HYROX running shoes for wide feet at a Pangyo pop-up: DARIMATI BR-001

These days there are so many types of athletic shoes — running shoes, walking shoes, training shoes. But when you actually try them on, you often end up thinking either "cute, but uncomfortable" or "great for running, but too much for everyday wear."

Then I stumbled onto the DARIMATI pop-up store at Hyundai Department Store Pangyo branch. I'd never heard of the brand, so I went in out of curiosity — and ended up ordering shoes for my husband too. Haha 😂

Trying them on myself, I immediately got the sense that this brand really cares about foot comfort first.

What kind of brand is DARIMATI?

DARIMATI is a Korean footwear brand inspired by the 'dari' (bridges) of Seoul and the Han River. I'd never heard of it before, so I listened pretty closely to the explanation at the Pangyo pop-up.

There's a fun story behind the name too. 'DARI' comes from the Korean word for bridge, and 'MATI' comes from an old word for horseshoe.

The idea is that, like crossing Seoul's bridges, the shoe connects running and everyday movement into one. The description panel at the pop-up made an impression.

Hybrid footwear that brings running and training together in a single shoe.

[In other words: workout and everyday, all in one pair]

It's always a hassle having separate shoes for exercise and everyday wear, so this concept felt pretty practical to me.

BR-001 apparently became known first among runners in the US, Europe, and Asia, and got attention after hitting 218% of its goal on Kickstarter, the major American crowdfunding platform. That's when the "Korean brand that launched in the US first" explanation I heard on site made sense.

Trying on the BR-001: do these HYROX running shoes fit wide feet?

The first thing I noticed putting on the BR-001 was how roomy the front toe box felt. I was most curious about BR-001, DARIMATI's flagship model — just looking at the design, it seemed chunky enough that I expected it to feel heavy.

But once I actually put my foot in, it was more comfortable than I expected. Especially if you have wider feet like me — this is one worth trying on yourself.

Toe box width is honestly a stress point for me when buying sneakers, but the BR-001's front space felt spacious enough that my toes didn't feel squeezed. BR-001 is described as having a "generously cut toe box," and that's exactly where my opinion of it jumped up.

A-TPU midsole: presses down and springs back

The BR-001 midsole apparently uses 100% single-foam A-TPU. What caught my eye on site was the shoe's white midsole (white sole section) — I was told the A-TPU material gives it good rebound.

It's not just a soft, cushy shoe — walking in it, it felt like it supported my foot stably while movement flowed naturally.

DARIMATI itself describes BR-001 as an urban running shoe that focuses on structural stability rather than cushioning alone.

So it looked useful not just for running but for commuting or walking a lot on any given day.

3-layer mesh upper, comfortable in all seasons

I was told at the pop-up that the BR-001 upper has a 3-layer mesh structure. Up close, the mesh weave is quite tight — it's designed to cut direct airflow while still allowing ventilation.

So rather than a thin running shoe you'd only wear in midsummer, it gave the impression of a shoe you could use year-round.

Zoomed in, you can see the mesh weave and the side structure more clearly, right?

The design itself doesn't scream "athletic shoe" too much either — the off-white and beige tones looked easy to pair with everyday outfits.

BR-001 grip during the 30-second rowing machine race

At the DARIMATI Pangyo pop-up, you could actually put on the BR-001 and do a 30-second rowing machine race. It was more fun than just looking at shoes on a shelf. Haha 😂

If you cleared the target distance — 150m for men, 100m for women — you got an entry for a lucky draw. I gave it a go myself in the BR-001.

This is where I really got a feel for the sole. Pushing hard on the rowing machine, the sole didn't slip easily — it felt like it held my foot in place with real stability.

As you can see in the photo, the outsole has a fairly chunky pattern across the whole surface. BR-001 uses a CPU full-length outsole designed for grip and stability. That feature came through much more clearly during this kind of movement than just walking around.

BR-001 CORE BLACK, the new model launching in October

Another thing that caught my eye at the pop-up was the all-black colorway, BR-001 CORE BLACK. I was told it's a new model that's lighter than the existing BR-001, launching in October.

When I visited, they were already taking pre-orders on site at the pop-up.

The all-white version is pretty too, but black clearly shows less dirt and looked cool to work out in. I'd love to check it out again once it's officially launched.

The discount you could only get at the Pangyo pop-up

Per the pop-up signage I saw during my visit, the regular price for one color of BR-001 is ₩179,000, while the pop-up price was listed at ₩139,000.

The first bundle deal was BR-001 one color + hat + shoelace/insole set, ₩216,000 down to ₩149,000. The shoelace/insole set was listed as a pop-up-exclusive gift worth ₩27,800.

The pop-up runs from September 7 to September 20, 2026 as of these photos, at Hyundai Department Store Pangyo branch, U-PLEX 4th floor — go check it out before it ends!

※ Prices and benefits are as of my visit to the pop-up and may change afterward.

• 📍 Location: Hyundai Department Store Pangyo branch, U-PLEX 3rd floor, DARIMATI pop-up store — 20 Pangyoyeok-ro 146beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• ⏰ Hours (department store operating hours): Mon–Thu 10:30–20:00 / Fri–Sun 10:30–20:30

Why I ended up ordering a pair for my husband too

After trying on the BR-001 myself, I figured it would work well for my husband too, so I decided to buy.

But of course... the customer right before me bought the very last pair in my husband's size. What timing, seriously... 🤣 So I couldn't take it home on the spot — I ended up ordering it for delivery instead.

They had beige and gray, but gray was completely sold out, so I went with beige. (Oh, and 270 and 280 were sold out too, haha.)

Once the delivery arrives, I'll write a short unboxing post too — from opening the box to the actual product details.

This time it was my own try-on review, but next I should get my husband to actually wear them and ask him about sizing and fit.

Verdict: what trying on the DARIMATI BR-001 made clear

I walked in thinking "DARIMATI? Never heard of it," but after trying it on, I immediately understood why it's popular.

I'd especially recommend the BR-001 to these kinds of people.

• ✔ Anyone looking for a shoe with a roomy toe box
• ✔ Anyone who prefers a stable feel over an overly plush one
• ✔ Anyone wanting one shoe for both running and everyday wear
• ✔ Anyone who cares about grip

Above all, the comfortable toe box was what won me over. No matter how good a shoe's specs are, if it's uncomfortable on your actual feet, you just won't reach for it. BR-001 was the kind of shoe where the moment I put it on I thought, "Oh, this is comfortable" — now I just hope my husband's pair arrives soon. 😊