361° Mega 3 Pro Review

Specs

• Weight: 202g in my UK size 8.5

• Stack height: Around 40–41mm heel / 34–35mm forefoot

• Drop: Around 6mm

• Midsole: CQT EXTREME TPE-based foam

• Plate: Nylon shank through the midfoot

• Upper: Lightweight breathable mesh

• Outsole: CPU rubber

• Price paid: Around £80

• Category: Lightweight performance daily trainer / super trainer

The weight is particularly impressive.

At just over 200g, this feels more like a race shoe than a max-cushioned daily trainer.

Fit and Sizing

I actually ended up with a UK 8.5 rather than my usual UK 9.

That initially worried me, but it has worked absolutely fine.

The toe box is slightly tighter than I would normally choose, but it has caused me no problems.

I’ve got quite wide feet, and there is still enough room.

The shape of the shoe helps because the forefoot doesn’t taper aggressively inward.

So although I effectively went down half a size, I’ve still had enough room for my toes and no pressure points.

For me, true to size would probably still be the safest choice, but the fit has been more forgiving than I expected.

Upper – 5/5

This might be one of my favourite daily-trainer uppers at the moment.

It’s lightweight, breathable and really comfortable.

The material has enough give to wrap around the foot without feeling restrictive.

You get a padded, gusseted tongue, which means you can cinch the laces down quite tightly without getting lace bite.

The laces themselves are fairly ordinary, but they do their job.

Around the back, there’s enough padding in the heel collar for comfort while still keeping the shoe secure.

The heel counter is semi-rigid, which is exactly how I like it.

Not too flimsy.

Not too structured.

Just enough support to keep the rear of the foot locked down.

There’s also an extra eyelet if you want to use a runner’s knot, although I haven’t needed it.

No heel slip.

No Achilles rubbing.

No lockdown problems.

And aesthetically, I think the shoe looks fantastic.

It’s one of those rare running shoes that I’d happily wear to the gym, to the pub or even with jeans.

Score: 5/5

Outsole – 4.5/5

The outsole is probably the one area of the shoe where I can see some room for improvement.

You get a relatively thin CPU rubber layer.

That helps keep the weight down, and on most surfaces the grip has been very good.

I’ve used it on roads, paths and compacted trails and it has generally been absolutely fine.

However, I did experience a little bit of slipping on a wet, smooth surface near my work in Chelsea.

That makes me think this sits more in the tier-two category rather than being absolute top-tier grip.

It’s not as reassuring as something like Adidas Lighttraxion on really slick wet surfaces.

But for normal road running?

No major concerns.

Score: 4.5/5

Midsole – 5/5

This is the star of the shoe.

The CQT EXTREME TPE foam is one of the best daily-trainer midsoles I’ve used.

It’s soft enough to be comfortable, but there is so much energy return.

You get really quick compression and decompression.

Land.

Compress.

Bounce.

Go.

It feels smooth, energetic and incredibly responsive.

The really interesting thing is how much it feels like there’s a carbon plate inside the shoe.

There isn’t.

You’ve got that nylon shank through the midfoot, but the sensation underfoot genuinely reminds me of some proper plated racers.

At faster paces, I even get a little bit of the same feeling I get from the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris.

That sounds crazy for a daily trainer, but it’s the closest comparison I can make.

You get that light, quick, pitter-patter feeling where the shoe almost disappears underneath you.

And the geometry complements the foam really well.

There’s a later-stage rocker that becomes especially effective when you get up onto the forefoot and start increasing cadence.

The shoe rolls smoothly, but it doesn’t rely entirely on geometry to make it fast.

The foam is doing the heavy lifting.

That’s what makes it special.

For me, this is one of the best midsoles I’ve ever experienced in a daily trainer.

Score: 5/5

Ride

The Mega 3 Pro is a shoe that wants you to run fast.

At slower paces, it’s perfectly usable.

There’s enough cushioning.

It’s comfortable.

It doesn’t feel awkward.

But you’re not getting the best out of it.

Increase your cadence and the shoe transforms.

The forefoot firms slightly.

The foam becomes more responsive.

The turnover gets faster.

And suddenly the whole shoe feels alive.

That’s the key difference between this and something like the Qiaodan Lieli GT 2.0.

The Lieli GT is more versatile at easy paces.

The Mega 3 Pro is more focused.

It wants tempo.

It wants intervals.

It wants you to open up your stride.

And when you do, it gives you back everything you put into it.

Stability – 4.5/5

Stability is good, although not exceptional.

The platform isn’t particularly wide.

If you compare it with the Lieli GT, the 361 is noticeably narrower, especially through the heel.

That means heel strikers may find it slightly less inherently stable.

But I personally haven’t had any meaningful problems.

The forefoot feels controlled.

The foam compresses evenly.

The nylon shank adds some structure through the midfoot.

And I haven’t felt like the shoe wants to collapse one way or another.

It’s a neutral shoe, not a stability shoe.

But for a lightweight performance trainer, it gives you enough stability.

Score: 4.5/5

Speed – 5/5

This is where the shoe really comes into its own.

It is fast.

Very fast.

At around 202g, it feels incredibly nimble.

It turns over quickly and reacts immediately when you put more force into the ground.

As soon as I start increasing cadence, I get that race-shoe feeling.

The forefoot firms slightly.

