I have not run in the ANTA Zone 2 90. This is a pricing story, not a review — but it is one worth writing because the shoe has just crossed a line that matters: it did not have an Australian retail listing a fortnight ago, and now it does.
It is here, but it is not cheap
ProjectCN, the Melbourne specialist reseller that already carries Li-Ning and several other Chinese running brands, lists the ANTA Zone 2 Heart Rate 90 (White/Black) at A$219.99, checked again this morning. Availability is mixed: the site notes some sizes ship within 24 hours, others are pre-order only and take 2-3 weeks, and a few sizes stretch to 4-6 weeks.
That price is not close to what the shoe costs where ANTA actually sells it.
What ANTA charges everywhere else
On ANTA’s own official AliExpress storefront, the Zone 2 Heart Rate 90 is currently listed at roughly US$91.64 to US$94.79 across colourways — I checked the storefront again this morning and the low end of that range, US$91.64, is exact. At today’s mid-market rate of 1 USD = 1.38502 AUD (via xe.com, checked this morning), that converts to roughly A$127 to A$131 — before GST and shipping.
That last part matters and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Under the ATO’s low-value imported goods rule, overseas platforms selling goods into Australia under A$1,000 are required to collect 10% GST at checkout. I did not run an order through to confirm exactly what AliExpress adds on top of the listed price for this shoe, so treat A$127-131 as the pre-GST currency conversion, not a guaranteed landed cost. Add the GST and it is still meaningfully cheaper than ProjectCN’s A$219.99 — but not by quite as much as the raw conversion suggests.
There is a third data point worth having: RunRepeat’s lab review of the Zone 2 90 lists ANTA’s own official (non-AliExpress) retail price at US$115, which converts to roughly A$159 today. That is presumably closer to what you would pay buying direct from ANTA in a market where it retails normally, rather than through AliExpress’s marketplace pricing.
| Where | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| ProjectCN (Melbourne) | A$219.99 | Local stock or pre-order, no import wait for in-stock sizes |
| AliExpress, ANTA Official Store | ~A$127-131 (US$91.64-94.79) | Before GST and shipping; delivery timeframe not confirmed |
| ANTA official retail (per RunRepeat) | ~A$159 (US$115) | ANTA’s own listed retail price, converted |
Even taking the most conservative read — comparing ProjectCN to ANTA’s own official retail price rather than the cheaper AliExpress figure — the local listing is still around 38% more expensive. Against the AliExpress range it is closer to 70% more, not quite the “double” gap this site has flagged on other Chinese brands, but still the largest premium found so far for a shoe with a confirmed AU listing.
One thing worth knowing before you buy either way
RunRepeat’s lab measurements put the Zone 2 90 at 188 g with a 39 mm heel and 32-33 mm forefoot stack — and its review is blunt that despite ANTA marketing this as a “super trainer,” there is no carbon plate in it. It uses a midfoot shank instead. RunRepeat’s own line: “The Zone 2 90 is essentially a super shoe without a carbon plate.” If you are shopping this shoe expecting plated-racer pop, on either storefront, that is worth knowing before you spend A$130 or A$220 on it.
What I’d actually do
I have not tested this shoe, so I cannot tell you whether it is worth A$220, A$160 or A$130 to you — that depends on how much a plate-free trainer with super-shoe foam is worth relative to the 361 Degrees Flame 5, which is an actual carbon racer at a similar Australian price point. What I can tell you is the gap is real and, at current pricing, ProjectCN is charging a genuine premium for local stock and no import wait rather than for anything about the shoe itself. If you are comfortable with a 2-6 week wait and an AliExpress order, the import route saves you real money even after GST. If you want it now, in a specific size, with local returns, A$219.99 is the price of that convenience.
For a sense of what a properly tested pair of hybrid-training shoes looks like on this site, the Nike Metcon 9 review is 140 km of first-hand wear rather than a price comparison — worth reading if a plated or plate-free trainer decision is what you are actually trying to make.