Flying in Style with the Allbirds Trail Runners

If there was ever a running shoe company tailored with Pacific Northwest sensibilities, it may be Allbirds. Their commitment to being an earth-friendly company – from the sourcing of the materials to the recyclable packaging – and their sustainability mantra are absolutely admirable and in line with the way most of us feel the running shoe game should be headed. We recently checked out their Allbirds Trail Runners.

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While we have reviewed a variety of Allbirds shoes here at Run Oregon, we are excited to be reviewing their first-ever running shoe designed for the trails – the Allbirds Trail Runners.

Looks:

The Allbirds Trail Runners in the Joshua Tree colorway are an absolute eye-catcher. I may be in the minority here, but I love myself some pinks and purples. In a world often dominated by blacks, grays, and blues, a little flair definitely stands out. So when I first stumbled across this colorway, I think I may have drooled a little bit.

It’s not an overpowering onslaught of overabundance, but the piping strip across the middle provides a little some some to an otherwise plain black shoe. Toss in the festive purples on the sole and I’m all in.

Note: For those who aren’t house in love with color, there are at least 6 other options available.

Construction:

Generally speaking, the construction of the Trail Runners feature much of the same great construction qualities that all Allbirds options are known for. The upper is constructed from a wool blend and eucalyptus fiber, the midsole from a sustainable sugarcane, and the outsole from FSC-certified natural rubber. Its sustainability at its finest.

Fit:

100 runners tested 10 different prototypes and logged over 2100 miles over 285 days to land on this shoe. That’s some pretty solid real world wear-testing.

Allbirds uppers are generally pretty flexible. Even if they have a slimmer profile, the upper allows for the foot to maneuver. While some may not agree, even though there are some differences in the upper construction, I still found it to be a nice fit with still a decent amount of give.

The Trail Runners do come with “donut” eyelets and round laces. This is something that were in the first few pairs of Allbirds running shoes we tried out, but they have (smartly) gone away from this in more recent models. It’s a unique aesthetic, but we have trouble getting an optimal “running” fit in them. It’s still very possible to find the fit that works, but we find this lacing less than ideal. Basically, its not a deal killer, but we hope future versions have more standard lacing (keep the colors though!!).

The main difference in the fit is that, while the very top of the upper has flexibility reminiscent of Allbirds’ past, the material along the sides is a bit less forgiving. We are going to chalk that up to meaningful design. I mean – these are supposed to be trail shoes after all. If you are out running or walking trails in Oregon, you are gonna need a little something to keep you supported on the terrain and the weather. Sure, it feels a bit tighter than any Allbirds shoe I have worn, but I expected that and also found it extremely comfortable for a trail shoe.

At almost 12 ounces, it’s pretty heavy for a true trail runner. There is also not much of a toecap and we wonder how this would hold up to those of us who seem to find every root system and buried rock to kick.

The tight sock collar around the top may be unique to some, but we have tried out a few that have this feature and this seems well made. It can assist in keeping debris out while on the trails. If you need a lot of ankle support, the sock-like collar may not be ideal for locking you in when blazing around sharp corners.

The outsole, while not only awesome to look at, is functional as well and I don’t think it will have issues holding up to most standard terrain.

Overall:

Having reviewed a variety of trail shoes from long-standing trail shoe companies, I would say that the Trail Runners do an admirable job. It’s almost unfair to compare the Allbirds trail runners to the big boys in the sphere. Allbirds has been steadily improving upon their active shoe game, but as this is their first trail shoe, it’s silly to think they will be at the point of some companies who have been producing trail shoes for decades.

While we think there may be better options out there for medium and technical trails, the Trail Runners seem like they should hold up to your shorter and less technical options. Honestly, while I have done a few shorter trail runs in these, I think the sweet spot for the Trail Runners may land within the power hiking and walking sphere.

Man, we can’t wait to lace these up for some Gorge Waterfall hunting hikes, some easy miles in Willamette Mission State Park on easy flat singletrack, and catching up with our Portland crew for a short jaunt in Forest Park. And dang, are we gonna look good doing it.