Saucony kinvara

I've been running in Brooks Pureflow 5. It's 9.2oz with a 4mm drop. It seems to have the right balance of cushion and speed, and I can log a ton of miles, even while being slightly fat.

I keep coming back to NB Zante as my daily trainer. My only gripe is that the toe-off area of the outsole wears out too quickly - on every pair I've owned, within a couple hundred miles. Other than that I find them nearly perfect for everyday use.

I also like the Vazee Pace as a slightly more aggressive option for daily use, but with some recent back and hip issues I've been wearing them less and the Zantes more.

For tri's I use a pair of Inov-8 Tri-Xtreme which are now discontinued, but they're one of the few shoes I can wear comfortably without socks.

For open racing up to HM I'm still using a pair of Saucony A6 flats but those are almost ready to be replaced.

I'm also curious to try some of the knit Nike models. I have a pair of casual shoes called Allbirds that are wool and have essentially no structure to the forefoot - they are super comfortable and I keep thinking that a running shoe with a forefoot like that would be amazing. Nike Flyknit seems to be the closest thing currently available.

I went minimalist several months ago. Goal is to be able to run barefoot if I want to, but realistically I'll have footwear due to ground debris and hot/cold pavement.

I don't expect to go any faster, but I just like the changeup in running style (I'm bored of the motion control shoes) and also like the much cheaper and much lighter/packable minimalist footwear.

I'm running in these nowadays - they are WATER SHOES!

https://www.amazon.com/Aleader-Mens-Water-Shoes-Black/dp/B017YTKTLY/

The mesh holes in the sole make it problematic for trail running. I've mostly used it on a treadmill, so can't comment on longevity of the sole but I suspect not so good as its very soft. Still, I've put at least 100 treadmill miles on mine no problemo, no accelerated wear. I've run 6:00/mi with these and they work fine.


For trails, I've gone to these budget shoes which are annoyingly narrow but still work:


https://www.amazon.com/...efoot/dp/B06XPRT4QQ/

The toebox is really narrow on this shoe, and it has zero padding, so you will feel every pebble and cranny on the trails. Even the treadmill surface feels freaking hard with this shoe! But, the sole seems pretty durable.


Not sure what I'll race in for the future, but it will possibly be a cheap pair of water shoes, as there's quite a selection on Amazon on the cheap.

I also wear these minimalist type shoes differently from a tight-fit 5-finger shoe - I actually buy them to be preferably a little on the loose side and I wear them with socks to avoid stank. Seems to work great.

Saucony Guide 9 and Freedom ISO for training. I'll use the Freedoms for racing Half and Full Ironman. For speed work and Sprint and Olympic distance, I use the Saucony Fastwitch.

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

Nike Free Flyknit 4.0 up to marathon distance.

Kinvara 8s and Altra Instinct 4.0

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I talk to myself because mine are the only answers I'll accept - George Carlin

asics GT-1000 v4, and v5.

Main Shoe: Alta Escalante (also for HM and longer races)
Race/Interval Shoe: Merrill Bare Access
Recovery Runs: Altra Olympus
Trail Runs: Altra Superior

I also sometimes do short runs in the Altra Samson (barefoot type shoe, was discontinued). In the past year the following have been my main shoe at some point: Altra Instinct, Alta The One, Sketchers GoMeb. The next shoe I want to try is the Nike Zoom Fly.

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Matt

You might try the NB Gobi for better wear resistance. I switched to this for daily trainer because I couldn't find my size Zante V2 at a reasonable price any more. Gobi is like a beefy Zante and Amazon has V1 for pretty cheap. Drop is 6mm, I think.

I really like the Altra Escalante which is 7.8 oz and has a real nice knit upper. But it's zero drop so it doesn't quite fit what you are looking for.

The Gomeb Speed 4 is 6.6 oz and has a 4mm drop. You can get a pair for $70 so it'd be fairly cheap to try them. The knit upper on them isn't quite as 'flexible' as that on the Altra Escalante or my Nike Free's (which is almost too flexible). I liked them and would wear them again.

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Matt

Altra Escalante is my race shoe and for shorter runs and one of Altra's maximalist shoes for my long runs (forget the name). For me, the wide toe box saved my running.

Saucony kinvara
Altra torin (wanna try em out)
Saucony xodus
Asics Fuji trainer
Pearl izumi
Hoka clifton
....looks like I like to choose haha. Depends on terrain,weather you name it.
Still got a nb minimus which I wanted to try out for running but only in daily use so far.

