for Women

GIVEN THAT runners are a notoriously brandloyal bunch, launching a new shoe is a big step. It’ s less so, however, if you ’ re already a beloved activewear brand.

Enter the Blissfeel, the first of four Lululemon kicks to roll out this year—and one of a handful of running shoes designed specifically for women.

“A lot of women tell us that a shoe doesn ’t fit because they have weird feet, ” says Katie Manser, lead researcher at California-based Heeluxe, a shoe-testing lab that helps brands make better footwear. “But they don ’t have weird feet: They have women ’ s feet, and the shoe is intended for men. ” Indeed, most women ’ s running shoes are made using the same forms as men ’ s, though our feet are wider at the ball and narrower at the heel. (We also need softer cushioning.)

The Blissfeel is made from a built-from-scratch form that was developed from customer feedback and more than 1 million 3-D foot scans. “Women told us what they wanted their performance shoes to feel like, ” says George Robusti, Lululemon ’ s vice-president of footwear design. “Like they were made for them. ”

After multiple test runs, Chatelaine can confirm the shoe is very comfortable. It’ s supportive but lightweight enough that you can forget you ’ re wearing it and just focus on your run. Bliss-ion accomplished. $198, lululemon.com. Ultimately, comfort should be your guide when choosing a running shoe. Discomfort limits movement and can lead to repetitive injuries.