Don’t get me wrong, I did think that the Impact was a good training shoe. Versatile enough for running, gym, walking and casual use, it strikes the right notes. After all, it was Hylo’s first crack at developing a performance running shoe to sit alongside the likes of legacy players of Nike, New Balance, Saucony and more. But it was like the shirt you refuse to get rid of; it has an air of intangible value, comfortable and practical, even if it perhaps isn’t the best looking or from the best label on the market. And that’s not even a bad thing in my eyes, but the world of brands and products is but fickle and cut-throat, and Hylo aren’t ones to settle for the position of ‘cutesy and nice to have’.

The relaunch of the Hylo brand in January – featuring all new visual and creative direction, and refreshed brand language – teed up the upcoming release of two all-new models of shoe. An update to the Impact brings retooled geometry, fit and materials, whilst the Axis promises to enter into the cagefight that is stability performance trainers. 

A brand new Hyperbolt midsole foam, precision Jacquard warp upper, ESS Tech stability system all combine to make Axis a potential heavyweight in the ring. Plotting the improvement on a graph, the line would be steeply tracking upwards, an exponential leap into another technological level.

I’d also been lucky to test early samples of Axis, and had a lot of feedback for Jorma, their product maestro who heads up development. With an insider connection to the brand through our good friend and Head of Sales, Carlos, I managed to snag an early release of the Axis for testing purposes. They sat in the back of the store, each time staring at me from their sleek, minimal silhouette as I hobbled around with a dodgy calf. I took them home, resigning that I’d likely have to postpone the test as my ailing limbs healed. They did, quicker than expected, and I was curious to be the guinea pig for Axis’s proclaimed stable ride of which lower limb issues are an ideal testing variable.

The interesting thing here is that it doesn’t feel like a traditional stability trainer. There is no medial post, or built-up arch that other shoes like the Nike Structure or the Asics Gel Kayano rely on to prevent over-pronation and stabilise movement. Instead, the ESS Tech Support wraps around the rear and mid-foot, cradling the foot and allowing it to move in a guided, but not restricted, manner. Interestingly this also seems to nail down the overall fit of the shoe, providing a locked-in sensation that equally leads to a stable ride as much as it does a comfortable one.

Underfoot, it naturally leans to the firmer side of the spectrum. However there is no sense that it isn’t protective and cushioned, just predictable and smooth throughout the gait cycle. A gentle rocker is a much needed addition to the Hylo shoe-construction, where the Impact had basically nil, the Axis provides a nudge of encouragement through the forefoot thanks to its tooled toe-rocker that Hylo are calling PureGlideSP™. 

Updates have also clearly been made to the fit, bringing it much more in-line with the market being more true-to-size than previous Hylo models. And the updated laces are a universe ahead of the old ones. They still manage to keep things super eco-focused throughout this whole process. I only imagine that is down to some kind of wizardry.

As for that bum calf of mine, I’ve kept coming back to the Axis in my return to running thanks to its super predictable, stable ride which I would define as giving me the security I need to gradually get back into some mileage. Still, there’s not much in the way of ‘boring’ for the Axis that typically comes along with stability trainers. Instead, I can see myself diving into some tempo runs in this shoe, having already run some mediocre (at best) strides in them that indicated a poppy responsiveness that would feel ideal for some longer runs and tempo paces.

In the market now, versatility is clearly where brands are shifting their focus and where us runners have begun to see a glut of options in a couple of areas. Finally we’re seeing challengers to Adidas’ EVO SL trainer, namely the Saucony Endorphin Azura and R.A.D® UFO that are as much  speedy tempo runners as they are daily trainers. And Hylo’s Axis is adding to the category of “Stability Shoes That Feel Neutral And Aren’t Clunky and Heavy™” (I just coined that) alongside the brand new On Cloudrunner 3. 

Great for:

Runners wanting a secure, stable ride in a shoe that can go from a long run to the coffee shop in a minimal, stylish package.

Verdict:

The next level of performance is here from Hylo, a true running shoe that will go the distance with a positive impact on the world

£

Available in: Undyed/Pebble; Stone

Weight: 295g

Drop: 8mm

Available in-store and online at runlimited.co/ from 5th March.

*Weight based on a UK size 8.

Images by Hylo

Writing by Liam Dee