Who is this shoe for?
This is a neutral shoe for everyday miles. Specifically designed for running, rather than gym work, this women-specific shoe is laser targeted for your mid-week miles.
It has a women-centric fit and cushioning profile, based on a million foot scans and 4 years of R&D. It benefits from a seamless upper, and what they call “soft and springy” cushioning underfoot.
What’s the fit like?
It’s worth bearing in mind that Lululemon explains that this shoe runs small. For context I’m technically a UK5.5. For most running shoes, I take a UK6.5, but for these I was sent a UK7.5. So, a full two sizes bigger than my normal shoes, and these fit… fine. I didn’t even realize they were 7.5, but thought there was perhaps a millimeter or two more space at the end of the toebox. Even two sizes bigger, I could feel they were a little snug around the midfoot, although my high arches have been well documented so do with that information what you will.
Are the blissfeel 2 comfy?
Yes, as long as you go two sizes up! They’re a nice fit on first try, but it doesn’t feel as though much has been done, if anything, to the heel collar, which still comes up high, or the feel underfoot, which is definitely firmer than you might want for those everyday miles.
Lululemon blissfeel 2 running review
I really wanted to love these, and I have to admit that I was hoping for something borderline miraculous in a shoe that has been designed women-first. But for my feet, and my running, there are other shoes out there that I’ve found instantly more comfortable from day one, such as the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 and the On Cloudmonster.
They offer comfortable miles at the low end of training, and I was able to run my midweek 5Ks in them happily, but the lack of rebound that I now expect from my running shoes was palpable. They look beautiful however – mine were in a very groovy dusky pink, quite Farrow & Ball, if I’m honest. So I loved wearing them as a casual shoe, with jeans, and put in a fair few miles round Paris in them, receiving plenty of compliments from fellow runners.
The upper is extremely comfy, I love the knit, the laces were nice and long with plenty of room for double knots, and I love the longer achilles protection in the heel. However, on the run they felt very average and while they excited me during my city break in terms of how gorgeous they looked teamed with my green coat, they didn’t beg me to go on that long run.
One thing to note on top of this, is that the inner sole isn’t removable, so I couldn’t run using my usual orthotics – something I’ve only come across in super shoes where they’ve worked hard to reduce weight, or in shoes where the company is desperate for you to experience a particular feel underfoot. I can’t imagine, with the stiffness of this shoe, what the benefit here is.
