Summer Outdoor Retailer 2013 trade show in Salt Lake City just started! Most of the shoe companies who are exhibiting there normally announces their Spring 2014 models at this time. Most models won’t be available until December or January so it can be frustrating for some. Here are some highlights as they hit the web officially…
Category: Running Gear Reviews
Nike Free Hyperfeel & Flyknit coming soon
The long awaited next-generation Nike Free innovation is coming soon. Today, Nike announced the Nike Free Flyknit and Nike Free Hyperfeel. The Nike Free Flyknit is the fusion of two of Nike’s most iconic footwear technologies — the compressive Nike Flyknit upper and the flexible Nike Free outsole. The Nike Free Flyknit upper features zoned performance…
Newton Running EnergyNR Shoe Review
Over the past few years, Newton Running has earned itself a strong following among runners who pursue running efficiency and injury prevention. With the Newton ENERGYNR, the company seeks to bring even more runners into the fold with a brand-new design that showcases its key design principles in a more accessible package. This model features…
Topo Athletic RR Review
The long awaited product launch of Tony Post’s (ex-CEO of Vibram Five Fingers) new company, Topo Athletic, which we previewed last April, is finally here. We interviewed Tony Post last January right before he initially unveiled his plans at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show. According to Topo Athletic, “We believe an athlete’s shoes should do…
VIVOBAREFOOT ONE shoe review
VIVOBAREFOOT is back on the radar again with the availability of the ONE (not to be confused with the Altra Zero Drop The ONE). I’ve heard a lot of good things about this model but skeptical until I can test it out myself – they’re correct. I’m pleasantly surprised by the versatility and performance of…
adidas Happenings – adipure Running 2.0, Boost Running Colorways, and adidas Big Sale
A lot of things are happening at adidas running recently. adidas has quietly updated their adipure Running shoes (adipure Motion, adipure Gazelle, adipure Adapt) with new colorways and enhanced changes to the heel collar and tongue. adidas Boost Running The new adidas Boost is now available in over half a dozen colorways with pre-orders being…
ECCO EVO Racer Shoe Review
ECCO was the pioneer of natural running over 3 years ago when it first launched the BIOM collection. But it had too high a heel-to-toe differential and narrow toe box. And its Yak leather model was priced at a whopping $200! Now they’re back with their next generation BIOM collection: EVO Racer and EVO Trainer….
Skechers GObionic Trail Review
Building on the success and experience with the original GObionic road running shoe, Skechers has created another blockbuster with the launch of its GObionic Trail running shoe. Disclosure: As I had mentioned before, I’ve been working with the Skechers Performance Group on several shoes that they currently have in development. I receive no payment from…
New Balance Minimus 20v3 Cross Trainer, Inov-8 F-Lite 232, Puma BioWeb Elite Review
In this review, we wear tested several fitness shoes ranging from minimal zero drop to cushioned ones for cross training: New Balance Minimus MX20v3 Cross Trainer (4mm drop), Inov-8 F-Lite 232 (0mm drop), and Puma BioWeb Elite (12mm drop). Most athletes supplement their running with additional or complementary training or activities like cross fit, bicycling,…
Strike Movement Interval Cross Trainer Review
STR/KE MVMNT (Strike Movement) is a new athletic brand out of Vancouver (Canada) that joined the cross fit category and launched The Interval, a shoe meant for all activities. The Interval is a midfoot strike trainer that outperforms its competitors while retaining a classic wearable aesthetic. By sweating the details and eliminating anything that was…
Under Armour Toxic Six Shoe Review
Under Armour continues their move into natural running motion with the launch of their Natural collection of minimalist running shoes: Toxic Six. The Natural collection refines minimalism and offers the athlete an extension of their foot to deliver a superior, natural, protective ride. The ultra-flexible, anatomical Micro G midsole helps your foot move naturally. A …
Altra Zero Drop The 3-SUM Review
Altra Zero Drop The 3-SUM is designed to meet the needs of the competitive triathlete. With a seamless upper, easy-on transition pull-tabs, quick-draw lacing system and heel/forefoot drain holes, the 3-SUM minimizes transition time and maximizes performance – get off the bike and run like there is no tomorrow! Altra took the same performance training…
Patagonia EVERmore Shoe Review
For Spring 2013, Patagonia Footwear is focusing on performance trail running shoes built and designed with key feedback from Patagonia ambassadors and ultra running athletes. The new line includes a range of products designed to meet the needs of different runners and varying terrain. Expanding its minimal 4mm drop offering, Patagonia Footwear introduces the Patagonia…
VIVOBAREFOOT EVO Lite
The new VIVOBAREFOOT EVO Lite is the fourth generation of the iconic EVO. We first reviewed the VIVOBAREFOOT EVO II over two years ago and have been impressed with all the performance shoes from VIVOBAREFOOT since then. The VB EVO Lite is an off-road performance running shoe that is designed to be softer, lighter, stickier,…
Inov-8 TrailRoc 150/226 Shoe Review
Inov-8 is blasting forward in 2013 with the launch of many new models in the Road X-treme, TrailRoc, and F-Lite series. In this review, we will cover our wear testing of the TrailRoc 150 and TrailRoc 226 models. The unisex TrailRoc 150 is the lightest shoe in the trail range, focusing purely on minimalist performance….
