If you’ve been running for a while, you’ve probably heard about super shoes, carbon plates and debates around whether some models are “legal” or “illegal” in competition. Since November 2024 the new World Athletics shoe rules have been fully in force, and in 2025 they are still shaping what athletes can wear on the track and the roads.
This article translates the technical regulations into clear, practical language so that you understand:
- What stack height and technology limits apply on the track and in road races.
- The difference between an “approved” racing shoe and an “illegal” model.
- When the rules truly matter for you as a recreational runner.
- How to check your current shoes and choose your next pair with confidence.
1. What exactly has changed in the shoe regulations?
World Athletics has been regulating competition footwear for a few years, but the real turning point was simplifying stack height limits and tightening control over which models can be used in major events. Since 1 November 2024 a stricter framework is in place for all high-level athletics.
1.1. Stack height limits: 20 mm on the track, 40 mm on the roads
The current rules revolve around stack height, the maximum thickness of the midsole:
- Track events: a general 20 mm stack height limit for all track & field shoes. Earlier documents allowed 20–25 mm depending on the event, but the long-term goal is a single 20 mm cap to avoid “super spikes”.
- Road races: the 40 mm maximum stack height for marathon and other road racing shoes remains in place. This is especially relevant for carbon super shoes with very tall midsoles.
Any shoe that exceeds those limits in a race run under World Athletics rules is considered illegal for elite competition, even if it is still sold to the general public.
1.2. Carbon plates, number of plates and prototypes
On top of stack height, there are clear restrictions on internal technology:
- Only one rigid plate (or similar system) is allowed in each shoe. Stacking several plates or plate-like structures to increase leverage is not permitted.
- No secret prototypes: shoes must be commercially available to the public for a minimum period before they can be used in top-level championships. The days of racing in unreleased “unicorn” prototypes are over.
This is why some extreme models you see online —with very tall soles or multiple plates— are openly marketed as “not legal for official competitions”, aimed at training or recreational runners with no interest in podiums.
1.3. The World Athletics List of Approved Shoes
For top-tier competitions there is an official List of Approved Shoes maintained by World Athletics. Models used at the Olympic Games, World Championships or any race counting towards global rankings must appear on that list and comply with all technical requirements.
This doesn’t mean that every shoe outside the list is “bad”, but if you are targeting high-profile events or elite qualifying times, it is wise to make sure your model is approved.
2. Super shoes, carbon plates and stack height: key concepts
The rules did not appear out of nowhere. They are a response to a real technological revolution: super shoes with ultra-responsive foam combined with a carbon-fiber plate that improves running economy and helps many runners hold pace for longer.
In recent years, almost every world record from 5K to the marathon has been set in these shoes. Mainstream and specialist outlets have explained how these plates work and why they allow runners to go faster for the same physiological cost, especially over long distances.
- Carbon plate: acts like a lever, stiffening the shoe and promoting a more efficient toe-off.
- High-bounce foam: very light, resilient materials that return more energy with each stride.
- Tall stack height: more millimetres of foam between your foot and the ground, increasing cushioning and rebound —but also potential instability if taken to extremes.
All of this has a measurable impact on performance but also raises questions about fairness, safety and how accessible cutting-edge footwear really is to the wider running community.
3. Why did World Athletics tighten the rules?
World Athletics had to act because footwear risked becoming too powerful a technological advantage. During the most intense years of the “shoe wars”, each season brought models with more foam, more aggressive plates and increasingly radical designs.
- Sporting fairness: if a single brand releases a shoe that boosts performance disproportionately and only a handful of athletes get access to it, race results stop reflecting training and talent first.
- Safety: very tall, soft midsoles can be unstable, especially in tight track bends or fast downhill road sections. There have been enough crashes and injury concerns to put this risk on the radar.
- Controlling “technological doping”: the goal is to set clear boundaries around technology without killing innovation —similar to what has been done with swimsuits in swimming or equipment in cycling.
The end result is a compromise: carbon super shoes and advanced foams are allowed, but within clear limits on stack height and design.
4. Do these rules really affect recreational runners?
Here comes the question most people care about: if you’re not a professional athlete, do you actually need to worry about shoe rules?
The short answer is: it depends on the races you enter and on your goals.
- The rules matter more if…
- You race in events that are part of major international circuits or official championships.
- You are chasing serious qualifying standards, prize money or podium finishes where equipment compliance may be checked.
- You hold a federation licence and compete regularly under national or international regulations.
