Gymshark is entering the footwear sector in a link-up with performance shoe specialist R.A.D. The move comes after longstanding customer requests to launch shoes.

R.A.D, which claims a cult following across both the UK and US fitness communities, has launched numerous collaborations before but this is its biggest yet.

The two companies will release a limited-edition collection of R.A.D’s two shoe models, the R.A.D ONE V2 and the R-1, on Wednesday (10 September) from 5pm for early access, and 7pm on general sale. 

Gymshark has been one of the big success stories of UK retail/UK sports in recent years. It was founded by now-33-year-old Ben Francis back in 2012.

R.A.D. meanwhile was found by 36-year-old Ben Massey in 2022. Its first product launch, the R.A.D ONE, in January 2022 “sold out in just a few minutes”, since when the company has become known for its athlete collabs, particularly in the CrossFit space.

Gymshark’s Ben Francis said of this link-up: “Gymshark isn’t a sports brand, or an athleisure brand — it’s a gym brand. A year ago, we launched our ‘We Do Gym’ campaign, putting our stake in the ground and claiming we had everything you would ever need for the gym, but we could never offer the full complete wardrobe – until now.

“We knew that if we were to bring out a shoe, it needed to not only look great, but also one that was going to perform. One that the community would love and use both in and out of the gym.

“I’ve been a huge fan of what R.A.D has been doing from the outset — as a brand, Ben [Massey] and the team have changed the game in the training footwear space. R.A.D shoes aren’t just built for performance – they also look better than any other performance shoe you’ll find on the gym floor. We wouldn’t collaborate on a shoe with just anyone — these guys are trailblazers in the training space, and I couldn’t think of a better brand to do it with.”

Massey added: “For us, this collab is wild. To have the Gymshark logo sitting on our shoes, a brand that’s become a global symbol of training, is a real pinch-me moment. We’ve always seen ourselves as the underdog, building from the ground up, so teaming up with a giant in the gym space feels like worlds colliding in the best way.”