R.A.D. Running UFO Multi Tester Review: Pure Rad Fun! 5 Comparisons

R.A.D. Working UFO ($200)

Introduction

Sam: The R.A.D UFO exploded on the run scene the previous few months with essentially the most enjoyable wanting and brilliant shoe in a very long time, possibly ever?

On the current The Working Occasion the place we (and others) got pairs, they have been by far essentially the most visually hanging footwear on Riverwalk runs and on the present flooring.

However how does this twin density PEBA foam coach at a really respectable 8.85 oz / 251g US9 for its max cushion 42mm heel /  34mm forefoot stack peak match and run? Does the journey and match match the tremendous enjoyable seems? How does a shoe from a brand new UK/LA model first identified for edgy shoe geekery sneaker tradition  (R.A.D Intro Video),  and their first health club/purposeful health footwear, measure up in a crowded discipline of tremendous crucial foam powered run trainers? How does it examine to others in its mild and stacked class? My tackle that in my video comparability evaluate to others within the class right here and in Comparisons under with Peter.

Execs:

Very energetic tender journey: Sam/Peter

Gorgeous visible design that brilliantly matches the run expertise: Sam/Peter

Glorious power return: Peter/Sam

Very comfy higher: Peter/Sam

Glorious grip: Peter/Sam

Cons:

Greater priced than a number of opponents however with a superior high quality and becoming higher than the opponents: Sam/Peter

Gentle journey and excessive stack makes them not notably steady and may result in some fatigue on longer runs (over 10) or for gradual very straightforward runs”  Peter/Sam

Stats

Approx. Weight: males’s  8.85 oz / 251g US9 :: girls’s  oz / g US8

  Pattern Weights: 

     males’s  8.64 oz / 245g US8.5

     girls’’s oz / g US

Stack Peak: 42mm heel /  34mm forefoot 

Platform Width:  90mm heel /  80mm midfoot  / 110mm forefoot (at floor contact)

First Impressions, Match and Higher

Peter: What are these superior wanting scorching pink beauties? What’s RAD? Oh my. I feel the RAD UFO is a good wanting shoe. They take some design cues from basketball footwear—and have a pleasant excessive stack and an enormous ol’ slab of froth. Even my cynical 13 yr outdated mentioned they appear “robust”. 

Step-in is tremendous comfy and the properly padded tongue and glossy lacing system maintain the foot in place fantastically. Match is true to measurement for me. 

I’ve had no points with the higher–it’s been tremendous comfy each second of each mile.

First impressions on the run is that these are a robust contender for finest shoe of the yr. Enjoyable, enjoyable, enjoyable on the primary run. Gentle, bouncy, good at any pace and left me feeling contemporary. The UFO additionally has some good reflective touches that enable you to keep seen. 

Sam: We bumped into RAD on a pre The Working Occasion run within the Hemisfer park behind the conference heart. Off on a aspect road within the distance, we noticed a van and lots of brilliant ft. 

We knew it was RAD from miles away as their footwear are so colourful. Sally and I demoed pairs and RAD was variety to allow us to maintain them for this evaluate.

It’s all the time implausible, and truly fairly uncommon, when visible design completely matches the run expertise and right here with the UFO it does! The curving bulbous strains and brilliant colours level to enjoyable and power of the softer selection and that’s what the UFO delivers.

The higher, as befitting a $200 shoe, is premium in supplies, very comfy and lightweight.

The principle mesh is skinny, single layer, tender and supportive. To help the midfoot the eyestays combinE wire loops with s stout supporting construction (black and grey under). This permits the decrease skinny mesh to increase if wanted for larger quantity wider ft whereas for decrease quantity ones snugs the higher excessive of the foot. 

I’ve a better arch decrease quantity foot and at my true to measurement US8.5 / EU 42 within the pattern, I’ve to tug the laces very tight but in contrast to related conditions as soon as laced I’ve no extreme strain and a really ample midfoot maintain. Why? 

The slim tongue has a considerable heart high panel so no lace chew and likewise features a gusset. Do I want for a contact extra total help for the uptempo functions of the shoe and its tender midsole? Perhaps, by way of a bit denser thicker total mesh however I’ve no vital complaints.

The toes space is properly held with a considerable vertical inner toe bumper. 

