By Chip and Jessica Hanna — We Tried It, Fort Collins, Colorado
We buy most of what we review; when a brand sends something, we say so — and it never changes our verdict. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How we test.
TL;DR
Allbirds. We tried the Atoms Model 000 because they were supposed to be more comfortable than the Allbirds this house already lives in. They are comfortable, lightweight, and machine washable — and they turned Jessica’s feet into mini saunas. Head-to-head against Allbirds Tree Dashers, Allbirds won on breathability. Both sit in the same price neighborhood. We’d reach for the Tree Dashers first. For everyday wear (not the gym), Chip still grabs a Tree Runner.
If you want the Allbirds vs Atoms answer in one line: buy Allbirds if you like going sockless or you run warm; buy Atoms if you want a snug, gym-to-errands sneaker and you are fine wearing socks.
Quick verdict
| If you care about… | Winner |
|---|---|
| Breathability / sockless wear | Allbirds |
| Everyday comfort | Allbirds (Tree Runner for daily, Dasher for workouts) |
| Snug cinched fit | Atoms (stretch laces) |
| Gym-to-casual versatility | Atoms (our published call) / Allbirds Tree Runner for daily life |
| Machine washable | Tie |
| Price | Atoms Model 000 $145 ($159 water-repellent), Dasher NZ $140, Tree Dasher 2 $99 sale / $140 list, Tree Runner $100 |
| Travel / all-day walking | Allbirds (Atoms is not in our travel-shoe testing) |
| Durability we’ve lived with | Allbirds Tree Runners — 3–4+ years. |
Our scores, already published: Atoms Model 000 6.5/10. Allbirds as a brand 9.5/10. Tree Dasher 2 product card 4.5/5. Tree Runners 8.5/10 in our later comparisons.
What we actually tested
This is not a spec-sheet fight.
Jessica wrote our Atoms Shoes Review after we tried the Atoms Model 000 — the simple black-or-close-to-black everyday sneaker Atoms is known for. We already lived in Allbirds. Jessica has eight pairs of black Allbirds in different styles. The kids wear them. Chip’s daily pair is a grey Tree Runner, including on bike rides with the kids here in Colorado. We have bought 9+ pairs of Allbirds since 2017 — Wool Runners, Tree Runners, Loungers, Dashers, Skippers, Mizzles, Smallbirds — and we still call Allbirds the most comfortable shoe we own.
The Atoms pitch was simple: more comfortable than Allbirds. So we tried them. The comparison we already published is Atoms Model 000 vs Allbirds Tree Dashers, because Jessica uses those two in a similar way (gym / everyday sneaker). This post is that comparison, cleaned up as its own URL, with the Tree Runner in the mix because that is the Allbirds most people should actually buy.
We have not published a hands-on review of newer Atoms models (Model 001, etc.).
Atoms vs Allbirds comparison table
Facts only — pulled from our published reviews. Blanks are blanks.
| Atoms Model 000 | Allbirds Tree Dasher / Dasher | Allbirds Tree Runner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Minimalist everyday / gym-to-casual sneaker | Allbirds’ running / workout shoe (renamed “Dasher” in 2026) | Chip’s everyday Allbirds |
| Price in our reviews | $145 core; $159 water-repellent | Dasher NZ $140; Tree Dasher 2 $99 sale / $140 list (final sale) | $100 core; Tree Runner NZ $100 |
| Our published score | 6.5/10 (product card 4.3) | Product card 4.5; brand 9.5/10 | 8.5/10; Chip’s favorite Allbirds |
| Upper | Polyurethane-knit | Eucalyptus tree fiber, one-piece / sock-like | Eucalyptus / TENCEL Lyocell, two-piece (body + tongue) |
| Midsole | Lightweight foam | Dual-density SweetFoam (sugarcane); 7mm drop | Single-density SweetFoam; 15mm drop |
| Insole / lining | Copper-threaded antimicrobial lining | Castor-bean sockliner + merino wool at the heel | Merino wool insole (ZQ wool + castor bean oil) |
| Breathability | Poor. Tight knit. “Mini saunas.” | Good. Eucalyptus lets air through. Sockless is fine. | Good. Chip wears them in winter and summer. |
| Socks | Wear them. Uncomfortable sockless. | Optional. Socks for serious runs. | Optional. We usually go sockless. |
| Odor | Copper threading keeps odor down even when feet sweat | Wool helps; they can still get a little stinky if you skip washes | Wool insole is moisture-wicking / odor-reducing |
| Laces | Stretch laces that cinch tight — still have to tie them | Regular laces; Chip rarely unties Allbirds | Regular laces |
| Machine washable | Yes | Yes — remove insole + laces, delicate, hang dry | Yes. We’ve washed pairs for years. |
| Sizing | Half sizes + unisex | Whole sizes only. True to size. Chip is a 9.5 and orders a 10. | Whole sizes. Tree Runners feel a touch roomier. |
| Style | Simple, versatile, a little generic | More athletic / “busy”; recognizable as Allbirds | Casual everyday. Not as sharp as Wool Runners. |
| Best for (our words) | Gym to a casual outing, if you wear socks | Workouts, light runs, gym, playing outside with the kids, Peloton Tread | Walking, errands, travel, daily wear |
| Durability we’ve lived | Tree Dasher 2: used for workouts; original Dasher review said “should hold up” and we’d update after more wear | 3–4+ years, holds toe-box shape better than wool | |
| Vegan | Yes, and they say 100% recyclable | No — merino wool in the mix | No — wool insole |
| Travel testing | Not in our best travel shoes roundup | Workout shoe, not our travel pick | Allbirds is our all-day travel comfort pick |
Prices confirmed August 20, 2026: Atoms Model 000 $145 ($159 water-repellent); Allbirds Dasher NZ $140; Tree Dasher 2 $99 sale / $140 list; Tree Runner and Tree Runner NZ $100.
