The Running Shoe
Drift Index
The Running Shoe Drift Index scores how much each running shoe line changed between its two most recent versions, using the brands' published heel stack, drop and weight. 38 shoe lines currently have the data to be scored. The biggest change is the New Balance 880 v14 to v15, with a score of 12.6 (11.5 mm more heel stack, 2 mm less drop and 29 g heavier). The smallest is the Mizuno Neo Vista 2 to 3, at 0.
- Last updated
- Shoe lines scored
- 38
- Versions verified
- 0 of 76
Preliminary: built from published brand and retailer specs that have not all been verified yet.
The ranking
Highest drift first. Δ is the newer version minus the older one; the line underneath shows the published values.
| # | Shoe line | Δ Heel stack | Δ Drop | Δ Weight | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Balance 880v14 → v15 | +11.5mm29→40.5 | −2mm8→6 | +29g270→299 | 12.6 |
| 2 | Brooks Hyperion2 → 3 | +10mm26→36 | ±0mm8→8 | +31.2g201.3→232.5 | 10.2 |
| 3 | New Balance 1080v14 → v15 | +1.9mm38→39.9 | ±0mm6→6 | −38.4g298→259.6 | 7.3 |
| 4 | Puma Velocity Nitro4 → 5 | −1mm36→35 | −2mm10→8 | −20g250→230 | 5.8 |
| 5 | adidas Adizero Adios Pro4 → 5* | ±0mm39→39 | −2mm6→4 | −23g200→177 | 5.8 |
| 6 | Puma Deviate Nitro3 → 4 | −1mm39→38 | −2mm10→8 | −20g270→250 | 5.8 |
| 7 | Brooks Adrenaline GTS24 → 25 | +1.5mm35.5→37 | −2mm12→10 | +17g283.5→300.5 | 5.6 |
| 8 | Saucony Hurricane25 → 26 | +3mm38→41 | ±0mm6→6 | −23g285→262 | 5.3 |
| 9 | New Balance FuelCell Rebelv4 → v5* | +5mm30→35 | ±0mm6→6 | +13.5g211.5→225 | 4.8 |
| 10 | HOKA Gaviota5 → 6* | +3mm36→39 | ±0mm6→6 | −19g310→291 | 4.7 |
| 11 | Saucony TempusSaucony Tempus → 2 | −3.5mm36.5→33 | ±0mm8→8 | +17g252→269 | 4.6 |
| 12 | ASICS GT-200014 → 15 | +1.5mm36.5→38 | ±0mm8→8 | −21g273→252 | 4.3 |
| 13 | New Balance SC Elitev5 → v6* | ±0mm40→40 | ±0mm8→8 | −24.9g214.9→190 | 4.2 |
| 14 | Altra Torin8 → 9 | −2mm30→28 | ±0mm0→0 | −18.7g287.7→269 | 4.1 |
| 15 | Puma Deviate Nitro Elite3 → 4 | ±0mm40→40 | ±0mm8→8 | −24g194→170 | 4 |
| 16 | Altra Experience Flow2 → 3 | ±0mm32→32 | ±0mm4→4 | +24g231→255 | 4 |
| 17 | Brooks Glycerin22 → 23 | ±0mm38→38 | −2mm10→8 | +11.3g289.2→300.5 | 3.9 |
| 18 | ASICS Gel-Nimbus27 → 28* | ±0mm43.5→43.5 | ±0mm8→8 | −22g305→283 | 3.7 |
| 19 | Altra Experience Wild2 → 3 | ±0mm32→32 | ±0mm4→4 | +21.3g293.4→314.7 | 3.6 |
| 20 | Altra Olympus6 → 7 | ±0mm33→33 | ±0mm0→0 | −20g345→325 | 3.3 |
| 21 | adidas Supernova Rise2 → 3 | +1mm36→37 | −2mm10→8 | −3g275→272 | 3 |
| 22 | Puma ForeverRun Nitro2 → 3* | ±0mm38→38 | −2mm10→8 | −5g295→290 | 2.8 |
| 23 | ASICS Superblast2 → 3* | +1.5mm45→46.5 | ±0mm8→8 | −11g250→239 | 2.6 |
| 24 | On Cloudultra2 → 3* | +5mm27→32 | ±0mm6→6 | ±0g295→295 | 2.5 |