If I see this numbered up my low mileage seems ridiculous.

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-shoki

NB Vazee Pace - daily driver
NB 1400 Rev1 - racer.

When my last pair of racing shoes (1400 Rev2) died I had a hard time finding a new pair. The Rev3 was too narrow, and the Rev4 wouldn't even go on. I tried some other shoes in that end of the market (Mizunos, Nikes, Adidas if memory serves, and also the Kinvaras) but all of them were too narrow. I scoured the internet for 1400 Rev1/2s (preferably Rev1) and located the last two pairs Rev1s in my size in Texas. They're fluorescent yellow and should serve me for 3 years or so.

So what's up with these racing shoes all being so narrow?

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Citizen of the world, former drunkard. Resident Traumatic Brain Injury advocate.

Altra Escalante for shorter stuff and Altra Torin 2.5 (there's a 3.0 but I haven't tried it yet) for longer or slower runs. Recent convert and verrrrry happy with the outcome.

Brooks Ghost. Cascadia on trails.

I trained for my last IM with the Saucony Zealot. A bit lighter than the freedoms and good cushioning. I think it's a very good shoe for daily training.
I did the race with them, but someone faster might want something a bit more firm for racing half and full.

I have used Mizuno Wave Riders for a long time (9-10 oz, 12-13 mm drop), but I've started using the Asics Gel Hyper Speed 7 (6 oz, 5 mm) for speedwork and open races. I need space in the toe box and both work well for me.

fellrnr has good reviews and comparisons: http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Shoes

Like the Adidas Boston but wouldn't wear them for much more than a 10k (I'm a crappy runner, but do like lighter shoes).

Really like, so far, the Nike Zoom Fly and will wear them in next half.

Saucony Ride (daily trainer)
Saucony Guide (daily trainer when I'm feeling tired and easy brick runs)
New Balance 1500v3 (uptempo/speed work)
Adidas Boston Boost (used it for IMSTG and don't feel it fits anywhere in rotation - too heavy to race and too firm for daily)

Hoka Clayton v2 (mixed use but basically race shoe)


Pretty much all of these will be extinct when the new line of Hoka's come out in 2018. The Mach and Kavu will take over pretty much everything; however, I'll keep the 1500v3 in the lineup until they ruin the shoe in an update.

Road:
Hoka Huaka (mostly for training)
Hoka Clayton (mostly for racing)

Offroad:
Hoka Speed Instinct
Altra Lone Peak 2.5

SwimRun:
Trail-like - Icebug Accelritas OCR RB9X
Pavement - still working on it, but for very short races, an old pair of Nike Mayflys

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Proud member of FISHTWITCH: doing a bit more than fish exercise now.

Have you ever tried Shoe Goo? They sell it in phamacies, hardware stores and online. Just buy a tube of the clear Shoe Goo. Apply a relatively thin coat to the areas of your shoe that wear out fast. Let dry overnight. Run for a week or two or 3. Then reapply. You will dramatically extend the life of those shoes and you won't feel the difference.

Trainers
Altra One 2.5 - for training days when my legs feel beat up
Nike Flex Fury 2 - go-to training shoe
Nike Air Triax TC+ - another go-to training shoe

Racing flats:
Adidas Adizero RC - marathon and long distance race flat
Nike Zoom Streak LT - shorter distance racing flat
Nike Luna racer - for races when my legs feel beat up

My team has a sponsorship with Salming, so I thought I'd give them a shot. Having never heard of them, I found they are fairly new to the US, originally from Sweden. I was dealing with a bout of Morton's Neuroma, and thought a shoe switch would be a good 1st step. I also like lightweight shoes, and have not had good luck with really low drop, so went with the Enroute model. The various models are 4~6 drop, so reasonable, and very light. I love the construction, as the durability has been so much better than my Nikes or most brands. I've now got a large number of mostly trail miles on the original Enroute, and they show no signs of giving up yet. I have purchased another pair of the Enroute, the Distance model and the Race5. All have been fabulous, and I also like having a brand that is a bit out of the norm. Their philosophy on shoes is one that seems to work well for me.....

Wow, those sound terrible.

The only road shoes I have that aren't zero drop are:

- Mizuno Wave Evo Levitas (old model, now discontinued)
A nice lightweight road shoe, great for speed work, road racing (5k, 10k, 21k). I'd do a marathon in these, but then I've also done a marathon in Saucony Hattoris, and a half in FiveFingers. I'll be honest, this is my favourite running shoe by a long way. Light, breathes well, comfy, lower stack, small drop... It's sold as zero drop, but is really closer to 4mm.