- The rules matter less if…
- You are a recreational runner entering local road races and charity events with no gear checks.
- You’re not fighting for podiums and organisers don’t inspect footwear at the start or finish.
In practice, many mass-participation races do not systematically inspect shoes, especially in the middle and back of the pack. Still, that doesn’t mean you can ignore the rulebook: if one day you line up in a major marathon or a championship race, you will want your footwear to be within the limits.
5. How to check whether your shoes comply with the rules
The good news: you don’t need a biomechanics lab at home to know whether your shoes would pass a “tech doping” control. Just follow these steps:
- Look up the exact model on the brand’s website. The spec sheet often includes stack height. If not, you may find it in press releases or detailed reviews.
- Confirm what type of shoe it is:
- For a road racing shoe, make sure the stack height is at or below 40 mm.
- For a track spike, the limit is much stricter: 20 mm.
- Check how many plates it uses. Most brands clearly state if the shoe has a carbon plate and where it sits. If a model openly advertises multiple plates or similar stacked devices, it is very unlikely to be legal for elite racing.
- Consult the official approved list. If you’re targeting big-name races, it’s worth checking that your model appears on World Athletics’ List of Approved Shoes or in reliable summaries of it.
- When in doubt, ask the organisers. If you’re racing an important event, a quick email to clarify their footwear policy can save a lot of stress on race week.
As a rule of thumb, most daily trainers and many mainstream super shoes from major brands already have “legal” versions that comply with World Athletics limits. The models that run into trouble tend to be the most extreme, marketing-driven designs aimed at training, ultras or purely recreational use.
6. Does it ever make sense to wear “illegal” shoes?
Alongside the rules, a parallel trend has emerged: shoes that break the limits but sell well among recreational runners, especially for ultras, long training runs or contexts with no gear checks at all.
Is it a good idea to train or race in them if you personally are not bound by strict regulations? Consider the following:
- Comfort vs. stability: taller, softer midsoles can feel amazing on very long runs… but they can also be less stable, especially on cambered roads or fast downhills.
- Performance: for well-adapted runners, ultra-tall shoes may help hold a given pace comfortably for longer. But the real benefit is highly individual; some runners see huge gains, others very little.
- Injury risk: switching suddenly to a tall, soft shoe with a stiff plate can change how load is distributed through your feet, ankles and knees. If your technique and tissues aren’t prepared, that may trigger niggles in the calf, Achilles or midfoot.
- Cost and durability: many super shoes —legal or not— are expensive and relatively short-lived. They rarely make sense as your one-shoe-for-everything option.
The most sensible approach is to reserve the most aggressive models —whether technically “illegal” or not— for key workouts and specific races, while doing the bulk of your mileage in more stable, durable trainers.
7. Using super shoes wisely
If you already own a pair of (legal) super shoes or are planning to buy some, here’s how to get the upside without compromising your health or your performance:
- Introduce them gradually: don’t go from zero to every run in super shoes. Start by using them for:
- A few race-pace interval sessions.
- One controlled tempo run of 20–30 minutes at your goal pace.
- Rotate with your daily trainer: keep most of your weekly volume in a more stable, cushioned shoe, and save super shoes for quality days and races.
- Listen to your body: if you notice new pains in the midfoot, calves or Achilles tendon, cut back on super-shoe usage and reassess your technique and training load.
- Match the shoe to the event: a hyper-aggressive 5K racer is not necessarily the best option for a marathon, and vice versa. Choose a model whose geometry and feel match the distance you are targeting.
Remember: shoes can help you express your fitness, but they cannot replace it. The real foundation is still a solid training plan, good recovery and a smart race strategy.
8. Quick checklist before your next race
To wrap up, here’s a simple checklist you can run through the week before your next race:
- ✔️ I know the exact model I’m racing in and have checked its specs on the brand’s website.
- ✔️ If I’m racing on the track, my spikes do not exceed a 20 mm stack height.
- ✔️ If I’m racing on the road, my shoe is at or below 40 mm and uses no more than one rigid plate.
- ✔️ I’ve already used these shoes in several race-pace workouts and know how my body responds.
- ✔️ If the race is important (qualifier, championship, major marathon), I’ve verified that the model is approved under the relevant rules or with the organisers.
With a clear understanding of the new World Athletics shoe rules, you can make smarter gear choices, avoid last-minute surprises on the start line and, most importantly, focus on what really matters: enjoying every mile.