TYR has released its latest running shoe, the Valkyrie Elite V2. According to TYR, it is one of the lightest, most explosive, carbon-plated runners ever built. But all this technology doesn’t come cheap. The Valkyrie Elite V2 will set you back $280…but it might be worth it.
After personally getting my hands (and feet) on a pair of these, I can confirm they are ridiculously light. In a men’s size 9, they weight a total of 150 grams…or 5.3 ounces.
They boast a “90% total energy return” thanks to “premium ATPU supercritical foam engineered with advanced manufacturing techniques.” I can’t speak to the manufacturing techniques, but these things are bouncy. And that’s likely thanks to 50% more cushioning compared to other running shoes.
Like all the other super, squishy running shoes, they sit high off the ground. The Valkyrie Elite V2 has a heel stack of 40mm. They also feature a 6mm heel-to-toe drop.
As for the upper, it’s almost non-existent. You can see in the photo above it’s basically just a clear mesh. You can see the color of your socks through the shoe.
They currently come in two colorways…White/Black and “821 Sun”. Men’s sizing ranges from 7.5 to 14 while women’s sizing is 6 to 12. For me, they were true to fit when compared to other TYR shoes (both their trainers and other running shoes). A size 10 fit just like I expected it would.
As for durability and wear, I haven’t run enough to fully comment on it. However, TYR’s website says they are best for “racing”. I would assume this means that they will break down if you plan logging hundreds of miles in them. But maybe I’m wrong…I dunno.
TYR does say the Maverick V-1 shoe is made for “Every Day Running” so maybe that’s the better option for logging all the miles in training. Then you can switch to the Valkyrie Elite V2 on race day.