The only other running shoes that I use even semi-regularly are: Altra Lone Peak 2 (older model, great all-rounder trail shoe); and Saucony Hattori (I have about 6 pairs of these, great to run in, velcro fastener, but the uppers aren't that durable).

Basically, everything I like has been discontinued. But that Wave Evo Levitas is an amazing shoe: under 7oz and about 4mm of drop.

Hoka Tracer
Nike Lunaracer 3+
Nike LunarTempo
Nike Zoom Fly
Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4%

All light, all plush, all fast(ish).

Road Running - Adidas Energy Boost 2
Road Racing - Adidas Adios Boston Boost
Trail Running - Nike Tera Kiger 3

I like NB Pure Cadence. They work as a a trainer and the weight makes it an acceptable racer.

I like trying different shoes myself...

Hoka Clifton 2's
Nike Free's
Nike Zoom Vomero's
Saucony Fastwich

I personally have found that the newer model Nike running shoes are my current fav's...I've slowly worked my way around and back to their products this year...free's for racing/speedwork and vomero's for longer training...

asics gel kayano

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD

Altra Torin 3.0 is my every day goto. The One 2.5 is my favorite and typically race shoe but I find my feet like a little more padding when building mileage. I like the waterproof lone peak when it's really cold in winter (below freezing).

The wide toe box and zero drop has been fantastic for me. Strangely the escalante didn't work out well for me even though they were comfy. I probably put 50 miles on them before they were relegated to casual wear.

I've got quite a few in rotation, some of which are nearing retirement. I'm lucky that my feet don't seem too picky about anything other than size.
Brooks Launch
Nike Zoom Elite
NB Zante
Adidas Adios
Nike Wildhorse
Asics Fuji Racer

Pearl Izumi Road N2. I bought a few pairs when they stopped making shoes.

Newton Motion 6.
I'm 44, only been running for 2.5 years now, went from some kind of trainer UA, to cushy Saucony, to these Newton shoes, and probably will get lighter and less cushioned after these. I am trying to run balanced enough that I wouldn't necessarily need shoes (but I will keep wearing them because they have huge advantages over barefoot)

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NO

What do you think of the Wildhorse? I'm really intrigued by that shoe... I live on a park with great trails. Looking for something to replace that pair of Boco ATs.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Saucony Ride 9 and Ride 10's

- Brooks Hyperion
- Asics Hyper-Tri Running Shoes, some random shoes I saw someone else wearing, sounded gimmicky but they've been great and not horribly expensive
- On Cloudflow, trying these now based on recommendation and TBD on how I like 'em. Some dam expensive shoes though that's for sure.


Not to derail the thread but for those who wear more minimalist shoes, what shoes do you have? PMs or replies would be greatly appreciated.

How does 3.0 compare to 2.5?

Altra One 2.5 because of the wide toe box, lightweight, & zero drop. Used for training, racing, and walking around.....

Kinvara 7/8, endorphin 1/2, Type A and Fastwitch. I have found a great balance in Saucony. Their shoes just work for me

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http://www.TriScottsdale.org

They are very, very similar. Only significant difference I have noticed is they seem to be holding up a little better, particularly with respect to sole wear. Upper may breathe a little better. Fit, cushioning, etc., seem unchanged, thankfully, since the 2.5 was nearly the perfect all purpose cushioned road shoe IMHO.

Saucony Kinvara for races up to Olympic
Saucony Breakthru for speed and tempo sessions
Saucony Triumph & on cloudsurfer alternated for easy running

I race in what I train with, currently Hoka Clifton 2s. I'll be switching to 3s at some point. Before that, Saucony Triumph and Rides. Tried Topos, but didn't have enough cushioning for me, although they were super comfy for my toes.

<---- 185lbs, like a lot of shoe.

Altra Escalante

Pretty amazing fit and feel in a lightweight shoe with good cushioning. I love the knit upper. It feels like a slipper.

Good, small changes as those may be my only two minor complaints

Can you expand on this - why 4mm for training, but 10mm for racing?

I need the wide toe box


Altra Escalante - Shorter Runs (7mi and less, have run 14 in them but I didnt like it)
Altra Torin 3.0 - longer runs (longer runs)
Hoka Clifton 3 - recovery

Want to try the Topo Athletic FlyLyte (3 mm Drop) and UltraFly (5mm drop) for recovery runs a little drop is a nice thing.

