Balenciaga Race Runners Sneakers Review
For my latest review I have turned my attention to a pair of sneakers from Balenciaga. Those with a keen eye will instantly recognise them as the classic Race Runner style, regularly spotted on the feet of actors, musicians and other celebs around the globe.
Like many of my purchases, initially I showed no interest in the product. I had seen them around, either in the press or stocked in various online stores, but for whatever reason they never really turned my head. Then, one fateful day I spotted the purple pair (which I did admit, looked quite attractive online!). Once they arrived in the mail it didn’t take long for me to make a swift 180 degrees, shortly afterwards I decided that I needed a pair for myself! Besides, I didn’t have a pair of black sneakers in my collection… So, here’s my review.
Design & Shape
One of the first things that attracted me to the Balenciaga Race Runners was their undeniably sleek appearance. It’s very rare to be able to find premium sneakers created in this style, which also manages to steer clear from homages to typical sports shoes (heavy branding, garish colour schemes and unnecessary features bolstered onto the shoe!).
The sneakers themselves are crafted from many different parts and shapes, with each seemingly produced using a different material from the last. Some sections are rubber, then mesh and also leather. This might sound like it’s some kind of weird collaboration of ideas that should clash badly, yet for whatever reason this combination just works! Visually I cannot fault these shoes at all, in fact they are one of the most beautiful pairs of mens footwear I have laid my eyes on in some time!
I decided on the timeless and classic black pair, which features a small amount of contrasting white along the sole (as previously mentioned, there was a gap in my wardrobe for an all black pair!). If the monochromatic colour style is not to your liking though, Balenciaga have a huge number of different choices available, with even more released each coming season.
Wearability & Comfort
If you have read any of my other sneaker reviews before, you will know that the comfort level is a critical point. In fact nearly all of my designer shoes have caused some kind of pain and discomfort when it comes to continued wear.
With the Race Runners I will get straight to the point, these are the most comfortable designer sneakers I have ever owned, in fact I would say they rival and sometimes even beat Adidas and Nike at their own game! This revelation is mostly thanks to the in built in sock lining within the shoe itself, which was a brilliant idea from the French designer! You can safely go bare foot without any fear of reprisals. Even after extended hours of walking, I suffered no blisters, cuts or feet pain of any kind! Apparently sometimes miracles do exist in the real world!
When it comes to wearability, despite their sporty design, the Race Runners will easily pair with almost any outfit you care to wear. From casual skinny joggers or a bomber jacket and spray on denim, these shoes will raise your outfit to the next level! Definitely a good all rounder and high marks from me in this round!
Race Runner Sizing
I chose my usual size of a 42 due to them being manufactured in Europe. As to be expected, it was my perfect size. Slipped on without any trouble at all, either with socks or without it was a comfortable and perfect fit! So I would thoroughly recommend you follow in my footsteps and also acquire your usual size. However I know with the women’s, my fiancee took her larger size of a 40 and they were perfectly fitted, if not a little snug, but for me they were true to size.
Shoe Box & Packaging
As to be expected from their high price point, the packaging matches the quality of the contents within. The box is a minimal pure white design, featuring the smallest amount of branding with the Balenciaga logo appearing very small on top of the lid. The box itself is made out of a very thick, heavy and durable cardboard, which will easily withstand a decent amount of impact. Additionally, this will allow it to be stacked quite safely without any worries of the box suffering any crush from above. Delving inside the box and we are greeted with a massive amount of protective tissue paper, hidden beneath this first level of protection is dual dust bags, one for each shoe (something I always love, ensuring each shoe is kept apart when stored away). As I did order these from Matches, the shoe box arrived in one of their pretty marble magnetic gift boxes as well, to make sure it was kept in perfect condition.
Value For Money
Ok, these mens sneakers are very far from a reasonable price point. Even more expensive than the majority of rival designer sports shoes on the market. You can easily purchase a pair of typical sports trainers for a quarter of the price or less! Yet, despite all this, I do believe they are worth their price. The design is unlike any other, so is instantly recognisable and the level of comfort each shoe provides will guarantee that you will want to wear them whenever you can! Sometimes I’ve based entire outfits around these Race Runners! Plus, they are very well made and structured so I can tell they are not going to break or get damaged anytime soon. I know I will get a lot of wear out of these.
Conclusion
So in summary, it’s no surprise that I actually give these Balenciaga sneakers top marks. Gorgeous design, sleek shape, huge amount of colour choices and also amazingly comfortable! The only downside is they’re extremely high price point, but if you can stomach this huge outlay (or wait for a discount code like I did!) then you will be more than happy with your purchase of Balenciaga Race Runners.
What is your opinion of the French brand’s sneakers, are they something you would wear? Please let me know in the comments below on my mens fashion blog!
Buy These Online At: Balenciaga | Mr. Porter | Matches | Selfridges
P.S. – These shoes are highly faked everywhere so be very careful when you buy yours online. Only order from the trusted retailers I have linked to (or other official websites) and check out this video below from a guy showing you fake vs real – it’s really helpful. Another tip is if the price is much lower than the £425 – £455 price tag and heavily discounted, they’re likely to be fake as I haven’t ever seen this black pair go on sale before.
