PandaPrank's debut trail shoe should put the gravel market on notice

Introduction to the PandaPrank Orbis

ALEX: Founded in 2020 as a creative footwear studio, PandaPrank isn’t a household name in running… yet. The brand recently turned its attention to trail footwear, bringing a design-forward perspective to shoes built for technical terrain. The Orbis is its all-terrain option, designed to move seamlessly between pavement, gravel, and trail. Inspired by orbis, the Latin word for both “circle” and “world,” its design pulls from the cellular shapes found throughout nature.

The Orbis comes out of the gate strong with a supercritical TPEE midsole, UHMWPE Grid Monomesh upper, and a Vibram Litebase and Megagrip outsole. On paper, PandaPrank didn’t hold back with its debut.

MELISSA: Before the Orbis arrived, I had never heard of PandaPrank, so I had no idea what to expect. My first impression was that this was a serious-looking shoe. The upper, laces, and overall construction gave it the appearance of something built to move fast over rugged terrain. I was intrigued. Then I turned it over, and the outsole looked much less aggressive than the rest of the shoe, and I wondered what kind of terrain PandaPrank had in mind.

The Orbis is positioned as a gravel shoe that can also handle pavement and trails. At $200, it makes a fairly ambitious entrance into the running market. After running in it, I can see why the brand has confidence in the shoe. There is a lot to like, but I’m less convinced that all of its parts point toward the same kind of run.

MATT: Like Alex and Melissa, I had never heard of PandaPrank until this shoebox showed up on my front porch. I've been doing reviews for a while now, and I have to say I can't recall the last time I received a shoe to test where I knew this little, so this could be a first. 

I'll say that out of the box, the Orbis looked the part, and it definitely didn't resemble a model from a brand new to the scene, so I was pretty interested in getting some miles under my feet to see how it performed.

PandaPrank got an early vote of confidence from me, too, as soon as I saw the Vibram logo on the outsole. Too often, I see a newer brand attempt to make its newest model a purely proprietary design, when it could mitigate some risk by going with a tried-and-true quantity for the outsole. So, I'm really glad PandaPrank didn't do that. 

Let's get into the rest.

What we like about the PandaPrank Orbis

ALEX: My favorite part of this shoe is easily the Pulse H-Foam (Hyper Foam), a TPEE-based midsole. It feels light underfoot and provides a bouncy, responsive, fun ride. The foam feels well balanced with the rest of the shoe and strikes a nice balance between protection and agility.

I often have issues with heel rub and lockdown with more minimal, uncushioned heel collars, but this one was well-designed and caused no issues. It did squeak, however. Have you ever had a super cranky Achilles tendon to the point that is squeaked? Like, you can't hear it, but you can feel it… squeaking? Anyway, it was mildly distracting, but could be a me-thing.

The UHMWPE grid monomesh upper is durable and protective. It doesn't breathe as well as some mesh uppers, though it does a fantastic job of keeping debris out of your shoes. I ran through a lot of moon dust on one of my test runs, and my feet stayed surprisingly clean.

The Vibram Litebase Megagrip outsole, combined with the ArrowLock Plus lug system, is designed for use on mixed terrain. The lugs have a dual-layer stepped structure, variable heights (4mm-4.6mm), and triangular multi-directional drainage channels. The traction felt good, although I find that an outsole that feels smooth and appropriate for roads does not necessarily translate to technical terrain. The lugs have a lot of surface area, so the ride is smooth, just not what I would describe as having a lot of bite.

MELISSA: The foam is the reason I kept reaching for the Orbis. It hits a nice balance that's difficult to get right: soft enough to feel comfortable, but responsive enough to give it a good bounce. It broke in nicely, and the ride became more enjoyable as I spent time in it. There’s a quality to the way it moves that I didn’t expect.

This combination makes the shoe fun to run in. I could feel the cushioning doing its job without feeling disconnected from the ground, and the response gave me something back when I picked up the pace. The Orbris looks tough, but it doesn’t run like a cumbersome shoe.

The upper was also very breathable during my runs, and the shoe looks and feels well made. Its materials and construction give it the polish I would hope to see at this price. I appreciated the sawtooth laces, which I first encountered on the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, and have been a fan ever since.

The grip was good on most of the surfaces I covered. The outsole also contributes to a smooth ride, and I can understand the appeal of a shoe that feels comfortable when a run moves between different surfaces.

MATT: I'll make it a consensus that PandaPrank nailed it with the midsole construction on the Orbis. The first thing I did when unboxing this shoe was give the midsole foam a good squeeze, and I was impressed at just how squishy and responsive it felt for a trail shoe. The durometer is definitely on the softer side, which is right up my alley, but it doesn't feel unresponsive or sluggish at all, so you get a nice and stable ride when off-road. That said, it still has enough snap that the Orbis doesn't feel like a brick on pavement.