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2016 Specialized Shiv Pro Race 1x
2015 Specialized Venge

On Cloudflow
Zoot Ultra Kalani 3.0. bought a couple pairs of these before they discontinued. They fit me really well.
Hoka Clifton 2

NB Zante v1
NB Zante v3
NB Gobi v1 (trials, up to 100 miles), v2 on deck





The Zante v3 has a knitted upper.


If you like the Zante, try the Gobi for a trail shoe. You can probably snag a pair of the v1 for around $50-60.

 

Hoka Clifton (default daily trainer)
Asics Noosa (default uptempo trainer)
Asics Hyperspeed (racing)


I also have Nike Pegasus, but don't really use them anymore. The Clifton's are lighter than both the Noosas and Pegs are are great to run in, I almost ditched Hoka's after having a pair of Stinsons which were heavy and clumpy, cushioning, but not a pleasure to run in. Love the Hyperspeeds for racing, great for running fast.

Hoka Clayton
NB Vazee Prism
Adidas Supernova

Hoka Bondi 5 (long runs)
Asics Gel Nimbus (5-10K)

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"The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

NB Vazee Pace V2 (Haven't tried them yet though)
NB 1400V4 (Absolutely love them, best shoe I've had yet. Use it for training but mostly for races)
Brooks Defyance 9 (Heavier, more rugged shoe. Nice for bad weather or trail runs though)

after a lot of experimentation (maybe a stretch to call it "testing"), I found that I run faster *off the bike* in shoes with more offset. It came during the year that I was running in Newtons (2015). My normal run training was really good. But I never seemed to run as fast off the bike with the Newtons as I did with a pair of Adidas flats I had (which had more offset). After some back-and-forth tests with shoes with different offset, it was clear that I ran faster off the bike with more offset. And then in some subsequent discussions, I found that I was not alone in this phenomenon. After trying to think about why, my best guess/conclusion is that cycling fatigues the lower leg enough that the greater ROM induced by a lower offset shoe put additional load on muscles that are already tired.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

I have a very wide foot. My shoe size is 10.5 4E. This limits my options for footwear as not many manufacturers make quality top shelf running shoes, and shoes that "run wide" only seem like they run wide for people with normal width feet, but don't even come close for people with Sasquatch feet like me.

I used to run in Asics Nimbus & Cumulus, but the quality went down & you could not run in them sockless. Several years ago I switched to the Saucony Triumph ISO & I haven't looked back. I have 8 pair of the ISO2 in my closet that I rotate through.

I wish I could find someone that makes racing flats or minimalist shoes for wide feet just so I could try them. The new Nike Zoom Fly that were used to try & break 2:00 would be cool to try. The ON Cloudflash upper is loose like a pair of Chuck Taylors that it "fit" my foot, but I doubt it would last long for me with a lot of miles (and for $180, I don't feel the need to try & force it).

This year I'm running almost exclusively in Mizuno.

Rider, Hitogami, Hayate. I've done one race in my Asics Hypertri's only cuz I don't have a sockless Mizuno shoe.

I've experienced the same thing. My go to race shoe is/was the NB 1600's with 8mm drop but they are getting very hard to find now. NB replaced the 1600's with the hanzo's which have 4mm drop and just always feel very flat footed when running fast in 4mm drops.

I am a natural mid foot/forefoot striker since 2nd grade and the more drop has always put my foot in a natural position when striking the ground. Struggling to find the replacement for the 1600's but testing the Nike zoom streak 6 and the brooks Hyperion for 70.3's. Prob will move to the lunar racers for Ironman even though those have been discounted as well. Its getting tough out there right now for the traditional racing flat folks.

Hoka Clayton
Saucony Kinvara 6
Saucony Kinvara TR
Altra Lone Peak 3.0 Neoshell

We have almost the exact same shoe setup, except replace all your non-Altra shoes with Skora (they will make new shoes again!) and that I race in the The One or Escalante

I love my Altra Samsons and I hate that I won't be able to buy another pair.

Road training shoe rotation:
- Brooks Ravena
- Brooks Pure Cadence
- Saucony Guide

Trail shoes:
- Pearl Izumi N3 (last model before they got out of doing running shoes)
- Brooks Pure Grit 4 (soon to be retired)
- Brooks Pure Grit 5
- Altra Lone Peak 3.0

Racing:
- Saucony A4 (for 5k and under)
- Brooks Racer ST5 (longer distance stuff)

Longtime Mizuno Wave Rider user, recently switched to Hoka Clifton 2. I had some nagging inner knee tendinitis, and the Hokas seem to have really helped, because the lesser offset forces more of a midfoot strike and perhaps also just because they are different, and the change in gait gave the knee a chance to heal. On roads, the cushiness of the Hokas is also nice, though I miss the firm feeling of the Mizunos.

