Li-Ning - Feidian 5 Elite

Li-Ning Yueying 5 Pro for recovery, Red Hare 8 Pro for all purpose, Feidian 5 Challenger for workouts and Fdidian 5 Elite for races is currently a perfect rotation for me

Feidian 5 elite is like $90 rn in china, i bought a few pairs for daily training, because when a pair of supershoes is that cheap…why not do it all jn them

I’ve gone down the Chinese shoe rabbit hole over the past year trying to cut costs, so I’ve actually tried a few options before landing on the Feidian 5 Challenger. For context, I’ve run in Anta C202 (older version), a 361° carbon model, and briefly in a Li-Ning Feidian Pro before settling on the 5 Challenger. Here’s my honest take: The Anta C202 was solid for the money — good pop, stable platform — but it felt a bit clunky at slower paces and the upper wasn’t amazing for longer efforts. Fine for workouts, but not something I loved racing in. The 361° (can’t remember the exact sub-model) felt super aggressive and stiff. Fast at top-end, but not very forgiving and I found it pretty harsh unless I was really pushing. Probably better for lighter runners or shorter stuff. The Feidian Pro was definitely fast, but quite firm and a bit more race-first. For me it felt closer to something like a Vaporfly vibe — great when you’re on it, less enjoyable otherwise. The Feidian 5 Challenger is the one that hit the sweet spot. It still has a proper carbon plate and noticeable snap at 5K/10K pace, but it’s way more forgiving than the Pro or some of the other Chinese racers I tried. The forefoot is a bit roomier too, which I appreciate on longer efforts. It doesn’t feel unstable or overly aggressive, and I can actually use it for longer intervals without my calves hating me the next day. If you’re coming from something like Rocket X3 / NB Elite territory and want a Chinese equivalent that doesn’t feel like a downgrade, the Feidian 5 Challenger is probably the safest bet. It’s fast enough to race seriously, but not so extreme that it only works at max effort. For the price, it’s honestly ridiculous value compared to Western carbon shoes. This is the pair I ended up sticking with: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_EQCMy80

Have a look at the Li-Ning Feidan 5 tbh. They’re like £70-80 and you’re getting super boom foam + a carbon plate, so they actually feel quick for 5k/10k. Way cheaper than the big brands but still proper race-day vibes. If you don’t need stability, they’re a bit of a no-brainer at that price. https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_Evh5ysG