KURU Quantum 2 review

The brand's 'Heel Better' motto states it loud and clear that the KURU Quantum 2 puts comfort and support first.

We believe that you will appreciate this shoe if:

• you have foot discomfort or conditions that require a more supportive, orthopaedic type of shoe
• you need a roomier toebox for a comfortable toe splay or due to bunions, swelling, etc.

The clunky profile of this KURU shoe is not everyone's cup of tea. If you want a more stylish silhouette that's also lighter and cushier, try the On Cloudtilt.

And if you're wondering if there is a budget-friendly offering that offers a similar amount of support and cushioning, consider the Arch Fit 2.0 from Skechers.

Considering the hype around KURU's pain-relieving properties, we expected nothing less than 'superior shock absorption,' as promised by the brand specs.

But when we measured the amount of impact forces absorbed by the shoe's midsole in the heel, we got a very moderate reading of 106 SA. It is even lower than the average of walking shoes!

While we wouldn't say that the Quantim 2 feels flat or harsh, it is certainly not as abundantly cushioned as one might expect.

We also recorded the energy return of this KURU shoe at a fairly standard reading of 48.5%.

In other words, its midsole doesn't give that much energy back to the walker, which results in more of a grounded and down-to-earth ride. Stability is clearly prioritised over springiness here.

The KURU Quantum 2's chunky appearance can make it look taller than it actually is.

But measuring the shoe's stack height in the heel, we got a pretty standard calliper measurement of 33.6 mm.

However, it is a bit taller than average in the forefoot with a stack height of 24.1 mm. That extra buffer makes the shoe more suitable for people with sensitive toe joints and ball of foot issues.

Our measurements showed that the Quantum 2's heel-to-toe drop of 9.5 mm is only a millimetre away from the stated 8.5 mm, but we doubt that anyone could notice the difference.

This is a common offset for walking shoes as it puts the heel in a slightly elevated position above the toes to minimise the load on the Achilles and calves.

The shoe's KURUCLOUD midsole cushioning turned out to be fairly soft, showing a below-average reading of 20.0 HA on our Shore A durometer.

But even though it feels nice and soft underfoot, it's far from being a squishmallow. There is a very controlled and supportive feeling to the shoe's ride.

Putting this KURU shoe against the rulers, we can see that it has a moderate, early-stage toe rocker and a tangible heel bevel in the back.

While its curvature is not as aggressive as in some of the other walking shoes these days, we found that the shoe offers a very smooth and gentle rocking motion during the heel-to-toe motion.

Like any other KURU shoe, the Quantum 2 packs a KURUSOLE mechanism in the heel area. This proprietary heel cup is made of pliable TPU and moves together with the foot to minimise stress on the heel when it strikes the ground.

This is what gives the shoe its orthopaedic appeal and has helped to ease the foot pain for hundreds of people.

But do we subscribe to its magic properties? We would if the shoe returned a higher shock absorption score. Even though the Quantum 2 never aggravated our heel pain or any other foot-related issues, we cannot guarantee that it will ease the pain for everyone.

KURU stays true to its claim when it promises a generously wide toebox in the Quantum 2. But how do we know that? By creating a one-to-one gel mould of the shoe's interiors.

As soon as the mould solidified, we used a calliper to measure its width in the ball of the foot area (the widest part of the shoe's forefoot). And at 95.9 mm, it proved to be slightly wider than the average walking shoe in a medium width (men's US size 9).

But if you need even more space, you can opt for the shoe's wide version.

This KURU shoe also proved to have a rounded toebox shape, offering more space around the toes.

Measuring its width in the big toe area, our calliper returned another above-average reading of 74.6 mm. This implies no aggressive tapering towards the front of the shoe and a bit more wiggle room for toe swelling.

But please note that the Quantum 2's fit is only moderately roomier than the regular medium width. It's not as roomy and relaxed as in Topo or Altra shoes.

KURU also took care of the shoe's vertical space with an above-average toebox height of 29.5 mm.

It's a very toe-(and toenail-) friendly shoe! There is absolutely no pressure coming from the top of the toebox.

Testing the shoe's outsole traction on a wet slab of concrete, our machine recorded a solid friction coefficient of 0.55.

This is great news for someone frequenting smooth pavements and other slick urban surfaces like subway tiles. Be they wet or dry, the rubber outsole of this KURU shoe sticks rather well. 

