UPDATE 2/4/12 – One of my readers, Tobias, tells me that this looks like the Puma H-Street Plus model. Thanks mate! My nephew visited briefly from Australia and on transit at San Francisco airport. But he brought a pair of Puma running shoes that he is currently running in – minimal of course. He does not…
Category: Running Gear Reviews
New Balance Blog – The All-New 110
A GREAT post by New Balance on the behind-the-scenes design of the New Balance 110. And the more than three years of ongoing collaboration between ultra runners, Tony Krupicka & Erik Skaggs and the New Balance design team in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Available now for under $85, a real bargain for such an amazing trail running…
Newton Running & VIVOBAREFOOT Sale plus new Inov-8 BareX-Lite 150
There is rarely a discount on Newton Running shoes unless you’re in the military or high school. For a limited time only, Newton Distancia and Newton Gravitas are now 25% OFF at Two Rivers Treads (tworiverstreads.com). They also have VIVOBAREFOOT Evo and Evo II deeply discounted. FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $90 and NO…
New Balance Minimus Zero Trail
Here comes New Balance second-generation minimalist running shoes! First up, the latest and greatest minimalist trail running shoe, the NB Minimus Zero Trail, a true zero drop trail shoe. With the early media samples, only the standard D width is available and I had to size up one full size to fix my 2E+ feet…
SKORA Running FORM Shoe Review
The wait was excruciating for minimalist runners like myself. But the wait was worth it. SKORA Running has launched two models for men’s (women’s in Fall ’12) – the SKORA BASE and SKORA FORM. We will be reviewing the SKORA FORM. I want to acknowledge the ‘seed’ planted in my brain (from the movie ‘Inception’)…
K-Swiss Blade Foot Run Shoe Review
I tested my first pair of K-Swiss racing flats, K-Ruuz, about a year ago. The K-RUUZ has a 10mm differential and a narrow toe box. Although not a minimal shoe, it was a great start for K-Swiss. But now, K-Swiss has launched their first true minimalist running shoe, the Blade Foot Run, a zero drop…
In A Class By Themselves – First Look Preview
It is rare to see many innovative technologies in the outdoor and fitness category. Something that is common in consumer electronics (my previous geek expertise) is now starting to show up in running shoes and running gear. Here are a few unique gems I stumbled upon recently. Ashmei Ultimate Softshell Running Jacket – The James…
Merrell Barefoot Run Road Glove Shoe Review
I had done an early review of the Merrell Barefoot Road Glove a few months back after running in a pre-production model. The Merrell Barefoot Run Road Glove (Dash Glove for women) will be available online at Merell.com and in running specialty stores this month. Since I wrote the initial review in October 2011, the…
Under Armour Charge RC Shoe Review
Under Armour has been designing running shoes for quite some time but they have finally taken a radical approach to their latest minimalist running shoe design with the Charge RC, a transitional minimal shoe. Under Armour is best known for their compression apparel line which redefines how clothes fit and perform with the body. By…
Montrail Rogue Racer Shoe Review
Trail running equipment specialist Montrail is moving towards a minimalist direction with the Montrail Rogue Racer that is lighter and lower to the ground than many trail shoes. And they have a new design theme: Innovation by Subtraction. The Montrail Rogue Racer is designed for trail racing and daily training. The Rogue Racer weighs in…
My Minimalist Lifestyle Shoe Rotation
Last Updated: 12/15/11 After wearing and testing minimalist running shoes for the past two years starting with the Vibram Five Fingers KSO (keep stuff out), I still haven’t found the perfect road, trail, casual, and dress shoe. But I found many ‘almost perfect’ shoes for each occasion and the list below is what I am…
New Balance Minimus Outdoor multi-sport
New Balance has added another model to its growing Minimus (4mm drop platform) collection – the water-resistant Minimus Outdoor MO10 multi-sport shoe. The Minimus Outdoor is built on the same natural running last (NL1) used in the first generation of the New Balance Minimus collection. In fact, the shoe is identical to the Minimus Trail…
VIVOBAREFOOT Aqua Lite Shoe Review
