Li-Ning FEIDAN 5 ELITE

• Cushioned yet responsive: a perfect blend for a race day shoe; the Super Boom PEBAX midsole is a notch up from the FEIDAN 5 Challenger, with more rebound while staying responsive.
• Premium Boom Fiber upper: a soft, breathable one-piece, sock-like upper that rivals race shoes costing over $200, and it still looks new after about 80 km.
• Just-right rocker: a continuous rocker from the heel to the forefoot that rewards high-cadence runners without feeling aggressive.
• Value against mainstream racers: around ₱8,000 on sale, undercutting race day shoes like the adidas Adios Pro 4 and Saucony Endorphin Pro 4, earning a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED verdict.

• Not the lightest: about 220 g in my US 10.5, though that is light for this much stack.
• Not a stiff racer: if you prefer stiffer race day shoes like the Adios Pro 3, XTEP 160X 6.0 PRO or ASICS Metaspeed Sky, look at those instead.
• Best bought on sale: it retails for around ₱10,000; sale prices around ₱7,800–8,000 make it a far better deal.
• Prices move: the video and review quote historical prices, not a current offer.

After about 80 km, the FEIDAN 5 ELITE is one of my favourite running shoes this year and a front runner for my shoe of the year. It is the mid-tier racer in the FEIDAN 5 lineup, and it is just a perfect blend of cushioning and responsiveness for a race day shoe. It really reminds me of the New Balance SC Elite v3, with a similar midsole cut-out, carbon plate and sock-like one-piece upper.

The ride is soft and cushioned but still responsive. The Super Boom PEBAX midsole gives more rebound than the FEIDAN 5 Challenger, and the continuous rocker is not too aggressive, just right for me. Runners who prefer a softer ride from the half marathon up to the full marathon will love it. Grip is similar to the Challenger but feels a bit grippier, especially in wet conditions.

The fit is true to size; my US 10.5 feels right. The toe box is a bit wide, and it is pretty stable compared with other race day shoes that feel clunky walking in. The thin heel counter has a bit of padding that helps lock in your foot, and the laces are longer than usual, which makes lockdown easier. I have run 10 to 16 km in it with no issues, and it felt great out of the box with no break-in needed. The upper is so good I would consider running sockless in it during a triathlon.

Weight is my own pair; no stack or drop figures were quoted in the review. The shoe finder uses maximum cushioning, soft ride, neutral support, plated and lightweight / racing categories; these are editorial matching categories, not laboratory measurements. No exact current price has been entered.

Based on the fabRunning FEIDAN 5 ELITE Full Review after about 80 km of testing. The seller link is a Li-Ning official store listing on Shopee. Availability and pricing may change.