REI Introduces Its First Trail Running Shoes Since 1970s

In the last 50 years, REI has come out with a lot of its own branded outdoor products. It’s made tents, rain jackets, sleeping bags, backpacks, hiking boots, trekking poles, and more.

But one product it hasn’t produced for decades is a trail runner. The last running shoe the brand made was the Second Wind sneaker in 1979, which sold for $20.

Now, the co-op jumps back into that space with a brand-new trail runner line called Swiftland. Not only is this shoe a big deal for REI, which has been out of the running shoe game for almost half a century, but, according to the brand, it’s also a big deal for the planet. The Swiftland is made with carbon-reduced technology and exclusively uses recycled and bio-based materials throughout its construction.

It’s REI’s latest contribution in a company-wide push toward sustainably designed outdoor products — a trend that has exploded in the outdoor industry in recent years. It’s also a statement from REI that it’s charging back into trail running footwear to meet customer needs.

“More than half of our customers who are hikers or campers are also runners,” said Fan Zhou, REI general manager for run and footwear. “So we developed the premium Swiftland collection and are expanding the run assortment we carry to give runners more options at the co-op.”

Swiftland Multi-Terrain Trail Runner Overview

The Swiftland’s most marketable feature is its eco-friendly design components. REI used either recycled materials or Bloom algae to build the major components of this shoe. Here’s the breakdown:

• 90% recycled PET FirmaKnit RUN upper 
• 10% Bloom algae TerraLoft RUN compound 
• 20% recycled rubber TerraGrip RUN outsole 
• 100% recycled PET laces and webbing 
• 100% recycled nylon rockplate 
• 75% recycled PET collar lining 
• 70% recycled PET collar foam 
• 70% recycled PET reinforcements 
• 30% Bloom algae sock liner 
• 30% recycled TPU haptic overlaps 

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But how do all of those components come together to perform on the trail? REI claims that it didn’t sacrifice any technical expectations by using so many eco-friendly materials in the Swiftland’s construction.

GearJunkie got its hands on an early testing pair of the Swiftlands to put that claim to the test.

And our tester had a lot of feedback.

REI Swiftland First Look Impressions

“Overall, this is a fine shoe for gravel paths at the park and benign trails,” Meghan Hicks, managing editor for GearJunkie’s sister site iRunFar, reported. “[In my opinion] it’s not made for fast or far running, and I don’t see it as compatible for running on technical terrain.”

That said, Hicks and our editors saw merits for some runners with the new Swiftland line.

What We Liked

First and foremost, the price is attractive. There aren’t many trail running shoes out there you can get for $130.

In fact, if you look at GearJunkie’s Best Trail Running Shoes of 2023, there are only two options that sell at that price point: the Salomon Pulsar Trail and the Saucony Peregrine 12.

Hicks also liked the midsole and stack of the shoe.

She commented that the midsole “feels super middle-of-the-road for midsole cushion versus responsiveness,” and the stack is “on the high side, but not as high as HOKAs. I would say middle-of-the-road-ish for what’s trending in trail stack heights.”

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The outsole is made from durable recycled rubber, which ought to handle the abuse of trail running. And the heel contour proved stable, with adequate cushioning on the inside.

“I also like the toe rand,” Hicks noted. “It’s less aggressive than most trail shoes, but I feel most trail shoes overdo it with toe protection.”

REI Swiftland: What Fell Short

The Swiftland’s outsole has good potential for traction because of the aggressive lugging the brand used. But that firm rubber significantly negates the grip factor.

That’s a tradeoff that some people might be willing to overlook — as long as they aren’t running on slippery or rough surfaces.

The Swiftland’s upper was another piece of the design that seemed to have some shortcomings. The knit fabric has no plastic overlays or anything else to add structure to it. That means you have to really crank the laces down to lock your foot in place. And that puts pressure on the top of your foot, potentially destabilizing the arch or outer midfoot.

“Other trail companies have already tried and failed in using knit for upper material, and I have no idea why REI did this knowing that history,” Hicks commented.

The REI Swiftland Multi-Terrain Trail Runner: Who Is It For?

Casual trail runners, joggers, and hikers should find the REI Swiftland well-suited for shorter runs and hikes on fairly mellow terrain. For anyone getting into running, or for those who frequent paved or gravel trails and bike paths, REI’s Swiftland seems like it should suffice.

If, however, you want to run fast, run on super-technical terrain, or go for long distances, you might be better off spending a little more and buying another trail running shoe that will be lighter, more supportive, and grippier.

This is REI’s first modern foray into running shoes, though. And the brand has time to tweak its designs as it ventures forth.

The Swiftland is just its initial step into the running space and part of the brand’s commitment to broaden its selection of running gear and invest more heavily in that category. There are sure to be more evolutions of the Swftland and other running shoe models from REI on the horizon.

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