As the unofficial walking encyclopedia of run shoes here on the forums, might I recommend either the Saucony Liberty ISO (it is what the Mirage was to the Kinvara, except for the Freedom), or the Brooks PureCadence? All feature 4 mm offset, slightly softer riding than the Mirage.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Thank you for the suggestions! Will check'em out.

Suggestions for something similar to the asics hyper speed?

IMO you can't go wrong with the NB 1400.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Thanks for the reply. I just ordered a pair.

I got a pair of 1500s about 4 weeks ago, but it cuts into my left ankle a bit. Tolerable but slightly aggitating. Not as aggitating as Asics phasing the hyper speed in and out of their offerings every 3-4 years.

If you're still in a giving mood ... I've finally finished off my stash of Pearl Izumi EM Tri N 2 V2 that I had stockpiled. I've really struggled to find a shoe that doesn't rub raw spots on my foot when I go without socks and this one was as close to perfect as I've found. Any suggestions for something similar?

So, here's the problem - I can find you shoes that ride similarly to the N2. What I can't do is tell you whether something will have as nice of an upper. PI was pretty much the only brand I could ever run in sockless. When they killed the run line...those days died off, too. I put on socks for everything Olympic on up now. Considering my shit run (relative to the FOP guys I'm chasing), the extra couple of seconds isn't going to make much of a difference in the race.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

That's the problem I'm running into also. I can find shoes that feel fine from ride or overall shape perspective, they just have seems or protrusions or other hot spots along the uppers in places that rub me weirdly shaped feet the wrong way. In the PIs, I could comfortable run a half without socks and come away with nothing rubbing. Well, I call it running, most here would call it plodding, or if they're being generous, jogging ... ;)

Oh well ... the search continues.

I hate to break it to you...but it's probably not going to happen. Nobody does uppers as well as they did, IMO.

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Editor-in-Chief, Slowtwitch.com | Twitter

Why do you have to dash my dreams like that?!? Dream killer ...

Sadly, I think you're right.