I'm racing in the New Balance 1500 this year. A bit of support, but still light.

I've got the Zoot Ultra Tempo 6 and Ultra Kalani 3.0. The Kalani's have a bit more cushioning. I've used the Ultra Tempo 6 sockless for half IM and IM.

Zoot Ultra Kalani

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Merrel road glove

Nike Free 5.0 Run, racing in the all black stealth this season.

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I've had success with saucony type a6 for shorter races but never tried with a half just because the extra 10 seconds to get socks is worth it for me at that distance.

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Twitter - Instagram

Havent tried these. but figured I would share- as the owner seams cool and has put years into this Tri Shoe project of his. Never met him- but worth taking a peek at as hes offering a 50 % discount on the pre orders. I've never met the guys- just thought I would share..

http://transitionfootwear.com/

Pearl Izumi tri E motion. Awesome shoe.

+1

I've worn the A4 once to a total distance of 25km one day (sockless) on a double duathlon. So comfy and blister-free that I didn't even think about taking them off at the end.

Pearl Izumis and Newton Elites are also pretty good for sockless use.

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ZONE3 - We Last Longer

I switched into the Saucony Mirage this year and quite like it.

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Ian

Zoot Ali'i 14. Nothing better.

For a print, I would go with either Saucony A5 or Zoot Kiawe 2. If there is possible rain, DEFINITELY the Zoot Kiawe as it has better grip for corners (specifically made for ITU racing with multiple corners and laps).

That being said, I think the next time I do a full Iron I'm going to do a full transition into run shorts, loose shirt, socks, and a well cushioned shoe. Either Hoka Clifton or something in the Zoot family.

I also race the short fast stuff. I like the New Balance RC1400. Once they're broken in (maybe 5 miles worth) they're extremely comfortable. Also, they're super breathable.

I've found that they hold up really well, I train in them a fair bit as well as race in them (Ex. Yesterday, I did a morning tempo run and evening easy run, both in the 1400s).

I use the v2, it weighs 6.4oz in a size 9. Currently on sale for $75 on running warehouse!

Other shoes I've heard great things about are the NB 1600 (thought of switching to these actually), the Saucony A6, and Nike Lunaracer (although that's better for longer stuff).

Hope this helps!

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

If the Ali'i 14 is your go to race day shoe you might pick up another pair. It will soon be out of the line. Interesting, it was the #1 zoot shoe in Oceanside and it was the #1 Zoot shoe at the LA Marathon.

I did a run barefoot in the new Gel Noosa 10. Straight out of the box. The last few years I think the Noosa got away from where it started (It was a brand of its own in Kona). I think it's back to what it once was.

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Dave Jewell
Free Run Speed

For sprint and olympic races the Zoot Kiawe is great! It is so light and fast! The Solana and Alii's new cushioning system is great for the longer runs/races! You can't beat Zoot in sockless shoes!

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Thanks,

Jason Tucker

You guys taking the pre orders down at the store?

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___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I think Zoot is tough to beat for sockless running. I tried a pair of PI E Motion but they have been relegated to use at the gym. I use the now-discontinued Advantage 3.0. It is billed as a training shoe but I need a bit of stability and it provides just enough. I found a brand new pair over the winter on an eBay store. When I wear them out, I'll likely check out something else in the Zoot line-up.

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Pete Githens
Reading, PA

Wait what?? The Ali'i is a staple of the Zoot line up? Why take it out of rotation? I know you don't work with Zoot anymore, but maybe you have some insight.

What is Zoot going to replace it with? They need a 6-8mm drop sockless show that is ultra light and well cushioned. And the boa dial is a great feature that works better than regular laces and speed laces.

This is kind of upsetting.

Favorite of decades gone by...Nike Sock Racer

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#swimmingmatters
Laugh hard. Run fast. Be kind.
The Doctor (#12)

I train in the A4's, but stopped using them in races because of the removable inserts - they were moving around on me when putting them on or when my feet were really wet. The last several years, I have been using Nike XC Streaks I got off runningwarehouse.com for dirt cheap. They are super light, narrow so perfect for sockless wear, but can rub a little on the top of the toes so make sure they work. Runningwarehouse has a great return policy so you might check them out - I get all my shoes from their clearance section. If you like them on Facebook, you can get an extra 15% off.

I have transitioned from marathons & IMs to sprints/olympics over the past decade and I still use thick-soled Brooks Adrenaline. Over the years I've tried to switch to other shoes (just for the hell of it) and they always had a bad impact on my running. So...I am paranoid about switching, especially to such minimalist shoes. Is there a "learning curve" to get used to racing flats? Are they akin to running in Vibrams (not sure I could run a 10K in something like that without doing serious damage)? Also do you train in these shoes too, or racing only? Ya'll got me thinking now...shoes are the only Ironman carryover that I'm still clinging to.

A racing flat is definitely different than a traditional trainer such as the Adrenaline. For example, the heel drop in a traditional shoe is going to be roughly 12mm and a racing flat is usually in the 4mm drop. The causes your Achilles to be stretched more so definitely train in them for shorter runs. Racing flats are definitely not Vibram's as those shoes were definitely not for everyone (as the company even stated but now people got hurt and are suing). I would definitely recommend finding a dependable running/tri shop to get your gait analyzed to see if you need some stability. There are a lot of great options out there that have a decent amount of cushioning and are still much lighter than the traditional trainer.

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Thanks,

Jason Tucker

I wear the Nike Zoom Streak XC because they come in a 15. Work well for me socklessly. I wish the A6 came bigger than a 14...

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Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team

Dave - you have any insight to the Kinvara 6? I was a big Kinvara 2-4 fan but don't like the 5. Too much fabric in the toe box and I don't like the midfoot lock. trying to figure out if I will rejoice on May 1 or go back to hoarding Kinvara 4's off Amazon.

So I am not totally thread jacking, Kinvara 4 is my racing shoe for half and under. If it wasn't for trying to slow down how quickly I burn through them they would be my shoe for every mile I run.

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Superfly Coaching
http://www.superflycoaching.com/eric

IL PIRATA VI GUARDA

Thanks, Jason!