If you buy through our links, we may earn money from affiliate partners. Learn more.
- Allbirds’ new Tree Dasher Relay ($125) sneakers are a performance shoe with an easy slip-on design.
- Like the brand’s Dashers, they’re neutral with a flared heel for added stability.
- Right now, you can pick them up in three colors: black, white, and a sesame tone.
Allbirds’ original Wool Runners are top contenders for our most comfortable everyday shoes, and we’ve been impressed with the brand’s foray into performance sneakers with the Allbirds Dasher (though, when the co-founder is a former professional soccer player, perhaps we shouldn’t be).
Now, the company has launched a running shoe that’s meant to bridge the gap between the perfect kicks for running errands and the pair you grab for a groggy morning 5K.
The new Allbirds Tree Dasher Relay ($125) sneaker is, essentially, a slip-on version of the brand’s Dasher ($125).
Like the Dasher, it’s a neutral, cushioned sneaker with a flared heel that’s designed to add stability and slow excessive pronation. It has the same propulsive bounce in its cushioning and each of Allbirds’ sustainable materials: merino wool as internal accents, sugarcane-based SweetFoam as soles, and a knit upper made from the company’s Tree fabric that uses eucalyptus pulp.
Currently, you can pick the Tree Dasher Relay up in three colors — black, white, and sesame — and feminine sizes 5-11 and masculine sizes 8-14.
Like most Allbirds, they’re also machine-washable.
What the Tree Dasher Relay is like to run in
In person, the shoes are as unbelievably comfortable as the Allbirds Dashers. The light knit is a resilient hammock on top of the foot and in the toe box. The fit is snug but flexible, and the temperature control is noticeably effortless.
And while more bouncy and overt than a typical minimalist running shoe, the internal cushioning doesn’t feel bulky or hot. The flared heel and cushioning may give the appearance of an ultra-cushioned option, but they feel far lighter — though not as light as my Adidas Pulseboost HD. (You can find a few of our other picks for the best women’s running shoes here).
I received the above pair this week, and I wore them for errands and on a quick neighborhood 5K. (I’ll update this post soon with a longer run). I wasn’t sure what to expect with a slip-on style for exercise — would there be chafing? Would they feel looser than I wanted? — but I didn’t notice a difference between laced or laceless pairs while on the move.
In terms of style, I was surprised to like the way the laceless version looks. I expected to find the monotone laceless knit upper to code as overly pragmatic — like something you’d buy for a long hospital shift — more than aesthetically pleasing. But, the knit is close-fitting and not bulky. With a pair of black leggings, they’re pretty unnoticeable and unimpeachable to me.
Having said that, if you’re only going to purchase one pair, and everything else is the same, I’d still recommend investing in the Dasher ($125) if you think you may want the customization of laces over the convenience of a slip-on style.
The bottom line
Ultimately, the Tree Dasher Relay ($125) shoes felt to me exactly like the Dasher ($125) — making the silhouette of slip-on vs. lace-up as the only substantial difference. In terms of comfort and performance, you can’t go wrong with either one.
Discover more from Today Headline
Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.