The lululemon Blissfeel Trail Running Shoe was launched in May 2023 and marks a significant milestone – it’s lululemon’s first women’s running shoe designed to be worn from ‘door to trail’.
That is, unlike its relative, the Blissfeel 2 running shoe, which is designed to perform best on pavements, the Blissfeel Trail has some different features that make it specifically designed so that you can wear it not just on pavement, but on trails as well.
Having reviewed all of lululemon’s women’s running shoes (as featured in our lululemon shoes buyer’s guide) I was excited to get hold of one of the first pairs of blissfeel trail shoes and share my thoughts with Trail & Kale readers in this Blissfeel Trail review.
By the way, in case you’re wondering, lululemon likes to refer to their brand name and some products starting with a lower case rather than capital letter – it’s not a typo 😉
Blissfeel Trail sizing and fit
The sizing of the Blissfeel Trail women’s running shoes is consistent with the Blissfeel 2, in that they fit true to size.
They’re available in half as well as full-sizes, so stick to the usual size that you’d wear for other trainers or running shoes.
The fit in the heel is similar to other lululemon running shoes I’ve reviewed – intentionally well-fitted to suit most women’s heels, which are relatively slender in this area. The fit here is comfortable and helps the shoe stay in place even before you’ve done the laces up.
Moving on to the toe box area, like the re-engineered Blissfeel 2 and Chargefeel 2 shoes, there’s a comfortable amount of space in terms of width and height, to suit most medium-width feet like mine.
While I noted on lululemon’s website that they suggest women with wider feet go up half a size, I think it’s worth trying your regular size, even if your feet are slightly wider than average across your toes as there is a good amount of width there already.
It’s also worth noting that as you can see in the photos, the toe end is quite pointy, meaning some length is not occupied by your toes – a larger size is also going to be longer in this area.
I’d like to see this re-shaped in future versions of the shoe, to be a little shorter / rounder, more similar in profile to other lululemon shoes like the Strongfeel, as well as other popular trail running shoes we’ve reviewed here at Trail & Kale.
Having the shoe closer in length to the ends of your toes (while still allowing some room so they don’t hit the end) would provide greater confidence on more rugged trails (when you’re jumping over obstacles such as rocks and roots) that you’re not going to catch a toe on them.
Need to know specifications
- Weight: 280g (9.9oz) in a US Women’s Size 8
- Drop: 9.5mm
- Toe box width: Medium
- Stability: Neutral
- Cushioning: Moderate
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Who the Blissfeel Trail running shoes are designed for
lululemon’s Blissfeel Trail shoes are specifically designed for women who want to be able to run on a variety of terrains and want one shoe that can do it all.
So, if you already run on roads, or perhaps you want to take up running a mixture of roads, parks and light trails – perhaps all in the same run – and want one shoe you can wear for all of the above, then this women’s running shoe is one to consider.
It’s what the running shoe industry calls a ‘door-to-trail’ running shoe, that you can wear out your front door (or parked car), along pavements and streets until you get to the park, trail or fire road that you plan to continue running on.
This capability is primarily due to the different outsole (tread) design used for this shoe, which I explain later in this Blissfeel Trail review.
So if you like to run a variety of terrain, or think that will appeal to you and would like the improved confidence underfoot on trail terrain compared to wearing a regular road running shoe, this could be the running shoe for you – especially if you’re already a fan of the original Blissfeel or Blissfeel 2 lululemon running shoes.
The key features to know about
Upper and fit
The upper is made with a mesh that’s somewhat breathable.
While it’s not the airiest running shoe out there, that’s by design: It’s lined with fabric that offers sweat-wicking and breathability while preventing trail dirt from entering the toe end of the shoe.
I love the reflective details all over the shoe.
There are some on the toe end, the lace loop that prevents the tongue from sliding down or sideways in the shoe, and on the heel, together with a lululemon logo on the heel. You can see photos of these details close-up in the image gallery at the end of this review.
The laces are a good length, with a little bit of give, making them easy to do up and get a good, comfortable fit that’s not too tight, not too loose.
Style and colors
As you’d expect from a lululemon trail running shoe, like their other running shoes and apparel, the Blissfeel Trail look great.
