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Allbirds Tree Dashers review: How do these sustainably made running shoes perform?

Allbirds Tree Dasher review

Discovering your perfect shoe match is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. With considerations such as arch support, cushion and width, the ideal fit goes far beyond a simple shoe size. You’ll also need to diversify your shoe collection to reflect your lifestyle — your favorite casual sneakers are probably not cut out to run a few miles every week.

Allbirds claims to have the solution with their debut running shoe. The Tree Dasher runners are the brand’s reimagining of the traditional running shoe with natural materials. In addition to flexibly conforming to your movement and minimizing odor, Allbirds Dasher running shoes have logged hundreds of miles during their rigorous, year-long testing period.

We wanted to see whether Allbirds Tree Dasher running shoes live up to their promise of holding up for multiple miles, so we asked a long-time runner to test them out. Here’s what we found.

Testing the Allbirds Tree Dasher

Our tester owns a pair of Allbirds Tree Runner. We tested the Allbirds Dasher running shoes for a month, doing various activities including walking the dog, hiking, lifting weights and golfing. We also ran several times per week, totaling 36 miles over the course of a month. 

What is the Allbirds Tree Dasher?

While you might know Allbirds for their everyday shoes, Tree Dashers are their first foray into the running world. The brand reimagined your favorite running shoe with natural materials and created its most technical shoe yet. With the slogan “run hard, tread light,” the Tree Dasher runners are designed for maximum energy return and built to sustain hundreds of miles of use. 

How to use the Allbirds Tree Dasher

You want to find a running shoe that not only fits your foot length but also contours to your foot’s arch and width. We bought our usual size and thought it was the perfect fit. We also appreciated the amount of arch support and felt the knit materials contoured well to our feet.

At first look, we were concerned whether the knit top would provide adequate support for running or other activities. However, our unease was soon put to rest and they ended up being more solid than other traditional runners. After testing them while running, hiking, lifting weights and walking the dog, we feel they are best used for running or walking on smooth paths rather than hiking on rough trails. 

Key features of the Allbirds Tree Dasher

From their uppers to their insole, Allbirds carefully thought out every element of their Tree Dasher runners. 

  • Upper: The durable upper is made from eucalyptus trees, resulting in a flexible, breathable and lightweight shoe. It’s different from traditional running shoes since it has no tongue, making it one solid piece. 
  • Midsole: Optimized for cushion, stability and energy return, the SweetFoam midsole is made from sugarcane sourced from southern Brazil.
  • Support: To support and lock your foot in place, Allbirds added a cushioned wool heel lining.
  • Outsole: The same SweetFoam from the midsole is combined with natural rubber traction pads to increase pronation control and stability. 
  • Insole: Your run will be smooth thanks to the removable castor bean sock liner, contoured to provide flexible support. It also emits less carbon than petroleum-based foam found in traditional running shoes.
  • Eyelets: Embroidered directly into the internal structure, the four eyelets add support and anchor the midfoot. 

Allbirds Tree Dasher price

The Allbirds Tree Dasher running shoes retail for $125. You can currently find them in four classic designs and nine limited edition colors. 

Where are Allbirds Tree Dashers sold?

You can purchase the Tree Dasher runners directly from Allbirds.

Allbirds Tree Dasher benefits

Overall, we appreciate how well the Tree Dasher runners fit. They feel solid, with no slipping in the heel or around the ball of the foot. Our feet felt secure and cushioned while running, despite our early concerns about ankle support. 

Blisters and sore toes can be a common part of breaking in new running shoes, but we didn’t experience any of these issues. The toe box is roomy, which likely contributes to the ease of breaking them in. In addition, the natural materials are incredibly comfortable, even when running multiple miles at a time.

While it doesn’t contribute to performance, we love the plethora of stylish yet simple designs. Our Tree Dashers smelled better than our other shoes after running, which is a pleasant feature. Even though these runners do minimize odor, it’s convenient that they are machine washable. 

Allbirds Tree Dasher drawbacks

We appreciated these Allbirds running shoes most when running on well-established cement paths, but not so much for trails or bumpy roads as the ankle support doesn’t offer complete protection.

Although the Tree Dasher runners are supportive while running, some users felt they weren’t comfortable walking around for long periods. They also have excellent arch support, which for some runners might be too much. 

Should you get the Allbirds Tree Dasher?

Based on our experience with Allbirds Tree Dasher running shoes, we feel they live up to their promise of holding up for multiple miles. They’re supportive and comfortable, not to mention painless to break in. 

From running to walking the dog to golfing, the Tree Dasher runners are a versatile pair of shoes. Whether you’re looking for a pair of shoes solely for running miles every week or something you can tuck in your carry-on to fill multiple roles, we feel Allbirds Tree Dasher running shoes are an excellent choice.

 

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Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.

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