I ran 35 miles in the Diadora Gara Carbon 2 — here’s my verdict

The Diadora Gara Carbon 2 is the first running shoe I’ve tried from the Italian brand but judging by its quality, it’s likely that Diadora will be making more of an impression on the running market in the next few years.

While the Gara Carbon 2 doesn’t feel as fast as the best carbon plate running shoes I’ve tested, especially over short distances, it is still a speedy shoe that’s a bit more comfortable than many racers, and so works well for fast training runs as well. It also looks fantastic, which is always a bonus.

However, the $300 price makes it more expensive than any running shoe I’ve tested, including shoes from more established brands like the Nike Alphafly 3 and Adidas Adizero Adios Pro. While the Gara Carbon 2 is good, I can’t say it lives up to that price, and wouldn’t be top of my list of shoes to check out if you’re chasing PRs.

Diadora Gara Carbon 2 review: price and availability

The Diadora Gara Carbon 2 launched in February 2025 and costs $300 in the U.S. and £250 in the U.K., making it one of the most expensive carbon racing shoes on the market. In the U.S. only the elite-focused Adidas Adizero Pro Evo 1 costs more, and some great racing shoes are substantially cheaper, including my current favorite, the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris.

Diadora Gara Carbon 2 review: design and fit

Make no bones about it, the Diadora Gara Carbon 2 is a looker. In the light blue color I tested, which is the only one available at the moment, it might well be the best-looking racing shoe I’ve tried.

It’s not the lightest though, weighing 8oz in a US men’s size 9.5, which is not heavy, but at the heavier end of the spectrum for carbon super-shoes, with some coming in under 7oz.

The Gara Carbon 2 has a 5mm drop with a stack height of 40mm at the heel and 35mm at the forefoot. I found that it fit well in my normal running shoe size with no concerns about hotspots or rubbing.

Upper

The Matryx upper on the Gara Carbon 2 is made with carbon yarns and is very thin and breathable. I didn’t test the original Gara Carbon, but Diadora has apparently improved the fit of the upper on the second version of the shoe, which seems to be the only significant update to the Gara Carbon 2 in general.

There is some padding around the collar of the shoe and an internal heel counter adds some support. It’s an upper that’s primarily focused on being lightweight, but the Gara Carbon 2 offers a bit more structure and comfort than many racing shoes.

Midsole

The Anima PBX midsole on the shoe is a supercritical PEBA foam and delivers a high level of energy return while also being soft and comfortable over long distances.

A full-length curved carbon plate runs through the midsole to stabilize the midsole foam and add more propulsion to the ride.

The midsole geometry of the shoe is a little unusual in how far the foam extends back beyond the heel, which creates a smooth transition from heel to toe, but I found it also made the shoe feel a little less agile and fast than other carbon shoes.

Outsole

The Gara Carbon 2 uses Duratech 5000 rubber that covers most of the forefoot of the shoe, along with the sides of the heel, with some exposed foam in the middle of the shoe along with a cutout that shows off the carbon plate.

It’s a thin layer of rubber but isn’t showing any signs of wear and tear after 35 miles, and I’ve had no problems with grip while running in the Gara Carbon 2 on the road or track.

Diadora Gara Carbon 2 review: running performance

With some exceptions, it generally takes brands a few generations of carbon shoes before they create something special, so it’s impressive that Diadora came out of the gate with a shoe as good as the Gara Carbon, and the Gara Carbon 2 sticks to a very similar setup all round.

The Anima PBX midsole delivers a well-balanced ride for a super-shoe. It’s soft, but not as squishy as something like the Incredirun foam in the Saucony Endorphin Elite 2, and delivers a high level of energy return without feeling overly rockered or unnatural.

It’s a slightly tame ride for a racing shoe I’d venture, but the performance is there — I ran a 16:17 5K in the shoe in my first run, and have done several hard workouts in the Gara Carbon 2. It doesn’t feel as aggressive and snappy as a shoe like the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris or Hoka Cielo X1 2.0, but helps you to cruise along at fast paces.

I also found it quite stable for a super-shoe, and I felt comfortable using it for training runs at a mix of paces. The Gara Carbon 2 works well as a trainer/racer, delivering a nice blend of speed and comfort, and the design seems quite durable compared to some super-shoes that started to show wear even after just 40 miles for me, like the Nike Vaporfly 3.

It will work best for longer races thanks to its easy-going but fast ride, and I think it’s a shoe that will work for a wide range of runners at different speeds, as long as they have deep pockets.

For all its good qualities, however, it does lack a bit of the edge I want to feel from my racing shoe. I’d be delighted to lace up the Gara Carbon 2 for hard workouts and races where I’m not aiming for a PR, but for my key events I’d want a faster-feeling shoe on my feet.

Should you buy the Diadora Gara Carbon 2?

You probably shouldn’t buy the Diadora Gara Carbon 2, because it doesn’t offer value for money. Every carbon racing shoe I’ve tried comes in cheaper in the U.S., and I rate many of them as faster shoes, including the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 which is $80 less.

However, putting value aside for a moment, there are some qualities to the Gara Carbon 2 that might make it the ideal racer for you. It’s a versatile shoe, in that it works well for a range of training runs as well as race day, and the less aggressive ride might work well for runners who have found some super-shoes too unstable or unnatural. And I’ll say it again; it really does look good.

On pure performance, I’d look at the Asics Metaspeed Sky Paris first, and if you like the idea of a more stable super-shoe/super-trainer, you could try and find the Hoka Cielo X1 in sales now the wilder Hoka Cielo X1 2.0 has come out.

I’m excited to see how Diadora develops its running shoes from here on out because the midsole materials on show are impressive. But it will be hard to make a dent in the saturated running shoe market if its prices stay so high.