The Best Track & Field Sprint Spikes of 2024 (2024)

FAQs

The Best Track & Field Sprint Spikes of 2024? ›

What makes it the best? Nike Air Zoom MaxFly showed unmatched speed and comfort among all the sprint spikes we brought on track, making it our top lightweight choice for races. It has all the advanced technology to enhance speed while ensuring a light, steady, and comfortable ride.

What makes it the best? Nike Air Zoom MaxFly showed unmatched speed and comfort among all the sprint spikes we brought on track, making it our top lightweight choice for races. It has all the advanced technology to enhance speed while ensuring a light, steady, and comfortable ride.

Nike Zoom Maxfly | $190

This is the most top-of-the-line sprint spike and is designed specifically for elite athletes. It features a Zoom Air unit in the forefoot for responsive cushioning, a carbon fiber plate for propulsion, and a Flyknit upper for a lightweight, breathable fit.

Bolt competed in Puma track spikes throughout his career, while Bromell does so in New Balance track spikes.

Additionally, the Nike Vaporfly 4% shoe led to an average of increased stride length of two centimeters, partially due to its higher heel height. Even small changes such as a two-centimeter change in stride length means putting someone more than 200 meters further ahead through the distance of a marathon.

The spikes

As a rule of thumb: The shorter the event, the more spikes you'll need. Traditionally, short sprint spike plates will have about 7-10 pins per shoe to foster greater traction. Since flexibility is a greater concern for longer sprints, spikes for these athletes will only have 6-8 pins.

For the 800 you can run in shoes as minimal as sprint spikes if you like. My suggestion to you is to get some distance spikes if you are the 800/1600 type or some sprint spikes if you are the 400/800 type. Middle distance spikes could also be a nice compromise.

You can jump in running shoes to a point, you can jump in sprint spikes, to a point, but there comes a time when you are putting so much force on your plant foot at takeoff you need those heel spikes to keep you from sliding out (or tearing out the heel of your shoe like I did) and possibly injuring yourself.

Are Saucony sprint spikes good? ›

The Saucony Endorphin Cheetah impressed our testing team more than any other track spike we've seen in the last two years with its combo of comfort, power, and light weight. “Over short distances, I could maintain significantly higher velocity in this spike compared to others I tested,” raved one tester.

The spikes or pins on the bottom of the shoes provide improved traction and stability, allowing athletes to run faster and jump further. This can make a significant difference in races and other events, leading to better times and distances.

Keep in mind, though, that it's important they're not too tight either, if you're attached to your toenails at all! There should still be a tiny bit of space between your toes and the front of the shoe. Of course, middle to long distance spikes require a bit more comfort since you're asking your feet to go farther.

Can't I just wear Track (sprint) spikes in Cross Country races? While Cross Country spikes and Track spikes are similar, they are NOT the same. You can wear XC spikes in Track, but not the other way around.

While your regular trainers are built for, well, training, spikes are built for competition. They're lighter which reduces fatigue; they hug your feet for better control; and they provide extra grip where you need it most, resulting in greater responsiveness and powerful push offs that propel you forward, faster.

Spikes are permitted during practice. Spike length must not exceed ¼ inch in length.

Beginning sprinters are better off using pyramid spikes until very good form is achieved because it's possible to scratch the opposite leg with with spikes if you overpronate on a stride.