Breathability and comfort
This is the whole review, honestly.
Jessica is not usually a sweaty-feet person. The Atoms Model 000 made her question that. The polyurethane-knit upper is tightly woven and does not breathe. We called it a mini sauna in the Atoms review and we meant it. Copper threading does its job — the shoes do not turn into a biohazard — but the moisture is still there. Go sockless at your peril. With socks, they are comfortable. The foam midsole is the nice part.
Allbirds Tree Dashers, made from eucalyptus tree fiber, are the opposite problem: they let your feet breathe. They are a dream if you like the sockless life, which we do. Almost every Allbirds in this house gets worn without socks. Wool acts like a sock without (most of) the stink. Tree Dashers can be worn sockless too; we’d still put socks on for a real run.
Chip runs hot. That is why his daily shoe is the Tree Runner, not a wool pair. The tree fiber thermoregulates without feeling like you left a window open. He wears them in Colorado winter and summer. Jessica is Team Wool — she calls the merino styles her “kittens” — and she still has more Allbirds than is reasonable.
Cushioning is not the fight. Atoms has a flexible foam midsole with bounce. Allbirds has SweetFoam. Both feel good underfoot. Allbirds just does not cook your feet while it does it.
Winner: Allbirds. We already said it in the Atoms review. Nothing we have published since changes that.
Sizing and fit
Allbirds: True to size. Whole sizes only. If you are between sizes, we size up. Chip typically wears a men’s 9.5, so he orders a 10. Men’s is 1.5 smaller than women’s (women’s 10.5 → men’s 9). Tree Runners feel a touch roomier, which is nicer for wider feet. Wool Runners feel a bit snugger, which is part of why they feel warm. Dashers fit like other Allbirds — order your usual Allbirds size. Chip likes his shoes a little loose, so he goes half a size up for a “perfect” fit; he would not do that if he were actually running in them.
Tree Dasher 2 specifically: sock-like one-piece upper, roomier toe box than the original, and it does not feel as constricted. Chip had Achilles blisters on the original Dasher; the 2 fixed that with a reworked heel collar.
Atoms: They offer half sizes and unisex sizing. Stretch laces let you cinch the shoe tight if you like a snug tennis-shoe fit. That is a real difference from Allbirds, which Chip wears loose on purpose.
Atoms is known in the wider internet for quarter sizes. We did not write that as a hands-on claim. Our review only mentions half-sizing and unisex. Do not add quarter-size praise unless Chip confirms we used it.
Daily wear
We live in Allbirds. That is not a bit. Jessica has eight black pairs. The kids wear Smallbirds. Chip’s grey Tree Runners are the pair he grabs in the mudroom. Allbirds is the all-day comfort pick in our best travel shoes roundup — lightweight, breathable, washable, fine from the airport to a long walking day. The Tree versions are the warm-weather / travel pair; wool is the cool-climate hug.
Atoms Model 000 is the more “one pair does a lot” sneaker in the comparison we already wrote. Simple design, easy to pair with a lot of outfits, gym to a casual outing. Tree Dashers, in that same writeup, are more geared toward athletic use. If you want one shoe that dresses up and down a notch, Atoms is the more chameleon of the two in that specific head-to-head.
Two caveats we already published:
- That simple Atoms look is also the knock. Versatile, and a little generic. At $145 you might want more flair.
