Running can be a pretty expensive hobby if you value a cool look and the latest technology in footwear. In order to achieve their own best times, not only professionals but also many amateur athletes rely on carbon running shoes, in which the midsole is made of a light plate made of carbon fiber.
This technical advantage comes at a price, at least for the major sporting goods companies such as Adidas, Nike and Hoka. The Nike model Alphafly 3 costs over 300 euros in the US brand’s online shop. The discount sports brand Crivit now offers a shoe for just 69.99 euros.
The ‘CarbonLite 1.0’ has been available in the Lidl online shop for men and women in two colors since the end of February and has a carbon plate that is intended to promote “energy recovery through improved power transmission” and a knitted upper material, according to the product description. Several sizes of the men’s models, ranging from 41 to 46, are already sold out.
Not a shoe for beginners
In a Runner’s World test, the rolling behavior typical of these shoes, the well-ventilated upper material and the fit were particularly impressive. What was negative was the weight, which was over 306 grams for a men’s size 45 test shoe (specified at Lidl: 250 grams). This meant that the running platform classified the shoe as a faster training shoe and not as a competition shoe like other carbon models. Nevertheless, the testers were positively surprised by the “performance” of the discounter model.
However, it must also be taken into account that the price of the shoe is tailored to beginners, but its technology is aimed more at ambitious athletes, according to Runner’s World. Various running experts like Sebastian Bär also criticize the shoe for this.
The CEO of the German shoe supplier Joe Nimble warned last week in a post on the career network Linkedin of dangers such as overloading caused by the stiff carbon plate and the chronic consequences if such “tools for metered use” are used for long-term use due to their mass availability. The side effects are greatest in the broad hobby market. “If you want to use carbon shoes sustainably for your own performance, you need clear dosage and targeted foot and big toe training.”
However, Lidl does not advertise the shoe in such a specialized way on social networks. A humorous Instagram post from last week said that you were the “first in the bakery” with the shoe.
The discounter has been in the process of realigning Crivit and positioning it internationally since the middle of last year. To this end, Lidl signed ex-tennis star Stefanie Graf as a new brand ambassador in February.