As Melissa notes, while laces seem like such a minor thing, the attention to detail really adds up and makes a shoe. The sawtooth laces are light and stay tight without much effort, while also not digging into the top of your foot at all.

I will also echo that, as expected, outfitting the Orbis with a Vibram Litebase Megagrip outsole gives the shoe a secure, tacky grip underfoot that is great on gravel, dirt recreation paths, and well-groomed singletrack.

Shop The Shoe - Unisex 

What we don't like about the PandaPrank Orbis

ALEX: The upper material feels a bit rigid and took a few runs to break in and feel more comfortable. I have a relatively narrow, low-volume foot and found the sizing a bit small. I was able to make it work by running in a really thin sock, though if I were doing long stuff in this one, I would go a half size larger. My pinky toe started to rub after about two hours, which was more noticeable on more varied terrain. The addition of a stretchy or more forgiving vamp could make this one more universally accommodating.

My only other complaint is that it claims to do a lot as an “all-terrain” shoe ready to handle “city roads, gravel paths, and rugged forest trails.” I think this one is very well-suited for running some pavement on your way to the trail, gravel, and moderately technical terrain. The lug depth and design aren't necessarily what I look for on more technical trails.

MELISSA: My biggest issue was the fit. The Orbis ran long for me, by what felt like somewhere between a half and full size. I made it work, but I never quite achieved the lockdown I wanted. The upper looks like a performance trail shoe, yet the fit kept me from feeling as confident in it as that appearance suggested. I would be cautious about ordering my usual size without checking the fit first.

I’m also not sure where I would take the Orbis. The grip served me well on most surfaces I tried, but I’m not sure I would trust this outsole on the trails I run in Santa Barbara’s Front County. It doesn’t look or feel as assertive as the rest of the shoe.

That leaves me trying to figure out who this shoe is built for. It has terrific foam, a breathable upper, performance-minded details, and a lovely ride. At the same time, the outsole feels more suited to less demanding terrain than the rest of the design implies. I can picture things going well on gravel and smoother trails, but I would hesitate to pick it when the terrain gets more challenging. 

I’d be interested to see PandaPrank give a future version a more capable trail outsole and lean into the performance trail shoe that much of this design seems ready to become.

MATT: Sizing is my biggest issue, which is unfortunate because it’s really not a knock on the shoe’s construction. If you were warned to size down, then this really wouldn't be an issue at all. I do think this is a pretty egregious sizing issue though, as there was enough room in the toebox for me that I could have gone a full size down.

There's also the inherent conundrum that faces all gravel and hybrid shoes: In an attempt to create a shoe that can do it all, are you going to end up with a shoe that does nothing well? It's really hard to design a shoe that exceeds expectations on the roads while being aggressive enough to keep you upright on technical trails.

I think the Orbis is a really good shoe that can get you out the front door on local roads, handle hopping on some fire roads or crushed gravel paths, and even keep you upright and sturdy through some legit East Coast trails, but only if they're dry and not overly technical. 

It's a pretty good Swiss Army knife of a shoe, but PandaPrank would be wise to adjust the marketing to match its limitations, as it lacks the bite to be a true trail shoe (at least on the rooty and rocky terrain of the East Coast).

Shop The Shoe - Unisex 

Final thoughts on the PandaPrank Orbis

ALEX: At $200, the Orbis puts itself in a competitive part of the trail-running market, especially for a relatively unknown brand. The good news is that there are some great materials here, and the Pulse H-Foam midsole in particular is fantastic. I really, really like the feel of it.

What I’d love to see next is PandaPrank narrow the focus a little. Rather than trying to make the Orbis a shoe for absolutely everything, I think what they have is a very good gravel and mixed-terrain shoe. Add a little forgiveness to that upper, dial in the fit, and I am excited to see the next iteration and where the brand goes from here.

MELISSA: PandaPrank made a memorable first impression on me. The Orbis feels light and nimble; its foam is fantastic, and I enjoyed running in it. If your routes include gravel and smoother terrain, there’s a lot to appreciate in this shoe.

For me, the long fit, iffy lockdown, and less aggressive outsole narrow its use more than its appearance suggests. I’m curious to see what PandaPrank does next, particularly if it builds a more focused trail shoe.

MATT: This is a really solid first attempt from PandaPrank. I'll echo Alex and Melissa and say that if you're looking for a shoe that you can hit the roads with and hop into some mixed terrain and more tame trail running, it’s more than capable. Even better, it does it with a really great feeling midsole underfoot. I would also take caution with the sizing and, at minimum, go half a size down, if not a full size.

You can pick up the PandaPrank Orbis for $200 at PandaPrank by using the shop link below.

Shop The Shoe - Unisex