- The daily-wear win only holds if you wear socks. Sockless Allbirds is how this house actually gets dressed in the morning.
Chip’s everyday pick in the Allbirds lineup is still the Tree Runner, not the Dasher. Dasher is the workout / light-run / “playing outside with the kids and hopping on the Peloton Tread” shoe. Tree Runner is the 98% shoe.
Winner: Allbirds for how we actually live. Atoms if you want a snug, socked, gym-to-dinner minimalist.
Durability
Allbirds, we have years of this. Tree Runners last 3–4+ years and keep looking good, partly because we can wash them. The tree material holds the toe box much better than wool. Chip has worn Tree Runners 3–4× more than his older Wool Runners and still prefers them for that reason. Wool styles get a deflated toe box over time — noticeable on Wool Runners, really noticeable on Wool Loungers. We’ve washed grey Allbirds many times (Chip’s pair from one review: worn every other day, washed about four times, still looked good, a little less “fuzz” after 6+ months). They can stretch a bit. They are not the shoe for rain or rugged terrain (that’s a Mizzle problem).
Atoms: our published review repeats customer comments about structure and daily wear. That is not our long-term wear test. We have not published how many months we wore the Model 000, whether the foam flattened, or whether the knit bagged out.
Winner, based on what we have actually lived in: Allbirds.
Washability
Tie on the spec. Both brands are machine washable, and that is a real reason we buy this kind of sneaker.
Allbirds we have washed a lot. Cold, delicate, Woolite Dark, insoles and laces out, hang dry 12–24 hours, never the dryer, never bleach (they turn pink). Full steps: How to wash Allbirds. Chip has washed Tree Skippers with the kids’ swim trunks. They came out fine.
Atoms: our review says they are machine washable. We did not publish a wash test.
Style and brand feel
Allbirds has the look people recognize. Atoms blend in. That is a pro or a con depending on whether you want your shoes to announce themselves.
Jessica’s note on Atoms: easy to pair with a lot of outfits if you like a small shoe collection. Also: almost too generic for the price.
Allbirds Tree Dashers look more like an athletic shoe — “busier” than a Tree Runner. Tree Runners are the casual everyday shape. Wool Runners look more like “real” shoes; tree shoes have that perforated texture people either like or don’t. Chip’s first all-black Allbirds looked like orthopedic shoes and went back. Grey with a white sole is the pair that hooked this house.
Atoms has limited-edition and core colorways. Jessica’s review jokes “want to guess what color I got?
Price (2026)
Close enough that price should not decide this.
- Atoms Model 000: $145 core, $159 water-repellent (official, August 2026).
- Allbirds Tree Dasher 2: $99 sale / $140 list (final sale). Allbirds Dasher NZ: $140.
- Allbirds Tree Runner: $100. Tree Runner NZ: $100.
- Allbirds brand range we quote in 2026: $95–$135, with some styles higher (Mizzle ~$135).
A ten-dollar gap is lunch, not a lifestyle. The Tree Runner is the actual value pick if you do not need a running shoe.
Live prices, August 20, 2026: Atoms Model 000 $145 ($159 water-repellent); Allbirds Dasher NZ $140; Tree Dasher 2 $99 sale / $140 list (final sale); Tree Runner and Tree Runner NZ $100.
Sustainability (what we already wrote — not a lab test)
Atoms: vegan, they say 100% recyclable, copper threading, eco-friendly recyclable packaging. We reported that from the brand story in the Atoms review. We did not carbon-audit a warehouse.
Allbirds: merino wool, eucalyptus / TENCEL, sugarcane SweetFoam, published carbon numbers on products. Tree Dasher 2: 10.7 kg CO2e, FSC rubber, recycled-bottle laces, carbon-neutral via offsets. We care about this, and we also care whether the shoe is actually comfortable. Allbirds wins that second part.
If vegan is a hard requirement, Atoms is the one we reviewed that meets it. Allbirds tree uppers are plant-based; the insoles and linings still use wool.
Who should buy which
Buy Allbirds if you:
- Want the most comfortable shoe we own (our 9.5/10)
- Go sockless on purpose
- Run warm, or live somewhere with real summers (Tree Runner / Dasher)
- Want a travel / all-day walking sneaker
- Need a family brand — we have adult pairs and Smallbirds
- Want a running-ish Allbirds: get the Dasher (Tree Dasher 2), not the Tree Runner
- Want the cheaper everyday pair: Tree Runner, $100
Buy Atoms Model 000 if you:
- Want a snug, cinched fit and will wear socks
- Want one simple sneaker that goes gym-to-casual
- Want vegan / fully recyclable as they describe it
- Like a quieter, less “I wear Allbirds” look
- Already know Allbirds run too warm or too casual for how you dress
Skip Atoms if: you are shopping them as an Allbirds killer for sockless summer wear. That is the test they failed in our house.
