I bought a pair of Newton running shoes in Clearwater in the hope of improving my running as i have some permanent nerve damage affecting my right calf following back surgery. The Newton rep that was at Clearwater, Tom Curran, told me to keep him informed of how i progressed with the shoes which i thought was a nice touch but wondered whether they would really be interested in how a 40 -44 AG ran.
Anyway after 3 months of training approximately 40km per week i noticed some interesting wear patterns on the soles, particularly in the toe off area on the right shoe so i got in contact with Tom and sent him some photos of the shoes.
Not only did Tom get back to me but i also got a detailed analysis from Danny Abshire (co founder of Newton) that will hopefully help improve my running further.
Whether or not you are a fan of Newton running shoes this example of great customer service makes them stand out among the crowd.
Are you just going to tease us with this news or share it?
jaretj
I’ve been working with the people at Newton as well and I have to agree their customer service is tops.
Are you just going to tease us with this news or share it?
jaretj
I didn’t think anyone would be interested in the details of my nerve damage follwing spine surgery and the main point i wanted to make is that i find it very refreshing and motivating to have the co founder of Newton Running take the time to look at the shoes of some AG athlete that he has never met who just so happened to buy a pair of his running shoes and asked for advice.
Are you just going to tease us with this news or share it?
What, you aren’t interested in interesting wear patterns?
Of course we want to see the pics and the interpretation. Any chance to learn from a great shoe guy would be appreciated.
I know that someone here can relate to that or has a friend that can.
jaretj
OK so here are the pictures (hopefully). If they are not someone please tell me how to post them!
http://i42.tinypic.com/1qlct3.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/4r723p.jpg
Please note that the wear on the toe off of the right foot shoe (left one in the picture) is due to nerve damage in my right calf following spine surgery that makes a heel raise very difficult to do. I ran in them last week at the Seville Marathon in 3.12 and am a FOP 40-44 AG, 1.78CM and 75kg.
I’ll second the outstanding customer service. They replaced mine when the fabric torn where the orthotic rubs it.
Since this is such a great resource for opinions good, bad, or indifferent, I felt that I would post this.
This past weekend I went to a local running shop that carries Newtons. I expressed my interest in trying and purchasing a pair of the neutral trainers (ones with most cushioning). The store owner went into a long dissertation of his experience with the Newtons, how he felt that they wore very quckly, did not provide very good cushioning and did nothing other than separate people and their money. He also said that he almost never sees anyone purchase a second pair when it comes time to replace them.
With that said, I am still interested in Mewtons and was wondering if his opinions are valid?
Thanks all.
I’m on my 3rd pair and love them–need to order an additional pair shortly. I was concerned about wearing them in a long race but I did wear them in IMFL in 2008. I had fewer blisters than normal and I did PR by 3 minutes–not bad at age 68
That’s all BS. First off I get over 400 miles out of mine and I weigh 172 right now. As for cushion and speed, it’s the speed of a flat, the cushion of a heavy weight trainer, and the weight of a lightweight trainer. Also they are great sockless shoe. If you do get them, don’t get the racer’s IMO, they are not any faster and they don’t have as much cushion as the trainers.
Not in agreement, found that they are very light, but terrible without socks, inside is tight around the little toe area,13 mile with socks and got blisters, certainly makes you land midsole, and they seem faster though i think this is caused by believing in their advertising. Good customer service though very expensive and i like others would not purchase a second pair, did not feel like their was a lot of cushioning and have had injuries ever since using them. Great for some just like all makes are though not for me.
I’d have to agree with what the store owner told you. Everyone has different experiences, but my experiences with the Newtons were the same story: they wore out quickly, especially on the front-end. I also developed a calf-strain; my guess is that I was landing too much on the front-end of the middle of the shoe rather than the middle of the shoe (which is preferable for my running gate). I weigh in at 200 lbs., so that may be a big factor since I am a big guy who likes to run long and fast. Still, I switched to Zoots and am having a much better experience.
I’m on my fourth pair and think they’re great. I’ve been able to increase my frequency of running and, largely as a function of that, my volume. I used to take two days off after an over-distance run but I recover much more quickly with my Newtons. I went almost 22 miles on Monday but was able to go for a short run today and will do a tempo workout tomorrow. Not sure if the energy return mechanism makes me faster, but I know my increased volume and intensity will make me faster. Also, I’ve gotten better mileage from each pair than I was with my Brooks. My only complaint is that Newton stopped giving away free socks with each pair.