Has anyone on here run in K-Swiss shoes? I know they're making a push into the running and multi-sport markets, sponsoring the LA Marathon and partnering with Trek to form an elite triathlon team, so I'm wondering if their product is actually any good? One of their shoes is customizable, with different inserts for different amounts of support and weight for different types of workouts; it sounds like it might be a little gimmicky, but could also be a good idea. Thoughts, letsrun?
There are better options available, no need to try and reinvent the wheel.
I like the look of the K-Ruuz.
People may find the name makes them vaguely contemplate taking a shortcut though.
From a guy that works in the running footwear industry- they're terrible. Low quality uppers, clunky ride, poor fit. They're better than that $9.99 rack at Wal-Mart, but they're certainly not on par with several other companies that are making multisport-oriented shoes (Saucony and Zoot, to be more specific).
bump
Anyone else--is the quality really that bad?
"There are better options available"
So you are saying you have personally tried these?
I'm saying that there are already a lot of great options on the market, not much sense in taking a chance on these. Especially given the industry insider feedback from above. Look at their racing flat, looks basically like the Brooks Racer ST or Adidas AdiZero Mana or Asics DS Racer or Saucony Fastwitch or Mizuno Musha. Those are all quality shoes, versus the unknown (yet dubious from the feedback above) quality of KSwiss running product. Do I have to have "personally tried" UnderArmour shoes to estimate that they probably aren't better than anything else out there?
Mr industry insider...if you were truly aware of the industry you would know that the gentleman behind KSwiss running is also the guy that got Mizuno to be the brand that it is, and also who got Zoot to be a top tri-brand. Kswiss will be a good product...give it time.
Yeah, the Zoot shoes have done really well????
industry insider? wrote:
Mr industry insider...if you were truly aware of the industry you would know that the gentleman behind KSwiss running is also the guy that got Mizuno to be the brand that it is, and also who got Zoot to be a top tri-brand. Kswiss will be a good product...give it time.
Members of the same team that gave us Mizuno also gave us Fila and Underarmour shoes, from what I understand.
Earl wrote:
Yeah, the Zoot shoes have done really well????
Zoot doesn't SELL well (priced way too high the last couple years, IMO), but it is a workable, quality product. The same can't be said for K-Swiss at this point.
If I buy them for my wife, will she become the hottest woman on the planet?
I'm pretty sure that guy is a sales manager and has very little to do with product development. And he's ready to jump ship.
Like everyone has said, there are a lot of better options out there. K-Swiss is spending tons of marketing to try and get in the running game but if you read their financials, they're tanking and going nowhere fast.
They remind me of Reebok back in the 90's...spend tons on marketing sub-par product and then disappear a few years later.