Skip the Allbirds Dasher as your only pair if: you just want a daily sneaker. Get the Tree Runner. The names are backwards. The Runner is not the running shoe.
Also in the mix if neither is quite right: Rothy’s (especially RS01 / RS02) and our Allbirds vs Rothy’s guide. We pointed at Rothy’s from the Atoms review as the in-between.
The final showdown
If we had to pick one pair for errands — or, as we put it in the Atoms review, a deserted island — Allbirds Tree Dashers. Reliable. Feet feel at home. That was Jessica’s published call when the question was Atoms vs the Allbirds she uses the same way.
If the question is “what does this family actually wear?” the answer is still Allbirds, and Chip’s answer is still the Tree Runner.
Atoms Model 000 is a fine shoe. Comfortable with socks. Easy to put on once you cinch the stretch laces. Machine washable. Just not better than Allbirds, which is the only reason we bought them.
FAQ
Are Atoms better than Allbirds?
No — not in our house. Atoms Model 000 are comfortable, versatile, and machine washable, but the knit upper runs hot. We compared them to Allbirds Tree Dashers and said we’d reach for the Dashers first. We have Allbirds at 9.5/10 and Atoms at 6.5/10.
Allbirds vs Atoms — which is more breathable?
Allbirds. Tree Dashers use eucalyptus tree fiber and let air through. Atoms use a polyurethane-knit upper that does not. That is the main reason Allbirds won.
Can you wear Atoms without socks?
We would not. Our review: uncomfortable sockless, go at your peril. Wear socks. Allbirds is the sockless shoe in this comparison — we almost never wear socks with ours.
Can you run in Atoms or Allbirds?
Atoms: we described them as fine for physical activities and gym-to-casual, with stretch laces that cinch up for that. We did not publish a running-mileage test.
Allbirds: the Dasher / Tree Dasher is the running shoe. Tree Dasher 2 is the one we like for gym sessions, light runs, the Peloton Tread, and playing outside with the kids. We are not serious distance runners; people who are tend to want something more specialized for long runs. Do not buy Tree Runners as a running shoe. The name is a mistake. They are the casual everyday pair.
How do Atoms and Allbirds fit?
Allbirds: true to size, whole sizes only, size up if you are between (Chip: 9.5 → 10). Tree Runners a bit roomier; wool a bit snugger.
Atoms: half sizes and unisex, stretch laces for a snug fit.
Are Atoms and Allbirds machine washable?
Yes, both. We have years of washing Allbirds (cold delicate, hang dry, no bleach). We have not published an Atoms wash test.
Which is better for travel?
Allbirds. That is the all-day comfort pick in our best travel shoes testing. Atoms were not in that lineup.
Do Atoms or Allbirds last longer?
Allbirds Tree Runners: 3–4+ years in this house, and they keep their shape better than wool. Atoms durability in our review is mostly other customers’ comments.
Are Atoms vegan? Are Allbirds?
Atoms Model 000: yes, and they say 100% recyclable. Allbirds tree uppers are eucalyptus; almost all Allbirds still have wool in the insole or lining. Not a vegan shoe as we wear them.
What Allbirds should I buy if I was looking at Atoms?
Everyday / errands / travel: Tree Runner (~$100). Workouts and light runs: Tree Dasher 2 ($99 sale / $140 list) / Dasher NZ ($140). Cold weather: a wool style — Wool Runner or Wool Runner NZ. Confused by the lineup? Best Allbirds comparison or the Allbirds quiz.
Related reviews
- Atoms Shoes Review — the full Model 000 writeup this page is built from
- Allbirds Review — 9+ pairs, 9.5/10
- Allbirds Tree Runners Review — Chip’s daily pair
- Allbirds Tree Dasher 2 Review — the Allbirds we compared Atoms against
- Allbirds Dasher Review — original Dasher
- The Best Allbirds: Tree Runner vs Tree Dasher
- Best Travel Shoes 2026
- Allbirds vs Rothy’s
- Rothy’s Review
- How to Wash Allbirds
- New Allbirds (Wool Runner NZ & Tree Runner NZ)
- Allbirds Wool Runner 2 Review
- Smallbirds Review
- How We Test
Updated August 2026. Comparison uses only what we have already published about the Atoms Model 000 and our Allbirds pairs. Anything we have not lived with is marked for Chip, not filled in.