Is a carbon plate necessary?

No. What matters is that the forefoot does not bend much and the sole is rockered. Many plated and some unplated shoes do both; the stiffness and rocker columns show it.

Choosing running shoes with a stiff or painful big toe

A sore or stiff big-toe joint dislikes bending. Runners usually do best in a shoe that does the bending for them: a stiff forefoot (a plate, or a high stiffness score) combined with an early rocker and plenty of toe tip height, so the foot rolls over the toe instead of bending at it.

What loads it

At push-off the big-toe joint bends upwards by roughly 30–50 degrees in running, under a large share of body weight. A stiff or arthritic joint cannot do that comfortably, so it hurts or the foot rolls to the outside to avoid it.

Faster running, uphills and flexible shoes all increase how far the toe bends.

What to look for in a shoe

A stiff forefoot or a plate: Carbon, Pebax or nylon plates, or a high stiffness score, stop the shoe from bending at the toe joint.
An early rocker: The stiffness only helps if the sole is curved, so the foot can roll over instead of levering against a flat, stiff plank.
More toe tip height: Toe spring pre-bends the shoe, reducing the bend the joint has to make.
Enough forefoot cushioning: A thicker forefoot spreads pressure under the joint.

What to be careful with

Flexible, minimalist and barefoot-style shoes that bend easily at the forefoot.
Narrow toe boxes that press on a bony bump on top of or beside the joint.

Terrain

Best: Road and treadmill, with steady push-offs.
Be careful with: Steep uphills, sprinting and track spikes, which all increase toe bend.
Trail: Technical trails make you push off at odd angles. A trail shoe with a rock plate or a stiffer sole helps; smooth trails are easier.

Changing shoes

Change one thing at a time and do it gradually: start with short, easy runs in the new shoe and keep the old pair in rotation for a few weeks. A shoe that feels right in the first few runs is a better guide than any number on this page.

Current shoes with these characteristics

Required: stiff forefoot or plate (carbon, Pebax, nylon or TPU plate, or stiffness score ≥ 60/100). Ranked by how many of these also hold: earlier rocker (rocker apex ≤ 65.2 % of length (median of measured shoes)); higher toe tip (toe tip over ground ≥ 40.1 mm (median of measured shoes)); cushioned forefoot (forefoot stack ≥ 30 mm). Medians are over the shoes measured on this site. Only the latest version of each model is listed, and shoes without a value for a characteristic are not counted as matching it.

Road

Shoe	Why it is listed	Drop	Heel	Forefoot	Apex	Toe tip	Stiffness
Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	6 mmStated	39 mmStated	33 mmStated	63.9 %est.	46 mmest.	78Derived
ASICS Gel-Kayano 33	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	8 mmStated	41 mmMeasured	33 mmMeasured	65 %est.	40 mmest.	62Derived
ASICS Metaspeed Edge Paris	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	5 mmStated	40 mmStated	35 mmStated	64.2 %est.	54 mmest.	—
ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	5 mmStated	40 mmStated	35 mmStated	64.9 %est.	43 mmest.	82Derived
Brooks Ghost Max 4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	6 mmStated	39 mmStated	34 mmStated	59.8 %est.	44 mmest.	64Derived
Brooks Hyperion Elite 5	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	8 mmStated	38 mmStated	30 mmStated	60.9 %est.	44 mmest.	64Derived
Brooks Hyperion Max 4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	6 mmStated	45 mmStated	39 mmStated	64.4 %est.	49 mmest.	58Derived
Hoka Cielo X1 2.0	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	7 mmStated	46 mmStated	39 mmStated	53.6 %est.	58 mmest.	—
Hoka Rocket X 3	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	7 mmStated	40 mmStated	33 mmStated	62.2 %est.	48 mmest.	70Derived
New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	4 mmStated	40 mmStated	36 mmStated	60.8 %est.	53 mmest.	—

Showing the top 10 of 33 matching road shoes.

Trail

Shoe	Why it is listed	Drop	Heel	Forefoot	Apex	Toe tip	Stiffness
Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra 2	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	8 mmStated	38 mmStated	30 mmStated	58.5 %est.	56 mmest.	33Derived
ASICS METAFUJI Trail 2	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	5 mmDerived	42 mmStated	37 mmStated	60.6 %est.	54 mmest.	70Derived
Hoka Mafate 5	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	8 mmDerived	44 mmStated	36 mmStated	61.5 %est.	44 mmest.	48Derived
Hoka Tecton X 4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Higher toe tip Cushioned forefoot	5 mmDerived	38 mmStated	34 mmStated	62.6 %est.	41 mmest.	—
Salomon Ultra Glide 4	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker Cushioned forefoot	6 mmDerived	41 mmStated	36 mmStated	61 %est.	38 mmest.	62Derived
Saucony Peregrine 16	Stiff forefoot or plate Earlier rocker	4 mmDerived	32 mmStated	29 mmStated	61.9 %est.	39 mmest.	88Derived

Questions

Is a carbon plate necessary?: No. What matters is that the forefoot does not bend much and the sole is rockered. Many plated and some unplated shoes do both; the stiffness and rocker columns show it.

Other guides

Measurements are explained on the Learn pages and in the methodology.