The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is a daily trainer designed for runners who want one shoe for easy miles, short runs, and occasional faster workouts. It sits below the Red Hare 9 Ultra, the most cushioned and bounciest trainer in Li-Ning's lineup. The Pro's good stability gives you a secure ride, while its decent cushioning and energy return do a satisfactory job of shielding your legs from the road and keeping you moving. However, its cushioning becomes less protective over longer distances, and the ride isn't particularly smooth. The narrow fit through the arch can also feel restrictive if you have wider feet.
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Our Verdict
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is a decent shoe for running a marathon, although it doesn't live up to the "Pro" in its name. Instead, it's much better suited to runners in the middle of the pack. The ride is stable, which helps keep you steady if your form starts to break down, but the cushioning also starts to break down and can feel harsh in the second half of a marathon. At this weight and level of energy return, the Red Hare 9 Pro is race-capable but definitely not race-optimized.
Stable platform keeps you steady over long distances.
Cushioning becomes less shock absorbent during long runs.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro does a satisfactory job in short and middle-distance races. The firm, rockered forefoot helps you sustain a more aggressive pace, but then starts to give out once you really push the limits; the rocker flattens under heavy load, and the forefoot lacks the bending stiffness to give much leverage or snap.
Ride becomes flat at faster paces.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro works decently well for long runs, thanks to its stable, reliable platform. It has a good rocker that can help keep your legs turning over at easy paces, although that rocker flattens out if you really push the pace. The cushioning is the weakest link, as its ability to absorb impact dwindles with distance. For runners who don't mind a firmer ride, this is fine, but the Red Hare 9 Pro is no comfort cruiser.
Stable platform keeps you steady over long distances.
Cushioning becomes less shock absorbent during long runs.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is a good daily trainer. The shoe has enough flexibility to give a stable feel, but it feels too harsh for daily use. The midsole geometry helps maintain steady turnover without being too aggressive. Though the cushioning isn't the softest, it's still satisfactory for most everyday outings.
Rocker helps maintain steady turnover.
Midsole is firm enough to keep the ride stable without turning harsh.
Cushioning is not the most protective.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 02, 2026: We've updated this review to Test Bench 0.16, expanding our coverage with new tests for breathability, water absorption, and drying time. For more details, see the changelog.
- Updated Aug 11, 2026: Review published.
- Updated Aug 03, 2026: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Jul 21, 2026: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Jul 07, 2026: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- Updated Jul 06, 2026: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.
We've bought and tested more than 300 running shoes. Every pair purchased with our own money, never supplied or sponsored by brands. Our data-driven tests are designed to go beyond marketing claims, and since every shoe goes through the exact same methodology, you can directly compare results to find the right pair for your needs.
Test Results
Design
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is heavier than a lightweight trainer like the adidas Adizero Evo SL, but lighter than the average daily trainer.
Energy Return
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro has decent energy return. The heel feels a bit livelier than the forefoot, so heel strikers will get a bit of an assist forward onto the toes. The forefoot still has decent rebound, but this isn't a super responsive shoe.
Heel gives a good bounce forward to the toes.
Forefoot has less rebound.
The forefoot is less efficient at returning energy than lightweight trainers like the PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO or adidas Adizero Evo SL, but it still has a decent rebound.
The heel of the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro has good energy return. It's not as dynamic as the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Ultra, but it still gives a good push forward from your heels onto your toes.
Stability
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro has good stability and stays steady even when the pace picks up. Both the heel and the forefoot are quite firm and have a wide enough platform to serve as a solid foundation for landing and pushing off. The only weak link is the narrow arch, which could exacerbate any overpronation.
Low stack height keeps the ride grounded.
Wide platform under heel and forefoot makes for stable landings.
Narrow arch is not good for overpronators.
The forefoot is quite firm, similar to carbon-plated trainers like the Nike Zoom Fly 6 or XTEP 260X 3.0. This helps keep the shoe very stable when pushing off.
The heel is significantly firmer than lightweight trainers like the PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO and adidas Adizero Evo SL, making it a much more stable choice.
The midsole features a plastic shank that extends from just in front of the heel through the midfoot. This is a similar design used in lightweight trainers like the adidas Adizero Evo SL and PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO.
Cushioning
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is decently cushioned, with a satisfactory amount of foam under the heel to soften the blow of most heel strikes, although it doesn't have much give unless you land with a lot of force. The forefoot is better cushioned against lighter and moderate impacts, but runners who land with a lot of force toward the front of the shoe will be less impressed with the cushioning.
Forefoot cushioning is very good at easy and moderate paces.
Heel cushioning can handle heavier impacts.
Cushioning is not the most protective.
