We bought the Allbirds Tree Runners and wanted to share our honest review!
1. The style
We were drawn to the all-white Allbirds Tree Runners. We like the simple, minimalistic look. Plus, they’re neutral and pair great with almost any outfit! If the all-white look isn’t your vibe, they likely have a color you will like with both neutral and more colorful options.
2. Can wear without socks
These shoes are actually designed to be worn with or without socks. Going sockless adds a comfortable casual way to wear them.
3. Machine Washable
The idea of wearing tennis shoes without socks gave us some pause, but once we learned the shoes can be machine washed, we were more open to the idea.
4. Made with sustainable materials
The Allbirds Tree Runners are made with various sustainable sourced materials. The upper part of the show is made of eucalyptus tree fiber responsibly sourced from FSC® Certified forests. The midsole is claimed to be the world’s first carbon negative green EVA. The insole is made with “castor bean oil, which emits less carbon than petroleum-based foam, and ZQ Merino wool for a cushiony, moisture wicking, and odor reducing insole”. And finally, the laces are made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester. One old plastic bottle becomes one pair of shoelaces.
5. Sustainable Packaging
We love the sustainable packaging the Allbirds came in! The box of shoes doubled as the mailer – no boxes within boxes! Plus there was no plastic fillers or excessive packaging. The box and shoe inserts are recyclable.
6. Comfortable
All the pros of these shoes are meaningless if they aren’t comfortable. But luckily, we’re happy to report that the Allbirds Tree Runners are actually comfortable and live up to the hype. We started wearing these without socks for a few days for short walks around the neighborhood. Then to really put these to the test, we wore these (without socks) to Disney World for a day. Our feet never got achey or blisters!
1. No physical store near us to try on
Allbirds has several physical locations in a handful of cities around the world, but none near us. Also, they are not sold in any other retailer, so we had to resort to buying on-line. Yes, Allbirds does have a 30-day trial period where you can test them out and return or exchange with no questions asked. However, we personally like to avoid returning products via mail. Typically, when we do buy shoes online, we opt for a retailer like Nordstrom or Nordstrom Rack, so we can easily return to the store if necessary.
2. Not waterproof
The Allbirds Tree Runners are not waterproof. Luckily, we haven’t been caught in the rain while wearing these, but we imagine it’s not pretty (or comfortable!).
3. Thin fabric shows the outline of toes
This is a minor pet peeve, but every time we look down, we can see the outline of our toes (the big toe especially). This doesn’t happen in more traditional shoes, as they are less form fitting and have thicker material.
4. Gets dirty easily
This is our biggest gripe about the Allbirds Tree Runners. They get dirty super easily. We’re consciously trying to keep them clean (i.e. not walking on dusty trails, etc.). But even then, we’re finding it’s impossible to keep them clean. If it’s not our own child accidentally stepping on them, it’s other people’s kids (we wear these to Disney often, so maybe you won’t have this problem).
The Allbirds Tree Runners are definitely not the shoe to be wearing in rainy or snowy weather if you want to keep them looking their best!
5. Expensive
Some may find the Allbird Tree Runners to be on the expensive side for a pair of (walking) shoes.
6. Limited edition colors
If you see a color of Allbird Tree Runners you like, you may not be able to get them down the road, as many colors are limited edition.
For us, the Allbirds Tree Runners are worth it, as the pros outweigh the cons.
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about Allbirds:
Are Allbirds sold in stores?
Allbirds are not sold in traditional retailers like Nordstrom or DSW. Allbirds are only sold on-line (from their website) and in Allbirds stores.
List of Cities with Allbirds Stores:
CA
CO
D.C.
GA
IN
MA
MN
NJ
NY
PA
TX
WA
Outside the U.S.
Check out the Allbirds website for more details on store locations.
Thanks for reading! Hopefully this review was helpful if you’re trying to decide if the Allbirds Tree Runners are worth it.
