bimai mile21k second generation ready to go immediately without breaking in
Northern Region -
Bmai is a new professional running shoe brand in China. I got their latest Mile21K 2nd generation (blue men's model, model number: XRMC001-1, size 43) and did a week-long experience test. The performance exceeded my expectations. In one word, awesome!
I. Personal Information
I have been running for two years, weigh 67 kg, and run over 300 km per month, which is quite a lot. I have wide feet and am prone to minor injuries like black toenails and blisters on my toes and forefoot, especially during the break-in period of new shoes. I used to wear supportive running shoes but have recently switched to cushioned ones. Avoiding injuries is my basic requirement for running shoes (maybe this is just my personal case, haha).
II. Logistics and Appearance
In one word, awesome! Mr. Dong confirmed the email on the afternoon of January 13th, and on the morning of January 14th, just as I finished a half marathon and got home, the SF Express delivery guy arrived. The outer packaging used shock-absorbing air cushion bags, which is great!
When I opened the shoe box, it was stunning! The actual product looks even better than the photos on the Codoon store. The design is trendy and fashionable, which is the biggest highlight of the Mile21K 2nd generation. It's clear that the manufacturer put a lot of thought and effort into the design.
The upper is made of jacquard mesh and hot-pressed film, with reflective strips at the front for night running. The EVA midsole is blue, black, and orange camouflage, with a very cool color scheme. The outsole is fluorescent green anti-slip rubber. Notable features: 1) The connection between the tongue and laces is different from typical running shoes, being closer to the outer side (later during the run test, the tongue's anti-shift effect was excellent). 2) The insole is made of flax anti-odor material, and the inner side is flattened to prevent discomfort. I've worn other domestic brand running shoes where the inner side of the insole wasn't properly flattened, causing blisters. I had to replace the new insole with an old Nike one. 3) The color scheme is mainly blue, with orange, fluorescent green, and black, which is eye-catching but not gaudy.
III. Test Mileage, Pace, and Environment
From January 16th to January 24th, I ran four half marathons and two 10 km runs, totaling over 100 km. The average pace was 5:40 per km, with the slowest being 7 minutes and the fastest just over 4:30. The half marathons were completed in Shenzhen Bay on a red brick greenway (about 5 km of which was terrazzo pedestrian path). The 10 km runs were in the Qianhai Free Trade Zone on pure roads. One run was in light rain, one was after rain, and the rest were on sunny days.
IV. Test Summary
1. Appearance Design: Top-notch!
2. Fit and Comfort: In three words, top-notch! The shoe last is moderately wide, with a height and width that are just right, without any squeezing. The foot and shoe make perfect contact, fitting snugly while still allowing some freedom. For foreign brand running shoes, size 43 (I wear size 41 in dress shoes, adding two sizes for running shoes) is too small, and size 44 is too big. The Bmai Mile21K 2nd generation in size 43 fits perfectly. After running 100 km, there were no injuries to my toenails, skin, or soles.
3. Support: In one word, good! Very stable while running.
4. Cushioning and Hardness: When I first received the shoes, I immediately wore them for a walk and felt they were a bit hard. This is supposed to be a cushioned running shoe. Later, I tried running at different paces, and the higher the pace, the better the cushioning. At a pace of around 4:30, the cushioning felt the best (though I rarely run this fast, usually over 5 minutes in races). At a pace of around 5:40, the cushioning was still okay. At over 6:30, the cushioning effect was not good, and there was direct impact on the soles. This shoe's pace range should be below 6 minutes. After all, it's called Mile 21K, designed for half marathon races, where speed and comfort are a contradiction, haha. If the insole's hardness could be improved, it would be perfect.
5. Anti-slip: The new shoe's rubber sole has an oil film, making it a bit slippery at first. When I first wore the Mile21K 2nd generation for a half marathon, it was drizzling in Shenzhen, and I had to run on the terrazzo pedestrian path on the expressway, which was slightly slippery (foreign brand running shoes have similar issues). In subsequent runs on post-rain roads and roads after sprinkler trucks, including brick-paved greenways, the anti-slip performance was good. As a road running shoe, the Mile21K 2nd generation's anti-slip performance is excellent. However, for urban runners, some sections are terrazzo or tile, and in rainy weather in the south or snowy weather in the north, I hope more anti-slip materials and techniques can be applied to road running shoes.
6. Durability and Breathability: Moderate.
On February 12th, I hope to achieve better results wearing the Bmai Mile21K 2nd generation at the Hong Kong Marathon! Let's cheer together!