Many of us might still associate Lululemon with the women’s yoga gear that launched its success at the turn of the century, but the Canadian brand has been steadily expanding its range of leisure gear for men. And now it’s launching its first men’s footwear range, which includes a road running shoe, the Beyondfeel, and a trail running shoe, the Beyondfeel Trail, which will go on sale on March 19 and sometime in May respectively.
Until now, all of Lululemon's shoes have been made specifically for women. We were impressed with the Lululemon Blissfeel 2 road shoes, and thought the Lululemon Blissfeel Trail was decent enough, it wasn't suitable for rough off-roading. So how will these new shoes compare?
The Beyondfeel shoes will be available in both men’s and women’s versions.
Lululemon says that the design of the Beyondfeel shoes has been “informed by foot morphology and biomechanical insights to create an unrivaled fit and feel.”
It describes the Beyondfeel as “a new running shoe that puts cushioning at the forefront. Built so the runner experiences a softer heel-to-toe glide through lululemon’s exclusive supercritical midsole foam, ventilation, and support in the mesh upper. It also features confident traction and flection in the outsole that enables a more comfortable and cushioned run.”
Meanwhile the Beyondfeel Trail is, “The brand’s evolution of the road-to-trail running shoe that protects your foot from trail elements, while still maintaining breathability and flexibility. The beyondfeel trail running shoe features directional traction and a lugged outsole to handle every dip and turn, a durable, supportive upper that stands up to rocks, dirt and debris, and the same supercritical foam midsole as the beyondfeel running shoe to cushion underfoot while running on uneven terrains.”
Simon Atkins, Lululemon senior vice president footwear, tells Forbes that men have been eager to match their Lululemon running gear with footwear, completing the head-to-toe look, ever since the launch of the women’s Blissfeel shoes.
“When we launched in 2022 with the Blissfeel, we really started with the concept of the Lululemon approach around the science of feel. Fit, feel and sensation. The unmet need we saw was women are being underserved. It started from a fit point of view.
“We are taking that same philosophy of the science of feel and approaching how we can create from the ground up using the same formula to really make sure we seat the details to uniquely tune footwear for him.”
The other shoe in Lululemon’s new men’s range is the Cityverse, a casual sneaker for urban life.
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