The best carbon plate running shoes don’t come cheap, so when Decathlon announced the original Kiprun KD900X—a carbon racing shoe for £130—I was excited. However, the Kiprun KD900X was a solid shoe that lacked the feel and performance of the top supershoes, and while still a fast and durable option for training, it didn’t really compete with the Nike Vaporfly.
Decathlon is back stronger with the Kiprun KD900X LD. It’s more expensive than the KD900X, but still relatively cheap and offers a higher level of performance thanks to the updated midsole foam. If you want the ultimate runner, then there are faster shoes available, but the Kiprun KD900X LD is a great choice for those on a budget.
Kiprun KD900X LD: Price and Availability
The Kiprun KD900X LD was released in April 2024 and is available from Decathlon. It costs £159.99 in the UK and €180 in the EU, but is not sold in the US. It’s £30 more expensive than the Kiprun KD900X, Decathlon’s first carbon plate shoe, but significantly cheaper than most carbon super-shoes, which usually cost at least $250/£220.
How I tried this shoe
I’ve run just over 30 miles on the Kiprun KD900X LD, using it for a mix of training runs, including a test track session and a progression run finishing at my goal marathon pace. I’ve also tried the Kiprun KD900X (although it got stolen before I could complete my testing for a full review) and pretty much all the best carbon fiber running shoes available from major brands.
Design and implementation
The main change in the Kiprun KD900X LD compared to the KD900X is the midsole foam. It has changed from VFOAM to VFOAM PLUS, and while both are Peba-based materials, PLUS is softer, lighter and more dynamic.
Decathlon has halved the shoe’s drop to 4mm, with a stack height of 36.8mm in the heel and 32.8mm in the forefoot. This means there is more foam under the forefoot, which will also increase ride comfort compared to the firm feel of the Kiprun KD900X.
Despite the extra foam, the weight is down. The Kiprun KD900X LD weighs 8.1oz/230g in a UK 9/EU 44 size. This is much lighter than my Kiprun KD900X review sample which was 8.8oz/249g in a slightly smaller size, EU 43.5.
Like the KD900X, the KD900X LD was a long time coming for me, and I would recommend going at least half a size down from your regular running shoe. There is plenty of room in the toe box and although there is no slip in the heel, I found the plastic strip at the top containing the laces cut into the top of my right foot just below the ankle.
This was especially bad on the first and longest run with the shoe, which was about 13 miles. On my runs since I haven’t had the problem to the same degree, so hopefully it’s something that goes away when the shoe breaks in a bit, but it’s a concern if you plan on using the shoe for a marathon.
Other than that, the breathable open knit mesh upper was good and held my foot securely when running fast. It’s a lightweight material and has minimal padding around the collar and tongue, as you’d expect from a racing shoe.
A midsole on the bottom of the shoe displays the carbon plate. There is exposed foam in the middle of the bottom of the shoe, but two rubber patches in the heel and a larger section in the forefoot cover the main impact areas. The Kiprun KD900X was built to last 1,000km and while the softer midsole may reduce the lifespan of the Kiprun KD900X LD, I still expect it to be a long-lasting shoe.
Running performance
The Kiprun KD900X LD is noticeably softer and more dynamic than the KD900X and is more in line with other super shoes. It’s not as stretchy as shoes like the Nike Alphafly 3 or the Hoka Cielo X1, but VFOAM PLUS is a pretty stretchy material and is much more comfortable than VFOAM.
This is especially noticeable under the forefoot, where there is more foam. As a result, you get a springier toe and I didn’t feel any discomfort under the forefoot on my longest run in the KD900X LD.
I did a track session in the shoe where I ran four miles at 5min 40sec/mile, with my goal at marathon pace, followed by 12 repeats of 400m alternating 72 seconds and 77 seconds per repeat. The Kiprun KD900X LD was comfortable when cruising at marathon pace and impressive enough for the shorter reps.
It has a flatter ride than many super-shoes due to the low drop, and it’s not a high-slop shoe. I noticed the day after the session that my feet were more beat up than usual the day after training in a super shoe. The Kiprun KD900X LD also puts a bit more stress on your calf muscles than a higher drop racing shoe, which may affect strikers like me more than forefoot strikers.
The ride is less propulsive and feels less quick than the best super-shoes, and the KD900X LD suffered in comparison to the very agile and wobbly Hoka Cielo X1, which I was using at the same time. However, the Kiprun shoe has a fairly natural feel and I felt comfortable using it for easy paces as well as fast ones, which is not the case with some ultra-shoes that feel alarmingly wobbly and unnatural at slow speeds.
Is the Kiprun KD900X LD worth it?
If you are willing to spend a lot of money for your runner, the Kiprun KD900X LD is not among the best carbon plate running shoes. My standout options at the moment are the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris, Nike Alphafly 3, Nike Vaporfly 3 and Hoka Cielo X1.
However, it’s significantly cheaper and there’s no shoe available with a list price of £160 I’d rather race – if I could just get the fit right to avoid any unwanted chafing with the plastic strip on the upper. Even the best ultra-trainers like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 or the Adidas Boston 12, which are closer in price, cannot match the speed of the Kiprun KD900X LD.
The biggest competition to the Kiprun KD900X LD for those looking for a cheaper racing option comes from the discounts available on older carbon shoes. The Asics Metaspeed Sky+, Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 and Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 are often available on sale and if you can get them or other older carbon shoes for around £160 they are stronger racing options.
I was impressed with the Kiprun KD900X LD, however, and it doesn’t fall far short of these shoes’ standards. It’s now a lower-priced racing alternative worth considering, whereas the original KD900X was more of a long-term training option than a true racer.
