Best Track Spikes For Sprinting (Updated For 2021)

In the London 2012 Olympic games the difference between first and second place in the 100 dash was .12 seconds.

You want to know the difference between second and third place?

.04 seconds.

At the high school and the college level the times might not be as fast, but the difference between getting first and not getting a medal is usually tiny.

Great sprint spikes are a must if you want to compete at a high level.

In fact spikes can improve your 100 dash time by .1-.5 seconds. (It depends on the weather, your form, and your previous shoes, but improvements of .25 seconds aren’t uncommon.)

If you’re planning on buying spikes it’s also important to know that there are differences between sprint and middle-distance/distance spikes, so if you want the best sprinting performance you should buy sprint spikes.

The spikes below are organized in order from the most expensive/high performing to least expensive/worse performing, so if you want the best of the best then don’t scroll down too far, and if you’re looking for sprint spikes to run the 100 dash once or twice then you can buy the cheaper spikes.

 

High-End Spikes

The Adidas Prime SP takes the number one spot. It’s the lightest spike of all of the ones we tested which gives you a huge advantage over your competitors. It’s very comfortable to wear, and they perform great on the track. They’re definitely the high-end of high-end spikes, so unless you’re a state-meet varsity athlete or a college athlete you can go with something cheaper.

The Sonicsprints weren’t far behind in terms of performance, and they were also very comfortable and fairly light. The spike arrangement is a bit strange (it has 7 holes, but one of them is right in the middle of your toe), but that doesn’t affect your running much. With the Sonicsprints you also get a choice of 7 different colors to make sure you look exactly how you want to look on race day.

The Puma Bolt TDs have a similar pattern to the shoes that Usain Bolt wears, but it’s not the exact pair that he wears when competing. They’re a bit lighter than the Sonicsprints, but they aren’t as comfortable to wear.

The Puma Bolt Electric V2s also have a similar pattern to Usain Bolt’s spikes and you get to choose between 4 different color schemes, but these spikes were the worst in terms of performance and weight so we had to put them at number 4.

 

Mid-Range Spikes

The New Balance SD400V3 spikes came in first by a mile. They’re incredibly comfortable, breathable, and they’re also the lightest out of all the mid-range spikes we tested. Their only disadvantage is that they’re a bit on the expensive side of the spectrum, but they’re more than worth it if you’re a dedicated sprinter.

The Saucony Spitfire provides the best bang for the buck hands down. No other shoes is this light, this comfortable, and this high quality at this price. You also get to choose between 5 different color schemes to make sure you look good on race day. They do run a bit small so we recommend ordering half a size larger than what you usually wear for spikes.

The Puma Sprint V5s are very comfortable to wear, but they don’t stand out from the competition that much. It’s simply a good pair of spikes.

 

Low-End Spikes

Spike prices change from time to time so the best way to find a good deal is by clicking here and sorting the price from low to high.

Here are a couple of our favorites from when we tested the spikes. (Keep in mind, the prices might’ve changed since then.)

We always recommend getting the Brooks PR Sprints if you’re just getting into sprints and you need a cheaper pair of spikes or if you simply don’t care about how your spikes look. In terms of performance, this pair of shoes is very light and works great on the track, but they’re not very comfortable to wear.

If you’re looking for something more comfortable then the Saucony Spitfire 2s might be the right fit for you. They’re a bit on the heavy side, but if you want cheap spikes that look good and that are more comfortable then this is your best option.

If you have any questions about our recommendations feel free to comment below!