R.A.D®, the brand known for delivering best-in-class performance footwear, has announced the launch of the R.A.D® MALLOW, the third shoe in its R.A.D® Running line-up; a cushioned and supportive training companion that always turns up and rolls with the miles. The trainer will launch at select retail partners on 21st May, and globally online on 28th May.
R.A.D® Running launched in October 2025 with its debut shoe, the UFO. The super trainer successfully penetrated an incredibly saturated sector and made waves as the shoe that makes you run further and faster, and leaves you always feeling ready for the next run. R.A.D® asserted itself as one to watch in the running space by prioritising its shoe designs around the real demands of running, fused with R.A.D® ‘s authentic style and ethos: celebrating the euphoria that sport brings.
The MALLOW marks the third addition to the R.A.D® Running range in just 8 months, accompanying the UFO, and versatile daily running trainer, the SYNTH – providing runners with a full suite of shoes to see them through all forms of training that build to race day. The MALLOW connects the dots between the hard sessions, long runs, and everything in between.
Design & Innovation:
- SwellFoam™ Midsole: Made from 40% Bio-based ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and Olefin Block Copolymers (OBC) – it delivers a cushioned ride on a stable platform
- Heel Stack & Drop: 42mm heel stack provides responsive underfoot foam to protect the legs for mile upon mile, whilst the 8mm drop keeps the ride smooth
- Dynamic Toe Rocker: Paired with the heel stack, the toe rocker adds efficiency within the shoe to carry the runner forward with each stride
- Engineered Mesh Upper: Wraps the foot in a breathable, adaptive fit with added stability from the heel clip and comfort from plush materials in the collar and tongue
- Weight: 302g (based on a US M9*)
To bring the launch to life, illustrator and animator Mark Ward has created Mal – the MALLOW’s playful personification as an animated TV-inspired squishy character embodying how the shoe provides a cushioned supportive ride.
What R.A.D® Running has delivered in eight months – three shoes to fully equip the runner across their training – is the product of a unique assembly of talent and skillsets. While the established players spend hundreds of millions engineering incrementally, R.A.D® moves differently: a small, deliberately assembled team, united by expertise that doesn’t follow a conventional playbook.
This team of industry experts include: Head of Design and Innovation, Tom Berend, Head R.E.D and Running Product Manager, Blue Benadum, and Footwear Designer, Quin Fernandes, who have worked together to build shoes that the running world actually needs. The R.A.D® MALLOW is the third expression of that formula: collective talent expressing the spirit of the underdog.
Head R.E.D and Running Product Manager, Blue Benadum comments: “When we were creating R.A.D® Running, we wanted to give runners the individual tools they need for all types of running training – but in true R.A.D® style. The MALLOW completes that vision by offering another option that fires seamlessly into a runner’s rotation. Whether it’s daily miles, faster sessions, or longer efforts, we wanted to create a selection of shoes that supports runners through every part of their journey while staying true to the energy and emotion that running brings.”
Ben Massey, Founder & CEO of R.A.D® says, “Building R.A.D® Running over the last few years has been an incredible process of innovation, design, and drive from our team. Our mission has been to connect with runners in real life, making shoes that enhance the running experience – taking runners to places they’ve always been, but differently, and now through all forms of training.”
The R.A.D® MALLOW will be available exclusively at select retail partners, known as ‘Authorised Dealers’ from 21st May, and will be available online at www.rad-global.com from 28th May, retailing at $150 / £130.
Founded in 2019 by Ben Massey, R.A.D® was born in the CrossFit space and is quickly expanding into the broader training world. The brand blends skate and surf culture with performance footwear and apparel, using a drop model to create buzz and exclusivity. Ben, with a background in fashion and a previous CrossFit competitor and gym owner, sought to fill a gap in the market by designing performance footwear that balances style and function. R.A.D® is making waves in training, gaining recognition from athletes and grassroots communities.
R.A.D® Running was launched in October 2025, with its debut supertrainer, the UFO, setting out to shake up the running industry. Its second trainer, the SYNTH launched in April 2026, followed by the MALLOW in May, completing the brand’s range of shoes to cover all runner’s training needs.
About the R.A.D® Running Team
Head RED, and Running Product Manager at R.A.D®, Blue Benadum
Heading up the team as Head RED & Running Product Manager, is Blue Benadum, who plays a pivotal role at R.A.D®, having worked at some of the biggest sporting brands in the world, including a 7 year stint at Nike as Sports Specialist, co-founding the infamous ultra-running relay race, The Speed Project, whilst also being a two-time Pro Fielder at the Boston Marathon in 2015 & 2021. Alongside Head of Design and Innovation at R.A.D®, Tom Berend (former Lead Innovator at the Nike Innovation Kitchen), Blue oversees product development and testing while helping to establish the brand’s strong foothold in the market.
Head of Design & Innovation and former Nike designer at R.A.D®, Tom Berend
Tom Berend sets the product vision. With 30 years under his belt developing a unique understanding and perspective of what performance footwear can and should do, he is well placed to do so. Tom has built a team at R.A.D® that have brought some of the most exciting debut shoes to market in the last 12 months. Before joining R.A.D® as Head of Footwear and Innovation, Tom was previously Lead Innovator at Nike’s Innovation Kitchen, Design Director of Global Basketball for Adidas and more recently, CCO and Owner of KiK Laboratory. His tenure as Lead Innovator at Nike’s Innovation Kitchen saw him spearheading key advancements including Nike ID, the 2008 Olympics footwear, Air Max, the Jordan 23, and the first-ever 3D-printed performance footwear. Tom’s unparalleled expertise is at the forefront of shaping the future of footwear.
Senior Footwear Designer at R.A.D®, Quin Fernandes
Quin Fernandes is the designer of the R.A.D® UFO and R.A.D® SYNTH – and has a background in industrial and skate design; yet it was that very distance from orthodoxy combined with Tom’s tutelage that has enabled two phenomenal debut shoes to be born.
About Founder and C.E.O, Ben Massey
Ben is the founder and CEO of the performance footwear company R.A.D®. A former CrossFit Games athlete and gym owner with a background in fashion, Ben and footwear designer Tom Berend (a founding member of Nike’s Innovation Kitchen) sought to disrupt the performance footwear market with a brand inspired by skateboarding and surf subcultures.
Launched in 2022, R.A.D® is an underdog making waves in the training market against brands such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. With a relentless approach to brand marketing and zero spend on growth media, R.A.D® has quickly achieved cult status among athletes and grassroots communities, generating revenue more than 3X that of ON and HOKA in their early years.
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