Li-Ning has really found their groove in trail running shoes with the black and white Di Lu 2

Li-Ning ‘Di Lu 2’ women’s trail running shoe

We have to admit that we have a soft spot for Li-Ning’s Di Lu (的卢) line of trail running shoes. We don’t use them for the unpaved of course, they are just swell on any city street. Their newest Di Lu 2 (dropping the V from the earlier V2), launched last year to be exact, is monochromatic perfection, considering that they have in the past gone with rather unusual colour stories, such as a very palatable pink and green. But rather than opting colour combos that would win the hearts of those with a love of chromatic oddities, Li-Ning has chosen a more conventional black and white (although, to be more precise, it is really closer to buttermilk). It’s also how they work the overlays for a graphic effect that is also a lure, with the abbreviation ADV (for ‘adventure’) on the sides in a minimalist white. Although not a simple shoe, this is as minimalist as you get.

Di Lu is an interesting name for a pair of trail shoe. It comes from the 14th-century historical novel 三国演义 (sanguo yanyi) or Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Di Lu was the personal mount of Liu Bei, the founding emperor of the Shu Han state. The steed was famous for its incredible speed. It saved Liu Bei’s life with a physically impossible leap across the 檀溪 (tanxi) or Tan Torrent to escape enemy forces. Di Lu might seem odd if you’re imagining a casual Sunday hike, but the name actually makes a lot of sense when you look at how trail running—for women too—has evolved into a high-speed, competitive sport. It’s essentially mythological marketing: If you’re going into the battle of a 50-km mountain race, Li-Ning wants you to feel like a legendary general on a supernatural steed, rather than just a person in sneakers. But for most of us, we will be galumphing in a pair on mud-free Orchard Road.

Li-Ning Di Lu 2 Boom Trail Running Shoes, SGD247, are available at Li-Ning stores, island-wide. Photo: Chin Boh Kay