[Review] Kiprun KD900X, Decathlon’s New High-performance Carbon Plated Shoes

Say hello to the fastest running shoes ever designed at Decathlon.

To pull off this feat, Decathlon worked with the best partners both internally and externally. For the foam, Decathlon partnered up with Arkema, a leading French chemicals company. This alliance gave rise to VFOAM in Pebax, 20% more dynamic than conventional shoes. Internally, Decathlon developed the carbon plate with their innovative cell. The foam/carbon plate combo acts like a spring, returning 65% of the energy exerted.

You can always count on Decathlon for high-performance sports gear at a fraction of the prices charged by other name-brand sportswear companies. Known for their no-frills approach to making quality sporting goods available for everyone, the Kiprun KD900X is their latest flagship running shoe and it retails at just S$189.90.

With running shoes at Decathlon priced from just S$19.90, what justifies this heftier price tag for the KD900X?

Built for both cross-training or competitions, the KD900X is focused on delivering high performance for all running use cases. It is ultra-lightweight, weighing just 225g in size 8, and provides excellent energy return with its Pebax Arkema foam and carbon plate.

The Pebax Arkema is the same material used by other leading sports brands such as Nike, Reebok, Under Armour, Adidas and Puma to design high-performance soles and foams for their running shoes. Its main benefits include ultra lightness; superior energy return; shock resistance; extreme elasticity and behaviour, even at cold temperatures.

For the KD900X, Decathlon innovated on the foam with Pebax to create VFOAM and developed the carbon plate in-house for the combo to deliver a spring-like stride that drastically improves energy return.

I am a casual runner, jogging at least 3 to 5 times a week. I have been wearing the KD900X for my regular 5km runs recently and was immediately impressed once I put on the shoes. The lightweight is apparent, but what surprises me the most is how springy the shoes felt, even when I just slipped in it and walked a few steps.

When running, you can feel the energy return from the spring-like strides, propelling me to want to run faster and longer. I am totally sold on the performance of the KD900X. For less than $200, this is the perfect pair of running shoes for training and competition, delivered at a great value.

Aesthetics-wise, it comes in one design – white with hints of bright neon motifs to accentuate its key geometric features. Nothing too showy, but enough for an understated good look.

If you need further convincing, the KD900X is tested and approved by one of the world’s top athletes.

During the Lille semi-marathon on March 20, 2022, long-distance runner Yoann Kowal beat his personal record, finishing in 1h02’17 wearing KD900X shoes: a real achievement in an approved race. Yoann shared that he particularly appreciated their light weight and excellent grip on the road, especially on damp ground in hairpin bends, where the propulsion really came through.

The KD900X is now available at Decathlon stores islandwide as well as their online shop. Don’t take my word for it, go try it yourself at the store!