecessary weight to carry around. The KIPSUMMIT RACE undercuts most supershoes from the Cascadia Elite to the norda 055 by a longshot.
Small details like the reflective laces, hallucinogenic mushroom design inferences and an integrated lace loop are also thoughtful touches that confirm this shoe was designed with great intention.
What doesn’t work for me
I wanted to love everything about the upper of this shoe, but I came back with some small reservations after testing.
First, breathability is pretty poor. The close-fitting construction and generous overlays create a fairly warm environment around the foot. This isn’t a major concern where I run, but it is something to keep in mind for hot summer conditions or long days on the trail.
More significantly, this is one of the tightest-fitting uppers I’ve ever tested. I genuinely felt like Cinderella’s stepsister trying to get my foot into her slipper. The snug booty collar construction takes a little more effort to put on than I’d like, and, I’ll admit, there were times when I reached for another shoe simply because I couldn’t be bothered with the faff.
That tight fit also contributed to some rubbing on extended downhill sections for me, where exposed stitching inside the tighter upper created a noticeable hotspot. I was missing a small layer of protective fabric over the stitching that could have made a significant difference.
Swapping out the insole for a much thinner one worked wonders by freeing up some volume inside the shoe. I don’t have particularly high-volume feet to begin with, so I’m still wondering whether my pair was unusually snug or whether going up half a size would have solved the issue altogether. Either way, I’d strongly recommend sizing up or sizing carefully in store before committing to a long-distance race.
Midsole and Ride of the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE
What works for me
The magic sauce of this shoe lies within the midsole. KIPRUN has gone for a premium, ultra-light aliphatic thermoplastic polyurethane (A-TPU) here, giving the KIPSUMMIT RACE an unmistakably lively ride with plenty of resilience and energy return. Move over SoftTech, the comfy compound used in the KIPRIDE family, which leaves you feeling like you’re wading through sludge. FastTech+ strikes a great balance here, delivering ample cushioning and protection without ever feeling soft or sluggish.
A carbon plate gets sandwiched between two layers of foam, but it’s far from the rigid, one-directional sensation you might expect from a plated shoe. The plate has a Y-shaped split towards the toes, allowing the forefoot to flex over uneven ground, while a rounded cut-out at the heel takes some of the harshness out of the landing. I never felt the carbon plate underfoot, nor did I experience any of the stiffness that can make plated shoes awkward on technical trails. Instead, the ride was deeply cushioned, remarkably smooth and overflowing with nervous energy.
The heel sits a hair under the 38mm stack-height holy grail for trail shoes, with a 6mm drop, and I think KIPRUN landed on a sweet spot here. Go much higher and you risk losing the stability you need when blazing along rolling trails. Go much lower and you start to sacrifice some of the forgiveness that makes this shoe enjoyable when the kilometres pile up.
The toe rocker adds another layer of propulsion to an already energetic platform. The result is a shoe that feels less like it is absorbing your effort and more like it is constantly encouraging you to keep moving.
What doesn’t work for me
The KIPSUMMIT RACE required a little breaking in to shed some of that 1990s polystyrene cooler feeling. Once it loosened up, it became a shoe that never really wanted to slow down. I mentioned the nervous energy, and that really is what it exudes. The flip side is that if you like to vary your pace throughout a trail run, this may not be the most versatile option. It feels happiest when you’re pushing the pace.
I also found the platform surprisingly wide compared to the relatively narrow-fitting upper. That extra width is useful for keeping the shoe stable at speed, but I occasionally underestimated the footprint, particularly when negotiating tighter terrain roots or rocks. This is a shoe that can be used for almost anything but does make the most sense on fast, rolling trails rather than routes with too many obstacles or constant changes in direction.
Outsole of the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE
Grip and Traction
Given the stack, this isn’t the shoe I’d reach for when scrambling down rockfall. But for what it’s designed for, which is runnable trails, I found the KIPSUMMIT RACE plenty grippy.
KIPRUN hasn’t skimped on the outsole. You get almost full Vibram Megagrip Litebase coverage and evenly spaced 4mm lugs on a wider base. That gives you plenty of grip and a good sense of stability without adding much weight. In fact, the fact that you have so much rubber is where you really notice just how light the shoe is.
The lugs are smaller and closer together than on the KIPSUMMIT MAX, which makes sense given the RACE’s focus on smoother, more runnable terrain. They give you all the traction you need on rolling trails without being so aggressive that road sections become uncomfortable. I found the multi-directional pattern also did a good job of keeping me secure both on the way up and down.
