K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5...

By Frank

A reincarnation of the K-Swiss K-Ruuz which happens to be my favourite racing flat (period), the all new K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5 is one fast shoe. Beside giving a total cosmetic overhaul, the shoe's specification remains true to its predecessor, light and fast, and maybe made it even better.

The K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5...

Lateral view of the K-Ruuz 1.5...

Medial view of the K-Ruuz 1.5...

Co-developed by Mirinda Carfrae and Andreas Raelert, the K-Ruuz 1.5 weights in at a mere 155 grams for a men size US9.0. Ridiculously light, the build of the shoe is entirely the same as its predecessor. Coming in an all new colour ways, fiery red/yellow for the men and yellow/blue for the women, the biggest and probably the only difference will be the upper of the shoe where the traditional mesh overlays now has been replaced with an entirely new mesh system that allows a seamless construction hence you can wear them without socks! Gone is also the Flow Cool System to prevent water from entering the shoes. Reason for this is explained next.

SeamFree Tech for a seamless construction...

The upper mesh is now treated with P2i's Ion-Mask, found earlier in the K-Swiss Kwicky Blade-Light and California shoes, a water resistant nano-tech system to keep the shoe dry, light and comfy. It works for sure, but I did feel a little dampness when water drop on to the top surface at the recent 25KM run I did on new year's day. It did work in preventing water from sipping into the shoe but I felt my Kwicky worked better in this department probably because it uses welded mesh rather than the open mesh found on the K-Ruuz 1.5.

P2i Ion-Mask treatment for awesome water resistance...

Open mesh for ventilation...

For those who knows the K-Ruuz, nothing much to mention about the outsole. Measured at about a 9mm variance from heel to toe, it's certainly not a minimalist shoe. It's a traditional racing flat. Built entirely the same but as a flashback, it's built on the k-EVA and Superfoam outsole for comfort, and Duraplush rubber outsole coupled with Aosta rubber compound for durability on high wear and tear area. There is also a TPU midfoot support shank for added support but I would prefer it to be removed for better overall fit and flexibility. Oh and yes, the drainage ports on the outsole still remains and will help with draining any moisture out of the shoe. With the same built, also comes the bad news. This shoe wears out extremely fast. I already could see the outsole's wear and tear starting to show after completing my 25KM run.

Outsole and the drainage ports...

The overall fitting of the shoe is the same as the predecessor, meaning you will have to get half a size, or even up to an entire size smaller. This shoe is made long, and with the lack of padding and memory foams around, the shoe will probably fly out of your feet should you be wearing your usual size.

The predecessor and the successor...

And there you have it. An upgrade to my favourite racing plat, and not a major one. Why overhaul it when the shoe is already a great one? I'm sure many who fell in love with the original K-Ruuz will appreciate the addition of the new features to the K-Ruuz 1.5.

The K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5 will retail at a recommended selling price of RM399.00 and is available now at Running Lab, Tropicana City Mall.

* A very special thank to Stephen Locke from K-Swiss and Karen Chua from Outdoor Venture Pte Ltd for the K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5.