Article by Matt Kolat
R.A.D One V2 (£130/$150)
Hi Folks, and welcome to yet another gym shoe review here at RoadTrialRun. This time we’re having a closer look at the RAD One V2. RAD is a relatively new sporting goods brand which took the world of fitness by storm when it introduced its original RAD One shoe. This shoe was so popular it was constantly sold out and if you wanted a particular colourway in your size, you had to buy it the second it came out. Kind of like getting a ticket to see your favourite band. RAD shoes are now much easier to acquire as I guess with their popularity RAD was able to increase its supply chain output.
What is more this year they came out with their premier running shoe The RAD UFO, which my RTR colleagues have already had the pleasure to review.
Pros:
Fantastic styling
Great all round trainer
Competitively priced
Flexible yet very stable
Very grippy outsole
Great for gym beginners due to midsole softness
Cons:
Eye catching design might be much for more conservative users
Heavier than most comparable shoes
Stats
Sample Weight:
men’s 13.7oz / 389g 11.5US/10.5UK/46EU
Stack Height: Unknown – 6mm drop
Platform Width: 91mm heel / 82mm midfoot / 112mm forefoot
Most comparable shoes
Inov8 Flite Max
On Cloud Pulse Pro
First Impressions, Fit and Upper
When I first got the shoes I thought they looked incredible. Hardly ever at Road Trail Run we get to pick a colourway of the shoe we are testing, however the kind folks at RAD let me pick any – it had to be the neon pink. This colourway is incredible and I think it looks best on someone who, like me, dresses in quite conservative colours in the gym. This creates a nice contrast but attracts attention too! Since I began testing the RAD One V2s in my local gym a couple of people (strangers!) asked me about the shoes and I do believe it was purely due to the colour.
Final thought about the colours – there are a lot of them – just check out RADs website, there are plenty of more muted colourways for the less adventurous folks out there.
In terms of sizing I went with my usual 10.5 UK/11.5 US which is half size smaller than my running shoes. I prefer a bit more of a dialed to fit in my gym shoes. The training sessions tend to be shorter and less intense and thus my feet don’t swell (at least not as much).
The upper itself feels very premium but it is more suited for people with narrow to average wide feet. My feet are average to wide and I did feel that the shoes were perhaps not too narrow for me but definitely on the narrower end.
The majority of the upper is made from a power mesh which is reinforced in the toe to extend the shoe longevity.
The sides of the shoe and the heel counter are covered with Japanese micro-fiber. I believe this is purely for aesthetical reasons but it does look rather cool.
The heelcounter is very rigid and holds the foot well, still very comfortable due to the ample padding.
Albeit quite hard to notice from the photo below, the tongue is very aggressively gusted (as in almost completely integrated to the midsole) and quite plush.
Midsole & Platform
In terms of the platform, as you probably gathered from the stats of the shoe, it does not narrow down very much in the midfoot and that is excellent news. This translates into the feeling of stability and being grounded – exactly what you want from a gym training shoe.
The midsole is an EVA called SwellFoam Bio. It is relatively soft for an EVA, especially such a thin layer of it. This does not translate into any instability, when I say soft I mean soft for a gym shoe rather than a running shoe. The reason why I mention the softness is because a softer shoe will lend itself more forgiving for beginners, which I see as a positive.
What is worth mentioning as well is that the insoles are fully removable. That is not always the case in training shoes as midsoles tend to be integrated. This will appeal to folks who use custom midsoles.
Outsole
This might sound ridiculous but I think the outsole of this shoe looks amazing. Normally the way an outsole looks is the least important quality of an outsole. However, in this case, it not only creates an almost uninterrupted pattern, which is pleasing on the eye but also integrates very seamlessly with the upper.
The grip is outstanding and I think it should last longer than average just because there is no exposed midsole which could get damaged during more obtrusive movements such as burpees.
The outsole also wraps itself around the midsole and upper to give extra stability and extra grip for those of us who practice rope climbs at the gym.
Performance, Conclusions and Recommendations
I have to start by saying that I did really enjoy the shoe, it is worth the hype which it has definitely generated in the world of fitness.
During workouts my favourite property of the shoe was the foothold. It is absolutely exceptional albeit to start with the shoes did feel a little tight in the forefoot as they are definitely on the shallower end of things. A lot of gym shoes tend to be very stiff, this is not the case with the RAD’s which I appreciate as I do quite a bit of stretching after every workout.
I had no problems performing any big lifts with these albeit there are better shoes on the market for squatting or deadlifting. RADs are very versatile, I’ve used them in HIIT classes, doing calisthenics and would recommend them to anyone interested in having a single pair of shoes for all gym related activities. During the workouts (this is going to sound very silly) the shoes felt almost like an integral part of my leg, kind of like a hoof on a horse. You forget they are on but equally feel very re-insured in terms of stability and confidence.
The only people who will struggle in these are folks who are particularly wide feet in the forefoot or people with very high insteps as there is not that much room in the horizontal pane of the shoe (volume). So my only wish for the RAD One V3 is that it comes in a ‘wide’ version to accommodate a broader range of users.
😊😊😊😊😊
Comparisons
Inov8 Flite Max (RTR Review)
Those of you who follow my gym shoe reviews at Road Trail Run know what the Flite Max have been for a while now. That remains unchanged. That said however RAD One V2 comes in a very close second. What the Inov8 offers is a much firmer heel area which is very beneficial for squats but which is not as comfortable as RAD for HIIT training. Another big difference is the fit. The Inov8 is much more accommodating in the forefoot, as it not only comes in two widths, but also has an anatomical shape to the forefoot. If you have wide feet I would recommend the Flite over the RAD. If you have narrower feet and are more into calisthenics and not perform heavy lifts go with the RAD.
On Cloud Pulse Pro (RTR Review)
Most On users follow the brand almost on religious level. If you are reading this section you are probably already a member of the On fanbase. What makes the Cloud Pulse Pro stand out is the Focusboard plastic insert in the back which extends into the Speedboard plate in the front. What these two create is a very stable experience in the heel for weightlifting and a very firm but springy experience in the front. This is my first gym shoe with a plate so the jury is still out in terms of long term experience but I have to say, as a fan of firm cushioning (much firmer than the RAD) I do really enjoy it. The shoe is also more accommodating for more voluminous feet than RAD with its biggest downside is a rather steep price.
R.A.D. One V2
R.A.D.SHOP HERE
Tester Profile
Maciej ‘Matt’ Kolat – 40 years old, hailing from Poland but pounding Scottish roads and trails since 2007. Mainly runs shorter distances on pavement 5-10 km and reserves longer runs for beautiful Scottish Glens. Matt’s opinion sometimes may differ from other RTR testers as he is the slowest of the bunch (5k at 25:38). Matt also uses running as a way to stay healthy having shed 106 lbs so far (and counting).
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