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Our monthly round-up of the best things brewing in run culture
The past month’s best running drops, collaborations, and special releases
Adidas, Nike, Hoka, Asics, Research Studios, Saucony, UVU, The Speed Project, Circus Running, UYN, Puma, Saysky, Coros, Satisfy
The air is getting lighter. The streets are getting busy. The season is changing, and a lot of races are starting to pop up. Your feed is probably full of Chamonix and Sydney content, and let us say this: it won’t stop. At the same time, seeing so many people crossing starting lines and enjoying the spirit of running gets us excited for what’s coming.
We’ve seen so many good releases this month that they’re hard to count. Max Jolliffe alone wore 3 collaborations while running Badwater: the unreleased Satisfy x Adidas Prime X EVO, his collaboration with Research Studios (added below), and a hat with Western Hydrodynamic Research.
Here are our favorite drops of August:
Crafted in quiet
After a Superblast 3 collaboration that dented the internet, Blacktoes returns to Asics with “Crafted in Quiet,” inspired by Japanese paper craft. In this drop, origami becomes the central metaphor, with the Blacktoes butterfly reconstructed as a folded-paper graphic. The collection includes the Asics Magic Speed 5 and Asics Novablast 6, plus apparel and accessories, both for performance and everyday wear.
To the Max
Developed with ultrarunner Max Jolliffe for the Badwater 135, this is a refined version of the brand’s existing Apex frames, built specifically around the extreme heat and terrain of Death Valley. The main update is a new Zeiss shield geometry inspired by desert ridgelines and natural rock formations, including a lower profile. Made in the USA from aerospace-grade nylon using SLS 3D printing, each shield is individually cut, laser engraved with “HOTTER THAN HELL,” and hand-assembled. Jolliffe debuted the Apex at Badwater 135, where he won the race in a record-setting 20:53:41.
No rules, this time in France
The Speed Project’s apparel world expands further into performance with the CHX drop of pieces designed to travel, layer, run, and recover together. All new garments are made from fabrics engineered in Japan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, selected for their ability to perform across changing heat, humidity, and mountain conditions. The CHX collection was developed with TSP’s Los Angeles pattern and production teams, with input from runners on what they need for the race. The collection includes collaborative pieces with brands like Cimoro, Ciele, and Nomadix, plus a graphic tee by TSP athlete Biel.
Saucony’s ready to dance
Saucony taps into street art for a collaboration with Keith Haring, one of the most iconic artists to ever rise from New York. The designated canvas is the Endorphin Speed 5, dubbed the NYC version, which adds the popular “dancing people pattern” in white on black over the midsole to emulate the chalk pieces Keith used to draw in the subway. The upper keeps the all-black color with pink accents.
Go west, young runner
UVU’s Wyoming capsule takes the brand to a more rugged, training-camp identity through washed colors and collegiate-style graphics. The collection includes Half Tights 2.0, split shorts, a running singlet, a long-sleeve mesh top, cut-off tops and joggers, plus a hoodie and T-shirt. The color palette leans on faded blue, brick, off-white, yellow, and white, with Wyoming-specific screen prints that give the collection a distinctly American West feel.
Our favorite Adidas partner
Adidas brings back Australian label Song for the Mute for a second collaboration, this time titled “Run in Love”. This drop keeps the use of hand-drawn elements like phrases, lines, flowers, and insects that look like they were added with a Sharpie. Besides the classic wardrobe pieces, this time there is an SFTM version of the Adidas Adizero Evo SL woven, with the same sketched flower theme and a cool-looking olive/dirt colorway of the Supernova Rise 3.
It’s just business
Puma and Saysky close their collaborative series with “Back to business,” using the familiar visual language of the corporate office but rebuilt for running. Half-zips, pinstripes, blues, and purple colors that keep the corporate vibe in the collection without looking like a costume. Plus two shoe options: the Deviate Nitro Elite 4 and the MagMax Nitro 2.
No MothTech here
Coros teamed up with Satisfy to give a tune-up to the Apex 4. Now the watch includes a 46mm crystallized black titanium bezel, each unique and exclusive to this release, two new straps, and three original watch faces designed by Satisfy to emulate the system that the brand uses on its product tags — a nice touch for hardcore fans. An already premium watch made even more exclusive. Most likely sold out by the time I finish typing this sentence.
Livin’ on the streets
Nike isn’t holding back in its quest to make the Vomero Premium the loudest shoe, whether by fashion collaborations or weird experiments like this. Dubbed online as the “Otaku Approved,” this version pushes the design towards Tokyo street culture. A black engineered-mesh upper is covered in raised pink, orange, and red detailing that references the visual density associated with neighborhoods such as Harajuku. No worries, performance is still unchanged.
Headed for the mountains
Italian performance brand UYN has launched its Trail Running offering, inspired by the Dolomites’ sunlit rock, shaded stone, vegetation, and weathered mountain surfaces. The brand’s circular knitting construction allows different densities and structures to be engineered directly into single pieces, creating ventilation zones and precise support. An interesting start for the brand.
Going off the grid
Circus Running’s “Off Grid” collection is built around something increasingly rare in contemporary running: going somewhere without needing to quantify exactly why. The London brand is launching a new collection that includes hats, long-sleeves, shorts, tees, and socks for going out and running. Off Grid, Off Track, Offline.
Bondi, meet zen
Beams reworked the Bondi 7 with its Japanese take on outdoor equipment. Inspired by the visual harmony of Zen gardens as the basis for two custom camouflage patterns. The graphics reference the topography of karesansui dry gardens, shadows moving across stones, and the worn timber of traditional temples — a nice hit for both brands.
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Alfredo is a runner, writer, creative director, and cultural analyst based in Berlin. After years as a casual runner, his move to Berlin transformed his running into a vital practice for mental health and a source of tranquility during cold, early morning runs. His interest in clothes comes from uniforms and sportswear, combined with a love for innovation and research—which might explain why he meticulously charts his winter running gear.
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