Sneak preview of Topo Athletic SS’13 collection
We recently interviewed Tony Post, Founder & CEO of Topo Athletic, on Examiner.com, ‘Ten questions for Tony Post, Topo Athletic‘, in mid-January this year. As we get closer to the May 2013 launch date, Topo Athletic has provided us with a sneak peek at all the models and colorways available for both men and women….
Nike Free Primer A to Z
To learn the past and glean the future of one of Nike’s key running franchises, explore Nike Free A-Z, an interactive experience that examines key moments behind this technology’s genesis, evolution and vast influence. Through imagery, video, and interviews with innovators and athletes, Nike Free A-Z sheds light on the design process and illustrates Nike’s…
New Balance Minimus HI-REZ Review
New Balance is adding to its barefoot-inspired Minimus collection with the introduction of the innovative HI-REZ road shoe. This shoe is designed for the minimal runner looking for the latest cutting edge product to enhance a hyper-real sensory running experience. The new Minimus HI-REZ construction delivers a completely different experience for the runner by allowing…
Merrell Trail Glove 2 & Pace Glove 2 Review
Merrell has updated their popular Trail Glove and Pace Glove trail running shoes with three key updates. First, the shoe has less structure on the uppers thus allowing it to move freely with the foot for an even greater barefoot experience. Merrell also used all seamless materials for a soft natural feel on the foot….
Altra Zero Drop The ONE Review
Altra Zero Drop The ONE is a fast, light, and slightly cushioned do-it-all performance shoe that launched recently. But it is also one of the most anticipated shoe on my 2013 list as I wanted to see something between the Altra Instinct 1.5 and Altra Adam. From Altra’s literature, “From a casual 7-mile run, a…
The five star minimalist running shoes of Wear Tested
As the Wear Tested review web site reaches the 200 minimalist shoes milestone, the first quarter of 2013 have shown that the rate of new lightweight and minimal shoes hitting the market is going full steam ahead. New technologies from established players and start-ups have shown that minimal shoes can appeal to the mass market with lower prices and…
Puma Mobium Elite Review
The Puma Mobium Elite is a performance trainer that expands and contracts as the foot moves. Rooted in anatomy and inspired by nature, Puma Mobium Elite is the product of two years intense design and development based on how the foot moves – scroll down to see the Design & Development videos from Puma for…
SKORA launches groundbreaking SS13 collection
SKORA is launching their SS13 collection with two all-new models featuring groundbreaking midsole & outsole technology and construction techniques plus fresh new colorways for FORM and BASE. The two new SS13 models, PHASE and CORE, are both built on the revolutionary new R02 unibody outsole platform, featuring IBR (Injection Blown Rubber) that provides the function…
Teva Sphere Speed & Trail Review
Teva defies convention by changing the shoe instead of the stride. The TevaSphere Speed & Trail collection is designed to meet the performance needs of the outdoor athlete with a first-of-its-kind spherical heel and pod-arch system delivering a more natural point of impact, efficient transition and superior stability on varied terrain. Teva spent more than…