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I Bought the £39 Lidl Carbon Running Shoe... how bad was it?!

2026-04-12 Sports
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Ben Parkes
Ben Parkes
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If you enjoyed the video, please like, comment and subscribe! Thank you for watching! Save 10% site wide on training plans, hats, socks, shorts, technical & casual apparel - (Code - YOUTUBE10) https://benparkes.com Check out: 📈 Training Plans: https://benparkes.com/collections/training-plans 🧢 Running Hats: https://benparkes.com/collections/runninghats 🧦 Running Socks: https://benparkes.com/collections/socks 🩳 Running Shorts: https://benparkes.com/collections/running-shorts 👕 Running Tees / Singlets: https://benparkes.com/collections/running-apparel-collection 😀 FREE Beginner Plans: https://benparkes.com/collections/free-beginner-plans ⏰ Shop our Latest Arrivals: https://benparkes.com/collections/latest-arrivals Follow me here: Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/2310069 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benparkes Second channel https://www.youtube.com/@benparkesroadrunningreviews 📱For support enquiries or business enquiries, please go to: https://www.benparkes.com and use the chat function. ⏰ Timecodes ⏰ 0:00 Intro 0:56 Facts & figures 3:10 Speed test 4:36 Lidl shoe results 4:09 Li-Ning Feidian 6 Challenger results 4:37 Asics Metaspeed Edge results 5:50 Likes 6:56 Dislikes 8:24 Final thoughts About this video: Today we've got the amazingly cheap carbon plated "supershoe" from budget supermarket brand Lidl! How will it perform compared to a mid-range carbon shoe as well as against the amazing Asics Metaspeed? Is it going to be worth heading down to your local middle of Lidl, or will it be one to avoid? This video is NOT sponsored. All products mentioned have been bought 100% by Ben and the channel. Our mission here is to help runners of all abilities improve and enjoy running to their full potential. Showcasing the best running tips and advice, while reviewing the latest gear and taking your round some of the best races in the world!

Top Comments (10)

@aidanoc19 2026-04-12

Lidl have probably made their money back from vloggers checking out if the Lidl shoe is any good 😂

164
@duncfunk2998 2026-04-12

Would be interesting to cut these open and see if that is actually a proper full length carbon plate inside. I know the Athlete Special did this with a cheap pair the other week and the plate only extended a little further than the visible area underneath.

58 2 replies
@onlineo2263 2026-04-12

Just remember in most carbon shoes the plate is there to stabilise the superfoam. This shoe has no superfoam so the plate is basically pointless! Sure it might add a slight bit to energy return but not nearly as much as just having better foam in the first place!

40 13 replies
@libord9359 2026-04-13

Out of curiosity and a desire to try carbon, I bought the Lidl shoes. On my first run, I improved my 5K PB by 2.5 minutes compared to the time I ran in the Adidas Ultraboost. On subsequent runs, I am always faster in these shoes than in shoes without carbon. Considering the price, I think they are perfectly fine for runs up to 10 km. There is nothing to worry about.

31
@TheWynLewis71 2026-04-12

My local parkrun is more of a muddy endurance test than a speed run so I may get a pair just to thrash around in.

25 1 replies
@rryanc22 2026-04-12

do my eyes deceive me??? Ben parkes is reviewing the lining red hare 9 ultra holy so excited for that one

22 1 replies
@90DaysOfDevOps 2026-04-14

Why are people comparing them with trainers 10x the price of these lidl ones! Compare them to another £40 trainer! If this encourages some people to run then surely a good thing.

18
@JPDS-jkt 2026-04-12

I think the reason those cheap shoes look decent is because the materials to make those shoes may not be the big portion of the cost. The real running shoes brands put a lot of R&D to fine tune the shoes which cost a lot. I think that's also why Chinese brands like Li Ning, Anta, are really well made with really nice foams at lower price. Just a guess.

17 3 replies
@RunRideRelax 2026-04-12

@0:29 oh hey that's me! Your review was much more in depth than mine but glad we came to many of the same conclusions! Heavy, and the foam is super super stiff and firm, but for £40, great grip and very stable. A decent enough park run shoe, especially on a course with slightly varied terrain, and one not to be too precious about because it didn't cost you £200+!

11
@davieshep 2026-04-13

I got these 2 weeks ago I don't do running as I am 60 and bad on my legs I got them to help me do short walks to my shops etc I feel better walking in them all the best and thank you for your great video

10 2 replies

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