There are thousands of running shoes available online. You can filter by price, by star rating, by how many people left a review with a photo. You can add to cart, check out, and have something at your door by tomorrow.
What you cannot do — not on Lazada, not on Amazon, not on any marketplace — is have someone watch you actually run, assess your gait in real time, ask about your weekly mileage, your next race, your injury history, and then hand you three options that actually make sense for you.
That's what we do at RDRC. It's been what we do since 2015. And in a city where the heat, the terrain, and the biomechanics of the athletes walking through our door vary enormously, it turns out that conversation matters a great deal.
This guide is for the runner trying to figure out what shoe they need — whether you're standing in a store for the first time or you've been buying the same model for six years and quietly wondering if something better exists.
Why Singapore Changes the Shoe Equation
Running in Singapore is not the same as running in London, Tokyo, or New York. The conditions here impose specific demands on both the athlete and the footwear.
Heat and breathability. Tarmac in Singapore can reach surface temperatures of 50°C in direct afternoon sun. A shoe that performs beautifully in a temperate climate will trap heat and accelerate fatigue here. Upper construction, ventilation, and moisture management matter more than they do anywhere with seasons.
Mixed terrain. Most Singapore runners are not pure road runners or pure trail runners. They're doing East Coast Park one day, MacRitchie the next, and a treadmill at the gym the day after. The shoe that works across all three doesn't always exist — but understanding where to compromise, and where not to, is something worth knowing before you buy.
Foot shape. Research consistently shows that a significant portion of runners are wearing the wrong shoe size — and that's before we get into width, arch profile, or toe splay. Many Asian feet are wider in the forefoot than European lasts are designed for. This is not a minor detail. A shoe that fits incorrectly is not just uncomfortable — over distance, it's a fast track to blisters, black toenails, and repetitive stress injuries.
That's why RDRC is set up the way it is. The store has enough space to actually run — not shuffle, not walk a few steps and guess. You can move naturally, at pace, and feel what the shoe does before you commit to it. For trail shoe testing, textured boards mimic uneven terrain so you can get a genuine sense of grip and stability underfoot. And for anyone wanting to test a shoe on a gradient — relevant for trail runners, hikers, and anyone who races on hills — we have a treadmill with a significant incline (+45%) and decline (-8%). In a city that's mostly flat, the ability to test a shoe on a slope before buying it for a mountain race is not a small thing.
What Our Customers Say
We could tell you that our team is passionate and knowledgeable. Or we could let Chii Ming Yew, a Local Guide and RDRC shopper, say it better:
"I was attended to by Hashim. He is passionate and knowledgeable. I was well served by him. He does not push you to buy shoes and gives appropriate suggestions. I will definitely come here to get my shoes again." — Chii Ming Yew, Google Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That line — he does not push you to buy shoes — is the part we're most proud of. The job of our team is not to move stock. It's to make sure you leave with the right shoe for your feet, your training, and the conditions you're running in. If that's a $120 pair of Xero Shoes, that's what we'll recommend. If it's a $380 pair of norda 003s, same story.
And it's not just about speed and mileage. Alisa Chopard came in with a complex set of requirements — podiatrist's instructions, custom insoles, a bunion, and the challenge of finding a shoe that accommodated all of it:
"Mr Yap patiently listened to the many issues I've been having with my feet, as well as the podiatrist's requirements for a suitable shoe, before recommending models that would benefit my needs. He helped me find the right size to accommodate custom insoles, letting me try on as many sizes as needed until we found the best fit. He even recommended the right socks to suit my bunion. Mr Yap spent over an hour with me — showing genuine care, thought, and concern throughout. It's rare to find such professional, attentive service." — Alisa Chopard, Google Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Over an hour. Working through podiatrist notes, insole sizing, lacing technique, and sock selection. That is not a transaction — that is expertise applied to a problem that actually matters to someone's health and comfort. It's also something no product listing, no filter, and no next-day delivery can come close to.
The shoe that's right for you is the right recommendation. Full stop.
The RDRC Shoe Landscape: A Practical Guide
Every shoe in our range has been tried and tested by our team before it goes on the shelf. What follows is an honest guide to the categories we carry and what they're actually good for.
Minimalist and Barefoot: Vivobarefoot and Xero Shoes
Vivobarefoot has a unique thin yet flexible sole offers up a range of lightweight, minimalist shoe models fit for different activities.
