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…
Category: Running Gear Reviews
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…
Fall & Spring Shoe Buying Guide
It’s that time of the year! New models that are announced in January and August at the Outdoor Retailer shows are starting to ship to retailers – running specialty stores and some big box stores. Here’s our guide to the most anticipated road, trail, and casual minimalist shoes. As common with new models, they are…
VIVOBAREFOOT Training Clinic
VIVOBAREFOOT finally announced that registration is OPEN for the US program in Denver: 26th October – 30th October, 9:00AM – 5:00PM Pura Vida Fitness and Spa| 2955 East 1st Avenue, Suite 200 | Denver CO 80206 USA Other times/dates available only for the UK. Here’s your chance to become a VIVOBAREFOOT Certified Coach! More information at…
Minimalist Running Shoes – Generation 2.0
I wrote last November about the most influential footwear manufacturers in ‘2011 – The Year of Minimalist Shoes‘. The majority of them delivered as promised but a few faded and a few jumped ahead in the pack. Coming late Fall ’11 and Spring ’12, the next generation of minimalist running shoes or as some…
Runner’s World UK – The Making Of A Shoe
In the September 2011 issue of Runner’s World US and the October 2011 issue of Runner’s World UK, both the US and UK editions have the same cover and also cover similar articles except for the Shoe Buyer’s Guide. The US edition ‘Fall Shoe Guide‘ featured 24 new reviews including four minimal shoes – New…
Merrell Barefoot Minimalist Lifestyle Collection
Merrell is kicking into full gear with a slew of Generation 2.0 (Gen2) minimalist running shoes and new models for training, water sports, and wellness: Run, Train, Water, Life. I wrote about the Minimalist Lifestyle almost a year ago and boy, what a difference a year makes! I’ve tested over 50 minimal shoes in running…
Run Real with Skora
As we approach the Spring 2012 shoe announcements and product details from all footwear manufacturers, we are starting a series of articles on ‘Generation 2.0’ (Gen2) minimalist running shoes (or barefoot running shoes) in addition to the ‘State of Minimalist Shoes’ and the whole ‘Minimalist Lifestyle’ which we touched on almost a year ago (see…
Karhu Flow Fulcrum Ride
Karhu is Finland’s legendary running brand that invented the Move Forward technology – fulcrum technology that collaborates with the foot to convert your body’s natural energy into forward momentum. The Karhu Flow weighs in at 7.8 ounces but has a whopping 14mm drop! The upper have an open-face air mesh vamp and closed-face ballistic…
Invisible Shoes Contact & Connect
Want to get as close to barefoot as you can? Huaraches or running sandals, with no uppers (other than laces) and midsole is the probably the only running ‘shoe’ for most runners and especially for those with wide feet. Invisible Shoes recently launched their latest models: Connect 4mm and Contact 6mm Barefoot PLUS. Both…
Brooks Pure Collection: Now Available for Pre-Order
http://weartested.org/brookspure.php
Top 10 Things You Need To Know About New Balance Minimus Zero Collection
There’s more to zero drop than meets the eye. New Balance will be releasing more information about the Minimus Zero collection at the Summer Outdoor Retailer show this week. Here’s a sneak peek at what you need to know. New Balance Minimus Zero will arrive in running stores across the country in March 2012. This…
New Balance Minimus ‘Like barefoot only better’ Ads
A couple of new ads from New Balance promoting the updated Minimus collection – airing on ESPN, Comedy Central and the Discovery Channel.
VIVOBAREFOOT Winter 2011 Collection Video
VIVOBAREFOOT/Terra Plana just posted an amazing video showing off the collection of barefoot running shoes launching next month. I can’t wait for the Neo Trail!!! You can sign up to be notified of its availability on the VIVOBAREFOOT web site. VIVOBAREFOOT AW11 Shoot from VIVOBAREFOOT on Vimeo.
New Balance Minimus Cross Trainer
The Minimus Cross Trainer is the latest addition to the New Balance Minimus line of shoes. The Minimus collection is not just about running but shoes for the complete minimalist lifestyle – lightweight, versatile, minimalist footwear, is designed to provide a “better than barefoot” experience. The New Balance Minimus Cross Trainer is designed for serious…
New Balance RC 1400
From New Balance comes the FAST and FIERCE neutral racing flat, the RC 1400. Inspired by the 890, the RC 1400 is a lightweight and minimal racing flat that is perfect for running on slick and smooth pavement and track surfaces. When I first heard about this shoe, I wasn’t sure what the differential is…
Merrell Barefoot Sonic Glove
Merrell has added another minimal shoe to their amazing Barefoot Collection – the Sonic Glove (for men). We will review the Lithe Glove for women in a future post. I rotate through Trail Glove and True Glove in Merrell’s Barefoot Collection in my weekly runs when I’m not wear testing other brands. My best classification…