MIDSOLE

Sometimes, simplicity is key in developing a shoe that is just fun to lace up and take for a ride. The Streamline is the perfect example of a midsole that is done right.

It is composed of APL’s proprietary EVA foam that feels lightweight and insanely responsive. With a 30 mm stack height and an 8 mm drop, the midsole of this shoe lends plenty of lightweight cushioning.

Performance-wise, this midsole lends a good deal of energy that feels like you are running on tiny trampolines without feeling weighed down by heavy and bulky materials.

What I also love about this build of this midsole is that it has a built-in shank plate that is placed in between two pieces of EVA foam in the midsole. This shank plate is slanted at a forward angle to naturally propel your foot forward. This simple shank plate works in harmony with the responsive EVA foam to keep your gait cycle speedy, responsive, and lightweight.

I can’t say that this shoe will make you run faster, but the smart engineering of this midsole will certainly inspire you to pick up the pace!

Overall, this midsole is lightweight, keeps your feet nice and protected with running on hard surfaces, and the design of the shank plate offers speedy and effortless toe-offs.

OUTSOLE

By utilizing two layers of durable rubber, the outsole of this shoe really grips the ground under your feet without hindering your full range of motion.

It has reinforced rubber areas on the heel and the forefoot that will hold up to hundreds of miles while showing very few signs of wear and tear even after the 100-mile mark. This rubber compound is super grippy, which makes it ideal for running on slick sidewalks or even grass.

This design also boasts exposed EVA foam to cut down on the overall weight of the shoe, as well as boost your overall flexibility. While this shoe provides excellent durability, exposed EVA foam on the midfoot keeps your gait cycle nice and bright.

While it’s great for nice and easy tempo runs or long distances, the build of the outsole is also designed for speedy agility work as well.

It’s simple, effective, and isn’t composed of heavy rubber that will weigh you down on those long-distance runs.

UPPER

There is a lot to love about this very simple upper. It is composed of a very thin layer of mesh that works to keep your feet nice and dry. It’s so thin, in fact, that you can clearly tell the color of socks that you are wearing through the near-transparent upper.

It’s important to note that the very thin design of this upper is designed for enhanced flexibility and breathability, and the lack of synthetic overlays won’t provide you with very much structure for runners that need just a touch of stability from their uppers.

It’s also important to note that the design of this upper doesn’t provide runners with any additional cushioning. Instead of padding the heel collar and tongue, APL has opted for a microfiber blend to help lock your foot in place while keeping your feet cool and dry.

I found that the upper of this design runs fairly high on the ankles, but the super-lightweight materials used won’t rub blisters on your feet.

The upper of this design also boasts a 5 mm sock liner to wick away moisture and add a little bit of extra comfort. This sock liner isn’t removable and the fit of this upper is a little on the shallow side, which may make it difficult to add your own custom orthotics.

PERFORMANCE

So, who is the APL Streamline designed for? Overall, I found that this very simple yet effective running shoe is made for runners with feet.

Whether you are a newbie runner or are quite experienced, the versatile fit of this shoe and the high-end cushioning is approachable for just about anyone. It’s lightweight, nimble, and keeps your gait cycle nice and bright. The addition of the forward-slanting shank in the midsole helps to push your foot forward for a really enjoyable ride.

Runners found themselves more excited to lace up these shoes and take them for a spin around the neighborhood or to the track.

If you need a running shoe with a little added stability, you may find that this model falls a little flat. While the midsole provides ample cushioning and motion control to push you forward, the minimalist upper doesn’t provide a whole lot of added support.

It’s nimble, lightweight, and breathable, but the lack of synthetic overlays and structure may not be ideal for runners that need a little added stability in their uppers.

It’s a great running shoe for nice and easy tempo runs and long distances, but it’s also ideal for agility work as well such as HIIT of CrossFit. The flexible upper and unique outsole of this shoe is made to move.

With a highly adaptable outsole, side-to-side motions are quick and snappy, and the ample padding in the midsole keeps your joints supportive under high-intensity workouts.

FIT

Over the years, runners that made it quite clear that they prefer more rounded toe boxes and an overall roomier fit, and many brands have listened.

The overall fit and design of the APL Streamline, however, harkens back to the late 1990s and early 2000s where toe boxes were narrow. I feel like the narrow design of the toebox was an aesthetic choice to make these shoes a little more unique, but many runners felt that this toe box didn’t squish their toes at the end of the shoe.

While it may look a little narrow, many runners found that the lightweight and breathable fabric kept their toes locked in place without feeling overly cramped.

However, if your feet are even slightly wider than normal, I would recommend sizing a half size larger than you would normally wear.

As far as fit is concerned, APL often runs just slightly smaller than most brands. If you are a size 10 in Nike, for example, you will most likely fit a 10.5 in APL trainers. The unique fit of this shoe is a little shallow, and the lacing system doesn’t provide very much room to play with the overall fit of this shoe.

With a slightly narrow design, finding that perfect lockdown is a little bit easier when compared to other running shoes that boast a very wide fit.

PRICE

If this stylish running shoe seems a little too good to be true, you haven’t checked out the price point. I was surprised to find that this shoe is expensive.

When compared to other high-end daily trainers from brands such as Hoka, the APL Streamline is one of the most expensive daily trainers out there on the market.

The real question everyone asks: Is this shoe worth the very high price point? The answer is subjective. While it’s an incredibly comfortable and versatile running shoe, there are certainly more affordable options out there that will deliver the same level of performance.

However, the style of this running shoe is made to turn heads. If you feel that there just aren’t very many running shoes out there that effectively blend modern style with high-end performance, this shoe is worth every penny.

If you find yourself bored with many of the running shoes out there on the market, the APL Streamline is a shoe that almost guarantees someone will ask you where you found your running shoes.

The APL Streamline is an incredibly unique running shoe that is bound to turn heads at the gym. Sure, it’s one of the most expensive daily trainers out there on the market, but few brands blend modern styling with performance quite as well as APL.

More often than not, runners have to determine whether they want a shoe that rocks a modern style, or a shoe that overperforms on the track. If you have the cash to invest in the APL Streamline, this is a shoe that provides the best of both worlds.

While it offers a modern and unique style that stands out from the crowd, this shoe is super fun to run in. It’s super lightweight and breathable, and the midsole is expertly crafted to keep your stride bright and energetic. It’s a perfect trainer for nice and easy tempo runs, but it is also built for those long-distance runs as well.

If you need to inject a little bit of energy into your training sessions, the APL Streamline is something that will make you fall in love with running all over again.