If you've started hearing about barefoot running, zero-drop shoes, or foot-strengthening — this is the category you're thinking about.
Vivobarefoot and Xero Shoes are built on the same foundational philosophy: your foot already knows how to run. The shoe's job is to protect it without interfering with its natural mechanics. Both brands offer wide toe boxes, thin soles with genuine ground feel, and zero heel-to-toe drop — meaning no artificial elevation at the heel that changes your stride.
RDRC is one of the only retailers in Singapore stocking both. If you've been curious about this category and want to try before you buy — which you absolutely should, because the transition to minimalist footwear requires a period of adaptation — we're the place to do it.
Marvin, one of our experienced store floor team, sees the same pattern repeat itself regularly with customers browsing this category:
The most common mistake I see is people choosing a shoe based on how it looks rather than how it fits and functions. Colour and style pull people in — but comfort and the right size are what actually matter once you're moving. In the minimalist category specifically, two shoes I'd point people toward are the Vivobarefoot Primus Trail FG — brilliant for an active lifestyle on varied terrain — and the Xero Prio Neo, which gives you that barefoot feel with enough versatility for everyday training. Both reward the customer who tries them properly rather than buying on appearance alone.
— Marvin, RDRC Store Team
Above: Xero Shoes have a wider toe box with minimalist soles that are rugged enough to provide traction and grip while being flexible.
Who this is for: Runners interested in long-term foot strength, those with a history of heel and knee issues linked to over-cushioned footwear, and athletes moving toward more natural movement patterns. Not recommended as your first shoe if you've only ever run in conventional trainers — come in and talk to us first.
Wide Toe Box Performance: Altra and Topo Athletic
This is the category that solves one of the most common fitting problems we see: forefoot pain, toe crowding, and black toenails on longer runs. Both brands offer foot-shaped lasts that allow the toes to splay naturally under load — which is how your foot is designed to work, and something conventional shoes actively prevent.
Altra pairs a wide toe box with a zero-drop platform across its entire range, from road trainers like the Paradigm and Rivera to trail-specific models like the Lone Peak — one of the most trusted ultra trail shoes on the planet. If you're running UTSG or VMM and your feet suffer on long descents, Altra's platform is worth a serious conversation.
Topo Athletic takes a slightly different approach — wide in the toe box, but with a small amount of drop (5mm in most models) that makes the transition from conventional shoes more accessible. The Topo Ultraventure Pro is a trail-specific workhorse; the Cyclone 2 is a fast, responsive road option. Both reward runners who've been squeezed into narrow shoes their whole career.
Who this is for: Runners with wide forefeet, those who lose toenails on long runs, athletes who've tried conventional shoes and found them consistently uncomfortable across long distances. Also worth considering for runners with bunions or any forefoot issue that's been attributed to shoe fit.
"The toe box question is one we get a lot — but what I often see is customers checking whether the toe box looks wide enough, without really knowing what they're feeling for. The right fit isn't just about width at the front. It's about how your whole foot sits inside the shoe when you're actually moving. That's something you can only figure out by putting it on and running in it — not by looking at it on a shelf or a screen." — Mike Kang, in-store staff and resident shoe expert at RDRC
Trail and Ultra: norda, Mount to Coast, and Inov-8
This is where RDRC's trail-running roots show most clearly. We carry brands in this category that you will not find in a general sports store — because they're built for athletes running serious distances on serious terrain, and that's a specific community that needs a specific kind of retailer.
Above: norda 005 Lazer - The most advanced mid-sole in trail-running that is comprised of Arnitel® (TPEE), providing the most significant lightness, speed and energy return (+80% resiliency) of any performance trail runner on the market today.
norda is the most technically advanced trail shoe we carry, and arguably the most technically advanced trail shoe in the world right now. Built with bio-based Dyneema® uppers — the same material used in bulletproof vests, sails, and climbing ropes — norda shoes are extraordinarily light, extraordinarily durable, and extraordinarily stiff in the best possible way. The norda 001 and 003 have become the trail shoe of choice for athletes who are serious about performance and sustainability. They are not cheap. They are worth it.
