The short version
The Orbit Pace 2 undercuts every shoe with comparable midsole density by roughly sixty pounds. It gives up outsole life to get there, and for most runners that is the correct trade.
What the lab measured
Energy return measured 68.9 percent, which puts it within six points of shoes costing twice as much. Durometer read 50C and drifted five points across the cycle, an acceptable rate for a non-plated EVA blend.
Weight was 258g in a UK 9. Stack 34mm heel, 26mm forefoot, 8mm drop.
Where it disappoints
Outsole rubber coverage is partial, and the exposed foam at the lateral heel abraded quickly on tarmac. We measured 2.9mm of material loss by 400km, roughly double the class average.
Verdict
Best value in the test. Buy two pairs, rotate them, and you will still spend less than one pair of the shoe above it.
