Instagram shows you the hype. Data shows you the truth.
Scroll through your instagram feed, and you’ll see a sea of neon super shoes. Instagram reels and race-day selfies suggest that everyone’s racing in carbon-plated footwear.
But is that the whole picture? We decided to look past the ads and into the data. By analyzing thousands of public Strava uploads, we uncovered what thousands of runners actually trusted for their race.
So, which shoes are truly trusted by Indian runners? Did the racers dominate, or did the daily workhorses win the day? Let’s dive in.
How We Crunched the Numbers?
This analysis is based on publicly shared Strava activities from the 2025 Mumbai Marathon where users tagged their running shoe model.
ASICS emerged as the most-worn brand across both the full and half marathon runners, claiming over 28% of marathoners and nearly 30% of half-marathoners. Its stronghold in India appears well-earned, with models like the Novablast and Gel-Kayano appealing to both high-mileage amateurs and those seeking stability. Nike follows closely, with around 20–22% share, primarily driven by its super shoe lineup of Alpha Fly and Vaporfly, alongside Pegasus for the mid-pack.
Brooks and Sauoncy punched above their weights with a solid 15.5% & 10.7% marathon share, commending deep loyalty among serious runners. Adidas posted respectable numbers but stood behind Saucony among marathon runners, and slightly ahead among half-marathon runners.
Puma continues to grow modestly, fueled by its Nitro lineup and stronger retail visibility in India. Meanwhile, HOKA, despite no official presence, holds a niche ~3.5% share. Wonder what that could be if availability and price are not limiting factors.
Below the top tier, Decathlon, New Balance, and Skechers still show up in meaningful numbers. One might think affordability is a major factor for runners and expect Decathlon to have a bigger share. Indian brands like Elavor, Performix, Power have negligible presence. A few runners even went barefoot or wore minimalist options like Vibram, Skinners and Luna sandals
A deep dive into the shoes worn across finish time bands, from sub-3:30 runners to those finishing beyond 6 hours reveals some expected patterns and quiet surprises.
At the sharp end of the race, carbon-plated super shoes dominate. The Adidas Adizero Adios Pro tops the charts for sub-3:30 runners. Close behind, the Nike Vaporfly and Alphafly take prominent spots among the fastest, affirming their reputation as race-day favorites.
As we widen the lens to slower finishers, the Adios Pro’s grip loosens, slipping to #8 in the 4-to-5-hour band and falling outside the top ten altogether once we include 6-hour runners. But Nike’s success doesn’t stop with elites. The Pegasus, a neutral daily trainer, is ranked #1 among 6-hour finishers and #2 overall. Its versatility makes it the workhorse of the mid- and back-of-pack.
ASICS flexes its depth. The Novablast and Gel-Nimbus are strong contenders across mid-pack runners, while the Gel-Kayano with its legendary stability rises to the top among 5–6 hour finishers. The presence of the Gel-Cumulus and GT-2000 in the back end further underscores ASICS' broad appeal to recreational and injury-conscious runners.
Brooks continues to show strong across the board: the Hyperion Max and Ghost perform well from mid to back-of-pack, while the Adrenaline GTS and Glycerin are go-to choices for those seeking plush cushioning and support in the later finish windows.
Saucony’s Endorphin Pro and Speed surprisingly shine very well. In fact Endorphin Pro and Speed are the most popular plated shoes next only to Nike Vaporfly. Interestingly, the PUMA Deviate Nitro Elite appears among faster finishers but is quickly overtaken in popularity by the more accessible Deviate Nitro in the broader pack.
The rise of carbon-plated “super shoes” is hard to miss. Scroll through Instagram, and it can feel like every runner is lacing up Alphaflys, Endorphin Pros, or Adios Pros. But the data tells a different story.
Among marathoners at Mumbai 2025, only 21% wore carbon-plated shoes, and another 6% chose plated models with nylon, PEBA or other materials bringing the total share of plated shoes to just 29%. That means 7 out of 10 runners completed the full marathon in non-plated shoes.
In the half-marathon, the trend is even more pronounced: just 15% wore carbon-plated shoes, and 7% wore other plated models. 78% ran in non-plated trainers, likely prioritizing comfort, cost, or simply what they already own and trust.
This suggests that while plated shoes are gaining ground, they’re still far from mainstream especially among recreational runners.
The data reveals more than brand popularity. While plated “super shoes” dominate headlines, comfort over performance is still king for most. ASICS understood this well, placing three comfort-oriented shoes Gel-Nimbus, Gel-Kayano, and Novablast in the top five across the entire field.
Price point and availability emerged as quiet game-changers. Brooks and Saucony may not have the marketing muscle of Nike or Adidas, but with smart pricing and accessible models like the Ghost, Adrenaline GTS, and Endorphin Pro, Endorphin Speed, they’ve earned serious ground. These brands benefit from word-of-mouth trust, especially in India’s close-knit running communities.
Nike, despite its super shoes (Vaporfly, Alpha fly) leading the way among faster runners, struggled to generate similar traction with its newer daily trainers. Models like the ZoomX Invincible and React Infinity barely registered perhaps because of price, confusion on messaging, or both. Nike’s recent consolidation of its lineup (Pegasus and Vomero) may only add to the confusion.
Adidas, meanwhile, had clear wins with the Adios Pro and Boston, but suffered from a lack of accessible daily trainers. Their new Supernova line has potential, if pricing aligns with market realities. The same applies to Puma: the Deviate Nitro and Deviate Nitro Elite drew attention among speed-focused runners, but Velocity Nitro updates are underwhelming, so are Forever Nitro, leaving everyday runners with very few options.
Ultimately, this tells us that Indian runners are practical, peer-influenced, and value-driven.
This article is compiled by Team GeeksOnFeet for the love of running. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].