Anta C202 5 GT Review: $180 Super Shoe
By David Salas and Matthew Klein
Anta C202 5 GTPrice: $180 at Anta
Weight: 7.0 oz, 200g (men's size 8/women's size 9.5)
Stack Height: 33 mm heel / 25mm forefoot
Drop: 8mm
Shoe Purpose: Super Racing Shoe
Pros: Very responsive midsole, good traction for a super shoe, lightweight
Cons: Snug fitting upper that may not work for everybody
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Anta C202 GT 5 is a super shoe that comes with large upside on pricing and versatility. It features a snug upper with good lockdown. The nitrogen-infused peba midsole provides good responsiveness for racing conditions. Even though this shoe is marketed for the half marathon distance to the marathon distance, the Anta C202 GT 5 still has enough versatility to perform well at the 5k to 10k distances.
SIMILAR SHOES: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 2
PAST MODEL: Anta C202 4 GT
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Matt: The Anta C202 5 GT fits me snug and slightly short in my normal men's US size 10. The upper is fairly snug throughout but especially so in the forefoot/toe box due to a quick taper. The volume is low across the length of the shoe. The upper mesh is a thin, synthetic, translucent material that stays secure without much stretch. The toe box is tapered with a snug forefoot. I had to modify the lacing to open the forefoot and even then it was still snug. The midfoot fits snug with a non-gusseted, thin tongue. The tongue stayed secure but does not provide a ton of protection from the laces. The heel fits normal to slightly snug with a moderately flexible counter and a decent amount of padding around the top of the heel collar. I did experience some mild sliding forward, which was fixed by lace locking the shoe. The mesh material is scratchy against bare skin, so socks are a must with this shoe. The insole is non-removable, so those with specific orthotics may have issues with this shoe.
Typical Size: Men's US Size 10
Shoes that have fit Matt well: Saucony Guide 17, ASICS Kayano 30, Hoka Gaviota 5, Saucony Endorphin Elite, Nike Ultrafly
Shoes that have fit snug: Hoka Arahi 7, Saucony Kinvara 14
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon S/Lab Phantasm 2, Altra Timp 5
David: The Anta C202 5 GT fits true to size in my men's 9.5, though the upper does have a very snug fit throughout. The volume in the shoe is low, and is track spike like in nature. The width through the heel, midfoot, and forefoot is normal to slightly narrow. The engineered mesh is a really lightweight synthetic material and translucent mesh. The heel does have a heel counter with a surprising amount of padding for a racing shoe in the heel collar. The shoe comes with two different laces, depending on what texture you like. The tongue is perforated and very lightweight on foot. Still, I did not have any biting from the laces. This is a very nicely done upper for shorter distance races. I think it will still work for the longer distances, though there is not much room for swelling accommodation. Those needing a little more space within the shoe may find this to be on the tighter end. I think I can still take this 26.2, but I know it won't be for everyone. Making a little more volume in the shoe would benefit it for longer distances. The heel is comfortable, though they could probably save some weight by taking some of the padding out of the heel collar.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: Stiff, Carbon Plated
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Small, Medial Bias
Recommended for Haglunds: Maybe
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Anta C202 5 GT is a moderate to higher stack, carbon plated, super foam racing shoe. Although advertised for the marathon distance, I found it far better for 5k to 10k efforts. The shoe is quite light, coming in at 7.4 oz for my size 10. The midsole is a nitrogen-infused peba, which is slightly firmer than many others but still feels highly resilient. The carbon plate makes the ride stiff and the combination of the above factors makes this shoe feel best running at fast efforts. I have found the Anta C202 to feel great at shorter intervals and faster efforts with the max effort being a tempo run. The narrow fit combined with the relatively moderate stack height for a racer (in today's world) and slightly firmer ride may 5k to 10k efforts the max of what I would want to use it for. Those with efficient mechanics or wanting a lighter shoe may be able to take it for a half marathon or beyond, but I would not.
The heel features a small, centered if slightly medial heel bevel. This makes the rearfoot a little clunky until the midsole breaks in and compresses more. The midfoot and forefoot are stiff but the forefoot features a longer rocker that makes transitions off the front smooth, particularly at faster paces. The grip on road and track is especially good and I found even on wet surfaces I had confidence with turning. The durability is quite good as I have 25 miles on my pair with no major wear on the liquid rubber outsole. So while I personally feel this shoe will work for shorter distances, users should be able to get a higher-than-average number of miles out of it.
David: The Anta C202 5 GT was a very pleasant surprise for me. Especially at its price point, it really wowed me. The shoe is as good as any other super shoe I have tried on this year at nearly all paces. The shoe is light, responsive, and decently stable (though still very neutral) for being a super shoe. The midsole is a nitrogen-infused peba foam that has a lot of rebound to it, but does still maintain a bit of a firmer feel underfoot. Some of this may be due to the lower stack height at 33mm. The liquid rubber outsole was also surprising. I was able to run on a wet track without having any slippage issues at all. I did feel I could grip the road well without any issues.
