Arc Racer

Elevar is an Indian brand, and I think it is the first Indian brand to make a proper running shoe. They market it as a training shoe, but the foam is an all-rounder for walking, standing and running. They say it is real TPU foam, the same type of foam Adidas uses in the Ultraboost, which sells for ₹17,000 to ₹19,000. I did not believe it at first. I have now run over 50 km in it, including a half marathon and a few easy runs, and I am really surprised. The midsole is the best part. It is very soft and comfy, but not squishy, and it does not bottom out. Energy return is not like the Ultraboost. I would give it 5 out of 10 for that, which is still more than any other Indian brand offers. For slow running it is superb and stable. For ₹4,000 I would give the midsole 10 out of 10. The insole is also thick, soft injected TPU. The knit upper is the softest and stretchiest I have tried under ₹5,000, even under ₹10,000. I worried about breathability, but in a two and a half hour half marathon I had no problems and no blisters. Breathability is good, not extreme. The big issue is the design. There is no separate tongue, and the black padded section on top is thick and not stretchy, so getting my foot in was very hard. My first pair in UK 8 was too tight at the heel and felt weird. Elevar replied quickly on WhatsApp, told me to go up to UK 9, and sent the new pair before I even returned the old one. UK 9 fit correctly. There is no heel clip, but it is stable. The laces are durable but not stretchy, and I did not like the black and white colour. The outsole is thick and impressive. After 50 km on tar roads there is no wear at all. Traction is good, and above average in the wet. My UK 9 weighs about 310 g, but it does not feel like 300 g on the foot. I think the stack is around 30 and 20 mm with a 10 mm drop, which is quite low, and that is good. This shoe suits beginners, gym use, all-day walking and standing, and runners doing up to 40 km a week, 5 to 8 km daily, long runs of 15 km and the occasional half marathon, at paces of 6 min/km or slower. You can expect 600 to 800 km from it. It is in my top 5 under ₹4,000. If you are a bit more experienced and want something lighter and more energetic for pure running, I would recommend the Adidas Pureboost 5 at around ₹5,000 instead. I bought this pair with my own money.