When I think of running brands, FILA is not the first name that jumps to mind. This is why I was very excited when receiving a pair of unfamiliar shoes. My excitement was somewhat short lived as right out of the box I could tell the FILA Racer Carbon 3 was not your snappy, fast, top of the line racer. It is rather a somewhat sub-par attempt at a racing shoe from the brand. Many may not know that FILA were some of the pioneers of carbon plated running footwear. For a brand so innovative in the past I was disappointed to see a distinct lack of it in this shoe.
While for me carbon plated footwear is a game-changer to the racing world, I see no added value of a carbon plate if the rest of the shoe – particularly the foam – is not already at a very high level. But instead of generalising, let me dig a bit deeper into each element of the shoe. We will see why I have mixed feelings about this ultimately sub-par shoe from FILA.
Upper and Fit of the FILA Racer Carbon 3
What works for me
The Racer Carbon 3 has a gauze/mesh upper, which I have very little to say about. No hot spots, no pain points, no rubbing, not even on undulating terrain. I have mainly tested this shoe on cold winter nights before and after work. Perhaps this is one explanation for why I have not had any negative experiences with the upper’s breathability.
In terms of fit the shoe for me felt a bit narrow, while also being long. It’s a hard one to gauge as I have wide feet and tend to find shoes to be quite narrow. However, I can definitely say the length of this shoe was at least half a size bigger than the true size. For wide feet, my recommendation would be to stay true to size. That said, for those who have narrow feet, I would advise maybe to go half a size down. Especially if you like a snugger fit.
The lock down of the upper is really tight. This is enhanced by an elastic gusseted tongue that pulls the upper down on your foot. I actually did not mind this in my testing, but for some could be uncomfortable.
What doesn’t work for me
On the topic of the tongue, I did find that the upper and lacing was a bit uncomfortable due to rubbing on the top of my foot, which I believe comes from the tongue being relatively thin. That, paired with the tight elastic material of the gusset, meant that at times I found myself re-lacing the shoe to try and reduce the pressure on the top of my foot. This is something I have experienced also with other shoes. Some brands have addressed this, like the Mizuno Neo Zen 2. This features a small silicone insert at the pressure point of the laces.
I mentioned it above but for my wider foot, the fit of this shoe felt off. Slightly narrow but far far too long, which made the shoe feel like I was wearing a size up. I do think this is an individual thing, however, it has been a while since I have had a shoe that does not agree with my foot, especially a racing model.
Midsole and Ride of the FILA Racer Carbon 3
What works for me
Perhaps my least enjoyable aspect of this shoe, so I will keep this section brief. I took this shoe out for exclusively long, hard threshold and VO2 work. 8 x 1 mile was my first workout in them. I have to say that they are an extremely firm feeling shoe. This is particularly true when you consider superfoam materials on the market. However, they performed far better than they felt.
In all sessions I ran in this shoe, I had very very good results in terms of output for relative effort. This can be a testament to my form, but also the shoes being surprisingly effective. You definitely do not feel like you are propelled forward as much as other shoes. If anything they feel quite neutral despite an 8mm drop, but the shoe does work at its job: running fast.
What doesn’t work for me
Despite having some good output and being quite a good companion in my training these last few weeks, my overarching feeling of the midsole and ride is very poor. As a racing shoe I was shocked to read that the SPEED TECH midsole was a Peba base. It feels far far firmer than any PEBA based foam I have run in in the past. The ride of the shoe is not even stable. I felt very on edge when running in these, particularly feeling like my achilles was not supported much. The carbon plate does not feel snappy or poppy like it does in other plated shoes. For this, I blame the foam being so far below par. I had slippage of my feet as the insole material was quite slippery, which resulted in some uncomfortable rubbing at times and minor heat built up at the soles of my feet.