On road;

Sketchers Go Run Ride 6 - love these things for training, super comfortable, and they're only like $60
Saucony Kinvara for speedier work

Trail -

Nike Terra Kiger 3/4
Scott RC Supertrac

Curious as to whether you have run in the Brooks Launch 2 and 3 models?
I loved my Launch 2's and luckily still have two (2) pairs in rotation but the Launch 3's have been tearing up the back of my ankles at the achilles. If I run more than three (3) miles in them I end up with ripped skin.

General training: Newton Gravity IV & Fate 2 (got a few pairs on close out pricing)
Trail: Inov-8 Roclite 295 (not a huge fan of these in anything but really wet, muddy conditions)
Recovery when I want a really soft ride: Asics Nimbus 17 (these have lasted a long time)
Secondary recovery: Saucony Triumph (again, not a massive fan but I wear them the odd time)

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For a long time I've been on a NB kick:
- Vazee Pace;
- Fresh Foam Zante;
- Vazee 2090; and, now I'm in marathon training and looking for cushioning,
- Baracay v3

I'd race in NB 1500s up to and including the marathon.

Recently though I had a chance to sample the trendy new Nikes and have about 200 miles on the Zoom Fly SPs. I was really skeptical but they're probably the most enjoyable road shoe I've ever run in.

Or were because now I just picked up the Vapor Flys and, honestly, they're even more ridiculous. I'll race in them the first time next weekend but they are SO FUN.

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"Are you sure we're going fast enough?" - Emil Zatopek

I live in Ireland so the rain mostly.

:)

I have quite liked them. I find the toe box nice and wide and I have no problems keeping my heel locked in. I find them a little stiff when I first head out in them (since I get used to lighter road runners) but they disappear on my feet quickly. The mesh near my pinkie toe is starting to develop a hole in one shoe, but considering the miles I've put on them I can't complain (and it's nothing a dab of shoe goo can't fix). The only negative I can think of is that I start to feel hotspots under the balls of my feet on runs longer than 90 mins, but that could be due to the mileage on the shoe or my lacing in the forefoot not keeping things snug enough (and it has never been bad enough to cause blisters or skin damage).

I'm actually still in the Launch 1 and will be sad when they are soon retired as they are my last pair. I do notice that they sit high on the achilles but haven't had any skin irritation with them (although I almost always wear quarter socks or tabbed socks to prevent such issues) and haven't had any wear issues on the padding in that area.

I've seen the 3s and 4s on sale and kind of want to try a pair, but I worry that I will be disappointed since I have liked the 1s so much and I'm sure the newer models are quite different.

Mizuno is one of the few brands I have yet to try. Generally speaking, how do you find the sizing in these shoes? If I'm wearing a 12.5 or 13 in most brands, which way would you error with the Mizunos?

My running shop was selling Mizuni Wave Enigma very cheaply - $40, so I bought some, but have ran in them twice and now use them for working in the garden. Strange shoes, heavy but they don't feel cushioned at all. They had Hitogamis going cheap too, they looked really uncomfortable even for a racing flat. They were an older model though.

Hoka One One Clifton 3 - Long Slow Distance or if I am feeling beat up
Asics Gel Noosa Tri-8 - beater shoe...kinda sucks and I won't buy again
Nike FS Lite 2 - beater shoe...doesn't suck, but still wont buy again
Adidas Ultra Boost - Race Shoe & Marathon Shoe

Trail Shoes
Hoka Challenger - for long slow
Altra Superior - For fun trails I also hiked Mt. Whitney in July in this.
On Cloud Venture - Ran in them until they were toast.

On the Road- All baed on feel at the time.
Asics Roadhawk FF
Saucony Kinvara
NB Fuel Core Sonic
On Cloud Flow
Nike Lunar Glide - I always have a Nike in the mix because I've got a Nike foot. Their shoes fit my foot the best. Fly Wire is the best thing about a Nike Upper, FlyKnit is like any upper, some good some not so good.

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Dave Jewell
Free Run Speed

I thought I would revive this thread as race season nears. just got a digital scale to weigh all of my shoes and surprised and disappointed at how far off claimed weights are relative to actual weights. Here is my current mix

Nike
- Zoom Fly - these shoes are frigging pigs @ 9.4 oz in M10
- Zoom Streak 7 - had high expectation for these given lack of material but not that light
- Flyknit Racers - wish these worked with bungie laces, super light, super comfy. Sexy AF

Saucony
- Kinvara - several pairs in V9 and just got v10. The old standard. Love.
- Fastwitch 10 - debating on getting these, anyone have any experience with?