| 25 | Saucony Ride TR2 → 3 | +4mm35→39 | ±0mm8→8 | ±0g296→296 | 2 |
| 26 | Nike Alphafly3 → 4 | −0.5mm39.5→39 | ±0mm8→8 | −10g218→208 | 1.9 |
| 27 | Saucony Kinvara15 → 16 | −1mm29→28 | ±0mm4→4 | +6g200→206 | 1.5 |
| 28 | HOKA Arahi8 → 9 | ±0mm39→39 | ±0mm8→8 | +8g276→284 | 1.3 |
| 29 | Saucony Ride18 → 19 | +1mm35→36 | ±0mm8→8 | −4g259→255 | 1.2 |
| 30 | Saucony Endorphin Pro4 → 5 | ±0mm39.5→39.5 | ±0mm8→8 | −6g212→206 | 1 |
| 31 | New Balance Morev5 → v6 | ±0mm44→44 | ±0mm4→4 | −6g312→306 | 1 |
| 32 | HOKA Clifton10 → 11* | ±0mm42→42 | ±0mm8→8 | +5g278→283 | 0.8 |
| 33 | Brooks Ghost17 → 18 | −0.5mm36.5→36 | ±0mm10→10 | +2.9g286.3→289.2 | 0.7 |
| 34 | Saucony Endorphin Speed4 → 5 | ±0mm36→36 | ±0mm8→8 | +4g233→237 | 0.7 |
| 35 | ASICS Gel-Kayano32 → 33 | ±0mm40→40 | ±0mm8→8 | −2g300→298 | 0.3 |
| 36 | ASICS Novablast5 → 6 | ±0mm41.5→41.5 | ±0mm8→8 | −2g255→253 | 0.3 |
| 37 | ASICS Gel-Cumulus27 → 28 | ±0mm38.5→38.5 | ±0mm8→8 | +2g265→267 | 0.3 |
| 38 | Mizuno Neo Vista2 → 3 | ±0mm44.5→44.5 | ±0mm8→8 | ±0g265→265 | 0 |
* The brand states the weight at a different reference size for the two versions, so part of the weight change may come from the size, not the shoe.
54 more shoe lines with two or more versions in our database are left out because heel stack, drop or weight is not published for both of their latest versions. We never fill gaps with estimates.
The formula
For each shoe line (same brand and model name), take its two most recent versions in our database. If both publish heel stack, drop and weight:
score = |Δ heel stack mm| / 2 + |Δ drop mm| / 1 + |Δ weight g| / 6
So 2 mm of heel stack, 1 mm of drop and 6 g of weight each add one point. Direction doesn't matter: getting lighter counts the same as getting heavier. Scores are rounded to 0.1. A score of 0 means the three published specs did not change.
Method and sources
- Specs are the figures brands and retailers publish, each stored with its source and retrieval date. We do not measure shoes ourselves.
- Sources behind the versions in this index: 86 brand, 103 retailer and 18 press pages.
- Weight is compared as published. Brands weigh a reference size that can differ between versions; those rows are marked.
- Only the latest version change per line is scored, so a line appears once.
- The index is rebuilt from the database every time the site is built. "Last updated" is the most recent source retrieval date.
Full sourcing rules: methodology.
How to cite
Citation
Trova. "Running Shoe Drift Index." trova.run, updated 6 October 2026. https://trova.run/data/drift-index/
Please link to this page when you quote a figure. Data: drift-index.csv. Licence: [LICENCE TBD].