Running Shoe Specs Guide
Learn how the comparison fields are defined and see their distribution across the 1,003 registered shoes. Unknown values are counted separately.
Weight
Weight is the registered single-shoe figure for the sample identified by the source. It helps compare how much material a model carries, but it is not a controlled measurement across one universal size.
Size, sex, width and measurement conditions vary by source. The original sample context is kept on each shoe page instead of converting values to a common size.
View the lightest racing-shoe rankingCurrent registered data
Median 275g
n = 920
Heel-to-toe drop
Drop is the height difference between the heel and forefoot stated by the source. A smaller number does not mean a shoe is thinner; a high-stack shoe can still have a low drop.
When a source publishes heel and forefoot stack but not drop, any derived difference is distinguished from a manufacturer-stated value.
Open the table sorted by lowest dropCurrent registered data
Median 7mm
n = 929
Stack height
Stack height is the total material between the foot and the ground at a stated point, usually heel and forefoot. Running Shoe DB uses total-stack figures and does not silently substitute midsole thickness or outsole thickness.
Brands use different terms and sample sizes. If a source says only ‘sole thickness’ or provides an ambiguous diagram, the field remains unknown until the measurement convention is clear.
View the highest-stack rankingCurrent registered data
Median heel 35mm
n = 769
Carbon plate
The carbon field records whether the model uses a carbon plate or a clearly identified carbon propulsion structure. A plate-like system made from nylon, TPU or another named non-carbon material is recorded as non-carbon.
Unknown is distinct from No. If a brand names a Speedboard, Wave Plate, rods or another structure without disclosing the material, carbon status remains unknown.
Open carbon-plated shoes in the tableCurrent registered data
144 carbon / 703 non-carbon
n = 1,003