Forefoot struggles to keep up with harder impacts.
The heel of the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro doesn't start out that absorbent for lighter runners, but it softens up once you start landing with more force. The sweet spot depends on your weight, but in general, lighter runners will feel the most heel cushioning when running faster, and heavier runners will have the best experience at slower paces.
Wet & Warm Weather
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro has okay performance in wet and warm weather. The upper has good breathability, so your feet are unlikely to overheat on hot days or during workouts. It does a decent enough job of not taking on too much water if you run in the rain; however, it takes well over a day to dry when fully soaked, so it can't be used for back-to-back days after a rainy run.
Good breathability stops feet overheating.
Takes well over a day to dry when soaked.
The upper has good breathability and is largely in line with the adidas Adizero Evo SL. Your feet are unlikely to overheat on hot days or when running fast.
This shoe takes well over a day to fully dry, so it won't be ready if you want to use it for a run the day after it's fully soaked.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro does a decent enough job of limiting water uptake, though it's still not great. When fully soaked, it weighs more than a dry max-cushion cruiser like the Brooks Glycerin Max 2, and you'll certainly feel it underfoot.
Bounciness
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro doesn't have that much bounce. The firm midsole is able to absorb a decent amount of impact, but it doesn't compress much as it does so, so there's not a very noticeable bounce back.
Firm midsole doesn't compress enough to bounce back much.
Energy return is decent but not enough to produce significant bounce.
Snappiness
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is decently snappy for a daily trainer. The forefoot doesn't resist bending well enough to be super snappy, but it returns a satisfactory amount of energy as it unbends. You'll feel a bit of snap, but not on the same level as a racing shoe.
Forefoot snaps back somewhat after bending, providing some propulsion.
Not stiff enough to provide snappy toe-off.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro doesn't have enough bending stiffness to give significant leverage when pushing off.
The forefoot rocker starts very early for a daily trainer or even for an uptempo trainer. The angle isn't that steep, so it doesn't aggressively rock you forward, but you start to roll relatively early in your stride.
The forefoot returns a decent amount of energy as it unbends, although it's not nearly as springy as the adidas Adizero Evo SL.
Roll
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro rolls reasonably well at easier paces, as it has a noticeable rocker from the heel through to the forefoot. The rocker isn't stiff enough to maintain its shape under heavy load, so you'll feel less roll if you put down a lot of force in your stride.
Rocker helps maintain steady turnover.
Rockered geometry extends from heel through to forefoot.
Rocker doesn't rock as smoothly when you apply lots of force.
The rocker of the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro flattens too easily to be that efficient at faster paces.
The 36mm stack height in the heel puts this shoe on roughly the same level as the adidas Adizero Evo SL, though the adidas has less heel-to-toe drop, so its forefoot sits higher.
True To Size
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is true to size in length, so you can confidently buy your normal size. However, there are a few issues to be aware of: the arch is very narrow and could feel constricting for runners with even slightly wider feet. The toe box is wide, but shallow, so there's not much clearance above your toes.
Length is true to size.
Very narrow arch.
Popular Running Shoe Comparisons
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro may have a 'Pro' in its name, but it's not the brand's most competitive racing shoe; that would be the Li-Ning Feidian Elite 6, which is a very impressive marathon racing shoe. In the current market, the Red Hare 9 Pro is most similar to the PUMA Deviate Pure NITRO, another versatile trainer with a midfoot plastic shank. The Li-Ning is essentially a budget alternative to the PUMA, which has a bit more cushioning and better energy return. The adidas Adizero Evo SL remains the standard in this category, though, with better energy return and cushioning than either the Deviate Pure NITRO or the Red Hare 9 Pro; however, it's the least stable of the three.
For more shoes, check out our recommendations for the best cheap running shoes, the best overall running shoes, and the best running shoes for 5K/10K racing.
The Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro is a better everyday trainer than the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Ultra. It's lower, more stable, and more reliable for daily runs. The Ultra is much taller and livelier, but significantly less stable, making it the better pick for longer, faster workouts.
The Li-Ning Chaoying Pro is a better daily trainer than the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro. It's lighter, much better cushioned, and more stable, making it the more forgiving and trustworthy shoe underfoot. It's also a better shoe for long runs and even completing a marathon. That said, the Red Hare 9 Pro is much more energetic, so if you want a shoe for short runs and faster workouts, you'll likely prefer it.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Li-Ning Red Hare 9 Pro in a men's U.S. size 9, as you can see on our pair's label. The colorway of this pair is called Light White Blue, but the shoe is available in several other colorways. It's only available in one standard width. The design section of this review applies only to the exact pair we tested, but we expect other sizes to perform similarly.
