STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner Review | Best Hybrid Training Shoe?

Item: Vimana Hybrid Runner
Rating: 4.7
Author: Jake Boly, CSCS, MS Sports Science

The STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner is a shoe designed for tackling trail runs, road runs, workouts, and daily wear. I’ve always been interested in hybrid training shoes and how they perform in different settings.

I was super excited to see how the Vimana Hybrid Runner performed. As someone whose life revolves around lifting and running, I wanted to take the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Trail Runner on some of my favorite trail runs and lift heavy in them to see how stable they are.

Overall, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed how this model has performed on a daily wear basis and in my performance tests. It’s been l0w-key a nice surprise having a shoe that can do a little bit of everything and look pretty nice.

If you want a true hybrid training shoe for heavy lifting and running outdoors and indoors then you’ll like the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner. This shoe’s midsole walks a good line between being stable and responsive.

Who should invest in the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner?

If you’re looking for an “all-in-one” shoe that you can also use for trail runs, then I think the Vimana Hybrid Runner is a great option. This model works exceptionally well in the gym for recreational training; it can work as a daily driver, and it will hang with the best of them on easy and semi-technical trail runs.

The star players in this model are the Cush50™ EVA/EPE Midsole and Meta Platform Outsole. The midsole provides a nice level of responsiveness and stability, so it’s dynamic with your training, and the Meta Platform Outsole provides a stable base and tread for all types of terrain.

The price point is fairly high on this model, so I would say that if you fit the description above, then the Vimana Hybrid Runner is worth it. If you’re interested in STR/KE MVMNT and don’t plan to trail run in this shoe and just use this model for training and daily wear, then you can save a little money by looking into the Haze Trainer.

STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner

$160

4.7

Stability

4.6

Versatility

4.7

Durability

4.7

Pros

This training shoe is good for doing a little bit of everything from indoor gym sessions to outdoor trail runs.
The midsole in this shoe has plenty of stability for heavy lifting which gives it an edge over other traditional hybrid shoes.
The omnidirectional tread does a good job of promoting grip outdoors and it's not so aggressive to where it takes away from smooth floors in gyms.

Cons

The midsole at the forefoot can start to split away after about 12 months of tough use. At least, that's what's happening to mine.
If you like super plush hybrid training shoes then you may find this model to run too dense. The density and its feel is a give and take in this shoe.
While the tread works great on most surfaces, it's not going to be the MOST aggressive for gnarly trails. Keep that in mind if you want these exclusively for that ask.

Best For

Trail Runs (Easy to Semi-Technical Terrain)
Short to Mid-Range Road Runs
Recreational Training
Outdoor Workouts

Falls Short

For Cost-Efficiency
For Highly Technical Trail Runs

Shop STR/KE MVMNT

Vimana Hybrid Runner Pros

There are multiple aspects that I enjoy with STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner’s performance and construction. Below are my favorite pros with this model.

Good “All-In-One” Style Shoe
S2 Last’s Anatomical Fit
Cush50™ EVA/EPE Midsole Stability and Responsiveness
Meta Platform Outsole’s Tread

The first pro of the Vimana Hybrid Runner is that I think it’s a solid “all-in-one” style shoe. I think it can be hard at times finding training shoes that can live in both the running and training worlds without totally compromising their performance in one area. The Vimana Hybrid Runner is built with a slight bias toward running, but it still holds up to lifting and versatile training tasks well.

I’ve trained fairly heavy with this model and have tackled multiple shorter and mid-range runs and have liked this model as a whole. I think if you keep in mind that it’s a hybrid shoe and not super niche in one area, then this pro really kicks in. This model is also comfortable for daily wear.

The second aspect to like about this shoe is STR/KE MVMNT’s S2 Last that they use in this model. They use this last construction on a few of their training shoes and personally I like the fit it provides. The toe box has adequate width and the shoe never feels super constraining.

For a comparison, the toe box width of the Vimana Hybrid Runner is similar to the last used in the Altra Escalante, which is a shoe known for its width. The upper construction may feel snug at first on the top of the toes, but this breaks in well and this shouldn’t be an issue for most.

The third perk of this model is the blend of stability and versatility that the Cush50™ EVA/EPE Midsole provides. For running, you’re not going to want an overly stiff midsole and for lifting you don’t want a midsole that compresses easily. I think the medium-density foam that STR/KE MVMNT utilizes in this model walks that middle ground really well.

This midsole is not jarring during runs and doesn’t compress easily, which also supports our first point about this being a good “all-in-one” shoe.

The final pro of this model is the Meta Platform Outsole. This outsole has an omni-directional hybrid tread for traction in a variety of settings. On easy and semi-technical trail terrain, this tread works really well, and it also provides adequate grip when road running and training in gyms.

The Meta Platform Outsole also has balanced durometers and contoured edges, which help provide adequate ground feedback in most settings and provide a stable base when the balance may be off. Basically, as you’re tackling activities where balance could be an issue, this shoe is designed to promote a stable base for you to continue to train on.

