I got the Anta C202 6 for the purpose of review directly from Anta Adria. However, they have no control over this review and I will try to give my honest opinion on the shoe.
Before I will write about the shoe a few facts about me, that are important for the review. I’m mostly a half marathon and marathon runner. My latest marathon time is 3.28 and my latest half marathon time 1.35. I’m a heel to mid foot striker, 186 cm high and 72 kilograms. Currently at the end of a marathon training block.
What does Anta say about the shoe
The Anta C202 6 is a lightweight, high-performance running shoe designed for speed and comfort. With responsive cushioning, breathable materials, and a sleek silhouette, the C202 6 delivers excellent energy return and support for runners who demand performance and style with every step. Ideal for both training and competition, it’s built to keep you moving forward.
How I tested the Anta C202 6
Till today I ran mora than 100 kilometers in the shoe. Before I write a shoe review, I normally do quite some runs in the shoes, from easy recovery runs up to tempo runs, intervals and a long run. This shoe is considered as a training and racing running shoe. Therefore I took the shoe out on some short and fast intervals, I did slow recovery runs in the shoe and everything in between.
The longest run in this shoe was an 18 kilometer run with 12 kilometers at marathon effort. Since I’m about to run my next marathon in a few days, I was not able to test this shoe in a race. But I think that from running at goal race pace, I got a pretty good feeling for the shoe even at faster paces.
Fit of the shoe
The shoe fits me true to size. The upper is very thin and breathable, with quite some structure in the toe area. What’s unique for this shoe is, that the midsole material extends up and gives additional support in the midfoot area. This was quite noticeable while putting the shoe on for the first time. After a few runs I didn’t even notice it anymore.
I have normal wide feet and I think that this midsole material that extends up could be an issue for runners with wider feet. If you are such a runner I would suggest to find a running shoe store first to try the shoes.
The toe box is quite roomy and has enough volume that the feel is comfortable. There is not much structure in the heel. Despite this fact I had no issue with heel slippage, had no blisters or any other hot spots during my runs.
The tongue is not gusseted and on the thinner side, with some holes that provide good breathability. It sits nicely on top of the foot and is not sliding around. All in all a solid upper, that does the job well.
Performance of the shoe
First a bit about the midsole. For a lot of runner the most important part of a running shoe. The Midsole of the Anta C202 6 is a dual layer NITROEDGE PRO, a nitro infused foam that provides lightness, durability, and exceptional energy return, which is essential for long-distance running. In the middle of the two layers is a rolling carbon plate.
This midsole setup makes the shoe a perfect super trainer shoe. I try not to compare shoes in my review but still it’s worse mentioning, that the Anta C202 6 is lighter than many other super trainers on the market. On the other hand, the midsole is not as high as in some of the super trainers.
There is a lot of response from the midsole while running. The geometry itself is not super aggressive, as in racing shoe. Still this shoe somehow is a combination of a training and racing shoe. Therefore not the best option for your easy and recovery runs. Well, I will come back to the easy runs later.
I think that Anta found a great solution for a lot of runners, who want a faster and reliable training shoe, that can be also used as a racing shoe. I did quite a lot of my marathon tempo runs in this shoe, as well as some 1k repetitions around my 10k pace. Personally the shoe felt best while running at marathon, half marathon and 10k pace.
The outsole is made of liquid anti-slip rubber with patterns designed by artificial intelligence, ensuring wear resistance, lightness, and reliable grip in various weather conditions. I used the shoe in dry and wet conditions and had no issue with grip.
As good as the outsole is on road surfaces, it’s not one that provides grip on gravel roads or forest paths. During one of my tempo runs I had a short gravel section, followed by a few 100 meters of forest path. I was not sliding around but I could feel not much traction.
Durability should be no issue. Looking at the shoe I can not see any visible wear and tear. Even the outsole material is as grippy as it was during my first run. Even the midsole is holding up great. It’s still responsive as it was. In my opinion, this is a shoe, that’s made to go a long way.
How will I use the shoe
I think that somehow I already answered this question. Mostly for my runs at marathon, half marathon and 10k pace. The same way I used this shoe so far.
Back to easy runs. As a super trainer or carbon plated running shoe, it performs surprisingly well at easy paces. So no need to do your warm up in one shoe, than change to a super trainer for the workout and once again for the cooldown.
It’s a shoe that can be used at quite a lot of different paces and as such is one of the more versatile super trainers I ran in. Yes, even for easy runs. And to be honest: so far I enjoyed each easy run in this shoe.
Would I recommend the Anta C202 6
It’s a modern running shoe, not the tallest or the softest. The shoe is aggressive enough for marathon, half marathon and 10k race pace and for me personally it works. The transition from heel to toe is fast and the ride very responsive.
I took the shoe out even for a recovery run. But, that’s the one thing, where I would pick other running shoes. Even if you are looking for a super soft shoe, the Anta C202 6 is probably not the shoe you are looking for.
Keep in mind that this is a plated running shoe. Personally I like plated shoes for my workouts and races but for my easy and recovery runs I opt for shoes without carbon plates. But combined with a pair of running shoes without a carbon plate and a softer midsole you will have a great combination for all of your runs, including your races.
If you are looking for Anta running shoes outside of China, you can find them at Anta Adria
You will find more of my running shoe reviews, if you click on this link running shoes
