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The best running shoes from Decathlon
We’ve put the company’s in-house brands, Kalenji and Kiprun, to the test
Among the likes of Asics, Adidas and New Balance, the running shoe aisle in any Decathlon store is home to the brand’s in-house brands, Kalenji and Kiprun. These are designed to offer lower cost alternatives to both road and trail shoes.
Kalenji gets its name from the Kalejins – a nomadic tribe who live in a place called Eldoret, West Kenya, where running has been part of their lives throughout history. According to Decathlon, Kalenji as a brand incorporates designs that allow runners of all levels ‘to move on to a free style of running’ – essentially, running for pleasure.
Kiprun emerged out of the Kalenji brand, a contraction of the phrase ‘keep on running’. It was assigned to Decathlon’s first performance shoe, the Kiprun 100, back in 2010. Now, the brand assigns it to all Kalenji gear that’s dedicated to performance.
The best running shoes from Decathlon
So how do Decathlon’s on-brand running shoes hold up? We've been road testing them, and have rounded up our favourites below. Want to head straight to the shop? Here are our winners, at a glance.
This is the Kiprun version of the super shoe featuring Pebax® foam and carbon plate technology. It is the fastest shoe in the Decathlon range, returning 75% of energy. If you are looking for great energy return and speed over longer distances then this high performance shoe promises to deliver. Testers ran in these up to 1500km. The midsole and upper are light but durable providing a dynamic run come race day. Although at the costlier end of KIPRUN range the price tag is far lower than its big brand competitors.
Key specs
| Weight | 225g (M), 182g (W) |
|---|---|
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Performance |
If you haven't seen our full review, then you can watch that below, but this £40 running shoe impressed our testers and is worth considering if you need something cushioned and flat-feeling on reach for that weekly 5k.
The shoe is targeted at leisure runners, parkrunners or people looking to get into running for the first time, and on this basis it succeeds completely.
On the run, the shoe feels light and flexible. It doesn’t feel like a particularly responsive or fast shoe, but it’s not really designed to be. Because of the softness and flexibility, there’s no real feeling of support, so they may not suit severe over-pronators.
Key specs
| Weight | 251.3g |
|---|---|
| Drop | 4mm |
| Type | Road/neutral |
Read the full review here, but the KS 900 offers impressively soft cushioning and excellent comfort in a pretty lightweight package – all at a very competitive price.
Although the midsole is super soft, there’s a harder rubber outsole glued onto impact areas across the forefoot and heel, which should ensure that all that softness isn’t at the expense of durability. Our testers also praised the excellent grip, including in the wet. The toebox is roomy, offering plenty of space for your toes to splay during footstrike, and the mesh, while not elasticated, is comfortable and breathable.
As it becomes increasingly challenging to find new running shoes costing £100 or less, this model is worthy of serious consideration for those looking for a capable everyday running shoe that will eat up the miles with ease and comfort.
Key specs
| Weight | 256g |
|---|---|
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Neutral cushioned/road |
If you're after a nimble and grippy trail shoes, then the EVADICT light are up there with some of the best, at a fraction of the price. The lightweight means it's very stripped back shoe. The upper is a light mesh, the tongue thin and outsole just thick enough to provide cushioning but not impact ground feel. You'll get wet socks if it rains or is muddy, but you won't care as you'll be speeding along with plenty of grip. Currently the women's version is out of stock in all.
Key specs
| Weight | 225g |
|---|---|
| Drop | 4mm |
| Type | Trail (up to 40km) |
A shoe for runners who prefer more cushioning and support, the KipRun 2 has a 10mm drop and features ARKSTAB technology to offer greater stability. It is positioned as a road shoe for neutral, over and under pronators making is a great all rounder. The Kalensole foam offers a good combination of cushioning and propulsion up to around 1000km thanks to it effective energy response. Unfortunately the women's shoe replaces the gender-neutral lime green details of the men's shoe with coral pink.
Key specs
| Weight | 317g |
|---|---|
| Drop | 10mm |
| Type | Cushioned/neutral |
The stability shoe in the KIPRUN stable, the KS 500 features what Decathlon call ARKSTAB technology, which is designed to prevent the collapse of the arch and offer stability during the gait cycle. If you're a over-pronator that's been recommended a shoe that offers up a bit more structure than a neutral shoe, these are well worth considering.
Key specs
| Weight | 282g |
|---|---|
| Drop | 8mm |
| Type | Stability/road |
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