Tracksmith is known for selling running apparel and gear, but with their running shoes they are selling a runner's dream. It's the dream of being covered in sweat and tears, but beautiful in the middle of a run, and after the run, instead of rushing home to walk the dog, you spend time at the clubhouse with friends over drip coffee. [In my mind, all New England runners finish their runs in this style. The brand's first running shoes were eight years in the making, and from the design to the packaging, the brand is selling this dream.

But how does the Tracksmith Eliot Runner compare to the best running shoes on the market? At $198/£206, this daily running shoe is not cheap. I have been running in the Tracksmith Eliot Runner for the past few weeks after first seeing the shoe at the London Marathon event last fall. For more information, read my review of the Tracksmith Eliot Runner below.

The Tracksmith Eliot Runner is priced at $198/£206. This is often the price one would expect to pay for one of the best carbon fiber running shoes to help break personal records, and is likely to put many runners off their feet, not an everyday running shoe.

The shoes are available in men's and women's sizes in ivory/navy and black. Sizes range from 7 to 13 for men and 5.5 to 11 for women. Available now online and at Tracksmith stores in Boston and pop-up stores in London and New York. [Elliot Runner comes in the most beautiful shoebox I've ever seen, with a sepia landscape painting, thick navy blue card, and the Tracksmith gold logo. I didn't feel comfortable putting this box in the recycling, but it's the kind of shoebox a mother would keep old photos in.

The Eliot Runner is named after the Eliot Lounge, a Boston bar that was a favorite haunt of Boston Marathon runners until it closed in 1996. The name and design of the Tracksmith shoe is also applicable. They are not made for the elite or race-day heroes, but for the everyday runner. In a world of carbon fiber plates and air pockets, it's a simple shoe.

From a design standpoint, there is no doubt that the shoe is beautiful: the identifiable Tracksmith band is featured throughout the shoe, which has the retro feel of Tracksmith's kit, but is modern at the same time.

In terms of fit, Tracksmith has yet to nail it. Several of my male friends said the shoe was too big, and several of my female friends said it was too small. I bought the same US size as the Nike Pegasus, US 7.5, but the Nike was UK5/EU38 and the Tracksmith was UK5.5/EU38.5. If you can, I would suggest trying them on before buying. The shoes were as roomy as the Peg 39, but could have been sized down a bit.

Upper

The upper is bootie style and made of Tracksmith engineered mesh. The collar is moderately padded, and the Tracksmith logo is sewn into the tongue as well. The collar is made of suede, and in the case of the ivory shoes, I was super nervous about wearing these shoes on wet sidewalks. The shoe sat a little low against my foot, but proved to be roomy with the toe box.

The woven sash is not only designed to look cool (did I mention this shoe is beautiful?), but also provides a good amount of midfoot lockdown. I had no issues with lockdown when I tested the shoes, but I did experience a little friction on the inside of my foot when I first took them out of the box.

Midsole

Tracksmith says it's a "Pebax-power trainer inspired by the natural surface pep of New England. "Pebax is a material commonly found in the best carbon fiber running shoes, Eliot Price explains the tag and is used in the insole of this shoe. Actually taking the insole out of the Eliot shows just how thick, squishy, and soft it is.

However, if you are a max cushioning running shoe fan (like me), don't get too excited. This is definitely on the stiffer side of the line. The shoe's midsole is made from a stiffer Pebax, which is durable, provides protection, and is designed to bounce a bit when running. The combination of these two midsole materials does give the shoe a snappy feel underfoot - it reminded me of the old school Nike Pegasus Turbo, although the Peg Turbo was definitely a little squishier underfoot.

They were shock absorbent and easy to run most sessions in. I wore these shoes on long runs, tempo runs, and track and they handled every situation. I am by no means a club runner who normally wears Tracksmith kits, but these shoes allowed me to run a snappy 8:20 per mile on the long run and 7:30 per mile with 400m repeats on the track.

The downside of the Pebax midsole is that it is not the most durable material. It's one of the reasons most carbon fiber shoes don't last a single marathon.

Outsole

The outsole of the Tracksmith Elliot has just the right amount of rubber, designed to give runners grip on wet sidewalks and light trails When Tracksmith launched this shoe in London, Tracksmith s CEO, Matt Taylor, had much to say about the feeling of running on pine needles on a dirt track. He wanted the shoe to feel like he was running on the gray sidewalks of London. And he has perfected a shoe that has the grip to do both.

To be honest, I haven't done a long run in these shoes in a long time. I am a runner who wears Max Cushion shoes. I don't like feeling concrete under my feet, and I like having a soft, plush layer between me and the ground. But after my first six miles of long runs, I was surprised to find that I don't hate these shoes. In fact, I enjoyed the snappy, yet secure feel of the Elliott Runner.

I was also surprised at how well they handled faster sessions. They were firm and snappy, which allowed me to pick up the pace on the track. These shoes are great for training for miles and (at the risk of sounding like a broken record) cool enough to wear in the office after a run.

Tracksmith did everything they could to give this shoe a premium feel - from the tongue stitched-in labeling, to the poetry on the bottom of the midsole. As one would expect from this brand, these small touches make this shoe feel worth the price.

Yet the price tag on it is a bit of a stumbling block, which makes this shoe a bit unattainable for some runners. Compared to the Nike Pegasus 39, the Trax Smith Elliot is more exciting to run in, but I'm not sure if it's exciting enough to pay $78 for.

[19] Either way, the shoe is a stunning debut from a brand known for its clothing. It's a comfortable, durable daily running shoe that will no doubt be favored by Tracksmith fans around the world.

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