JAKE WOOLF

I originally intended to send out my weekly “Things I Want to Buy This Week” post today, and the first item on the list was the Yeezy Foam Runner. But I decided to switch it up after actually buying a pair. I’ll still send out the shopping list ASAP!

So, I know what you’re thinking: How did this happen? Why did it happen now? What am I thinking? Okay, okay. For the last few months my interest in the Foam Runners has quietly shifted from “nah to “probably not,” to “well maybe,” to “I need ‘em like Pusha T needs coke bars,” and yesterday just happened to the tipping point day. A coronation if you will. This decision was also motivated by the fact that I’m going to Miami for my best friend’s bachelor party this week, and some slip-on kicks with a little bit of wild style just seemed to fit the South Beach vibe. (In a city full of dudes dripping in Amiri and Versace, I’ll basically look like I was dressed by Dieter Rams in comparison.)

When the Foam Runners first debuted in 2019, I pretty much immediately knew what Ye was going for. In the same way that Ye said way back in 2015 on Hot 97 that he wanted to make “sexier Ugg,” (funny how he just did it with the NSTLD boot), with the Foam Runner the intention was clearly to make a more modern Crocs shoe. Crocs have now trickled down from chefs to fashion-forward folk to frat guy favorite, and frankly the Foam Runner has reaped the benefits, looking more appealing, wearable, and socially acceptable as time goes on. (Re-sale prices, which continue to climb, seem to indicate more people are feeling them right now than ever before.)

But I didn’t get them right out of the gate was because with such an out-there idea, I wanted to see if they would have any staying power. Hopping on a new Yeezy just because they’re new would be to truly just be buying into the hype. Like the best movies, the best sneakers aren’t just celebrated for wow-factor right out the gate, but because people want to come back to them for years to come. With two and a half years of hindsight, it’s safe to now say that the Foam Runners have gone through their initial hype cycle, the bad fits have been posted, and now are here to stay. As such, with them still top of mind, I knew for me it was time to pull the trigger.

Ok Jake, enough with the sneaker soliloquy. Let’s review the dang shoes.

• Yes, they look out there. Despite the aforementioned similarities to Crocs, they’re truly unlike any other shoe on the market not just in terms of shelf-appeal but also on foot. The inverted foot opening (which Ye described on Joe Rogan as more ergonomic) means pants drape over the tops of them differently than other shoes, which as Ye himself admitted takes some getting used to. So far (it’s been like 5 hours) I’ve only worn them with sweatpants so it’s not something I’ve had to encounter so far. But it’s a challenge I look forward to overcoming. (Leather Supreme pants and foam runner massive fit definitely incoming, by the way. Watch this space.)

• They’re extremely bouncy when you walk around, in the best way. You feel like each step is spring loaded similar to how 350s or Ultra Boosts feel but maybe even moreso because it’s a more plush material.

• Surprisingly I’ve seen other reviews that state this colorway is actually stiffer in the fabric than others, which is wild cause they’re plush. Trust me.

• One thing that should have been obvious but I didn’t think of and was happy to discover is how breezy they feel when you walk. It’s like they have built in air conditioners for your feet, and you actually get the sensation of airflow on your foot as you walk. As someone who’s toesy-woesies run how this was nice to find.

• They’re wider than you think. The top angle creates an elongated look which is kind of a cool design trick because if you flip them over you see just how wide the shoes really are—at least as much as a Yeezy 700 if not more. This is also good for me because my dogs be thicc.

• There’s a grippy lining in the footbed that keeps your foot in place which is good because otherwise your sock-covered foot might slide around. I have a phobia of getting blisters from shoes because it’s happened so many times before but with these, so far so good not that I have a lot of data to work with.

• Despite their slip-on nature, they’re 30% harder to get into than I would have imagined because of the grippy footbed. They’re still wild easy, I’m just insanely lazy and would have preferred not having to bend over to get the heel over my own.

• I got the MX mixed moon gray version because I couldn’t find them in the sand (off-white) color way in my size but honestly, I think I like the gray and cream hue better. They make me feel like I’m wearing an $10,000 coffee table on my feet and aren’t as poppy as the all-reds or even the off-white against the standard all-black everything fits I usually wear these days. Plus, I haven’t seen a lot of people wearing this particular color around (even in hypeland central West Hollywood), which is a nice added benefit (read: rationalization).

  • Something to note is that all of the solid colors of the Foam Runners are made in the U.S. while the MX versions are made in China. I’m assuming this has something to do with China having more advanced EVA injection molding processes which can handle the color mixing while allowing Adidas to still achieve their $80 retail price point.

  • If you’re wondering how the mixed color EVA is achieved, they actually mix the colors when the foam is in liquid form before it’s injection molded into the shape of the shoe (there seems to be a two part construction to these shoes marked by a thin line separating the upper and sole).

  • The way the color mixing looks is actually more interesting than you can appreciate in pics. It’s not only different from pair to pair, but the pattern is not uniform throughout in terms of opacity which does give them more of a handmade feel despite their robotic origins.

  • I have no idea if the EVA in these uses algae like the original Foam Runners. I wish there was more info on this out there.

Gonna wear something similar to this but with black leather pants.

• On that note, I paid a lot more than $80 for mine. Fuck it, I’ll just tell you. They were $450. I could have been patient and gotten them on Grailed for less but my Miami trip is in 3 days and I don’t like waiting for things once my mind is made up that I need to scratch the jawnz acquisition itch. I popped into Cookies & Kicks with my dog knowing full well they overcharge for shoes but here we are. I’m not perfect but in this moment I’m happy.

Overall, I’m extremely excited to wear these. I’ve been wearing the same pair of JJJJound Reebok Club Cs for almost two years on the daily and they’re beat. Even my dog is probably tired of seeing them. The soles are worn down even though the supple leather still looks amazing. While I have another blog coming about why I love Club Cs so much, I needed to switch up the script. I’m bored seeing them in the mirror every morning.