Article by Michael Ellenberger
Craft Kype Professional ($300)
Craft has put forth a brand new entrant within the high-performance marathon racing scene with the Kype Professional, a shoe designed to ship elite-level velocity, responsiveness, and effectivity… at a value. Sure, with an eye-popping (although in the end just-slightly-above-market) $300 price ticket, this shoe goes to attract consideration, although maybe to not the identical diploma because the Adidas Evo 1 and its $500+ invoice.
Happily, this supershoe masses in mainly each function round – together with a nitrogen-infused Pebax midsole and a skeletal additive molded carbon fiber plate engineered by Arris Composites
If the identify Arris sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of we’ve seen their work earlier than in footwear just like the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4, the place the spider-web plate is marketed as “Velocity Vault.”
I used to be a fan of the Craft Endurance, Carbon Extremely, and CTM strains – which, regardless of their frequent sizing quirks, we’ve reviewed favorably on RTR for his or her high quality supplies and energetic bounce.
Even so, the $300 Kype Professional is positioned as Craft’s first “actual” tremendous shoe, with the look (and advert marketing campaign) to match. I’ve solely had the possibility to run on this shoe thrice – two of these being comparatively quick efforts, as well – however needed to offer preliminary ideas.
First Impressions
The midsole is straight away noticeable—it’s gentle, bouncy, and extremely energetic underfoot. The so-called “Xx Foam” is a Pebax materials that gives a dynamic journey, balancing cushioning and rebound for a propulsive really feel.
Some tremendous footwear lean too smooth or too inflexible (and successfully block out runners who actually favor one pole on the spectrum); the Kype Professional finds an thrilling center floor that feels fairly squarely within the center. It’s actually a enjoyable shoe to run in and appears well-equipped to deal with the marathon distance with ease.
After simply two outside runs (with solely a small quantity of high quality work, together with some surges) and one treadmill exercise, I’m excited to take the Kype Professional for longer periods, as a result of I feel that’s the place it’ll actually shine.
Craft’s strategy to carbon plating can also be intriguing. The Arris carbon fiber plate enhances stability and velocity with out feeling overly stiff or restrictive. It delivers the stiffness crucial for environment friendly propulsion whereas sustaining a pure, clean transition by way of the stride.
One other standout function is the split-heel building. This design gives unbiased suspension, permitting for higher affect absorption and power switch. The heel feels secure but fluid, making transitions seamless and managed, particularly for runners who land farther again on their foot.
Higher and Match
Craft has opted for a breathable, open-weave AeroMesh higher, which feels very, very gentle on the foot, and is versatile whereas nonetheless providing ample assist. No layovers, which is all the time appreciated – even the brand is sublimated into the fabric. Very premium.
As I alluded to above, in contrast to some earlier Craft racers, the match is lastly true to dimension for me, which is a very welcome enchancment.
The heel counter can also be well-balanced—not too harsh, however structured sufficient to offer stability with out discomfort. There’s some added cushioning in stated heel which supplies ample heel lock. Once more, I’ve solely worn these 3 occasions, however I’ve not had points with irritation in any way.
Outsole and Grip
The outsole, designed by the cycle tire model Vittoria, appears to offer dependable traction, however that is the realm I can say the least – I’ve examined these solely on the treadmill (the place they labored tremendous – not each shoe does) and on dry pavement outside.
So, whereas real grip and sturdiness stays to be examined, the preliminary impression means that the outsole right here ought to carry out properly, particularly contemplating its class – this isn’t a rugged shoe, and the light-weight nature of the outsole enhances the general speed-focused building of the shoe. I anticipate good, however not stellar, traction.
Remaining Ideas (For Now)
The Craft Kype Professional is shaping as much as be a reputable contender within the tremendous shoe class, and I, for one, couldn’t be extra excited. The Kype’s mixture of a full of life midsole, well-integrated carbon plate, hyper-light higher, and modern split-heel design makes it an thrilling possibility, particularly for marathoners
The $300 price ticket places it in direct competitors with among the greatest names within the business – and likewise significantly attracts consideration to it as a “high-end” possibility – however from my first impressions, Craft has developed a shoe that deserves a critical look. Sturdiness is a light concern, and I’m curious to see how these really feel on a 15-20 mile effort (for which I plan to make use of them quickly), however with the sizing hurdle out of the best way and clearly some modern growth going into this one, I really feel like Craft could have a real hit on its fingers.
Tester Profile
Michael is a patent lawyer and graduate of Northwestern College Regulation College. Previous to regulation faculty, he competed collegiately at Washington College in St. Louis (10,000m PR of 30:21). Michael’s PRs embrace a 67:43 half-marathon (Chicago Half-Marathon) and a 2:20:41 marathon PR on the 2025 Houston Marathon. Michael continues to race on the roads, and is chasing a sub-2:20 marathon and potential OTQ sooner or later.
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