The transitions of the shoe are very rhythmic and I would compare it to a hybrid between the Saucony Endorphin Elite and Metaspeed Edge Paris. The heel has a gentle bevel that eases you on the midfoot pretty smoothly. The magic in this shoe is mostly through the midfoot and the forefoot. The shoe does have a pretty early forefoot rocker that keeps you rolling forward. It is not overly rounded and still gradual enough to push off hard from. For that reason I have actually found this shoe to feel really good when turning up the pace at 5k/10k paces as well. I would best describe the ride as a firm bounce with an early forefoot rocker.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Matt: The Anta C202 5 GT is a neutral racing shoe. There are small sidewalls in the midfoot that I did not notice due to the softer foam. The midfoot is particularly narrow, although surprisingly I did not notice this over shorter distances due to the stiffer plate. Over longer distances, I struggled with the midfoot, so those needing stability there may not find enough. The forefoot does offset this as the extremely stiff plate, well-rockered transition and small sidewalls medially and laterally do provide some solid guidance forward. The heel is fairly neutral with a little mild medial bias due to the slightly medial angled heel bevel. Thus, the C202 is best for those with neutral mechanics or needing some mild guidance in the forefoot.
David: The Anta C202 is definitely a neutral shoe. The nitrogen-infused peba foam is firmer than some other ones, though it is still soft compared to normal foams. The platform is very normal width throughout. There is some good sole flaring and the upper locks down well. The traction is surprisingly good and also helps with some stability. Despite some elements, this shoe is definitely a neutral super shoe.
Thoughts as a DPT: Upper Importance for 26.2
By David Salas, PT, DPT, CSCS
When choosing a shoe for the marathon, you need to make sure you have something on your feet that you can trust for the long haul. A shoe can have the greatest platform in the world, but if you are having irritation from the upper that can completely change your experience.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: For $180, the Anta C202 is a solid shoe. The narrow fit and midfoot pushed me away from this shoe but that may work well for others. My major suggestions for this shoe are to slightly widen the midfoot, move the bevel to the lateral side and add more volume to the upper. Although this is not the tallest midsole, it is still taller and softer than most shoes, which requires some width along all parts of the short. I would suggest filling in the midfoot at least a little while working with other geometries to keep weight down. The bevel is an ongoing suggestion and should be lateral due to that being the most common spot for heel strikers to land on initially. Increasing the upper volume would improve the distance versatility of this shoe as currently the narrowness/taper is so uncomfortable I can handle wearing for anything longer than 5-7 miles. If this is meant to be a distance racer, it also needs the upper room to accommodate not only normal-width feet but the swelling that also comes with running for multiple hours
David: The Anta C202 is actually one of my favorite racing shoes to come out this year. Despite that, there are some things I think could improve. The upper is very snug throughout, and may actually give some irritation with marathon distances with foot swelling. Increasing the volume a little could help make that a little more comfortable. I also think that the heel collar (though comfortable), probably does not need that much padding and could save some weight that way. The shoe is really fun as is, but being at the 33mm stack height I can't help but want to find out what it would feel like closer to the 40mm stack height max.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Matt: The Anta C202 is a carbon plated, peba-midsoled racing shoe for those who want a snug/narrow fit, a slightly firmer but bouncier ride and a shoe that works best for shorter distance races. The upper has a fairly secure mesh with a tapered fit up front and a normal to slightly snug fit in the rearfoot. The shoe is quite neutral, so those sensitive to stability or guidance will do well. The ride is snappy but has a good forefoot transition especially at faster speeds. Because of that, it will still work best for 5k/10k efforts and maybe longer if you can handle a neutral, bouncy, narrow and slightly firmer ride. The $180 price tag is great for those for whom this shoe's unique features match. Although there is still some mild updates that are needed and the fit does not work for me, I am still impressed at what Anta is doing and think those with narrow feet should definitely check this shoe out.
David: The Anta C202 is a super shoe for someone looking to have a snug fit and a slightly firmer bounce on their super shoe. The shoe also retails at $180 and could save a decent amount of money on a super shoe. This shoe is certainly as good as many super shoes already out there. The shoe has a modest heel and midfoot with a good rounding and bounce through the forefoot. Those wanting a more spooned out forefoot with an early rocker will have some fun in the Anta C202.
GRADES
Matt
Fit: C+ (Tapered forefoot, narrow fit with some mild sliding. Best for those with narrow feet)
Performance: A- (Slightly firm but bouncy/snappy ride that works better the faster you go.
Stability: B [Neutral] (Neutral heel/midfoot with mild guidance at the forefoot)
Value: A (Excellent value for a shoe that costs $180, below what most shoes like this cost)
Personal: B- (I want to like this shoe more but the upper prevented me from enjoying this shoe more)
Overall Design: B
David
Fit: B+ (Good lockdown throughout, but volume may be a little too snug for some, especially over 26.2. Heel collar comfortable but probably does not need that much padding.)
Performance: A- (Lightweight and responsive with good traction underfoot. Great from 5k to marathon pacing, but may cater towards 5k to half marathon due to snug offering.)
Stability: B+ (Definitely neutral but upper security, outsole traction, and sole flare through the forefoot do help with creating some stable elements.)
Value: A ($180 is plenty of value for the market right now. This is one of my favorite racing shoes right now "period".)
Personal: A (Very fun shoe that I have been able to take a large variety of paces with good comfort throughout.)
Overall Design: A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORAnta C202 5 GTPrice: $180 at Anta
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