The rebound increases.

And everything becomes quicker.

I’d happily use this for:

• Tempo sessions

• Intervals

• Track sessions

• Fast parkruns

• Marathon-pace work

• 5K and 10K efforts

• Racing

I honestly think this could be quicker than some actual racing shoes.

That’s how highly I rate it.

Score: 5/5

361° Mega 3 Pro vs ASICS Megablast

The Megablast is probably the obvious comparison.

The ASICS is still one of the best long-run shoes I’ve used.

You get loads of cushioning, excellent stability and strong energy return.

But the 361 feels considerably more nimble.

It’s lighter.

It turns over faster.

And it feels much closer to a race shoe.

For really long runs, I’d probably still choose the Megablast because it gives you more cushioning and feels more substantial underneath the foot.

But for faster running?

I’d take the Mega 3 Pro.

And personally, I prefer the feel of this TPE-based foam to the FF TURBO SQUARED in the Megablast.

That is a big compliment.

361° Mega 3 Pro vs adidas Evo SL

The Evo SL is another natural rival.

The adidas is probably a little more aggressive.

It feels firmer and sharper, and its geometry encourages you forward very quickly.

The Mega 3 Pro feels slightly softer, smoother and more cushioned.

It also feels less dependent on rocker geometry.

The Evo SL pushes you forward.

The 361 feels like the foam itself is doing the work.

Both are quick.

Both are excellent.

But the Mega 3 Pro feels more like a mini super shoe to me.

361° Mega 3 Pro vs Qiaodan Lieli GT 2.0

This is probably the most interesting comparison.

The Lieli GT is the better all-rounder.

It’s more comfortable at slower paces.

It feels more stable.

And it’s a little more forgiving.

The Mega 3 Pro is faster.

It’s more nimble, more focused and feels more race-like.

So for me:

Easy to steady running: Lieli GT
Longer daily miles: Lieli GT
Tempo work: Mega 3 Pro
Intervals: Mega 3 Pro
Parrun / racing: Mega 3 Pro

The Lieli GT is the better all-rounder.

The Mega 3 Pro is the better weapon.

What Is It Good For?

The Mega 3 Pro is strongest when you’re running quickly.

Its sweet spots are:

• Tempo runs

• Intervals

• Marathon-pace sessions

• Progression runs

• Track workouts

• Parkrun

• 5K and 10K training

• Racing

You can use it for slower runs.

You could probably use it for long runs too.

But that’s not really where it shines.

For slow running, I’d probably take the Lieli GT.

For really long runs, I’d still prefer the Megablast.

For fast training?

This is exceptional.

Could You Race in It?

Absolutely.

I would race in this shoe.

There aren’t many non-carbon-plated daily trainers that I would genuinely consider for racing.

This is one of them.

It’s light enough.

It’s cushioned enough.

It’s responsive enough.

And it feels close enough to a plated shoe that I don’t think I’d feel like I was giving much away.

For runners who don’t enjoy the stiffness or harshness of carbon-plated shoes, I think this could be a fantastic race-day option.

I’d probably choose it over several super shoes I’ve tried recently.

That tells you a lot.

Price – 5/5

I paid around £80.

At that price, this is exceptional value.

You’re getting a lightweight, high-stack performance trainer with one of the best midsoles I’ve used.

If this shoe had a major Western brand name on the side and cost £180, people probably wouldn’t question it.

That’s the remarkable thing.

You’re getting premium-level performance for a much lower price.

And shoes like this are putting real pressure on the established brands.

Score: 5/5

What Could Be Improved?

There isn’t much.

If I were being extremely picky, there are two things I’d change.

First, I’d improve the outsole slightly for wet, smooth surfaces.

Second, if 361° wanted to turn this into a full racing shoe, I’d love to see them:

• Replace the nylon shank with a full carbon plate

• Introduce a slightly earlier rocker

• Strip a little more weight out of the upper

Because the foam is already good enough.

If they built a true super shoe around this midsole, it could be something seriously special.

Verdict

The 361° Mega 3 Pro is an absolute winner.

It looks great.

It fits well.

It’s comfortable.

It’s incredibly light.

And most importantly, it’s fast.

The CQT EXTREME foam is the standout feature.

The more you put into it, the more it gives back.

You get quick compression and decompression, loads of energy return and a smooth, nimble ride that feels much closer to a racing shoe than a normal daily trainer.

The only real criticism I have is that the outsole could be slightly better on very slick wet surfaces.

That’s about it.

After around 30km, I’ve already found myself reaching for it instead of other shoes.

I even stopped using the Lieli GT for a while — and I couldn’t get that shoe off my feet the week before.

That tells you how good this is.

At roughly £80, the Mega 3 Pro is a shoe I think every runner who enjoys lightweight, fast daily trainers should experience.

The established brands need to pay attention.

Because if brands like 361° can produce this kind of performance at this price, the market is changing.

And runners are starting to notice.

Light. Nimble. Smooth. Responsive. Fast.

An absolute weapon.

Runnable Scores

Upper: 5/5
Midsole: 5/5
Outsole: 4.5/5
Stability: 4.5/5
Speed: 5/5
Value: 5/5

Overall: 4.8/5

Key identity: A lightweight, high-stack performance trainer that feels remarkably close to a super shoe, with one of the best non-carbon-plated midsoles I’ve used.