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The Tracksmith Eliot Ryder is a max-cushioned trainer made for clocking big miles – and looking good while doing it. It deploys an interesting drop-in-midsole set-up that puts 25mm of supercritical ATPU foam directly underfoot. It also showcases Tracksmith’s trademark attention to premium style. But is there’s substance beneath that stylish exterior? Is it a rival to the best running shoes out there? And is it worth paying Tracksmith’s premium? Run Testers Nick and Kieran have done the test miles to find out. Here’s the verdict in our Tracksmith Eliot Ryder review.
Design & Key Stats
- Price: £220 / $250
- Weight: 10.4oz / 295g (men’s UK 8.5 / US 9.5)
- Drop: 7mm
- Stack Height: 45mm / 37.5mm
- Upper: Woven uppers
- Midsole: Supercritical ATPU
- Outsole: Rubber net mesh
Tracksmith Eliot Ryder review
How’s The Fit
Kieran: “I ran in a UK 8.5 / US 9.5, whcih would be my regular size and the fit and comfort of the Eliot Ryder was excellent in my regular size. Though I did have to pay close attention to lashing down the laces to avoid slipping. I’d describe the fit as roomy into the forefoot but effortless comfortable with good heel hold, enough wiggle room in the toe box to cater for long runs and long time on feet. No issues at all with fit.”
Nick: “I’ve had a really good fit with the shoe, which is a bit different to what I’ve had with Tracksmith shoes in the past, like the Eliot Runner and the Racer. The sizing on those I found was a little bit hit and miss, and I had to go a few sizes down. But I was very happy in my normal running shoe size.
“It’s comfortable, breathes pretty well. There’s not too much cushioning on the tongue, which I don’t always love, and there’s a bit around the heel without being excessive. So I think it’s a good upper all round, and I’d just stick to your normal running shoe size.”
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The Run Test: Likes
Nick: “I’ve been really impressed by the Eliot Ryder. I think this is the best Tracksmith shoe to date in terms of how well it competes with the other options in its category. The Eliot Runner was a pretty solid traditional daily trainer that I didn’t think give you quite as much punch as some of the best daily trainers out there. And then the Eliot Racer was a little bit short of the standards of the best carbon plate running shoes. It felt more like a trainer-racer to me than a pinnacle racing shoe.
“But the Eliot Ryder is definitely up there with the best max cushion shoes for me. The shoes I really love, things like the Nike Vomero Plus, the Hoka Clifton Pro, even the Asics Novablast 6.
“It also doesn’t feel like a super-max cushion shoe, which is what Tracksmith was really going for here. They wanted to create a shoe that gave you a lot of cushioning without looking like one of those big tanky cruisers out there. It isn’t as wide as some of those shoes, but I haven’t had a problem with stability. It doesn’t feel so big on the foot. It has quite a narrow profile almost on the foot, so it flows quite nicely.
“The cushioning is really good. It’s a really nice material in terms of the balance it offers. It’s nice and soft under the heel. You don’t sink in a crazy amount. It’s not quite as squishy as something like Nike Vomero Plus. You get a little bit of sink, followed by a really nice level of response.
“The energy does come back to you very quickly and naturally with the Eliot Ryder, and the transition is quite smooth.
“The outsole is also pretty good. I think if you get nice full coverage here, pretty durable material, works quite well on light trails. There’s almost a gravel shoe vibe to it in a way, with the amount of coverage you get, even if there’s not full lugs.”
Kieran: “I really like this shoe. I like how it looks, I like how it performs, I like the versatility of it. I like that it’s peppier than you’d expect. It’s by far the best Tracksmith shoe I’ve run in and I’ve got it down as one of the best cushioned shoes out there (if you can excuse the price).
“Comfort is excellent. A really welcoming instant step-in feel, with some Goldilocks padding and uppers that support but flex. It just feels really nice on the foot and delivers good long-run comfort. Just make sure you lace it in well to avoid slipping.
“I was impressed by how energetic and bouncy it is. It’s soft and cushioned, as you’d expect for this stack size, but it’s got good spring to it, a lot of fun energy coming back underfoot. That can definitely handle pace.
“The way this setup works, with your foot sat on top of ATPU drop-in rather than it sitting underneath, really gives it a boosted feel that kind of urges you to move up a gear.
“I found it handled pace up to around marathon pace really well. And I enjoyed it most running long at a fast cruising pace.
“If you’re after max cushion with marshmallow softness for slow and easy, this isn’t it. It’s livelier than those kinds of shoes and that I can get on board with.
“Though I got enough protection for the lower paces too. And that’s perhaps one of the standouts for me. I don’t think this feels like a max stack shoe. It’s cushioned enough, but it’s not bulky. It feels nippy and dynamic.
“I think it’d be interesting to see what would happen if Tracksmith dialled down the style details a bit, cut some of the weight, because I think the midsole delivers a lot. And if this could drop a bit, it’d really ramp up the faster credentials.”
The Run Test: Dislikes
Kieran: “Probably the biggest criticism with the Tracksmith Eliot Ryder is the price. It’s right up there with the most expensive options on the daily trainer shelves and regardless of how well it performs – or how nice it looks – when you compare it to some of the excellent options at £140/$150, it makes it harder to recommend. We often level the same criticism at the best On Running shoes.”
Nick: “Price is going to be a problem as ever with Tracksmith shoes. It’s priced above the market standard, even in this quite expensive max-cushion category. You’re certainly going to find better value options out there.”
Verdict And Alternatives
Kieran: “It’s a very different-looking max cushioned trainer, with Tracksmith’s trademark attention to aesthetic detail. But this isn’t just style over substance. I think it delivers on the ride too. What you get here is a really good, versatile daily trainer.
“I often think of max cushion being more about comfort and impact eating more than speed. But this flips that somewhat with a welcome lively ride. It’s also about the best suitcase shoe going. Looks good with casual everyday gear. So a great option for holidays.
“The one drawback with Tracksmith is the price. If we’re talking purely about the performance and the types of runs it’ll cater for, there are equal or better shoes that come in quite a lot cheaper.
“But this shoe does something quite unique. Pulls off a winning aesthetic that’s more subtle than most running shoes, but it also delivers on the move.
“In terms of the ride, another shoe I’d look at here might be the Asics Novablast 6 which can cover the same types of runs. It’s not as good looking but I can lace it up for much the same miles as the Eliot Ryder.”
Nick: “I think it’s progress. Tracksmith has a shoe here is competitive within its category on performance and one of the better options out there.
“I really enjoyed running the shoe. I think it’s one of the best max-cushioned shoes out there. It’s comfortable. It’s pretty fun to run in. It’s fairly versatile and looks good too for casual use.
“The price is high, but if the design really suits you and you want a shoe that can really do everything in terms of running and then just going around town, the Eliot Ryder is certainly a very strong option. I really did enjoy all my runs in it, especially going for longer distances.
“Alternatives I’d look at include the Nike Vomero Plus. It’s a little bit heavier than the Eliott Ryder, but it’s wider, feels thicker and bigger on the foot, and bouncier with that Zoom X midsole that I think does give you a slightly softer, squishier feel, but then really does bounce back well.
“The Saucony Triumph 24 has a great aliphatic TPU midsole and I think it’s pretty similar all round to the Tracksmith Eliot Ryder. Then there’s Hoka Clifton Pro which has quite a similar feeling midsole in many ways, but has a more rockered design which I tend to like. The R.A.D UFO is also one to check out.”