BR-001 Overseas Reviews Roundup: What Score Did the Shoe Get When Cut in Half?

DARIMATI is a brand that started from running shoes. Hybrid training shoes come from all sorts of backgrounds, such as weightlifting shoes or running shoes, and we chose running shoes as our root. We felt everyday movement is closer to running, and that a shoe is only worth something if it's comfortable in daily life.

When making the BR-001, we weighed up responsiveness, cushioning, and grip, and kept asking, “Can you move around steadily in daily life without getting hurt?” As a next step, we decided to have running experts evaluate it. We knew it would be hard to score higher than dedicated running shoes, but since our roots are in running shoes, it was feedback we really wanted to hear.

From February to April this year, three US running publications covered the BR-001. There was welcome news, and there was some that stung quite a bit. In this note, we didn't pick out only the praise, and laid it all out as it was.

For reference, all three reviews were done with pre-launch samples. Each publication received a different sample and measured a different size, so figures such as weight differ slightly.

“What score does a shoe get when you cut it in half?” — 1. RunRepeat

RunRepeat is a publication that cuts shoes in half and measures weight, cushion height, firmness, and breathability with equipment. They compare with numbers, not feel.

The BR-001 received an overall score of 77 (Good) and a stability score of 83. It's a shoe built with a focus on stability, so the direction the brand aimed for shows up directly in the score. Below is a comparison with high-scoring shoes from other brands, and you can see the BR-001 leads in the stability category.

What Did RunRepeat Like and Not Like About the BR-001?

What was good

• Responsiveness of the A-TPU foam: Forefoot energy return was 68.7%, higher than the 61.5% average. The reviewer said, in essence, that they were pleasantly surprised.
• Stable ride
• Sturdy toe box and quality materials
• Design that's easy to wear every day, with reflective materials
• Well suited to cold weather thanks to the triple-layer mesh

What fell short

• Weight: At 306g, it was heavier than the measured average of 261g.
• Breathability: 2 out of 5.
• Firmness: It barely flexes, so they judged it unsuited to fast-tempo runs or racing.

The overall verdict: it's excellent for easy runs and everyday use, but the heavy weight and firm sole narrow its uses.

The toe box height came in more than 6mm above the average. It's also a part that people who've tried the shoe on especially like. At the Hyundai Department Store Pangyo pop-up, we heard many people say, “The toe box is roomy, so my toes don't get squished.”

“How did a runner who's been running for 54 years see the BR-001?” — 2. Road Trail Run

Road Trail Run is a publication where multiple runners wear the shoes, run in them, and write up their impressions. The BR-001 was reviewed by editor-in-chief and founder Sam Winebaum. He's a veteran who has been running for 54 years and has a marathon personal best of 2 hours 28 minutes.

The review title itself pinpointed the brand concept: “City Ready Run Trainer and Sneaker.”

What Pros and Cons Did Road Trail Run Point Out?

What was good

• A-TPU foam that's firm yet responsive, to the point of saying “the midsole is the star of this shoe”
• Light for its size: the sample weighed 267g (US 8). He was amazed, saying that a conventional EVA foam and rubber build of the same structure would have come close to 310g.
• Very high stability: he introduced in detail what DARIMATI calls Bridge Mechanics, a structure that compression-molds the inner side of the midsole to increase its density.
• Grip good enough for light trails, and a CPU outsole that looks like it will last
• Called the quick lace button, which you press in the middle to tighten, “genius”

What fell short

• The heel area is overly stable and firm
• The cord lace doesn't pass through the eyelets easily, making it hard to cinch tight
• The outsole is wide and thick, so it needs to be split up to flex better

Pulling these points together, he summed it up as “closer to a stability shoe than a neutral running shoe.”

The sentence that stayed with us the longest was this one. He said the BR-001 wants to bridge many uses, including the city running trainer, city sneaker, gym, and even light trails, and that it comes quite close. The story we put into the name “Dari” (bridge) was recognized first by the editor of a US running publication.

“How did physical therapists rate the BR-001?” — 3. Doctors of Running

Doctors of Running is a publication run by running experts, including physical therapists. They look closely at how a shoe affects the body as well.

What was good

• Stable base, with an outsole they said “gives great confidence”
• An upper that holds the foot firmly
• Simple design that's easy to wear every day

What fell short

• The firm A-TPU midsole combined with a thick outsole makes the landing rather hard
• Can feel hard on paved roads

The one-line verdict was this: it's good enough for walking and all-day wear, and that's the use it fits best right now. They closed with “not far from the goal.”

“What did all three publications agree on?”

Putting the three reviews side by side, the common points were clear.

What Do the Three Reviews Have in Common?

The shared strength is stability. All three publications called the BR-001 a stable shoe. Steady, unwavering stability is what DARIMATI thought about first from the start.

The shared weakness is firmness. In particular, the heel and sole are firm, so it falls short for fast, long runs. Looking at it purely as a running shoe, it's clearly homework.

Opinions on weight were split. RunRepeat called it heavy, while Road Trail Run said it's surprisingly light for its size.

“What did we change after the reviews?” — BR-001 Black, and VT-001

▲ BR-001 Oyster Grey · Sand Beige · Core Black

The BR-001 now comes in 3 colors: Oyster Grey, Sand Beige, and Core Black. But the three colors aren't exactly the same shoe.

The Grey that the overseas publications reviewed has a triple-layer mesh upper. It's tightly layered and woven, so it's sturdy and blocks wind and cold well. It suits Korea's cold winters, but the trade-off is added weight and lower breathability than other running shoes. RunRepeat's “heavy” and “breathability 2/5” came from here.

So for the Black we made later, we changed the upper first. We used a highly breathable mesh, so much so that your fingers show through behind it. The thing we've heard most from people who've worn the Black is “it's light.” The part most criticized in the reviews became the part most praised in the Black.

The Black weighs 261g at 260mm (US 8). The stability all three publications praised stays the same across all three colors. That's because they all use the same A-TPU midsole and stable heel.

We fixed the laces too. The “laces don't tighten well” issue the Road Trail Run reviewer pointed out has been improved in both the BR-001 Black and the VT-001.

The running publications' “firm” and “closer to a stability shoe” are drawbacks if you look only at long-distance running. But in the moment you push a sled, do lunges, or lift a barbell, a steady footing comes first. DARIMATI's direction of starting from running shoes and building a bridge toward weight training has actually become clearer thanks to the running experts' feedback.

Closing Thoughts

It would have been easy to post only the good reviews. Still, we believe what a first-year brand needs is accurate feedback, not praise. If you've tried the shoes yourself, please leave your thoughts in the comments. We'll use them when we make our next shoe.

You can read the original reviews below.

• RunRepeat: Cut in half: Darimati BR-001 Review (2026)
• Road Trail Run: Darimati BR-001 Review: City Ready Run Trainer and Sneaker
• Doctors of Running: DARIMATI BR-001: Quick Evaluation (2026)

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