By 
The RW Takeaway: Backed by the crowd-funding site Kickstarter, the Kane Revive is an athlete-pleaser designed for weary feet.
- A sustainable purchase you can feel good about
- Thoughtful cushioning balanced with support
- Contemporary style in a slip-on
Price: $65
Type: Recovery
Size: 3 to 15 (M), 5 to 17 (W)
Colors: six, including white/pacific speckle, white/spring speckle, heather/pink
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Recovery shoe 101 is a little hard to figure out for some runners. Do you need them? When do you need them? How and when should you wear them? What works for some people might not work for everyone. After a long run, maybe it feels best to take off your shoes and socks and let your bare feet connect directly with the ground. For me, the first thing I do after removing my running shoes is slip on something with extra cushion and a little support. To me it’s like giving your foot a much needed hug. Slippers can cause overheating. Slides let your foot air out but can’t provide all-over comfort.
In walks a new kind of recovery shoe: the Kane Revive. The Revive was developed by CEO John Gagliardi, founding member of the Maverik Lacrosse apparel company, Dr. Daniel Geller, a renowned foot and ankle surgeon who is on-staff at Providence St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica and is the Foot & Ankle Director of K&B Surgical Center in Beverly Hills, CA, and Bobby Riley, a brand-builder at Solider Unlimited. It’s is designed to provide both muscle stimulation and comfort. It’s also sustainably made.
Sustainable Footwear
Recently launched out of Westport, CT, the Revive recovery shoe boasts 75 percent eco-sustainable material made from Brazilian sugarcane, and is a 100-percent recyclable shoe. I love the idea of a running product that is good for me and not bad for the earth. Sales of Revive will benefit the environment through Kane’s membership with 1% For the Planet, and the shoe has a pending B-Corp certification.
Kane wanted to use wearer feedback to help improve their business, which is why they decided to launch the Revives on Kickstarter. The official commercial release is set for summer 2021. I tested a pair in a size 7. The shoes come in whole sizes only, and Kane recommends sizing down or up depending on your fit preference (i.e., snug vs. relaxed). In fact, even though I’m usually a 7.5 or 8, the shoe was a tad big both in length and width. That extra room was a plus, however, because it allowed me spread out my toes and relax.
The shoe has a stiff upper with patterned holes cut out for breathability. It looks chunky but it’s incredibly light and provides a lot of bounce and cushion. It’s a cloud-like walking experience, but there’s enough support for someone like me with slightly high arches, and it doesn’t feel bulky nor get in the way of your natural step. The inside footbed has rubber nodes designed to massage pressure points and, according to Kane, activate blood flow.
The Revives look like a stylish and contemporary rendition of Crocs, but these slip-ons require a little bit of finesse to pull on. This is one of the reasons why the pull tab on the heel comes in handy. The string’s long length is ideal for attaching the two shoes to a carabineer to clip onto your bag. Although the Revives are comfy enough to wear lounging around the house, I took them for a spin on a few high-energy dog walks. They’re also great for running errands and even light hiking.
Recovery Shoes That Are Good for the Earth
The Revive recovery shoe is stylishly designed, Earth-friendly, and athlete-focused. It provides a comfortable fit, especially post-long run when you want to give your tired feet a little extra love.
The shoes are currently available on Kickstarter: $55 per pair if you buy now as an “Early Adopter”; $65, regular price; or two for a discounted price of $115.
Running is something I really enjoy but lately it has not always been easy to get out the door. I try to remind myself of the post-run rewards: snacks and relaxation. Recovery shoes, like Kane’s Revive, are now a staple of that routine.
Amy Wolff is the photo director of Popular Mechanics, Bicycling, and Runner’s World, overseeing visual content for print and digital. Though her first love is the visual image, she’s a dedicated runner, loves the bike and as a new homeowner, learning new skills everyday.