Whereas simply behind the entrance there may be loads of properly held mesh give the toe field is a bit pointy and low (however not felt over my dodgy massive toes). This design is robably required to carry the foot in what’s a really unstructured and tender entrance of the shoe and likewise seems cool and quick after all of the curves in direction of the rear of the shoe. 

Midsole & Platform

Sam: The 42mm heel / 34 mm forefoot full stack peak is made up of a twin layer PEBA mix, a notably tender layer under the foot with a considerably firmer layer on the floor. 

The platform regardless of its bulbous joyous look is fairly common in width for such a excessive stack shoe at 90mm heel / 80mm midfoot / 110mm forefoot at outsole contact and a bit broader if one takes under consideration the froth past.

The texture is tender, tremendous bouncy and energetic. Pure enjoyable on the run! At 8.64 oz / 245g in my US8.5 pattern we have now a lightweight shoe accentuating its dynamic foam

This isn’t the firmer extra steady really feel of say New Stability’s FuelCell PEBA mix within the Insurgent v5. The foams favor sooner paces in direction of the entrance over gradual paced heel hanging the place issues can get a contact unstable on the rear of the shoe. I do suppose the decrease layer could possibly be firmed up a some to assist stabilize and likewise present a contact extra decisive response

Peter: The foams do their job right here. The primary run jogged my memory of the joyous bounce of the OG Vaporfly–or the later craziness of the Mizuno Wave Riot. 

Though it’s an enormous stack of froth at 42/34, I discover it fairly steady. Laborious corners generally is a little unstable, however I usually really feel like I keep on monitor. The softer layer of froth close to the foot could also be a hair too tender, however I don’t actually discover that on runs below 10 miles. I used to be a bit anxious that the froth would possibly collapse a bit over time, however I’m almost 100 miles in and so they really feel just about the identical as once I began. 

Outsole

Sam: The outsole is the now an more and more frequent CPU (forged polyurethane) compound seen for instance on the Mount to Coast H1, and more and more additionally on race supershoes. CPU “rubber” is lighter than standard rubber and in my expertise longer lasting permitting skinny outsoles, once more serving to scale back weights. Grip is great of moist and dry pavement. Whereas a largely inflexible rocker shoe they do have some far entrance flex, much like the EVO SL’s. 

Peter: The Outsole consists of a good quantity of uncovered foam with 4 massive sections of fairly agency rubber. Every part has grooves and a gap within the center. The result’s a really grippy and considerably agency outsole that helps agency up the journey, holds the street and permits for a robust toe-off. The outsole rubber is raised off of the underside of the shoe and decently thick. Put on appears to be minimal at 100 miles, so I count on that they are going to maintain up properly. 

Trip, Conclusions and Suggestions

Peter: Completely one in every of my favourite footwear from the primary run. I’ve reached for them for almost each run since I received them and so they’ve been simply implausible. It’s an almost good mixture of cushioning,power return and propulsion. They’re positively on the tender aspect, however I like that–and so they snap to consideration while you push them. The RAD UFO disappears on my foot and makes working actually, actually, actually FUN. I extremely suggest that anybody attempt a pair on and see how they really feel. It’s a good way to see what the brand new foams can really feel like. It’s laborious to imagine that that is RAD’s first foray right into a working shoe is such a banger, however it’s!

Peter’s Rating 9.8  Not a cheap shoe at $200 and I get a little bit fatigued once I go lengthy, however boy are they enjoyable. 

😊😊😊😊😊

Sam: Enjoyable seems meet an excellent enjoyable and energetic journey right here! Large smiles while you see them and massive smiles on the run. The tender and energetic foam, massive stack and comparatively broad platform had me bounding alongside. The UFO because of its softness and to a lesser extent its higher favors sooner paces over straightforward ones as it could actually really feel a bit unstable again on the heels. The UFO shines brightest for me at sooner every day coaching to tempo paces and, agreeing with Peter for medium size runs.

I feel a barely firmer decrease midsole layer might enhance its versatility. At $200 they’re on the expensive aspect however not out of line with direct opponents such because the Megablast and Superblast. There are decrease priced direct opponents such because the EVO SL and TYR Maverick-V1 however neither has the extra  premium higher of the UFO.

RAD’s debut shoe is for certain an “eye opener”, and on many ranges from of courseits seems to its 5 Smiles journey.

