Relance Running Shoe Review

If you’re like me, you might have never heard of Relance Running. It’s a brand new shoe company based out of France. Brand new shoe models can be tricky. Either they are great or need a lot of improvement. I was excited to try out Relance Running.

You can shop Relance Running here or support their Kickstarter here!

Relance Running Quick Facts:

Weight: 8 oz

Heel to Toe Drop: 10 mm

Price: $120

Relance Running Fit:

The first model, called the RL-01, is Relance Running’s first model of shoe ever. Ir’s was created in four colors, white, red, black, and blue. You know I had to choose the all-white. Right off the bat, Relance Running looks good. It’s almost hard to tell it’s an actual running shoe, and it looks like a shoe you can wear with jeans or wear casually.

The RL-01 is made out of an engineered mesh. There are no seams that are nice because they won’t rub if you have a wider foot. It felt fairly good when running in the desert and didn’t overheat, and the mesh breathed well. All white obviously gets dirty easily, but a price to pay.

Since Relance Running is created in France, it’s on European sizing. Typically I wear a 40-41 (equal to 10-11 wide) in running shoes. In the RL-01, I wore a size 40, and it fits well. I will say, European sizing is more narrow than the United States. If you have an extremely wide foot, you might want to go up a half to full size.

Relance Running Ride:

When running in a new brand or model, I always take a shoe out for a short run (less than 2 miles). I don’t want to get too far from home and feel bad. Anyway, Relance Running RL-01 uses a fairly simple but effective PU-outsole that combines cushioning and lightness. It isn’t heavy and gets the job done.

One thing that Relance Running RL-01 does better than any other shoe ever (yes, really, and I’ve reviewed a few hundred shoes) is the insole of the shoe. The entire insole of the Relance Running RL-01 has more cushion than even some over-the-counter insoles. It’s that good; I can’t get over it.

But all of that aside, can the RL-01 shoes perform? My first run was easy. The RL-01 felt good. After a few runs and testing it at different paces, I found the Relance Running RL-01 to fit bets into a faster, uptempo shoe. It can handle easy runs and recovery runs, but I prefer something with a little more cushion. For faster runs, I prefer something lighter and less shoe.

Relance Running RL-01 Conclusion:

Relance Running has made a great shoe. If you’re someone who prefers a lighter shoe for training or wants a shoe that you can run, go to the gym, and do errands, the RL-01 is a great option. It fits nicely into a faster run shoe. The only thing to keep in mind is if you have a wider foot, you might need to go up a half to full size.

My Current Shoe Rotation:

Easy/Daily Runs Brooks Aurora, Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo, Brooks Ricochet 3, New Balance 1080 v11, Hoka Bondi 7,

Speed Work: Nike Tempo Next%, New Balance Fuelcell TC Shoe Review, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro,

Long Runs: Hoka Clifton Edge, Under Armour Sonic HOVR 3

Trail Running/Hiking: Hoka Torrent 2, Saucony Peregrine 11, North Face Flight VECTIV

Races: Asics Metaspeed Sky, Hoka One One Rocket X, adidas Adizero Pro, New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%, Saucony Endorphin Pro, New Balance fuelcell TC, Reebok Run fast Pro

You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.

Looking to learn more about running shoes? My ebook talks about why you need a good running shoe, a shoe’s anatomy, neutral vs. stable, and even myths of running shoes.