Mount to Coast is a brand that launched in 2024 out of Hong Kong, built specifically for long-distance running by a team of former Nike, Brooks, and New Balance footwear engineers. Their proprietary CircleCELL foam — made from 100% renewable feedstock — delivers energy return on par with PEBA-based foams at double the lifespan. The TunedFit dual lacing system lets you adjust forefoot and midfoot tension independently, which matters significantly when your feet swell over the back half of an ultra. The R1 is a road-to-trail racer; the S1 is the daily ultra trainer; both have been tested in Singapore conditions by people who know what Singapore running actually demands.
Inov-8 is the trail shoe brand with the deepest technical history in the category — grip compounds, drainage systems, and construction designed for mud, roots, and technical terrain. If you're heading to UTSG or planning a destination race in Sapa or Sabah, Inov-8 deserves a place on your shortlist.
One shoe in the trail category that Mike Kang — a familiar face at RDRC and someone who has worn out more trail shoes than most of us have owned — is particularly excited about right now:
"The norda 001A Fireclay (pictured below). It's a unique design that really stands out — the colours are bright and vibrant in a way that turns heads on the trail. But beyond the looks, it's still a norda: incredibly well-built and built to last. If you want something that performs and doesn't look like every other trail shoe out there, this is it." — Mike Kang, RDRC
Who this is for: Trail runners, ultra runners, and anyone heading to a destination race in the region. Also worth considering for MacRitchie regulars whose road shoes are not handling the terrain — Singapore's trails are groomed but they are still trails, and grip matters when it's raining.
Road Performance and Race Day: NNormal and Ortuseight
NNormal was founded by Kilian Jornet — widely considered the greatest mountain runner alive — with a simple mandate: performance-first, sustainability-always. The Kjerag is their road racing shoe; the Tomir 2.0 their trail weapon. NNormal shoes are built with recycled materials without compromising on speed or durability, and they carry the credibility of being designed by someone who has run further and faster in the mountains than almost any human in history.
Ortuseight is the brand that surprises people most when they try it. An Indonesian performance brand built from the ground up for Southeast Asian conditions, Ortuseight's flagship Solar 2.0 (pictured above) is a carbon-plated super shoe — the same category as the Nike Vaporfly or Adidas Adizero — engineered specifically for heat and humidity. The ventilation architecture in the upper is designed for our climate, not retrofitted for it. Independent lab testing has rated the Solar 2.0 as delivering exceptional performance-per-dollar — serious race-day propulsion at roughly half the price of the mainstream super shoes. For the athlete who wants carbon-plated performance without the carbon-plated price tag, this is the most interesting shoe in the region right now.
Who this is for: Road runners targeting race-day performance, athletes looking for an alternative to the mainstream super shoe brands, and anyone interested in a regional brand that's genuinely engineered for the conditions we run in.
The Conversation You Should Have Before You Buy Any Shoe
Every time someone comes into RDRC looking for shoes, our team asks a version of the same questions. You can use them yourself, wherever you buy:
What surface are you running on? Road, trail, treadmill, or a mix? A road shoe on technical trail is a safety issue. A trail shoe on tarmac is unnecessary weight and unnecessary wear.
How many kilometres a week are you running? Higher mileage demands more durable construction and more considered cushioning. A shoe that's fine for 30km a week will break down faster under 70km.
What's your next race? Training shoes and race-day shoes are different tools. Most athletes benefit from having both — a durable, protective trainer for the weeks of work, and a faster, lighter shoe for race day.
Have you had any injuries? Plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome, black toenails, shin splints — most recurring running injuries have a footwear component. The right shoe won't fix a biomechanical problem, but the wrong shoe will absolutely make it worse.
What shoes have you been wearing? If something's worked, it's worth knowing why before you change it. If something hasn't, that's diagnostic information.
These aren't upsell questions. They're the questions that lead to a recommendation that actually works for you.
NNormal
The best running shoe for you is the one that fits your foot, suits your terrain, matches your training volume, and feels right when you move in it. No algorithm gets you there. No star rating average gets you there.
What gets you there is a conversation with someone who runs in this stuff, enough space to actually move in the options, and the ability to test grip on uneven boards or feel how a shoe performs on a steep treadmill incline before you decide.
That's what 108 Sims Ave is for.
Browse our full shoe range at rdrc.sg →
Or come in. We're open Monday to Friday, 10am–8pm. Saturday 10am–6pm. Sunday 12pm–5pm.