It isn’t easy to break into the running shoe market. It’s an area that’s already saturated with excellent options from well-established brands with huge research and marketing budgets, and a customer base that tends to stay loyal to brands they've used in the past.
There are relatively recent success stories like Hoka and On, who have both broken through to become major running brands with innovative designs. Both brands used visually striking shoes to stand out on the market too, and that’s a playbook that R.A.D seems to have adopted with its first dedicated running shoe.
The R.A.D UFO certainly catches the eye, with its bright colors and curvy geometry. R.A.D did launch the R-1 hybrid training shoe last year, which worked for runs as well as gym workouts, but the UFO is purely aimed at runners, and indeed built to rival the best running shoes on the market with a high price tag of $200.
When the UFO landed on my doorstep I was skeptical. I’ve not used R.A.D shoes before but in my experience, running shoes from gym-focused brands have been underwhelming. The looks were also a little off-putting, as was the price.
However, I’ve loved every step in the shoe, and I do think it’s one of the outstanding options on the market thanks to its springy, fun ride. Here’s four things I liked about the R.A.D UFO, and two things I’m less keen on.
Like #1: It’s incredibly bouncy
The main reason I like the UFO is its bouncy ride. It’s exceptionally springy thanks to the SUPEFOAM midsole, which is made up of two layers of PEBA foam, and delivers a high amount of energy return.
There are very few shoes that are as soft and springy as the UFO, and for R.A.D to have developed such impressive midsole foams in its first true running shoe is remarkable.
Like #2: It’s very cushioned, but light
There’s a lot of foam in the midsole of the UFO, which stands 42mm high at the heel and has an 8mm drop, and you feel the benefit of all that cushioning on long runs in particular.
Despite the max-stack design, the UFO is pretty light, tipping the scales at 9.4oz in my US men’s size 10.
Its combination of cushioning and bounce in a light design make the UFO enjoyable for all kinds of runs at different paces — it’s a great do-it-all option for runners who don’t use a running shoe rotation.
Like #3: The rocker is smooth
The pronounced rocker on the UFO is not just there to make its design even more striking, it makes the ride of the shoe very smooth whether you’re running easy or hard.
I was a little worried that the dramatic shape of the rocker might make the UFO feel too unnatural on the run, but it works well and makes the ride more enjoyable on long runs in particular.
Like #4: It’s gripped well in the wet
The outsole on the UFO is modest in the amount of rubber used, but the main impact areas around the heel and forefoot are covered.
Having run over 40 miles in the shoe in exclusively wet conditions — that’s the British winter for you — I can confirm that the grip is reliable even when running at faster paces.
Dislike #1: It’s not ideal for interval workouts
The UFO is bouncy and pretty light, but the very wide sections at the heel and forefoot mean that you feel its size during runs at faster paces.
I enjoyed using it for tempo runs, but for faster interval runs I prefer a nimbler shoe that’s both lighter and narrower, like the Asics Megablast.
Dislike #2: The looks are a bit much
The price is high, but I think the UFO lives up to it with its performance — rivals like the Megablast are even more expensive.
A bigger barrier to people buying and using the UFO might well be its looks. While many will love the distinctive design, many runners might well prefer to use a more normal-looking running shoe.
I’d say it works for R.A.D to make a shoe that looks so different as a debut, but I’d be keen to see a more traditional-looking sneaker that uses this excellent midsole foam in the future.
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