Feedback on Zoot Kiawe?

Triathlon Forum
1

All set to order but 2 questions:

  1. Does the sizing run the same as the TT series?
  2. Drop is advertised as 6mm in most places but I noted that the TriSports review says 12mm drop. Any feedback from someone who has run in them?

Thanks.

2

Got mine last week.
Very light, same feel as last years ultra speed, but less drop heel to toe. They are 6mm drop, not 12mm.

They are softer than ultra TT. Same size as ultra tt, maybe a quarter size smaller, but it could of been my foot swelling. They run a bit narrow, but feel very neutral. They aren’t mushy, but you can feel the road underneath them.

I wear Kinvaras for marathons, I have worn ultra speeds for half marathons. I would wear kiawe up to half marathon, but not past that.

I’m 145lbs and usually run about 40 miles per week, as a reference. Sub 7 for 13.1.

3

  1. They are NARROWER than the TT, but I think they are about the same lengthwise. But it’s obviously a very different upper. But the fact that the shoe is narrower makes it - to me - seem like it runs a bit smaller. As Zach said, maybe 1/4 of a size. I really wouldn’t feel comfortable telling someone to size up in them without having them try them on.

  2. It’s 6mm. You CANNOT measure the outside of a shoe to get drop. In most - if not all - shoes, the heel is recessed beneath the top of the heel portion of the midsole. The Kiawe is a 6mm drop shoe. I wrote to Tom to get him to fix it, but I will say I think that’s a careless mistake on his part.

4

I have one run on them. The do run small. I typically wear a 9 or 9.5 and the 10 fit the best. The lower heel compared to the ultra race is a big improvement. They are very comfortable and light. I know they are not the same because they have no lugs but they are similar to the Newton MV2 in terms of fit and weight. So far so good.

5

I have been using them on the track the past few weeks and like them a lot more then the Ultra Speed. They feel more firm and substantial through the sole, which was intentional as per David Jewel of Zoot and thanks to Jordan’s and Gomez’s input. The upper is more traditional, not asymmetrical, and can be fitted very tight if you want where as the Ultra Speed always felt a but squishy. I find they run true to size.

6

I just got these last week and, so far, I have been able to do one track workout in them. In a nutshell, I really like this shoe. Zoot’s prior triathlon racing shoes always felt a bit too cushy to me. They did not feel like racing flats. The Kiawe has the flexibility responsiveness, and feel of a racing flat.

As far as sizing goes, I don’t know if it is more accurate to say whether it is narrower or whether it has less volume. It is certainly tighter. By comparison, Zoot’s other shoes are generally a bit wider in the heel than I would prefer. The upper is also more flexible and lighter. It seems to stretch more easily if it is tight. I went up a half size and prefer the fit to to Zoot’s other shoes. You can also “fine tune” the lacing tension in different parts of the shoe more easily.

My only criticism is on the behalf of my wife, whose first comment was that it only comes in unisex sizing. Sure women can still use it, just like Chrissie Wellington and Desiree Davila run in the Brooks T7, but the Brooks comes in much smaller sizes. The Kiawe’s smallest size is a 7 and this may be too big for a lot of women.

  • Ken Petruzzelli
7

Kiawe 2.0 is on Zoot’s website now, any idea if there is any change appart from the color from original Kiawe to 2.0 version ? There are some good deals right now on the original version but if there is a major upgrade on the 2.0 I’ll wait until I can get the new one.

Thanks !

8

I noticed a few differences going from the 1.0 to the 2.0. The upper seems to be more flexible and breaths better. They are easier to slip on fast because they are a little looser in the ankle area and have a easier to grab strap on the back. The rubber in the toe area last longer as I used to wear the 1.0s down in 100-150 miles, but with the 2.0s I’ve got over 200 miles on them and there is still more life in them.

9

I like the 2.0s better, particularly as I find them easier to get on. I found the 1.0s hard to get on in the heel, even though I have a very narrow foot, and particularly narrow heel. Definitely my favorite Zoot shoe.

10

Thanks for the info Quakertri and Mancona. I’ll be purchasing a pair of Kiawe 2.0 for speed work and races and perhaps the Kalani 3.0 as a long-distance trainer.

11

Chances are - the Kiawe will work for you for distance races too.