Allbirds Runner Fluffs Review: Limited Edition Shoes Available Again

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Allbirds has restocked its popular limited-edition shoe, the Wool Runner Fluffs ($98) that combines two of its most popular designs: the inaugural Runner that swept Silicon Valley and its decadent downy Fluff Loungers. The original launch celebrated the brand’s fifth anniversary in the spring of 2021 and quickly sold out.

The Wool Runner Fluffs ($98) are, plain and simple, Allbirds sneakers that look like a plush coat.

Like all Allbirds shoes, the Wool Runner Fluffs are made from sustainable materials, including the brand’s ZQ merino wool, as well as the world’s first carbon-negative green EVA sole. And, like most Allbirds shoes, they’re machine washable, which is handy for a white sheepskin body that sits low to the ground. Like the brand’s popular retired Fluff Loungers, its Fluff material makes shoes already lauded for their shameless comfort even more comfortable.

The Fluff material

WOOL_RUNNER_FLUFF_WHITE_MACRO (2)

Fluff material adds dimension to an everyday shoe.

all the birds


We love the Fluff material for enhancing a versatile base with interesting texture, and we love the Runner for its versatility, low weight, breathability and cushion. While we were also fans of the Fluff Lounger, the Wool Runner Fluff is more versatile as an everyday style.

The only downside we noted in March 2021 is that the Fluff will likely require more frequent washing than the original Runner ($98) in a more forgiving (read: darker) color. But, Allbirds seems to have noticed that and, this time around, is offering the Wool Runner Fluff in the color black as well as white. If you’re looking for something unique and comfortable, the Allbirds Wool Runner Fluff is the best of both worlds.

You can get it in women’s sizes 5-11 and men’s sizes 8-14 in white or black. The shoe was already limited edition once before, so once this batch sells out, it will either become canon and Allbirds will make it permanent, or we won’t see it again for a long time, if ever.

What the Wool Runner Fluff looks like in person

allbirds wool runner down


Mara Leighton/Business Insider


I tried the Wool Runner Fluffs and found them to be, unsurprisingly, some of the most comfortable shoes I’ve worn. They basically feel like a hug for your feet. The inner wool is smooth and regulates temperature well – I wear them indoors all day without overheating – and it helps minimize odor naturally.

Allbirds Fluff Runner Yarn Review

If a plush coat was a sneaker.

Mara Leighton/Business Insider


I appreciate the ingenuity and durability of the materials, like the 100% recycled polyester laces, but what repeatedly surprises me about Allbirds is how bouncy and comfortable their insole is. I can feel a tangible dynamism in my step.

In the past, some Allbirds sneakers have made my heel look a bit raw after prolonged wear (a side effect of the brand only having full shoe sizes), but I haven’t noticed it with this pair yet, even after eight months of constant wear.

And although the Fluff material required more frequent machine washing, I love it. The softness makes them comfortable to wear and the texture adds dimension to an easy going basic. I get all the unabashed comfort of a staple, but just enough differentiation to make it special. If I could do it again, I’d probably grab a pair in black – after eight months of city grime, mine might be a little less white even after cleaning. That said, I still wear them; it’s not super noticeable.

The bottom line

All in all, these are some of my favorite Allbirds shoes to date, and I could buy a second pair in black. I love them enough to give up the joy of being barefoot at home – and before, I would only ever say that about the now-retired Everlane ReNew Slippers and Allbirds Fluff Lounge Chairs. The Wool Runner Fluff is more breathable than the previous one and, as a sneaker, more versatile than both. If you are interested, we suggest you buy them now as we don’t know when the next restock will be, if ever. And, finally, if your main concern is long-term portability, we steer you towards black.

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