Lululemon Blissfeel Women’s Running Shoes
https://shop.lululemon.com/p/shoes/W-Blissfeel-Running-Shoe/_/prod10940004?sz
This article will tell you about the new Lululemon running shoes Blissfeel. We all know this brand; I can’t say anything, but I love Luluemon running clothes; I consider them of high quality, comfortable, lasting a long time, and are always (almost always) well thought out.
I am a huge fan of running shoes. I love learning what shoes are made of and what foams brands come up with, and I always ask different people for opinions on shoes before writing a review. I believe that shoes may not fit me, but at the same time, be great for other people. Therefore, in my reviews, I try to focus on those moments that can be said to be more general than individual, but at the same time, do not forget that individual moments and preferences are just as important when choosing running shoes and, in fact are often much more common than we think.
I bought these sneakers myself; the Lululemon company did not give them to me or pay for this review.
Let’s start with the technical specifications.
What’s inside
This is the weird part because lululemon is not saying a lot or anything at all about what type of foam they use in these shoes.
For me, it feels close to the mix of Nike React and EVA. Not very soft foam definitely doesn’t have a lot of energy return, but at the same time, not a very hard one. So, not like Boost from Adidas. I think it’s EVA, but considering the weight of the shoes, something very dense, so I think a lot of foam inside.
Height 32.5mm
Toe 23 mm
Heel drop 9.5mm
Weight: 251 grams (8.9 oz) in a US Women’s size 7
Neutral Shoes
Upper
The upper is very thick; despite at first look it consists of a mesh material, there is still a large amount of fabric under the upper mesh. I ran in them along the dune, and I can say that not much sand got inside; most likely, we can say that the top is so dense and multi-layered that even a grain of sand will not get inside. They have very soft, plush, padded tongue. The heel collar also has a lot of padding to support the achilles part.
Some other details
You can see the plastic rails on the sides of the shoe, which the company claims are for the stability of the foot while running. It’s hard to say if it’s true or not.
Soil
The outsole looks like high-quality and non-slip rubber; in theory, it should prolong the shoe’s life, but it’s hard to talk about running shoes life without understanding what kind of foam is inside.
My opinion
What I like about these shoes
Despite the fact that there is a lot of soft and comfortable material inside, I bought my usual size in Nike Pegasus and the rest of the 7.5 US running shoes, and I can say that they work that size. No need to take more or less.
I ran long, and medium runs in them. More recovery ones, but I could add some speed to them during my long run, and it felt very natural.
They have reasonably high-quality rubber on the sole; they do not slip on wet surfaces, sand, and concrete. Sometimes when it is windy in Santa Monica, we have a decent amount of sand from the beach on the concrete boardwalk, and while running, some shoes slide just like in the rain; these do not slip, which is a good sign.
In general, I liked how these shoes sit on the foot. They are comfortable, soft inside, and tightly fit the leg. I think the shape of the shoes is my favorite thing about them.
They have a soft roller on the back of the heel, and the laces and tongue area is very comfortable, thick, and soft. The heel collar has enough cushioning to prevent blisters or other unpleasant moments in this very special area.
I also really like the lacing; they are easy to lace tightly, and they do not press anywhere; the laces do not untie when tied even with one knot.
I can’t say that they are very soft, but at the same time, I would say there is enough foam in them; the foam there is not rigid, but I think pretty dense (should be a lot of foam inside) and does not give a significant return of energy, but support is enough. I liked the feeling that they weren’t soft, but they weren’t hard to run in, and my feet felt very comfortable on concrete. I like that the shoes are quite flexible and responsive under the foot.
What I did not like about these shoes
For me, this model has two major points that I did not like.
First, I think they are quite heavy. Yes, with such support, soft material inside, cushioning tongue, soil rubber, their weight can be explained, but it seems to me that they have something to reduce weight.
This brings us to the second point. They are very hot; my feet feel in them very, very hot. Highly. I’m not talking about running in the heat, I’m saying that they were very hot and not breathable during the average weather in Santa Monica is about 60 degrees and even lower. I would call them winter sneakers. I think the top is too tight, maybe too much layers. I think that by changing the mesh upper, they can be made lighter and much more breathable.
Overall, I feel like you can find better shoes for the price, lighter, more breathable, and at the same time very supportive. I would say that there is nothing special about them. Design is boring, colors are not desirable, and technical characteristics like weight are not great. As I said before, I like the shape and how my feet feel in them, despite all that I do not like.
May I recommend them?
If you’re a recreational runner, don’t train for races, and like to walk more than run, yes. In general, I liked how they fit on my foot; by the way, I would say they are a little wider than the same Nike Pegasus, which is good and again, a tight fit does not allow the heel to fly out. Those, yes, I like the shape and fit as well as the support. I guess I could leave them for walks and recovery runs. In some way, they reminded me of the shape and feel of Nike ZoomX Invincible Run Flyknit, only less soft, which is good because you do not need to literally pull your foot out of the foam every time after landing on the ground while running because the foam in Nike sucks into your feet. These are not so soft, which is good.
I hope that the company will work on the design and technical details, in a year we will see lighter, breathable shoes with more stylish and desirable designs, as well as more information about what the shoes are made of.
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