Avelo Running Shoes: Like Having a Gait Analysis Lab in Your Footwear

What is a smart running shoe? Our review of the new Avelo Running Shoes.How smart can a running shoe really be? Royi Metser, the mind behind Avelo Running, wanted to find out. When the brand launched on Kickstarter this past June, the first batch sold out in under 24 hours. Clearly, runners were curious.

Running technology has come a long way. Foot pods hit the market in the early 2000s to track your runs, both indoors and out. Over time, they’ve evolved to deliver advanced data to help runners improve form, efficiency, and overall performance.

But let’s be honest, how many times have you headed out the door, started your run, and realized you forgot to attach the foot pod? Or maybe you finished your run and discovered it wasn’t charged, leaving your run completely unrecorded.

The Avelo Running Shoe is here to change that. This versatile Supertrainer has the sensor built right into the shoe. No charging, no clipping, no forgetting.

So, is this really the world’s smartest running shoe? Let’s dig and find out what all the buzz is about.

Avelo Overview

After finishing his first marathon in 2021, Avelo CEO Royi Metser set his sights on becoming a faster, stronger runner with some big goals ahead. But unfortunately, injuries kept popping up and slowing his progress.

He started digging into the why. Pace and heart rate data told part of the story, but it didn’t explain what was really happening to cause things like Plantar Fasciitis or Achilles tendinopathy. The missing piece was right under his feet.

The realization led to the creation of Avelo. The team was assembled, which includes some of the leading scientists and researchers in biomechanics and physiology who have devoted their lives to helping runners reduce injury risk and improve performance.

Avelo takes the traditional foot pod and gives it a serious upgrade. Think of it as the next-generation cousin of the foot pod.

With a sensor in each shoe, Avelo tracks the forces your body absorbs on every step, your running efficiency, and your form (the traditional pod couldn’t track any of this!).

All of this data syncs with the Avelo app, where you can track patterns over time and even get personalized recommendations for strength exercises and drills based on your movement.

Pop in an earbud, and get real-time coaching during your run and post-run insights designed to reduce injury risk and help you run stronger.

This smart shoe was designed to fit into your current rotation. The brand isn’t forcing you to run in their shoes exclusively. The Avelo app integrates with your other wearable and pulls in data from your other runs.

For the best insights, the team recommends wearing your Avelos at least 2-3 times a week.

Avelo Design

Avelo Running Shoes fall into the Supertrainer category, built to handle 300-400 miles. The app keeps track of your mileage and will even send you a heads-up when it’s time to start thinking about a fresh pair.

Inside the midsole, you’ll find a PEBA plate. Unlike stiffer carbon fiber plates used in shoes like Nike Alphafly’s, this one has more flex.

What does that mean?

You can take them out for easy miles, but they’ve also got enough snap to handle speed workouts or even race day if you’re feeling it.

The dual-density foam setup keeps things balanced. The bottom layer is firmer, adding a bit of structure so your stride feels stable, while the top layer adds just enough cushion without making it feel super squishy.

We haven’t had the chance to try them on yet, so fit is still a big question mark.

According to the brand, the shoes are designed to hug the heels and midfoot with a roomy toebax. Depending on your foot shape, that could feel perfect…or not.

And for now, there’s no wide option available.

The brand is starting with one model, but the vision is to create a full rotation with different variants to meet the needs and preferences of all runners.

Avelo Technology

So, what makes Avelo different from just running with your standard GPS watch? It’s all about what’s happening underfoot.

Your watch can tell you pace, distance, and heart rate, but that’s only half the story. Avelo tracks what’s happening with every step and gives insights to help you improve your running.

Each shoe has a small waterproof sensor embedded in the midsole. The built-in run detection will automatically start and stop tracking as you move through your workout.

The built-in sensor means your runs get recorded even if you leave your phone and watch at home. Who would ever do that? We’re not sure, but if it happens, you can trust the sensor will track your run to prove that it did indeed happen.

The core metrics measured by the sensors include:

• Distance
• Pace
• Duration
• Cadence
• Stride Length
• Ground Contact Time
• Flight Time
• Pronation Excursion
• Footstrike Type (forefoot, midfoot, heel)
• Ground Reaction Force
• Vertical Oscillation
• Asymmetry

If you’ve ever had a running gait analysis, the data Avelo captures will feel familiar. Typically, a gait analysis happens on a specialized treadmill or with external sensors, and it’s based on just that one run for roughly $250-$300.

Avelo takes it a step further, tracking every single run.

It can pick up how your body moves on tired legs, how your form shifts on different terrain, and even what changes on those rare, effortless feel-good runs. Each charge-free run lasts up to 20 hours before you need to sync the shoes to the Avelo app. Right now, the first model is designed for runners, but the team hopes to expand the technology to support walking in the future.

The sensors in the shoes can be reused across multiple pairs of Avelos; they’re accessible, the battery can easily be changed, and sensors can be moved to the next pair.

Avelo App

Instead of having a bunch of data and not knowing what any of it means, Avelo takes things a step further with its app. This is where all of the pieces come together and with its AI platform, translates your data into insights you can actually use.

So rather than scratching your head over terms like left-right balance or 180 cadence, the app breaks everything down in a way that’s easy to understand and even easier to act on.

The process is pretty simple:

1. Connect your Avelo Running Shoes to the app
2. Go running
3. Sync your shoes post-run
4. Over time, receive personalized drills, strength suggestions, and even mileage plans

As running coaches, we do have to add a little caution here. Like any AI-based tool, Avelo is only as smart as the data you give it. If you wear the shoes sporadically, the insights won’t be fully accurate and could possibly increase your injury risk.

Remember, AI can’t know you’re full training history or your long-term goals. Form and efficiency are just one piece of the running puzzle.

Still, we’re excited to see where Avelo goes from here. Could this be the start of a major shift in running tech? We will certainly let you know when our shoes land and we can put in some miles!

What to read next:

• Is It Ok To Run in Carbon Plated Shoes Every Day?
• Are Max Cushioned Shoes Bad For Us?
• Proper Running Form: 4 Essential Tips and Techniques