SDJ wrote:
Generally Industry News:
1. Heather Jackson ran her fastest marathon off the bike in Arizona wearing the new Hoka One One shoe with the carbon plate.
2. There were a handful of athletes wearing that Hoka One One shoe in NYC Marathon
3. There were two athletes wearing the new Brooks shoe with a carbon plate in NYC.
Running shoes are my life, they are the topic of conversation in every conversation I have unless I’m talking to family. The Nike 4% has taken over most of those conversations. I’m not sure where it will end up when I’m done with the NYC Marathon work. It was definitely heavy in the front 3rd of the event but there are 53,000 runners in the race and as you get back past 4:30 as expected the 4% is not as neumorous.
The Nike affect. This is Nike doing what they do best. They have the resources to change the industry. They recognized what everyone in running shoes recongized. Running shoes got blamed for everything over the last decade. They were causing the injuries. For all of their promises runners were getting injured at the same or a faster rate. Barefoot or as close to barefoot was where you needed to be. Then of course Hoka One One came around and really changed running for a subset of athletes.
Since the Vapor Fly 4% came out the conversation has completely changed.
1. Midsole offset is a rare conversation today.
2. Running faster is the conversation today.
The industry is now trying to catch up. This is a much harder prospect. Catching up to minimalism was fairly easy. Taking a shoe from 10mm offset to 4mm offset was a math problem. The Vapor Fly 4% is not a math equation. It’s a complete shoe and those of you who have run in all three shoes that make up the 4% understand it. The Zoom Fly feels really good, but it doesn’t feel as alive as the Vapor Fly. The Pegasus Turbo feels really alive but it doesn’t have the snap the Vapor Fly has. In general I think that’s what you’ll find from the other brands. There won’t be a shoe that feels like the Vapor Fly. There will however be some things I think are “better”.
Those of you finding the heel to be too unstable - You will have shoes from different brands to choose from. You’ll find a shoe that fits your foot and running form better. You’ll probably feel faster in a shoe that fits you better.
Never Nike - You’ll feel better running in a Brooks or Hoka. You won’t be forced into a Nike and the other shoes will be good enough.
As someon who has been in running shoes for as long as I have this has been the best innovation in many years. Mimimalism was not an innovation and although it was really good for running and running shoes it was rather painful in running and running coversations. . The Vapor Fly 4% and the Breaking 2 project has changed the topic. Running faster is always a better topic.
Personally I think "running better for a long time" is a better "subject" than "running faster".
Especially when the "running faster" bring me back to bad habits (overstriding) and injuries.
The VF 4% is an interesting shoe, bringing back cushion hype, instead of "racing flats".
But hey.... cushion has been brought back before... by Hoka.
VaporFly, combining cushion with lightness with carbon plate, is an innovation.
It proves fast.
But is it a good innovation for most ?
You bring the debate to "it is faster". This is the Nike marketing direction. Of course. The shoes is fast, let`s concentrate the debate, the question, the problem on this.
Let's forget the issues...
I do not care being fast for one race, if this "fast shoes" destroy me for 3 month.
For me "be faster" is not the most important debate.
What I want is a shoe who help me be fast, without too much damages. "Running better for a long time".
And i think I'm not alone here.
Reason for Hoka success ?
Skecher growing success ?
VaporFly is a fast shoe. May be the faster shoe now. May be the best shoe if you want to win a marathon.
Is it a good shoe for most of us : no, IMO
Is it a good innovation for most of us : no, IMO
Working professionally in innovation, I do not consider the VF as a good innovation.
It is a very interesting shoes, technology wise, opening possibilities for the industry.
Very good for a limited number of runners.
But lack the usability for most runners.
So, not a real innovation.
Try to push it to most runner because "fast" is just a dull marketing attempt.