Every summer, I accept the fact that I’m going to run pretty darn slowly. Where I live in North Carolina, there’s no way to escape the sweltering heat and crushing humidity that makes me feel like I’m slogging through a sauna (except for maybe using the treadmill).

But the past few weeks—even in a record-breaking heat wave—I’ve been running fast. While I wish that’s because I’ve gotten fitter or finally acclimated to the weather, all the credit actually goes to Hoka’s Rocket X 3 ($250, hoka.com), the just-launched carbon-plated racing shoe that I’ve been testing over dozens of miles.

Hoka

Rocket X 3

$250

Hoka

Designed to help runners break personal records from the 5K to the marathon, the Rocket X 3 is Hoka’s fastest shoe ever, according to the brand. And let me tell you: It delivers.

The design

As promised, the Hoka Rocket X 3 is built for speed. Like any road racing shoe worth its salt, it has a high, bouncy stack of foam and a propulsive carbon plate in the midsole. It also has an aggressive rocker sole to help with smooth, fast turnover and dual-density foam in the midsole for firm push-offs—both features rolled over from the previous model.

But unlike older versions of the Rocket (and most other super shoes), the carbon plate in the X 3 has a unique winglet shape (like a narrow V). Add Hoka’s “active foot frame”—raised foam walls on either side of the midsole—and you get a super shoe that Hoka made with stability in mind, which isn’t always the case.

Other major upgrades include a more breathable upper that’s made of a single layer of breathable mesh, a grippier outsole, and even more cushioning in a slightly lighter design. Another pro: The Rocket X 3 is made entirely with vegan materials.

But for anyone who wears a men’s size, there’s a pretty major con: The men’s shoe has 42 millimeters of foam in the heel, which technically makes the Rocket illegal to race in, per World Athletics rules. (The women’s shoe only has 40 millimeters, which is allowed.) While it would be unusual for a noncompetitive runner to be penalized for wearing an “illegal” shoe, running coach Laura Henry previously told SELF that it’s best to race in legal shoes, both to eliminate your chance of disqualification and to preserve the integrity of the sport.

Fit and feel

The first thing I noticed about the Rocket X 3 was how easy it was to get on. I often felt like I had to fight the Rocket X 2 to get it on my foot, but the new version has a more structured heel collar that allows my foot to slide in more easily. The X 3 also has serrated laces, which I find helps me get a more secure lockdown in the shoe.

The Rocket X 3 seems to run true to size—I wear my usual women’s 9, which gives me plenty of room between my big toe and the front of the shoe (key for when my feet swell up on long runs). Like many fast shoes, though, the Rocket X 3s are narrow. I usually wear a regular width, and these are just wide enough for my feet (I only noticed a little tightness across the widest part of my foot). But if you typically wear wide shoes, you may want to think twice about trying to fit into these.

On the run

I tested the Rocket X 3s on a mix of runs between three and eight miles. Some of them were speed workouts, while others were more casual—I let myself run as fast or as slow as felt natural in shoes.

I found that the Rocket X 3s encouraged me to quicken my turnover (in other words, they helped me pick up my foot off the ground faster to take another step). I noticed myself pushing the pace when I didn’t mean to—even in terrible weather conditions and on days when my body was feeling a little off, I was darting up hills that usually slow me down.

Underfoot, the Rocket X 3s are super bouncy, but not in a way that makes me feel unstable or out-of-control, like some other super shoes do. I can see how the winglets in the plate could make situations like rounding a tight corner in a race or avoiding an unexpected obstacle on the trails feel safer. They felt okay when I slowed down too—another bonus that can be hard to find in a super shoe.

These sneaks are pretty comfy too—and only once, on my longest run, did I notice that my sweaty feet started to slide around in them. (Although, to be fair, I’m not sure if there’s any shoe that could have prevented this.)

Bottom line

At $250 a pair, the Rocket X 3 is definitely an investment. That said, Hoka hasn’t raised the price from its previous version even amidst all the upgrades, and $250 is actually on the low end when it comes to super shoes. So, if you’re an experienced runner who’s in the market for a fast racing shoe, the Rocket X 3 should be on your list—especially if you value more stability and support in your sneaks.

I’ll be reaching for the Rocket X 3s for speed workouts and races. I need to log more double-digit runs to find out if I want to take them for a marathon-distance ride, but I have a feeling that 26.2 miles is just what they’re made for.

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