From VIVOBAREFOOT comes the shoe of choice for road running, the Aqua Lite. This build on their best selling casual shoe, the VIVOBAREFOOT Aqua, which is a classic lace-up trainer that is perfect for walking or working out. The Aqua Lite is intended for use in the gym, dance studio, or road running and of…
UnderArmour Charge RC Natural Running Shoe
Interesting natural running shoe from UnderArmour now available in Limited Edition colors for November 25 delivery – the Charge RC. From the technical specifications: Uppers articulated flex to mimic and enhance natural foot movement; Midsole MicroG® foam, UA’s revolutionary light and low midsole innovation, Carbon spring plate for maximum energy return; Outsole blown rubber. Under 10…
Brooks Running Pure Collection Colorways For Spring ’12
This February, Brooks Running will come out with the second wave of its Pure Project collection. Retailing for $90 to $120, all four styles feature a flexible design, a split-toe groove, banded support around the midfoot and breathable uppers. The new colors, which feature both saturated jewel tones and color pops with neutral shades, will deliver…
SKECHERS GOrun
SKECHERS Fitness Group is jumping into the barefoot-style running category with the premiere of SKECHERS GOrun, a lightweight minimalist running shoe. Features of the GOrun include: Lightweight: GOrun is astonishingly light. Midfoot Strike: A 4mm heel forces the runner to land midfoot to forefoot which minimizes joint stress and maximizes efficiency. Go Impulse Sensors: Strategically placed…
A Sneak Peek Inside the New NB Minimus Zero Uppers
In the next installment (see previous installment NB Minimus Zero Sole) of the New Balance Minimus Zero design series, two NB senior designers, Drew Nyssen and Chris Wawrousek, talks about the uppers of the Zero collection – inspiration of how they were designed and developed. There really is no roadmap for designing ultra-lightweight and zero-drop…
Merrell Barefoot Road Glove
Merrell will be officially launching a zero drop minimalist road shoe with the Merrell Road Glove for men in Spring 2012 (Dash Glove for women). The Road and Dash Glove have synthetic leather and breathable air mesh uppers with reflective materials. They also have a fused rubber bumper. The midsole does not have the shock…
Recycling Plastic Bottles + Rubber + Cork + ??? = Shoes + Performance Apparel
Ever since college, I’ve been exposed to alternative energy sources like Solar Energy, Wind Power, and Hydro-Electric Power as my older brother is an Environmental Planner and Solar Architect in Arizona. ‘Going Green’ was not even on anyone’s radar in the 80s. My first exposure was a visit to Arcosanti, an experimental town in the…
Inov-8 F-Lite 195 now in 7 colors from Zappos only!
The twin brother of the Inov-8 X-Talon 190 is now available in 7 cool colors! But only from Zappos. The Inov-8 F-Lite 195 will redefine expectations for elite runners looking for the highest levels of proprioception and the most naturalfoot position. Featuring a 3mm differential between the forefoot and heel and a 3mm footbed, the…
Brooks Running Pure Grit
Brooks Running is finally moving into minimalism with the Pure Project and it is Brooks biggest launch in its history. The line of four shoes (Pure Connect, Pure Cadence, Pure Flow, and Pure Grit) incorporate five new design elements and the shoes weigh in at less than 10 ounces each. The Pure Connect is the…
New Balance MT 110
An update to the award-winning New Balance MT 101, the New Balance 110 Trail, a minimalistic trail runner, offers many of the same features and benefits that made its predecessor successful, including a thin Rock Stop plate in the outsole that protects feet from punctures and disperses shock without sacrificing the natural running feel. The…
The Evolution of the NB Minimus Zero Sole
There’s a lot of truth in what you see on the bottom of shoes Seated in a back corner on the 5th floor of the New Balance Design Center in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Chris Wawrousek, Senior Designer, is literally surrounded by this truth in the form of the hundreds of prototyped, well-worn and yet-to-be-tried shoes that…
VIVOBAREFOOT Neo Trail
From Terra Plana VIVOBAREFOOT comes their first trail shoe with all the hallmarks of VIVOBAREFOOT: the patented ultra-thin sole, anatomic shape and great looking design but with teeth. The VIVOBAREFOOT Neo Trail is the barefoot and breathable off-road performance trail running shoe. Balancing maximum proprioception with grip and traction, the Neo Trail is designed to…