Can budget-friendly and carbon plated running shoe go in the same sentence? The Pacemaker Speed gave us a chance to put this to the test!
The carbon-plated running shoe is one of the newer technologies we’re seeing in running shoes these days. While said to increase speed by maximizing your energy return and creating a bouncy feeling during runs, a pair of these puppies can “bounce” your bank account back a few hundred dollars.
When researching the Pacemaker brand, I had to do some digging. This is a European company that doesn’t have a huge presence online, they’re newer to the market and we’re happy to be able to give you some thoughts for when you start to come across them!
Let’s dive in to what I discovered over the miles.
Who is it Good For?
- Wide Feet: Not offered in wide sizing and runs a bit small.
- Heavier Runners: EVA foam will be more durable than what’s in other carbon plated shoes.
- Long Runs: While supportive for all day walking, lacked the cushion we want for long runs.
- Front of the Pack: Not for the fastest of the fast, but certainly can pick up the pace.
This is a speed workout shoe for the runner who is somewhere in the middle of the pack, wants to know what a carbon plate actually feels like under their feet, and is not ready to drop $250. It will not feel like a top tier racing shoe because of the difference in foam, but could be a fun speed shoe.
Pacemaker Speed Overview
Let’s be real: the carbon plated super shoe market is crowded, expensive, and can feel wildly out of reach if you are not chasing a Boston qualifier. The Pacemaker Speed wants to change that conversation, and after putting it through its paces on the roads and at the track, we think it has something genuinely interesting to say.
At $129.99, it is built around a full length carbon fiber plate, an E-TPU midsole, and a jacquard mesh upper the brand calls AeroLux, and it comes in at a very respectable 8.2 oz.
Here is the thing though: this shoe does not behave like the carbon plated shoes you already know. It’s not trying to turn you into an elite. It’s not a 3 hour marathon shoe. They talk a lot about all day wear on the website and that’s your first clue this is different. Because we absolutely aren’t wearing the Nike Vaporfly all day long, nor should we be.
In fact, this is actually kind of confusing.
Do we wear it for support or to run fast? Foam is usually the biggest differentiator and likely what this shoe is missing. It’s lightweight, it’s got a plate and good cushion, but it’s not that huge bouncy feel.
It’s worth understanding this foam and plate combo behaves differently than what you might expect from more established super shoes. Higher end carbon racers typically use ultra premium foams like PEBA or nitrogen infused compounds that feel lively at almost any speed.
The EVA and E-TPU setup in the Pacemaker Speed needs pace to perform. It is tuned for speed and the foam essentially wakes up when you do.
Hit tempo pace or better and the whole shoe clicks into place. The carbon plate stops feeling like it is working against you and starts doing exactly what it is supposed to do, propelling you forward with a snap that felt genuinely exciting. The rocker geometry smooths out the transition and the E-TPU midsole delivers enough spring that you feel like you are getting something back with every stride.
I’m a 10 minute per mile runner on a regular day. But hit a 7:30 during strides in these shoes and felt like there was more left in the tank. That is the kind of result that makes you stop and look down at your feet.
Pacemaker Speed Specs
- Brand: Pacemaker
- Usage: Carbon Plate
- Previous model: New brand
- Weight: 8.2 oz unisex sizing
- Stack Height:
- Heel Drop:
- 4 colors to choose from
- Not available in wide
I tried out the light blue option and think they look nice. They’re not necessarily a shoe I would wear outside of training, but I could feel confident in how they looked if I needed to go out in public after a run.
Quick Take
Pros
- Great budget option to test a carbon plate
- Good energy return
- Designed for all day wear
Cons
- Runs small
- Durability issue with exposed outsole
- Odd sizing availability
Pacemaker Speed Fit
Okay, first things first: size up.
We learned this the not very fun way when the toebox greeted us with a firm no right out of the box. The brand is EU based and translates sizing into US measurements, so there are also some quirks around half size availability depending on which colorway you are eyeing.
The Pacemaker shoes have somewhat sporadic sizing available on the website. For example, the pair I tried (Pacemaker Speed in light blue), there were women’s sizes ranging from 7.5 to 12.5 with a few half sizes NOT offered. I think this is due to the brand being based in the EU, so the sizing is then translated into US sizes.
Worth checking before you buy.
The AeroLux upper is legitimately breezy and thin, which we loved on warm track days.
The tradeoff is that there is not a ton of padding anywhere on this shoe, so you are going to feel it, especially the solidity of that carbon plate underneath you.
The shoe is fit with a tongue loop as well as a heel lock, both of which I tried to use multiple times. For the life of me, I could not get the lace out of or even into the eyelet to switch the style because the eyelet hole was too small and I didn’t want to damage the shoe.
Because I couldn’t even use the tongue loop, (which, by the way, I had to look up what that “extra piece of fabric” was), it just made the shoes annoying to get on. Thankfully I didn’t have much of an issue with sliding or extra moving, but it would’ve been nice to have been able to try it out and not just be deterred by the extra material.
Pacemaker Speed Feel
On easy runs and during warm up laps, the shoe feels stiff and a little clunky, like you’re trying to negotiate with it rather than just run. The carbon plate is not subtle at low speeds and the cushioning does not really come alive until you push the pace.
So this is where the shoe confusion comes in to play. As a walking shoe it would indeed be really supportive to walk around in all day, but again that’s not the same thing you’re asking for in a super fast running shoe.
If you’ve run in a Saucony Endorphin Elite or an Adidas Adizero Pro, you’re used to shoes that have some serious bounce and energy return. This one is different. It has a very specific sweet spot and is not shy about letting you know when you have not found it yet.
The EVA foam is not the dense, dead feeling stuff you find in older budget trainers. It has a springy, resilient quality that held up across our test runs without feeling like it had packed down or lost its bounce. The E-TPU adds an extra layer of energy return at the ground level, and together they create a setup that is genuinely designed to give you something back rather than just absorb impact and call it a day.
The brand claims 85 percent energy return, and while we are always a little skeptical of marketing numbers, this one definitely feels a little off. Certainly light and can pick up the pace, but maybe we’re just confused about how to categorize what this shoe should do!
One thing to keep in mind: the exposed foam sections on the outsole can show wear faster if you are logging a lot of miles on rough or abrasive surfaces. That is a real tradeoff at this price point and worth factoring into your expectations around longevity. We would estimate these are best suited to track sessions and occasional road speed work rather than daily training, which honestly tracks with how they feel anyway.
Similar Shoes to the Pacemaker Speed
We’ve tested a few carbon plated shoes that feel similar, but different based on the brand fit:
For speed workouts, tempos, and track days, the Pacemaker Speed earns its spot in the rotation. For easy miles, cool downs, and anything where you just want to move comfortably, grab a different shoe.
Designed for the middle of the pack runner who is curious about carbon plated running shoes, but doesn’t want to drop $250. It won’t have the same quick pick up as top tier shoes, but can function well as a speed workout shoe and the foam should be more durable.Our Verdict
What to Read Next?
- Our favorite moderate cushioned running shoes
- Best Running Treadmills – Tested by our team
- What does dry needling actually do for runners?
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