Better known for its sports apparel, SUDU is dipping its toe in the daily trainer market. Our expert run tester Kieran Alger gives us his verdict.
The SUDU SRM 01 is the debut shoe from brand new running brand, SUDU. We recently tested their tees and shorts. The makers say this daily trainer is designed for fast-paced performance at any distance and at £125 it’s at the cheaper end for an everyday running shoe. But does this newcomer have what it takes to compete with the best running shoes going? We’ve put in the test miles to find out.
Men’s Fitness verdict
For its first shoe, SUDU gets a lot of things right with the SRM 01. We reckon it has a robust enough design to go the distance but it lacks the energetic ride of its rivals.- Gym-run versatility
- Well balanced cushioning
- Good durability
- Not as energetic as rival daily trainers
- A bit long in the toe
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SUDU SRM 01 design
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a debut shoe, the SUDU SRM 01 (buy now) doesn’t break much new ground. Despite packing a supercritical (read high energy) midsole, it boasts a pretty traditional design with a lowish 27mm / 19mm midsole stack and a calf-friendly 8mm drop.
The midsole features what SUDU calls its Spring Foam+ – a high-rebound engineered TPEE supercritical foam. Overall the midsole is quite flat; there’s not much by way of a rocker. This shoe relies a lot on that supercritical foam to deliver the ride energy.
Up top, the Speedweave+ engineered knit uppers are quite thick but still offer good flex and breathability for an on-foot feel that’s generally comfortable and airy enough.
Comfort is boosted by medium padded heel collars and flat-wrapping tongues that have elasticated straps to prevent them from shifting about.
The outsole has a really generous covering of rubber to protect the midsole and boost durability. This shoe feels built to last. Meanwhile a few different grip patterns help the SRM01 stick reliably to the road in most conditions.
At 262g or 9.25oz in my UK men’s 8.5 test shoe size, the SUDU SRM 01 is a midweight daily trainer, tipping the scales around the same as something like a New Balance 1080 v13.
At £125, it’s also at the more affordable end of the running shoe shelves, though it’s not currently available in the US.
SUDU SRM 01 fit
When it comes to fit, I ran in my regular running shoe size which is a UK 8.5 and I’d recommend going true to size. There’s good heel hold and reliable midfoot lockdown without any irritating lace pinch.
The only minor fit issue I had was the length. The SRM 01 has more than a thumb’s width towards the end of the toe box. That’s great if you suffer a bit from toe-bashing but I found it marginally too long and made the ride more slappy and less smooth.
SUDU SRM 01 performance
In testing, I clocked about 25 miles in the SUDU SRM 01, most of them at very easy pace up to an hour each time with the odd faster effort thrown in to test the fast-pace potential.
It’s fair to say that debut shoes often miss the mark. They can be too firm, too blocky, not always that refined when it comes to the uppers and construction. That’s not the case here.
This is generally a well put-together shoe with good quality construction and materials. It’s got all the hallmarks of a running shoe that’ll last long miles.
However, at the same time as being a generally competent, consistent performer with pretty balanced cushioning and energy, it hasn’t blown me away. It feels slightly safe and unremarkable and it’s dropping into an area with some serious competition.
The supercritical midsole is at the firmer, responsive end, rather than cushioned and springy. That’s not necessarily a bad thing depending on what you’re looking for. But don’t expect the liveliest ride. It’s not entirely dull and dead but it’s certainly more Brooks Ghost 16 or Glycerin 21 than ASICS Novablast 4. And if you like your shoes pillowy soft, or big stacked with high rebound, this won’t be for you.
It reminds me a little of a lower stack, tamer Nike Vomero 17 or maybe even the new Adidas Supernova Rise. It’s in that ballpark, though maybe not as lively.
I mentioned they fit a bit long and that means the ride can feel a bit slappy up front where the extra length leaves the forefoot under the toes a little disconnected. At least for my feet.
Often with firmer, more responsive midsoles, you get more rockering to add some snap and smoothness to the transitions but that’s missing here. A more curved forefoot would pep up the ride and perhaps kick this shoe closer to an energetic HOKA Mach 6 kind of vibe. Without it, it’s all just a smidgen flat. Though the stability was good and there’s a nice reliability to the landings with a consistent platform to run off.
Should you buy the SUDU SRM 01?
For a debut shoe, the SUDU SRM01 gets a lot right. It’s got well-built durability, comfort is generally solid and while it lacks the energy of other top daily trainers – like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 or a Mach 6 – it’s not devoid of energy.
It kind of falls into that reliable workhorse bracket. Cushioned enough to take the edge off the road but it’s not going to fire you through the miles with much extra efficiency.
If you’re a paid-up member of the big-stack, bouncy cushion brigade, the lower stack and firmer-tuned foam might not be for you. If you like more ground connection and a consistent ride, it might just work.
I enjoyed my miles in the SUDU SRM01 but I didn’t fall in love with them. They’re good, not great. When it comes to upper-pace potential the SRM 01 can’t compete with the liveliest daily trainers. And even though they’re well priced at £125, they don’t quite hit the spot like the Saucony Ride 17 ($140 / £135), the Adidas Supernova Rise ($140 / £130) and the Puma Velocity Nitro 3 ($135 / £110).