Sketcher
- Meb Razors - good up tempo trainer/track. Heavier than you think.
- Go Ride 5/6/7 - great trainer. A bit of a pig but still a good shoe. A heavier kinvara
- The previous lionel sanders shoe before razor 3. Cannot recall the name. A very good shoe, ran Kona in these last year over 4% and made the right choice. A new and improved version of the Lunar Racer. Anyone have any experience with Razor 3? Ugly AF but looks to be a very good shoe.

NB
- 1400 V3/4. A good shoe. Not great, but good. Heavy though, which is strange because there is nothing to it.
- 1500 hate this shoe. A complete pig. Not responsive at all. Has a weird motion control aspect to it. I am 15 sec slow per mile in this shoe. Absolutely hate it. Cannot believe that Kienle runs it.
- 5000 v2. These things are straight killer. Only wear them for mile races, but you could rock them in 5k or 10k. The feel like balet slippers but are incredibly well cushioned.

Asics
- DS trainer 22. Meh. they ruined a good shoe. There is a 24 out now that looks promising though. I remember when this was the bomb ass shoe and now I hate it.
- Hyperspeed 7. THE SHIT. 6.4oz in M10.5, you can wear in whatever distance you want. Have run several IMs in these. Sadly out of production for some time.
- Gel 451. Appeared to be a follow up to hyperspeed but BOA dial is silly and fit is weird. Sent back.

Can anyone help with Fastwitch question? These appear to be comp to hyperspeed but not sure. Love the kinvara and Saucony is legit IMO.

Have not tried the Saucony Fastwitch, but recently bought the Saucony Type A8 and love them


Saucony
- Kinvara 6: Loved so much I bought a few (sadly on the last pair)
- Kinvara 9: Love them, now my 70.3 racer
- Type A8: Love them, my all time favourite race shoe for Sprint and Oly tris


On
- CloudFlow: only good on clean pavement because they collect small stones in the tread (use them for lunchtime runs at work)


Inov8
- Road-X 233: Love this shoe, sadly discontinued (stocked up with a few when I heard, on my last pair)
- Road-X lite 155: Love these, save them for speed sessions or 5k, 10km road running races.
- Tri-Xtreme 225: Used them as my racer from Sprints to 70.3. I almost loved them
- Run Ultra 270: use them for my long trail runs. Great in bad weather, but never loved them
- Trailroc 245: Loved them but they only have low grip, no good on technical descents (about to be retired)
- TerraClaw 220: Similar to the Trailrocs, but with better grip (replacing the Trailrocs)


Newton
- Distance SIV: used them for Short Course tris. Liked them, but not as much as the original Distance S (about to be retired)

NB Zante


Would be my favourite run shoe ever were it not for the fact that half sizes go all the way up to 13, then stop. In this shoe I would be a 13.5. The 14 is a boat. Great cushioning. A half size smaller than the Vazee Pace in like for like year models.


NB Pace V3 (Discontinued)

I ran in a couple of generations of this shoe. It's my favourite all rounder ever. I am 180lbs and used them for everything from track work to marathons. My last pair had over 1,000kms on them and were used (by necessity) for a mix of trail and road. A great shoe and I have noi idea why NB ditched them for the ........

NB 890 V6

Billed as the replacement for the Vazee Pace but is actually a revived line, hence the V6. I called up New Balance and asked about the Pace to 890 change, asked about the last etc. They claimed the new 890 is built on the same last so the fit would exactly the same. It isn't.

The Pace was a better shoe all round. Better quality. Better built. Better fit (subjective). That last bit is the kicker. I don't have the luxury of trying shoes on and the Pace was one of the few that ever fit me really well. New Balance claim the 890 is the same fit but it's not, they are miles apart.

- The 890 is almost a full size larger.
- It has less feel
- The grip uses awful channel 'ribs' that are perfect for geologists as you'll have a bunch of stones to examine when you get home. It picks up stones 'all' the time and you end up with a tick, tick, tick as you run.

Having been such a massive fan of the Vazee Pace these are incredibly disappointing. Even the laces are shit.

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https://www.pbandjcoaching.com
https://www.thisbigroadtrip.com

4% FK for important races. Placebo or not, they are just fast for me.

