Sunnystep: A homegrown shoe brand you can trust
Many a time we get clients with lower limb and back problems asking us what a good shoe brand or model is available in Singapore and most times we are forced to give them generic advice on the characteristics to look out for in a shoe when buying one for themselves instead. This creates a complicated scenario for the client who, while having to walk around endlessly in search of the perfect shoe, stresses out on being able to eventually live up to the task of fending for him/her feet.
It has always been our company’s desire to be able to just point straight to a specific brand and shoe model as an answer to our clients, putting an end to their distress.
And this day has finally come for us!
Recently, Sunnystep approached us to collaborate. The first question we told them was: Can we test your product first? Quickly and without much hesitation and delay, the Sunnystep marketing manager arranged for a meet-up and brought their top-selling Balance Runner down in 2 sizes for us to try.
Being a shoe Nazi - one who has, over time, developed a great dislike for shoe shopping due to overly high requirements for footwear - I tried the Balance Runner (their top seller) on and was instantly impressed. The shoe was way more comfortable that I had expected and allowed a great deal of freedom of movement that most shoes do not provide. The last shoe I wore that had this same feel was a very old model of Reebok indoor fitness shoes bought on sale at Sportslink in the early 2010s. What a breath of fresh air.
Regardless, I remained skeptical about this shoe and had my slight reservations about it regarding functionality outdoors with the rough and tough I usually put it through. This is my experience after 3 months of testing it out:
Aesthetics: it looks great with all outfits - lovely minimalist look that does well in our urban environment.
Cleanliness: the shoe survived rain and shine, going through mud and wet grass, puddles and gravel without retaining a spot of dirt.
Comfort: the shoe has not caused any blisters in the 3 days it took to be broken into, which is a rare thing for me.
Cushioning: the insole has a gel region under the balls of the foot and the heel region which made it really comfortable when I ran for the bus while carrying a heavy sling bag.
Breathability: my greatest surprise was the absence of my feet sweating in this PU leather which has no openings whatsoever, keeping my feet warm but not hot.
Smell: the shoe had a strong PU smell when it first arrived, but after 3 days it was gone without the stench of my feet replacing it thanks to the silver nano tech that is present on the inside of the shoe lining. After 3 months of wearing it nearly daily without socks, it only bore a typical sweat smell if you stick your nose into it.
Responsiveness: what impressed me first was the convex construction of the forefoot aspect of the outsole, allowing me to pivot and turn any direction without restraint when walking and hopping around making it great when dodging people in crowds.
Heel-toe drop: the drop is about 0.6-0.8 based on estimation, putting it slightly lower than most running shoes and a fair bit higher than minimalist shoes, allowing for more efficiency with walking.
Insole features: the insoles (being a selling point for Sunnystep) includes specific pressure point protrusions, one of which that delights me is the central one which pushes up against the plantar fascia, providing relief to my feet while standing and sitting.
All in all, we vouch that you will be most satisfied with your Sunnystep purchase, from an outsider’s point of view.
Do we have any vested interest in this review? To be very honest, yes we do get a pittance amount of commission of every pair of shoe you buy from them using our link and promo code ‘PBeat10’ (giving you $10 off every shoe purchase). But what gives us more satisfaction is the ability to share the good stuff with others. More so because we love to support our local talent, this now including our local-owned entrepreneurs who come up with really good stuff.
Feel free to test out the display shoes available at our studio waiting area. And don’t forget to pick up a card with our promo code on it for future reference if necessary!