Vimana Hybrid Runner Cons

Despite really enjoying the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner, I do have a couple of cons that I could see bothering other lifters and athletes.

Slightly Higher Price Point
Not the Best for Maxing Out Barbell Lifts

The first potential con I could see lifters and athletes having with the Vimana Hybrid Runner is their price point. This model, when not on sale, comes it at $160 USD. That’s fairly for a training shoe and is definitely far from budget-friendly.

I do like this model though and think its price point could be justified for those that do have the niche training wants of having an “all-in-one” style of shoe for lifting, daily wear, and trail runs. Not every training shoe can tackle all of these tasks well, so if you are on the market for a shoe that can perform well for all of those, then the price is a bit easier to swallow, but it’s still fairly high.

The last drawback is that while this model performs well in a lifting setting, it’s not going to be your best bet for training super heavy. If you’re more niche with your lifting and you want a cross-training shoe for maxing out your barbell lifts, then you may want to find a model that has a bit more stability.

When you have hybrid models, there are always some performance points in which you’ll have to compromise for. It’s similar to a scale, as this model’s performance increases for running it starts to lose a bit of its potential for heavier lifts. If you’re planning to training with 475 lbs and above, then you may want to explore slightly more stable cross-training shoes.

Vimana Hybrid Runner Performance

To break down the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner’s performance, I’m going to discuss how this model performs for lifting, versatile training, running, and daily wear.

Lifting

For lifting, the Vimana Hybrid Runner does a fairly good job. Despite being slightly more biased with its construction for road running and trail running, I thought this shoe performed well throughout all of my lifting tests.

The Cush50™ EVA/EPE Midsole can withstand moderate to heavy loads, and I’ve trained up to 455 lbs in this model and didn’t have any compression issues.

The S2 last provides a nice anatomically shaped fit for the foot that accommodates toe splay well. When lifting, the width of this shoe’s last tells you that this model is designed to provide a wider base when training.

The outsole, too, was subtly surprising. Despite having a slightly thicker tread pattern than other cross-training shoes, I didn’t notice any glaring issues with stability or traction when training in this model.

Sometimes shoes, more specifically trail running shoes, with thicker lugs can hinder overall connection with the ground, but that wasn’t a huge issue in this model.

Versatile Training

This model did a fairly good job of versatile training. Since it is designed with running in mind, it provides a nice level of responsiveness when jumping, doing agility work, and tackling HIIT sessions. Personally, I think this model is one of the better shoes for training outdoors in a more versatile manner.

On one of my trail runs, I added in some bodyweight work and plyometrics for additional density training. The movements added to this run included lunges, tuck jumps, and squat jumps, and this model’s outsole and midsole stood up to the tasks really well. I like how there isn’t really a part of this shoe that ever feels disconnected from the ground.

Additionally, the upper construction does a pretty good job for versatile training as well. This shoe designed with a knit upper and it has additional layers over high stress and friction which is a nice nod to durability.

Runs and Daily Wear

The Vimana Hybrid Runner works really well for short to mid-range runs. I’ve used this model to tackle multiple 4-mile trail runs and they’ve stood to pretty much every trail I’ve taken them on. Also, I tried to vary my pace on different terrains to gauge this shoe’s outsole traction and across the board I was impressed.

This model doesn’t feature the deepest lugs, but the Meta Platform Outsole does feature a hybrid tread with omni-directional traction. The outsole tread pattern does a really solid job on semi-technical terrain. The only time I noticed a bit of slippage was on loose rock and dirt on downhill treks that I was taking a bit slower.

For road running, I used this model to tackle 2-3 mile sessions with a 7:10-8:20 pace, and they worked really well. If you like having a shoe with a bit more stability with your running, then you should enjoy the Vimana Hybrid Runner.

On a day-to-day basis, I also think this model does a good job at serving as a daily driver. Since these are made for outdoor running, they’re pretty durable for daily wear and they have just enough stability and cusion to make them enjoyable for days when you’re on your feet all day.

Vimana Hybrid Runner Sizing

For the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runner, you should be safe going true-to-size in this shoe. This model’s length fits true and it breaks in fairly well after about 1-2 weeks of consistent training.

The upper construction in the toe may feel snug if you’re wearing thicker socks, but note, they will break in as you wear them more so I wouldn’t worry if you do find this model feeling a tad snug upon your first wear.

If you have additional questions about the Vimana Hybrid Runner’s sizing, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally.

Price Breakdown

For the STR/KE MVMNT Vimana Hybrid Runners, you can expect to pay $160 USD. This price point is fairly high compared to other cross-training shoes and hybrid models on the market, but I do think it’s worth it for this model.

Across the board, this shoe has performed exceptionally well and I think if you’re buying this model for recreational training, daily wear, and consistent trail runs, then the price is worth it.