Sam’s Rating: 9.31 /10 😊😊😊😊😊

Trip (50%): 9.4 Supreme enjoyable however could possibly be a bit extra steady

Match (30%): 9.2 if the journey stays as tender as at present a bit extra midfoot help would enhance

Worth (15%): 9 Okay for a small model’s debut given premium supplies

Model (5%): 10 Homerun!

5 Comparisons

TYR Maverick-V1 (RTR Overview)

Sam: The $150 Maverick is one other out of left discipline eye opener from a model not identified for trainers earlier than. Significantly lighter and barely larger stack peak at 7.7 oz / 218g US 8.5  and with a 44/36 stack peak, the Maverick is considerably firmer and extra steady than the UFO. It’s extra sensible over a wider vary of paces and run sorts if extra “critical” driving and conventional and fewer enjoyable. It’s easy higher is simply high quality with superior foot maintain in comparison with the UFO however is rougher in really feel if nonetheless comfy and ample with, as with the Azura and EVO SL under a tradeoff partially to maintain the value low for such a shoe, $50 lower than the UFO.

RAD UFO Vs. Adizero EVO SL (RTR Overview)

Peter: These are two of my favourite footwear. The Asics Megablast is in there too. The Adidas EVO SL has a small plate on the midfoot and feels a little bit extra like a regular working shoe. The Adidas feels a little bit sooner and is firmer on the run. On longer runs I choose Adidas, however  for any every day quick run the RAD UFO is true there within the combine. Such a enjoyable shoe. 

Sam: Whereas there foams are related in tender energetic really feel, the inclusion of the small midfoot plate within the adidas relegates them to quick paces just for me as I discover them awkward and over inflexible in any other case. The adidas is a really cheap $150 however has a not so safe higher which solely accentuates the imbalance between tender foam and inflexible midfoot for me. 

RAD UFO Vs. Adizero EVO SL ATR (RTR Overview)

The EVO SL ATR variant (on street) with its fuller outsole with mini 1.5 Continental rubber lugs and clearly safer higher solves my points with the EVO SL. It delivers a extra balanced journey, extra stability and help, and a wider tempo (and terrain) vary than the UFO however with a extra critical and firmer (and heavier weight) character. Not a “enjoyable” shoe because the UFO is however a extra sensible one at a cheaper price level of $160 so the ATR is total a greater worth for a shoe that may vary to slippery situations and lightweight trails in addition to street.

RAD UFO Vs. ASICS Megablast (RTR Overview)

Peter: Each of those are non-plated tremendous footwear. I choose the higher of the RAD as I get a little bit little bit of rubbing in opposition to the surface of my foot within the Megablast. The Megablast could also be a little bit extra environment friendly, however the RAD is, properly, extra rad. It’s bouncier and a enjoyable change from different trainers. Each of those are implausible. You may’t go mistaken with both. 

Saucony Endoprhin Azura (RTR Overview)

Sam: The early 2026 releasing Azura is lighter at 7.72 oz/ 219g US8.5 sitting on a 2mm decrease stack peak. It’s PWRRUN Pb expanded beads PEBA foam is considerably firmer, extra steady and extra on the responsive aspect than the UFO tender bouncy spring. Additionally with a CPU outsole, its entrance toe off is nearly plate like and extra responsive. Its higher just isn’t as plushy, tender or skinny however is extra supportive. At $150 the Azura is a greater worth with a extra conventional feeling journey, dare I say extra “sensible”, however just isn’t almost as a lot pure enjoyable because the UFO.

R.A.D UFO

RAD RUNNING HERE

RAD UFO VIDEO PREVIEW AND MINI REVIEW

Index to all RTR critiques: HERE

Tester Profiles

Peter lives in California and has been a sub 3 hour marathoner in addition to a 1:21 half marathoner in recent times.

Sam is the Editor and Founding father of Highway Path Run. He’s in his 60’s with 2025 Sam’s 54th yr of working roads and trails. He has a many years outdated 2:28 marathon PR. As of late he runs halves within the simply sub 1:43 vary.  if he will get very, very fortunate. Sam trains 30-40 miles per week largely at reasonable paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Park Metropolis, Utah be it on the run, climbing or on nordic skis. He’s 5’9” tall and weighs about 160 lbs, if he isn’t having fun with too many high quality New England IPA’s.

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