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The shape is an attractive design, and these trail shoes are available in a wide (and ever-changing) range of color options.
Midsole and cushioning
The midsole of a running shoe includes the cushioning between the sole of your foot and the bottom of the shoe.
With the Blissfeel Trail you get a moderate amount of cushioning that’s focused in the center of the foot.
This means you can feel the trail underfoot when landing towards the front of your foot, which can be helpful on certain trails to help with stability as you run through uneven terrain.
Outsole
The Blissfeel Trail feature unique, round lugs on the outsole. Like other trail running shoes, having lugs in the outsole helps with grip and traction on uneven, loose terrain.
Most trail running shoes we test and review have more angular lugs, such as in a diamond or chevron (arrow) pattern, so the circles are a little different!
These are door-to-trail shoes, not exclusively trail running shoes. As such, they’re designed to be capable on mild trails, as well as comfortable on pavement, and this lug shape seems to help with that.
Blissfeel 2 vs Blissfeel Trail running shoe comparison
I happen to have both of these lululemon shoes in the same size, and a similar colorway, which makes for an easy comparison.
The shoes do have a lot of similarities. Overall shape, including the tongue, lacing style, profile and heel-to-toe drop of 9.5mm is the same in both.
The main differences are in the laces, upper design and outsole tread.
The laces do up in the same way, but are narrower and rounder in the Blissfeel Trail.
The upper looks very different to the road shoe version of the Blissfeel. While the shape is similar, the mesh and seams have a very different style to them.
See above for a comparison of the outsole. The Blissfeel Trail’s circular lugs are designed to provide better grip on looser and uneven terrain than the more tire-like road shoe tread of the Blissfeel 2.
Blissfeel Trail performance review
I’ve been testing the lululemon Blissfeel Trail running shoes on the paths and trails near Trail & Kale HQ in California.
As referenced above, I love and appreciate how well these shoes fit when you slip them on. They have a good foot-hugging feel to them, and the laces mean you can do them up once and forget about adjusting the laces during your run – something which can be necessary with other trail running shoes.
I agree with their description of door-to-trail shoes. I like how comfortable they are when running on hard, paved surfaces, and yet the grip is noticeably ‘sticky’ and you get a good amount of traction as a result.
The grip is also great on light trails, too. This means for anyone who runs to/from a park or trailhead, you can be comfortable when getting to the trailhead as well as while you’re hitting the trails, and there isn’t much compromise – unless those trails you plan to run are very steep or technical.
Grip-wise, I also felt reasonably confident wearing the Blissfeel Trail on steeper, more technical trail terrain, which, at this time of year is dry (I’ll update this review once I’ve had the opportunity to test them out in wet conditions).
Where I feel they could be improved is the shape and length of the toe box – that extra length means you have to be extra careful to pick up your feet when running over roots and other trail obstacles. For this reason I would not choose these shoes for regularly running more gnarly trail terrain – but then that’s not what they’re designed for!
Similar to other lululemon women’s running shoes, the midsole cushioning is centered around the middle of the foot, and creates a 9.5mm heel-to-toe drop. This is pretty typical for many road running shoes (and is the same as the Blissfeel 2).
However, for more serious trail running I tend to prefer and recommend a lower drop in the region of 4-6mm, for improved stability and ground-feel – which translates to improved confidence on the tricker terrains out there.
Are they worth the money?
If you’re looking to get into trail running, or want a women’s running shoe that can ‘do it all’, whether you’re going to wear it on roads, trails or both on the same run, then the lululemon Blissfeel Trail running shoe is a great option.
Finding a running shoe brand that fits you well can take some time, so if you already enjoy wearing other lululemon shoes then you can also be confident that the Blissfeel Trail is going to suit you.
For the price ($158), the Blissfeel Trail also represents good value for money – it’s a well-made shoe that should last for many miles, and this price is comparable with other top running shoe brands out there.
Lastly it’s also worth noting that lululemon offers a 30 day trial on their running shoes. So you can buy the shoes and wear them during this time – if they don’t suit you, return them for a refund.
To check the current color options and available sizes of the Blissfeel Trail, visit lululemon’s website:
Blissfeel Trail review summary
Image Gallery