ZF SP as a trainer for the 4s. (Can b found at Nike outlet for $60) I absolutely hated the reg ZF but these are closer to the 4s with a thin heel. Only issue with these, they are HOT. The plastic does not breathe. Going to do some surgery on an old pair

Kinvara have run in 6-10. 9s are my favorite by far. 10s are just off. Too harsh

Fastwitch/Type A the new ones have a tongue that’ just doesn’t work for me. It’s too thin to put on quickly without bunching. Love the rest. Previous versions were better.

Endorphin 2 if you can handle a racing flat. Had to size down (brand new 10.5 available if interested)

I am going to struggle to move away from Altra now I have run in them for a while. Their toe box just works for me - and you can get a range of cushioning options. Since moving over no black toe nails, no pain on long runs and loss of speed.

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He who understands the WHY, will understand the HOW.

Saucony ISO ride (normal runs. not bad. not an amazing shoe)
NB 1080 (latest version) normal runs. comfortable. bit heavy. old faithful.
NB Fresh Foam Beacon. Normal runs (not bad. I've run up to 20 miles in them without issue)
Adidas Boston: Races up to half mary
Miles per week (35-50)

Not in love with any one shoe at the moment. (Note: running in zero drop shoes are a no go for me.)

Revival...for the last two years I've raced in my Mizuno Hayate mainly cuz I was doing Xterra. My every-day shoe is still the Rider although last winter I moved back to the ladies model since the mens is too wide for my tastes.

This year I'm going back to the road and will be doing a couple long course races and about 6 sprints/olympic races

Will probably break out my Hyper-tri that I kept new-in-box from two years ago for those races and continue with the Rider for every day training.

I did purchase a pair of Wave Shadow's a few weeks ago since the Hitogami was discontinued. I haven't run in them enough to make an opinion.

As for the sizing question from a few years ago that I completely missed. I wear the same men's sized shoe in Mizuno that I wear in Asics and Saucony, men's 9, but in ladies shoes I wear a 10.5

Nike React Flyknit: seriously the best shoe I’ve ever run in. Light, lots of soft cushioning (I under pronate, so this is a must), decent drop, durable.

Previously I used the Freedom ISOs. Good shoe, but not as much cushion as I’d like and the full length outsole made it feel heavier than its 9.4oz. Also kind pricey.

I race in LunaRacer2s. Reasonably light for a racing flat and trainer-level cushion.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

I'm with you... the Epic React Flyknit is nothing short of amazing. Every time I run in a shoe that is not the Epic React, I wonder why my run feels so sluggish.

I have recommended them to about a half dozen people and everyone loves these shoes. They are magic.

It doesn't hurt that I can get the first edition (which is exactly the same as the second edition, just different colors) at Running Warehouse for $75.

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Jason
None of the secrets of success will work unless you do.

+1 for reacts. I’m mainly Saucony/Nike. Been moving more towards Nike over the last few years and the React is incredible.

I'm like you, love Kinvaras and can go all day in them. For reference, loved the 4's and 8's, hated the 5's and 7's.

The Fastwitch is really light on the foot, but feels really hard and unresponsive to me. Whenever I have a choice, I always think of reasons to not go out in them. I tolerate them for 5k and 10k races but that's about it.

NB Beacon (in Wide) (2 sets of shoes because I like them so much)
Altra Escalante 1.0 (have a 1.5 but haven't rotated them in yet)
Altra Paradigm (heavy and umm slappy - don't love them. They need a rocker or something)
Altra one 2.5 for speed work
Just got a set of Altra Golden Spikes for 5K XC races and a 1500 master's track race I am thinking about but I am noting the last is narrower that most altra's so not sure. It is hard to find spikes that fit wide feet (old people problems).

Things I would like to have:
Nike 4% - I tried on the other model that has the similar flynit but for me it was way too narrow. Alas all my friends race in these cheaters shoes but I can't. Woe is me.
Need something maximal for go-long days but need it to come in wide. Thinking about trying a Bondi 6.

The greater offset for racing has really piqued my interest...

Do you think I could experiment with a heel insert or does one need to do the full Monty and get a higher offset shoe?

New Balance 1500v4 for everything. I really like this shoe; REVLite is light and responsive, whereas Fresh Foam feels lumpy and dead.

(During the long Canadian winter, I use a mix of Salomon winterized trail shoes to run on snow and ice.)

I love my Salmings. I use the new Miles Lite for most of my training runs (I'll occasionally use the older Miles for downhill intensive runs because they have a tad more cushioning). I race in the Speed 5. The Race5 didn't provide enough support for my 170 pound chassis.

