Tracksmith Eliot Runner Review: Fasion-Forward Versatile Trainer

When you hear Tracksmith, what comes to mind? For us, it's quality racing gear, sepia-toned images of New England backroads and amateur runners that take themselves a little too seriously (us included). Everything the Boston-based running brand does has a certain quality-level to it—refined and uncompromising—so we were excited to see how that philosophy translated to their first running shoe. Let's get into it.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Overview & Specs

The Tracksmith Eliot Runner is a lightweight daily trainer designed for everyday running use as well as to look good for casual wear. The shoe is built with performance and durability in mind, from the thick gumsole to the PEBA midsole to the suede-trimmed upper. It's moderately cushioned with 33.5 mm of foam in the heel and 24.5 mm of foam in the forefoot to create a classic 9mm running shoe drop.

The Eliot Runner was released in December 2022 and is available in a range of muted colorways including a navy/ivory, an all-ivory, an all black—and the clean ivory with navy sash look that we have. The aesthetics are reminiscent of one of the iconic tennis-inspired shoes so revered in menswear culture like the Adidas Stan Smith and Nike Killshot.

At $198, the Tracksmith Eliot Runner has a $40 to $70 premium over daily trainers from mainstream brands like the Saucony Ride 16 ($140), Nike Pegasus 40 ($130) and On Cloudsurfer ($160). Part of that comes from the brand producing the shoes in smaller batch sizes and not benefiting from economies of scale; another part comes from the considered materials that are used; and the final piece comes from Tracksmith pricing the shoe like a luxury product to reflect the brand's positioning. 

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Midsole: Dual-Density PEBA

The midsole of the Tracksmith Eliot Runner is constructed with two-types of Pebax, which is one of the brand names for PEBA foam—the top-tier performance running foam in the game right now. PEBA is lighter weight than traditional running shoe foams like EVA and TPU, and it has better energy return and a softer cushioned feeling underfoot. The Eliot Runner uses a 9mm supercritical layer of Pebax in the removable sockliner atop a bed of standard Pebax in the midsole.

The removable sockliner in the Eliot Runner is the shoe's unique feature that makes it stand out against others in the market. And it's not just a marketing gimmick. On step-in, the supercritical PEBA provides a soft and cushioned feeling different than other shoes we've tested. The sockliner itself is also beautifully designed, with the Tracksmith logo stitched in gold on top of a navy material reminiscent of silk.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Ride: Balanced & Responsive

On the run, the Tracksmith Eliot Runner feels balanced and responsive, with the shoe leaning to the firmer side of the daily training spectrum in 2023. It's not overly bouncy from the dual-density Pebax, as the bottom layer of non-supercritical Pebax provides firmness and structure to the ride. The supercritical sockliner provides a nice and subtle cushioned squish with each stride, which can particularly be felt at slower paces and walking. 

The Eliot Runner doesn't have a rockered platform, so it relies on the propulsion of its foam and the 9mm drop to provide a go-forward sensation. Unlike some of the other PEBA-based and super foam shoes on the market that are bouncy and rockered—e.g., the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3—the Eliot Runner doesn't do the work of running for you. It rewards a calm and controlled cadence and feels best at everyday aerobic running paces through to the marathon pace. It's a shoe that's meant to help you build strength—which gets to the heart of what training is about.

I've run every type of session imaginable in the Tracksmith Eliot Runner, from 200 meter repeats at mile race pace to 90 minute medium long runs. The shoe can handle speedier efforts due to the Pebax—it responds well when pushed, and while it's not as propulsive as a true uptempo workout shoe like the Adidas Takumi Sen, it feels at home at those efforts. It's not my favorite for runs longer than 6 to 8 miles, as I prefer a softer feel like what's found in the Hoka Mach 5 or a more cushioned platform like the Saucony Endorphin Speed 3.

The Eliot Runner began development in the late 2010s, and the shoe reflects the preferences of that era. While the ride still feels pleasant, it's not as soft and cushioned as the daily training and easy running shoes that are so popular right now like the Asics Gel-Nimbus 25 or Saucony Triumph 21. It's definitely not a max-cushioned cruiser or designed for pure recovery runs, as it has a solid amount of ground feel in the forefoot. 

The benefit of the firmer, lower-profile feel is that the Eliot Runner is highly stable and does fantastic double duty as a walking shoe and, in a pinch, a travel hiker. I took my model hiking in the Pocono mountains (as a North Carolinian, I cringe at calling those mountains; they're more like rolling hills) and they handled the rocky terrain with ease. That's also due to the upper construction and outsole, which we'll dive into next.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Upper: Quality Materials & Lockdown

The Tracksmith Eliot Runner's upper is beautiful and durable. The upper material is an engineered mesh that feels structured without being rigid. There lacing area and heel collar uses a firmer material that's topped with suede, and there's subtle stitching throughout the upper. A woven sash on the midfoot adds the brand's signature and provides a great lockdown when you cinch the laces.

The Eliot Runner is one of those rare shoes that has the right lockdown no matter how hard you tie the laces. With a looser-tied feel, it's comfortable for walking and slower runs. With the laces tied tight, the platform feels ready to tackle speedier efforts. I often wear the Eliot Runner as a casual shoe and keep the laces double–square knotted and tied on the looser side; with this set-up, it's super easy to slip on and off, as the heel collar functions as a pseudo–shoe horn. It's also comfortable to wear sockless for walking; I haven't tried running in it sockless (that's not my jam), but with the right lockdown it should be comfortable for that as well.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Outsole: Quality Materials & Lockdown

The Eliot Runner has a rubber gum outsole that on the eye-test looks to cover about 90% of the foam on the bottom of the platform, one of the highest-coverage road shoes we've tested. I've seen some reviewers comment that the rubber dampens the ride, but I haven't experienced this effect. If anything, the rubber provides more stability on landing and a grippier platform for toe-off at faster paces.

I appreciate the thicker coating of rubber for everyday use and the versatility it gives the shoe for off-pavement efforts. I've taken the Eliot Runner on mountain trails and beach paths, and it handles rocks, mud and sand with ease. With around 150 miles of runnning use combined with 6 months of weekly casual wear, the lateral heel area is beginning to show signs of wear but is not completely worn through. I scuff this area in all of my shoes, with it typically giving out between 200 and 300 miles. 

Based on the amount I've worn the shoe for casual wear and the types of miles I've run, the shoe's outsole has above average durability for me so far compared to shoes with similar rubber set-ups like the Saucony Triumph and Saucony Endorphin Shift 3. I'll update the review with a mileage number once I've worn through the outsole in that lateral area.

Final Thoughts

The Tracksmith Eliot Runner is a quality running shoe with durable materials that look good, feel good and perform well. It's great for everyday running, though not as cushioned as popular daily trainers and uptempo shoes like the Asics Novablast 3, Saucony Endorphin Speed 3 or On Cloudsurfer. The firmer feel makes it a good option for walking, hiking and casual wear, while the lockdown and Pebax also means it performs well for faster training. If you're willing to pay the $50 Tracksmith premium, it's a good buy that will have lots of longevity.

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