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Dynafish Xiaonian 100 mile Review

Name: Men's Other Dynafish Xiaonian
Brand: Other
Rating: 5.0 (1 reviews)

Scott Hilton

Posted Jul 07, 2026

This is a shoe that has been quite popular out of China with a lot of shoe reviewers. They originally didn't have my size 12's available and so when I saw them on "shop" in my size, I couldn't resist picking them up and seeing what the buzz is about

Total

Form

Performance

Value

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Dynafish Xiaonian

5.0/5

(1)

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Pros

One of the best rocker geometries I have encountered
Fantastic responsive foam
Breathable upper
Very nice toe room
Excellent value proposition
Fun fun shoe to run in, brilliant at long runs
Versatile usage

Cons

Laces are a bit thin and a bit long
Lace Eyelets could be a little bigger to offer an upgrade in lace

Dynafish:
At DYNAFISH, we believe performance running shoes should be built for runners — not for marketing hype.

Founded with a focus on pure speed, lightweight performance, and real-world comfort, DYNAFISH is part of a new generation of performance running brands challenging the idea that elite-level running shoes need elite-level prices. The brand quickly gained attention among runners for combining innovative foam technology, lightweight construction, and race-ready performance into shoes designed for everyday athletes.

Our philosophy is simple:

Run smooth. Run fast.

Review Goal

This shoe has some strong hype behind them by some very good runners and shoe reviewers. I wanted to see how they worked for me, a runner who is a little older, not as fast, but likes to spend a lot of time on feet regardless of pace. This shoe has a reputation for being a strong long run shoe that is versatile within different paces, which fits my long run philosophy perfectly. So, I put 100 miles on them for this review to get a wide range of runs.

Deets and Usage

Weight: My size 12's came in weighing: Left 8.2 Ounces, Right 8.2 OuncesSample size 9: 7.5 OUnces
Heel Stack: 43mm
Drop: 7mm drop
Upper: lightweight engineered woven mesh upper
Outsole: Durable CPU Rubber Outsole: The full-coverage CPU rubber outsole with a parametric tread pattern offers superior traction and abrasion resistance on roads, ensuring long-lasting durability.

Midsole: Supercritical TPEE (thermoplastic polyester elastomer).

MSRP: $130- to 150
*Bought mine through the Shop app at $130 and had a 10 buck Shop app coupon, so paid $120 actual.

Use cases:
I have 100 miles in the shoes. I ran on concrete, tarmac, light trail and track conditions in dry conditions and concrete in wet conditions. I did up tempo, track workout, easy and steady pace runs. I have 2 runs of 15 miles. Majority of runs are between 6 and 8 miles.

Upper

Laces: The laces are a thinner material lace and a little long overall. This may be worse because my foot is not higher volume, but they seem long regardless. I was able to address this through double knot. The eyelets seem a bit smaller, so if you need to replace the laces you may want to ensure they are not too thick.
Tongue: The tongue is lightly padded with a full gusset. No slippage or issues with the tongue slipping, worked perfectly.
Upper material: The upper is an engineered mesh. I believe they are a TPU type of engineered mesh. It is very breathable and dries very quickly, which is a huge benefit in the summer in Houston. Being black doesn't help dissipate the heat, so these were impressive with breathability and moisture shedding.
Heel: The heel is not structured and the collar has minimum padding, which works perfectly for me. I had no slippage or hot spots in these shoes
Toe Room: These shoes are not "foot shaped", but they do have a nice amount of room in the forefoot and I am here for it
Fit: The shoes fit perfectly true to size in my size 12's.

Upper Positives: Breathability, moisture shedding, fit
Upper Negatives: Laces are lacking

Outsole

The CPU outsole has essentially full coverage and a nice layer of it across the area of the shoe. As with the other Chinese shoes I have reviewed, the performance of the CPU outsole has been very good. I do think this is a notch below the CPU outsole found on the Anta C2027 and Li Ning Red hare 9 Ultra, but that puts it in with most Rubber outsoles found on western brands from a durability standpoint.

I am seeing wear at 100 miles in my high wear areas, but I expect to see average to above average wear.

Midsole magic

The 2 primary dynamics of this midsole are Geometry and and the midsole compound.

Geometry: The geometry is rockered in front and in the rear of the shoe and provides a very smooth and effort assisted experience underfoot. The base also feels a bit wider than the standard shoe, providing a more stable experience underfoot. It is probably one of, if not the, best geometries underfoot I have experienced.

Midsole material: The TPEE provides an energetic and fun response, which greatly increases with more force put into the shoe during the gait cycle. In my experience, I get along very well with TPEE midsoles and this is no exception.

A secondary dynamic, but also an important one, is the lightness of this shoe. It is lighter than the Puma Deviate Pure recently reviewed and has more foam underfoot.

The combination of the above dynamics results in one of the most versatile and enjoyable rides since I have been running. I set my PR in the mile in these shoes during the track workout. The shoe was brilliant in my 2-15 mile runs. I am able to transition to easy pace, steady pace, up tempo etc. with ease. I would honestly probably choose this shoe for a marathon if I was running one "today", as someone who doesn't use plated shoes at this point for marathons.

This is a shoe that has a legit fun factor for me.

Final thoughts

This shoe has received enough attention that Yowana, owner of Supwell and a very popular Youtube Shoe reviewer has imported the shoe to sell in the US. Matt Fox, a very fast runner who also has social media content, visited the Dynafish MFG site and is working on distribution in Australia and within Europe.

This is a case where the shoe, fits the hype....and may actually outperform it for some (like me). There is no competition in the western market for this shoe at this price, so it presents an extremely good value proposition.........and fun.