One of the big knocks on minimal running shoes is that the prices are anything but minimal. Most of the big brand name shoes cost around $100 a pair, which can feel steep for a slab of rubber and some cloth for the upper. But like all trends in fashion, designs do eventually trickle down to cheaper names. Target’s C9 by Champion offers all sorts of great athletic wear at low prices, and they’ve expanded that to shoes that look suspiciously like the Reebok Realflex, a popular transitional/minimal shoe!
Target is calling it the “Champion Premier” line, but the shoes look and feel like the Reebok Realflex, with maybe a touch of Nike Free DNA mixed in as well. What’s more amazing than the appearance is the price, at only $29.99. I didn’t try on a pair, but I did play with them a bit; they appear to be extremely flexible, and are very lightweight. For a runner on a budget, these are definitely worth trying on!