Neutral Racer | 0-6 mm Drop | $190
Expert Review
The Airia One Running shoe is a uniquely designed racing shoe out of Europe, only available online and in one specialty shop in the U.S., with a scientific design to improve speed at the tail-end of longer races. This shoe is the most innovative racing flat I have ever worn and with 8/10 testers seeing an improved race time, it could be the answer to your next PR.
Out of the box
Just looking at the box design and instructions included with this shoe, one can tell that the Airia Running team has a fine attention to detail. The long list of directions let’s you know that this is a new type of running experience, and that these shoes are so well-engineered for the run, they aren’t even good for walking. They suggest that after a few short runs getting used to the new feel, the runner should be comfortable with this innovative feel and be ready to take this shoe out for something fast.
Just looking at this shoe, you can tell something is different about it. It resembles no other shoe on the market, from the slick upper to the durable outsole, the Airia One team has rethought the entire racing shoe experience. The minimalist look of a plain white shoe with just the Airia logo may turn off some, but I’ve always been a big fan of the clean retro look of all-white shoes.
Upper, Fit and Feel
The upper design of this shoe is absolutely my favorite feature. It appears to be some type of two-layer system made up of a soft mesh inside and a thin but durable outer layer. Combined with a wide toe box, this shoe’s feel is quite natural and comfortable.
Sole feel
The Airia One sprots a Vibram outsole, so even though it looks wildly different from a traditional shoe, there shouldn’t be any questions about it’s quality. From the photos you can tell the shoes natural shape points the toes upward. This is a new feeling that I haven’t experienced in shoes before, however it is a quite comfortable and natural feeling. The second I put the shoe on, I felt the unique shape of the outsole that initially felt off-balance while standing on flat ground. I was okay with that, because this is not a walking shoe!
Running Experience
Again, I was warned that these shoes are not for walking, so I withheld all judgement until I was at full stride in the Airia One. I immediately noticed the unique shape of the outsole who’s unique design was almost forcing prontation while at a jogging pace. As expected, this was a very new running experience, but I wasn’t totally turned off by it. As I spent more time in the shoe, slowly increasing my pace and trying out a few race pace striders, I stopped fighting the shoe and started to get a more natural feeling. Because of the curved forefoot, the transition of this shoe is phenomenal and super easy on the foot. The Airia One doesn’t sport the traditional foam or gel that you see in popular models today, so I was expecting an overly harsh road feel, something I’m not too fond of. However, I was completely wrong. The Vibram sole provided plenty of non-squishy cushion and an exceptional feel for the road.
One of the big claims this shoe makes is to provide performance boosts towards the end of longer races. At race pace, this shoe did provide a comfortable feel, and although I didn’t scientifically measure any of my personal results, I wouldn’t be surprised if it provided relief to the lower leg muscles while encouraging the foot/ankle through the correct motions towards the end of a race.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot of science that has gone into giving this shoe a natural and enjoyable running experience. The durable build, comfortable feel, and research behind it’s performance boosting qualities make the Airia One a real player in the running shoe game. With an impressive 30-day return policy, these shoes are worth a shot for anyone looking for a competitive edge.
Airia One Review Provided By Coach Pat and shoes provided by Airia Running
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