The entire length of the shoe's bottom is lined with rubber to provide consistent traction and durability. Its square treads are smaller and toothier in the heel and forefoot areas, but grow bigger in the middle for a greater surface area.

Its outsole is also lined with deep flex grooves to keep the Quantum 2 sufficiently pliable.

Precisely measuring the amount of force it takes to bend the KURU Quantum 2 to a 30-degree angle, our machine recorded a decent erading of 15.8N. It is only slightly more than it takes to bend an average walking shoe.

So despite the shoe's boxy build, it's not as unyielding as it may seem.

Unfortunately, the number on our scale confirmed that this KURU shoe is a hefty guy. At 13.7 (387g) in a men's US size 9, it is on the heavier side of our lab-tested walking shoes.

That's the price you have to pay in return for the Quantum 2's high supportive construction.

Don't hesitate to choose the KURU Quantum 2 as your summer walking shoe because its open-weave mesh upper is amazingly breathable!

Just look at how effortlessly the smoke is passing through the toebox!

Or how thin and transparent its mesh material is in our transparency test!

Featuring large ventilation pores, this textile keeps the airflow circulating through the shoe without obstruction.

Considering all of the above, we readily gave this KURU shoe's breathability a high score of 4 out of 5.

Prioritising foot health, KURU made sure that the Quantum 2 is as stable and supportive as it gets.

In fact, one of the 2nd version's key updates includes raised sidewalls of the TPU heel cup, providing more side-to-side stability in the rearfoot. This is particularly important for people with flat feet and overpronation looking for some added arch and lateral support.

Our manual test also revealed the torsional rigidity of this KURU shoe, which prevents the foot and ankle from buckling over. On a 1-5 stiffness scale, we gave it a high score of 4.

Contributing to the shoe's stability and lockdown is its very stiff and unyielding heel counter.

Scoring 5/5 on our stiffness test, it also proved to be very well-padded and offered a secure heel hold in the back.

Considering how wide-set the Kuru Quantum 2 is, we expected its midsole to show above-average width measurements too.

The widest part of its forefoot, for example, showed a high reading of 117.2 mm, exceeding the dimensions of many other walking shoes.

At 93.0 mm, the heel also proved to be rather broad in its widest area. That's a nice and stable base to feel planted when walking and standing all day.

KURU doesn't promise genuine leather anywhere in its product description, but some people may assume that the Quantum 2's higher price indicates the use of real leather in its construction.

Our fire test instantly confirmed that the shoe's overlays are indeed made of synthetic material. The latter caught fire and melted within seconds.

To our greatest disappointment, the Quantum 2's material durability didn't live up to the shoe's above-average price point.

Its toebox developed significant wear and tear within only 4 seconds of our Dremel test. Assessing the damage, we lowered its toebox durability score to 3/5.

Its heel collar lining did even worse, showing a glaring hole after the same 4-second drilling session. This dropped the shoe's heel padding durability score to the lowest 1 out of 5.

The shoe's outsole did better than the upper, but still didn't show any spectacular results with just a standard dent depth of 1.3 mm.

But at least the amount of rubber here is pretty generous, with a calliper reading of 4.6 mm. That's a tonne of rubber to go through before the shoe gives out.

KURU equipped the Quantum 2 with a well-padded and ergonomic insole for immediate underfoot comfort.

But because its insole is removable, you can opt for a custom orthotic in case you need even more support.

If you are planning to wear this KURU shoe in chilly weather (not the best idea considering its breathable upper), please note that its midsole will lose some of its softness.

After a 20-minute exposure to low temperatures in our freezer, the Quantum 2's midsole foam firmed up by 20%.

We detected no reflective elements on this KURU shoe in the dark room test.

This shoe's interior padding is exceptionally generous.

Measuring its tongue thickness in particular, our calliper returned a whopping reading of 11.5 mm!

There are no gussets on the sides of the Quantum 2's tongue, but we didn't notice any shifting thanks to the webbed lace loops on the tongue that keep them in place.

The KURU Quantum 2 is not a cheap offering, but is it worth the high asking price? That depends on what you're looking for.

If you have a foot condition that makes you want to dive into the brand's proprietary support and orthopaedic comfort, then it could be well worth the money. Especially given that this pair is HSA/FSA eligible.

But if you simply need a no-frills daily beater, you can find much cushier, more durable, and less expensive models here.

Neither the shoe's heel collar nor the tongue have a finger loop.