I think a good way to summarise is that the shoe does not feel like a racing shoe. With so much innovation, technology sharing and research done in the footwear market, I am shocked that the Racer Carbon 3 just does not give you that race day propulsive feeling. Then when you think – okay it’s firm so it should be stable – no… It’s on the more unstable side and actually caused me to feel quite a bit of achilles strain after using it. Granted, I am a forefoot runner and this can also be the problem. The ride of the shoe did not stabilise my ankle and allowed for a lot of unwanted lateral movement.
Outsole of the FILA Racer Carbon 3
Grip and Traction
Initially, the rubber does not look like a grippy compound. It actually looks a bit cheap, like an outsole found on any trainer. It was a huge surprise for me to then actually wear them and find excellent grip, even on wet terrain. This is one of the strongest aspects of this shoe from my testing. Having run in rain, ice and snow, I experienced one of the better grips on the market. The outsole is also durable as hell. While the shoe may weigh significantly more than other racing models, I have almost no wear on my outsoles, despite close to 100km of fast running in them.
Durability
I mentioned it above but durability for this shoe is probably one of its strongest suits. You are far more likely to see the white colour change due to dirt and gunk before you see any huge degradation in the midsole or outsole. It’s hard to put a number on this but my guess is that you could easily take this shoe to 500+ km using it for sessions and races. I would believe that the midsole material would also soften over time meaning it may even become a nicer ride as you increase the shoe’s ticker.
Conclusion
Value for Money
While the expected retail price is not super clear in the European or US market, the shoe retails at just under 200 euros in Argentina and South America. If this pricepoint makes it to the EU, this would be one of the most affordable carbon plated shoes in the market and a very competitive entry level model. Despite my feelings being generally negative towards this shoe, I am harsh in comparing it to top-of-the line racers which retail for 50-100 euros more. Overall I do believe there are better options on the market for a racer, but what this shoe brings in terms of durability and overall package, it is a rather fair and competitive price-point.
Fitting it into a shoe rotation
If you do decide to buy the FILA Racer Carbon 3, my recommendation is to use it exclusively for training. I don’t see any justifiable case where you would not opt for another, faster, race day shoe than this one. For its price point it is definitely an attractive option for some, however, it is just below par with the market.
I think as a training shoe for faster workouts and longer tempo’s it works nicely, especially if you want something a bit firmer and a bit less giving than a super soft high stack shoe. I would never use this for anything other than faster running, definitely not for easy running or long runs. You’re better off with a high-stack or more supportive shoe for those runs.
Final Verdict
For the sake of not repeating myself, I can summarise the FILA Racer Carbon 3 as a shoe that is stuck in the past. There is definitely a fast formula for FILA, but they have yet to fully unlock it with this shoe. Uptempo, intervals and sessions, but I would never recommend these for racing despite its competitive price-point and durable construction.
Comparisons Against Similar Shoes
FILA Racer Carbon 3 vs. HOKA Rocket X3
Rocket X has a much less rigid plate, paired with a softer foam, making the ride much more snappy and bouncy. I think both are actually quite similar in being quite entry-level and not insanely innovative with their constructions, however the HOKA is definitely the better option due to its midsole compound being far better.
FILA Racer Carbon 3 vs. Brooks Hyperion Max 3
Perhaps one of the most valid comparisons as the shoe just gives that super trainer vibe rather than really a racer. I think both of these models have a rather firm and not super propelling plate in them. It says a lot for me that a nylon plated super trainer which retails lower than a racing model can outperform in terms of feel and overall ride. Both do feel rather firm in terms of ride.
FILA Racer Carbon 3 vs. Skechers GoRun Speed Elite
Another perfect blast from the past that has a very familiar feeling to the Fila one. Both have quite boring midsole compounds and seem more “for show” carbon plated rather than actually for performance. In the age where every brand was trying to get their first carbon shoe out, the Speed elite felt like a forced move from Skechers, the same way that these FILA’s are far from the current industry standard. Fix the foam, then we can talk about adding a carbon plate.