Durability
Kiprun’s athletes and testers are known for putting serious mileage into their shoes, with one tester reporting an impressive 2000 km and 100 000 m of elevation gain in his pair. I can’t claim anything close to that level of testing yet, but my pair is holding up well after over 100 km on some seriously demanding terrain. The upper is filthy, but the shoe remains completely intact, while the midsole has broken in perfectly without caving in or losing its pop.
Conclusion
Value for Money
At €200, the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE sits at a price point that might make you hesitate from a brand whose wider mission is to make sports equipment accessible. But this is not a daily trainer dressed up as a premium shoe. The KIPSUMMIT RACE is a genuine trail super shoe, packed with race ready technology for runners looking to perform at their best when it counts. It’s that same shoe you’ll find on the feet of KIPRUN athletes like Thomas Cardin and Blandine L’Hirondel.
Even at €200, given the materials used, the KIPSUMMIT RACE undercuts comparable trail super shoes from competing brands by around €40 to €50. Add in the impressive durability credentials, this value proposition becomes even stronger. In a market where trail shoes are coming with heftier price tags, the KIPSUMMIT RACE makes a compelling case for spending less without giving up the technology needed to race at the highest level.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
KIPRUN is specific about the intended use case on their KIPSUMMIT range. The KIPSUMMIT RACE was designed for fast workouts and racing on rolling, runnable trails, such as UTMB or Western States-style courses. This isn’t your Vertical Kilometre shoe, nor is it the one you’ll want when the trail turns into a scramble.
For an affordable rotation, the KIPSUMMIT RACE makes a lot of sense alongside a daily trainer. If you want to keep things within the same KIPSUMMIT family, pairing the RACE with the KIPSUMMIT MAX is the most logical option: both share a similar stack and running style, but offer a different balance of speed and cushioning.
For more technical terrain, you could then add one of the KIPSUMMIT CLIMB models (standard or MAX) as the more rugged, confidence-inspiring option when grip and protection take priority. Or, if you’re after something lighter and more nimble, the ASICS Fujilite 7 makes for a nice change up.
Final Verdict
KIPRUN has taken a very different route from its more comfort-focused trail shoes and produced something genuinely fast, lively and honestly really fun. The combination of A-TPU, carbon and a beautifully tuned rocker gives it the kind of propulsion you normally expect to find attached to a much bigger name.
The narrow upper, broad platform and relentless energy means this shoe is at its best when the trail opens up and you can properly unleash your run beast.
At €200, it also sits in an interesting place. This is no longer the bargain-bin KIPRUN that undercuts the competition. It is a fully fledged super shoe, with the price tag and performance to match. While it’s still a deal for the tech within, KIPRUN isn’t asking you to buy an affordable alternative to the big players here. It is asking you to take them seriously.
For the trail runner with a taste for speed, a favourite rolling loop and a few PBs left to chase, the KIPSUMMIT RACE makes a compelling case. It might not be the shoe for every trail, but when the terrain is fast, it is very, very difficult to convince this one to slow down.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE vs. KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT MAX
If the KIPSUMMIT RACE is the competitive, tight fit speed shoe, KIPSUMMIT MAX is its max cushioned counterpart with plush finishings for greater comfort on the trails. The RACE sits just 1mm lower but both have a 6mm drop for a secure yet dynamic ride experience. The RACE will set you 50 EUR back from the MAX, the cost of premium carbon plated shoe with 100% ATPU foam with nervous energy. These two share similar lug patterns with 4mm of bite, the RACE using smaller and more of them for maximum stability over rolling terrain.
KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE vs. ASICS Metafuji Trail 2
KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE Quick Questions
How should I use KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE?
This is a great shoe for performance efforts. It’s a solid choice for middle distance rolling mountain races, and in training for quicker days and intervals on the trails.
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE a good shoe for long runs?
Yes. It provides a smooth, efficient ride with excellent turnover and a secure foothold over long-distances. Originally designed as an ultra-distance racing shoe for elite athletes, it has the cushioning and performance to handle long efforts. For most recreational runners however, its sweet spot might be around 50–60 km, as the upper doesn’t allow for much swelling and the underfoot feel is pretty stiff.
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE a good shoe for fast sessions?
Yes, this shoe shines at faster paces and is almost unpleasant at slower paces.
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE a shoe for daily training?
No, this is not a good option for a daily trainer. It can handle the mileage but it also doesn’t want to slow down!
Can I wear the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE as a lifestyle shoe?
It looks great but lacks some comfort to be seen on feet outside the trails.
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE suitable for all terrains?
While it shines on rolling paths and less technical sections, the Kipsummit Race can handle some rocks and some scrambling due to its remarkable stability.
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE a good shoe for racing?
Yes, this is its sweet spot
Is the KIPRUN KIPSUMMIT RACE a good shoe for stability?
It’s one of the most stable super shoes on the market today.
