Release date calendar for running shoes – 2026

LATEST WATERPROOF RUNNING SHOES

FRESH DROP

DAILY TRAINER

HOKA CLIFTON 11 GTX

The Clifton GTX has been updated with a toggle lacing system.

SEE PRICE (AMAZON)

NEW RELEASE

TRAIL RUNNER

Brooks Cascadia 20 GTX

The updated Cascadia also sells in a waterproof version.

SEE PRICE (AMAZON)

NEW UPDATE

MILD-STABILITY TRAINER

Asics GT-2000 15 GTX

Mild stability delivered in a waterproof package.

SEE PRICE (Zappos)

Wouldn’t it be nice to see a calendar that lists the release dates of upcoming running shoe models for a given year? Say, not just for the calendar year, but for a rolling 18-month period? There are so many models spread across nearly a dozen shoe brands, so it can get confusing to keep track of launch months – even for us shoe-reviewing folks.

Except that such a calendar doesn’t exist. At least, not for running shoes. This page is a baby step towards changing that; this article will help our readers keep track of what’s next, and budget accordingly.

So why would anyone need a shoe release calendar? Sure, it’s good to know when the new models are arriving, but does the information result in tangible benefits, if at all? Knowing the release date in advance makes the best use of your running shoe money. Here’s why this data helps make an informed purchase decision:

The previous model will go on markdown sales and can be bought for less money

Let’s say a popular shoe model gets its annual refresh every January. To clear inventory, brands and retailers will put the previous model on clearance sale when the release of the updated model becomes imminent.

Knowing the release date of the upcoming model could mean the difference between paying full price and saving money on discount sales. Most of the time, the old and new models overlap each other in the market, and that’s when the best deals are had.

The upcoming model could be an improved version that’s worth waiting for

Running shoes are seldom perfect, so many runners skip buying the current version and prefer to wait for the updated model.

The new model could be just an ‘upper-only’ update with no changes

Many brands re-use the midsole and outsole for several years, with two years being a common practice. For example, the Brooks Ghost 17 and 18 are based on the same sole, and so are the Altra Experience Flow 2 and 3. If the ‘new’ model is just going to re-use the same midsole, then why spend more money on the new shoe – unless there is something wrong with the existing product?

After reviewing running shoes for over a decade, we have a fair idea of the design refresh cycle. For example, Nike, adidas, and Saucony tend to recycle their midsole designs for two years. In other words, a running shoe released in 2025 will use the same sole for 2026. On the other hand, Asics and Brooks are now doing annual top-to-bottom refreshes for their main models. Hoka tends to space their releases over a longer period, depending on the category. Shoe models that end up being massive commercial successes, like the adidas EVO SL, Asics Novablast, and New Balance Rebel, have their lifecycles extended beyond the planned obsolescence cycle. When that happens, we’ll pay closer attention to color refreshes, markdowns or the lack there of, and internet chatter. For example, if a shoe has reached its 18-24 month lifespan and is still selling at full price and releasing new colors, then it’s unlikely that the shoe will be updated soon. In that case, we’ll move the estimated release date forward by a quarter while keeping track of the market signals.

Solereview doesn’t have a personal relationship with brands or retailers, so the information here is not official but our best guess. Based on what we know, here are the highlight releases for the next 12 – 18 months. Just keep in mind that it takes at least a month for a shoe (after the release date) to be widely distributed across different retail channels.

January to March 2026:

2026 is crowded with new releases; be it updates of existing models or brand-new intros. Q1 starts off hot with updated versions of familiar shoes, such as the Asics Nimbus 28 (released), Asics Cumulus 28 (released), Hoka Mach 7 (released), New Balance 1080V15 (released), Saucony Ride 19 (released), and the Glycerin 23 (released). Puma will update its Deviate Nitro 4 (released) and Nitro Elite 4 (released). The adidas Terrex Agravic line also gets a refresh, in the form of the Agravic Speed Ultra 2 (released) and Speed 2 (released). If that wasn’t enough there’s also the new Agravic TT. (released)

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Mizuno flanks the Hyperwarp Pure with the Pro and Elite versions (all now released), both released in this quarter. The highly-anticipated adidas EVO SL ATR (released) and Nike Ultrafly Trail 2 (released) also hit the stores in early Q1, and so did the Saucony Endorphin Pro 5 (released) and Endorphin Azura (released).

On March 17th, the adidas Hyperboost Edge – the spiritual successor of sorts to the adidas Ultraboost – was released. The softer than before Superblast 3 was also launched in Q1.

April to June 2026:

The new Nike Pegasus 42 and Pegasus ACG Trail (replacement for the Pegasus Trail 4) were released in April. The New Balance 860V15 was ‘soft released’ in March, with an official release date of April 1st. The Brooks Beast GTS 26 was released on April, replacing the Beast GTS 24. New Balance also released an off-road version of its popular Rebel trainer in mid April, mirroring the industry trend. That begs the question – is the Rebel Trail a replacement for the Hierro?

Continuing franchises like the Brooks Ghost 18 (released) and Asics Kayano 33 (released) are also due in Q2 2026. The Saucony Endorphin Elite 3 was also released on June 1st, and so was the Saucony Triumph 24.

July to September 2026:

Fall is another busy quarter for releases. The Asics Novablast 6 was released on July 1st. From new shoes like the On Cloudboom Strike 2 (released) and Saucony Paramount Max (released) to the Brooks Hyperion Elite 6 (released) and New Balance SC Elite V6 (released), there’s a lot to look forward to. Staples like the Hurricane 26 (released) and Ghost Max 4 (released) are also due for release in Q3. Hoka launched a new model called the Clifton Pro, a performance-oriented flanker of the Clifton. The Clifton 11 got an upper-only refresh this year, using the same midsole as the Clifton 10. The New Balance SC Rebel V1 replaced the popular SC Trainer V3. The Pegasus Plus 2 was released on Sep 3rd. The adidas Adios Pro 5 was released on September 22nd.

October to December 2026:

Historically, Q4 is the slowest quarter for running shoe launches because of the seasonality and lack of major road-racing events. That said, crowd-favorites such as the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 27 and Brooks Glycerin Max 3 will show up during this period. The Nike Alphafly 4 also will be released this quarter.

The asterisk on the change summary denotes that it is our best guess and the final product is not confirmed yet.

1. The list of shoes released in the previous year (2025) is available here.

1. For shoes released prior to Dec 2025, the list is available here.