Brooks Ghost for my every day trainer/beater. Heavy but cushy

Race day: Reebok Float Ride Run Fast. Light and zippy

Newton Gravity 8 - long distance/marathon
Mizuno Wave Sonic - speed shoe - up to half marathon
Saucony Kinvara 9 - recovery and when I need more cushioning

I've run almost exclusively in Newtons since 2012, mostly the Motion series for training and Distance for racing. After an injury (running aggravated) I decided to try some other shoes, which is how I landed on the Mizuno Wave Sonic and Kinvara 9s.

I'm a Salming die hard... I am currently rotating a pair of EnRoute2s, Miles lite, Greyhounds, speed7 and a pair of race7s... I'm heavier than you are, and I am fine with racing anything up to 10km ish in my races (I have yet to run in the race 7s, but I raced plenty in my race5s and 6s the last couple of seasons). For half and longer, I would race in the Speeds... The new Greyhounds when you step in, give you a very hoka-esque feel, very soft and cushy, but when you run in them they respond like a lightweight trainer or race shoe... They are quickly becoming a favorite for mileage and recovery days... Speed7s for my speedwork though...

I'm also a fan of Salming but when I found out I could get a pair of Hoka Clifton 1s online, I jumped on it, and I just ordered another for my stock. I'll take the Salming over Clifton 2, 3, 4, or 5, but the Clifton 1 is da bomb!

To be honest, I hated my one Hoka experience (I forget the model name)... I never ran in the Cliftons, but the ones I had were both heavy AF and too cushy (I say too cushy, because I lost the ground feel, which I find is a key proprioceptive cue to running efficiently)... I gave my pair away after maybe 10 runs, because I was always going for a different shoe from my arsenal...

Obviously I'm a huge fan too. I'm waiting for the Greyhounds, but really have loved the EnRoute models. With your great reviews I think the Miles Lite will be coming my way soon along with the new Race model. I've done 1/2 IMs in the earlier Race and felt it was fine, but everyone's different. Thanks so much for your input.

Clifton 1 is a very light shoe. I also have the Clayton 2 (even lighter). From my 20s through my 40s you would never have found me in these shoes for the very reason you mention - not enough feel for the road. But I'll be 62 this year and the last thing I need is to feel the road. I think Dan has talked before that super max shoes like the Hoka's is one of the reasons he can still run. Same here. After literally more than five decades of competitive running, I'm happy to still be out there, and I'll use whatever keeps me going. I'm not ready for the aquabike division yet.

I'm with you.....I LOVE the shoes I've tried from Salming. Luckily I can get a deal so the stable is expanding. As you've run in more than I have I appreciate your input. I do like the feeling of the road, which is contrary to Dan's feeling (I'm older than him!), but I attribute that to the fact I didn't run in college and do a lot of trail running. My legs feel better than ever and after scope jobs on each knee 18 years ago, all has been awesome (touch wood). When I see the research stating no more injuries in less "cushy" shoes I feel better about my choices. I've done 1/2 IMs in the race and it was fine, so I think I'm going with those and the new Miles Lite for my next choices. Currently have 3 Salming EnRoutes, Race, Distance, and Greyhounds on the way.

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Gary Geiger
http://www.geigerphoto.com Professional photographer

TEAM KiWAMi NORTH AMERICA http://www.kiwamitri.com, Rudy Project http://www.rudyprojectusa.com, GU https://guenergy.com/shop/ ; Salming World Ambassador; https://www.shopsalming.com

I mainly train in Brooks Ghost 10s.

On the beach - usually Nike Flyknit Mariahs or Flyknit Racers

Track - Nike Flyknit Racers

I have the Vaporfly 4% Flyknits for FL 70.3 (Haines City) and 140.6 Boulder (June)

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https://www.strava.com/...tes/zachary_mckinney

Seeing a lot of love for New Balance. Magazine Reviews praise them a lot as well.

Whenever I have picked up a pair in the store, they feel very heavy (compared to Saucony Kinvara). So I've never bought a pair (of even tried them on)

7.9 to 9.6 in a size 9 for the Kinvara vs 890 v6

I am not sure that is a like for like shoe comparison though. Maybe the 1500? That is 8.1

The Saucony's always feel lighter but they are also way worse quality in my opinion. They feel cheap. I liked the Kinvara but they were a bit skinny toebox for me.

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https://www.pbandjcoaching.com
https://www.thisbigroadtrip.com