Lululemon Beyondfeel First Run Review: Firm Miles in Lululemon's First Men's Trainer

Introduction

The Lululemon Beyondfeel is a newcomer to the running shoe shelves, at least for men. It is Lululemon’s first ever men’s running shoe, with a women’s version arriving now as well. Lululemon describes it as a neutral daily trainer and easy day shoe, designed for max cushioning and effortless glide. The question is whether it actually delivers on that promise.

We took the shoe out for some early miles to gather first impressions. This is a shoe that fits firmly into the everyday trainer bracket, and it is an interesting one, because in a market full of soft, bouncy foam, the Beyondfeel takes a very different route.

First Impressions and Key Specs

The Beyondfeel has a 37 mm stack height in the heel and 27 mm in the forefoot, for a 10 mm drop. At 11 oz, or 314 g, in a UK men’s 8.5 test shoe, it is about as heavy as daily trainers come, up there with the Asics Gel-Nimbus 26. Pricing sits at £148 in the UK and $158 in the US.

The midsole is a stack of supercritical foam that feels quite firm when squeezed in the heel, a little softer in the forefoot, with no substantial rocker to speak of. Up top, you get a seamless ventilated mesh, generously padded heel collar and tongue, and padded laces. Two small overlay clips just forward of the heel base appear to improve hold and security.

Flip the shoe over and there is a pressure-mapped outsole with high-abrasion, high-traction rubber. The grip is quite aggressive for a road shoe, almost lugged across the whole base, which made for an interesting first ride.

Fit and Sizing: True to Size, With a Catch

The fit is one of the strongest parts of this shoe. There is really good heel hold from the big padded collars, solid lockdown across the top from the lacing, and the padded tongue takes any lace pinch out of the equation. The midfoot holds well with no slipping, and the whole shoe feels well cradled.

The toe box offers plenty of flex across the top, so you can wiggle your toes, with a middling volume and comfortable, hugging fit. Most wearers will be fine going true to size, but be aware of sizing quirks: Lululemon warns the shoes use US sizes and run small, and one of our testers found the UK 5 came up too small and sized up half a size.

Design-wise, the Beyondfeel looks clean, the logo is understated rather than in your face, and it comes in a wide range of genuinely attractive colorways. Lovers of the brand’s aesthetic will find a lot to like here.

Ride Feel: Firm, Big, and Old School

After two easy 10k runs, the defining characteristic of the Beyondfeel is firmness. There is a big block of quite firm foam underfoot, a flat landing, and not much rocker. The first run in, it feels like running on fairly harsh blocks, more old school than many modern shoes with softer, punchier, livelier foams. The foam does soften up after a few miles, but when you put the shoes on the next day, they feel firm again.

The shoe is heavy on the foot, though not too cumbersome once you clip along at pace. The nearest comparison is a firm, bricky ride, without a pronounced rocker to help roll you through, so there is not a huge amount of response. You do quite a lot of the work in these shoes yourself.

For a shoe marketed on max cushioning, this is a firmer ride than the name suggests. If you like plush, sink-in comfort, this is not that. It is the opposite end of the spectrum from shoes like the Asics Gel-Nimbus, New Balance 1080, or Brooks Ghost Max.

Who This Shoe Is For

The Beyondfeel is not a bad shoe, and for easy miles it works. It has more responsiveness and support than the Blissfeel, which always felt a little clunky, and it is comfortably the best running shoe Lululemon has made so far. There is no reason you cannot run long distances in a firmer shoe, and this one is comfortable over easy paces, including run-walking and treadmill sessions.

If you have always liked the look of the Blissfeel but wanted more cushioning and more underfoot support, this is that shoe. Lululemon fans will absolutely love it. However, if you love a genuinely max cushioned, bouncy daily trainer, you will probably still reach for a Gel-Nimbus first.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The overriding first impression is that many people will find these shoes too blocky and too firm, even after they settle down. For a shoe with quite a lot of foam, the expected super-cushioned feel simply is not there. You will feel the pavement coming up through the midsole, even on recovery runs.

It is also not a shoe for racing quickly. And while the grip is confident, the aggressive outsole is a distinctive choice for a road trainer. If you want a versatile, plush easy-day shoe that you can eat miles in happily, the competitive alternatives remain strong.

Verdict After 12 Miles

After roughly 12 miles, the honest verdict is that the Beyondfeel is okay rather than great. It is exactly what Lululemon claims it is, an everyday running shoe, and it does that job right. It just does not set the world on fire, and in a market full of excellent daily trainers offering better comfort and versatility, it is hard to see it standing out at this stage.

It is a good everyday running shoe and the best Lululemon running shoe currently available. Whether the foam softens further with more miles remains to be seen, but so far the firmness persists beyond the first runs. Reserve the full verdict until a longer testing period, but first impressions point to a shoe best suited to brand loyalists who want a firmer, more supportive daily trainer.

Conclusion

The Lululemon Beyondfeel is a well-fitting, well-designed everyday trainer with real improvements over the Blissfeel, but its firm, heavy, blocky ride will not suit everyone. If you prefer plush max cushioning, there are stronger options. If you like a firmer shoe and the Lululemon look, it is worth a try.