3 Most Innovative (But Lesser-Known) Running & Gym Shoe Brands You Should Know About
We’re pretty lucky in South Africa to get some of the biggest brands in the world, but the reality is, there are still some niche and specialised brands not available on our shores, especially when it comes to running and gym shoes (which is crazy). So, we’ve highlighted three of the most interesting sports brands to get your feet in. And yes, availability is scarce, but never fear, as we have Postbox Courier to get them to your door in South Africa.
TYR
TYR is still relatively unknown in mainstream running culture, but its releases like the Maverick V1 have been hailed by gear reviewers as one of the best daily trainers of the year in 2025. TYR is primarily known for its footprint in the swimming and triathlon gear realm, but the brand has also made a name for itself in recent years with shoes purpose-built for fitness and weightlifting. Now, the brand is expanding its range even further with running shoes.Â
R.A.D.
R.A.D (Rally Against Destruction) is a performance footwear brand born in the gym. The brand’s first silhouette, the R.A.D One, was designed to be the do-it-all training shoe. Launched in 2022, it sparked three years of sell-out releases and earned the vote for best training shoe on the market. In terms of the running world, the UFO is the running shoe that put R.A.D on the map. The shoe combines the best qualities of the EVO SL and Vomero Plus. If you’re after a lightweight, speed-inspired performance daily trainer, then the R.A.D UFO is one of the best executions of this type of shoe (a dual-foam, non-plated trainer) that we have seen yet.
Speedland
Trail running brand, Speedland made headlines in 2025 with the launch of its RX:FPY road running shoe. The max cushioned running shoe was praised for being one of the most niche and unique shoes on the market for its design to handle both training runs and racing efforts thanks to its removable carbon fiber plate. Even more exciting was the shoe’s unique BOA lacing system, giving the RX:FPY its signature PerformFit Wrap around the circumference of the foot. Fast forward a year and the smaller, independent running brand is loved for its innovative launches.
These brands are all known for being some of the most innovative in the business, but the one drawback is that some of the most innovative brands are only available abroad, but don’t worry, using Postbox Courier, you can get the best running shoes (and other running gear) to your door in SA.
How to use Postbox Courier: Create a free account
All you need to do is sign-up with Postbox Courier, and you’ll get your own personal address allocated to you in the US, UK, or other regional depots, then allowing you to use that address when purchasing from US, UK, or other international stores. If they only ship locally, well, you now have a local address — winning! The products will then be forwarded from your new international address back to your front door in South Africa.
Furthermore, because Postbox Courier has depots in the US and UK, you can ship a few items to your allocated address in those countries, bundle your order into one box, and then ship the whole thing to SA. This saves time, money, and effort by having one shipping cost as opposed to multiple.
Find out more about Postbox Courier here.
