DARIMATI BR-001: Quick Evaluation
By Bach Pham
Darimati BR-001Price: $169 at Darimati
Weight: 9.9 oz, 282 g
Stack Height: Unavailable, Feels Between 30-35
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Daily Trainer
Pros: Stable base, simple aesthetics are versatile for daily wear
Cons: Upper does not fully connect with the ride for long efforts
Similar Shoes: Salomon Sense Ride for roads
Past Model: new release
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
Darimati's introductory shoe, the BR-001 or Bridge-001, is a daily trainer with some unique goals of being stable and versatile for city environments - particularly uneven surfaces. At its heart, the sole and outsole borrow a lot from trail shoes like the Salomon Sense Ride to provide a lower stacked, durable, tacky outsole that grips you through a number of surfaces.
The midsole is a firmer A-TPU. The sole has improved somewhat with miles and is decently responsive, but on the firmer side. It is not an easy midsole to log a lot of miles in, especially with the generous outsole which further firms up the ride. The shoe's firmness does run stable underfoot, with the outsole providing a lot of confidence. I think future iterations may want to smoothen the outsole out to help soften the landing more, especially if this is intended for city running and not trails. If you run on a lot of dirt or easy city park trails, I think this could be fine.
The biggest issue for me was upper lockdown. The shoe somewhat borrows from trails with a BOA-like lacing instead of traditional laces. The shoe doesn't secure itself to the midfoot enough to be connected to the shoe. It's not heel slippy, but the midfoot doesn't lock onto your foot well, leaving you feeling like you are having to lift the upper on the run instead of the shoe just kind of being an extension of your foot. I think if the upper was able to lock down better in a way that was secure through the midfoot, it would make a big difference. The overall fit is fairly standard to slightly narrow. I do like the structure all-around the upper which would help with it's stable nature, but that connective fit is a big deal.
The shoe locks down fine enough for walking. As just a walking/all-day shoe I think it's perfectly suitable and the best use case for the shoe currently.
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: No
How Flexible is the Shoe: No
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: No
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High
FINAL THOUGHTS
Bach
Fit: C+ (Lockdown isn't there for running, despite not slipping)
Performance: C+ (TPU midsole can pick up, but is a bit harsh for big miles. Best for very brief runs and walking)
Stability: B- (Underfoot is very stable, just the lockdown issues)
Value: C (Steep at $169. Needs some upgrades to get there)
Personal: C (It's a cool concept and there are signs that this could work, but this model needs a few updates to get there)
Overall Design: C
I think the BR-001 is not far from its goal. With some tweaks to the midsole and a stronger upper fit, this could be a really fine entry into the market. I like the design of the shoe and could see using it for daily use and runs without any issues. That's always a tough thing about running shoes, especially with everything so high stack, it's not easy to pair sneakers with clothing sometimes, but this is a sleek model that could merge those aspects together with a little more refinement. Like Hylo, I think if they can keep at it they'll be able to make a mark down the line.
From a marketing standpoint, this is being pushed as a running shoe for the city which is somewhat of a hard marketing angle I think. We really don't consider road running shoes as unfriendly to city running, so it may be just a lost in translation perspective. I think there is something to the "structural" bridge qualities of the shoe that I think could be carried onto future models.
I will say the shoe came with a really cool package that included all the gear you need to get started into running including a running belt, hat, small water bottle and more. In that regard it might help make the price more reasonable and is kind of a cool entry point for many. I hope that keep that as part of the branding.
SHOP | SUPPORT DORDarimati BR-001Price: $169 at Darimati
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