This is the only Shoe count I post live. All others, including Tokyo, Boston and London this year are saved for the fine folks at the running shoe brands.
Some interesting things I saw this year while doing the count.
Outside of a few shoes, almost all of Nike is the Zoom Vapofly 4% or the “training” version.
The dominant single shoe is the Saucony Kinvara.
If I reported this as an actual count Asics would end with 1/2 and Hoka would end with 1/2. There was a runner who went by with a Hoka One One Bondi on one foot and an Asics Kayano on the other foot. Guessing a leg length issue.
It still amazes me that I see old shoes on course. Yes I understand that all runners like to stock up on their favorite shoes but that’s not exactly what I’m talking about. I saw adidas shoes with technology that hasn’t been used for 6 years. The Kswiss models were from when they were actually making running shoes. If you were one of these athletes, explain it for us. I’d like to understand this better. Are you stocking up or are you simply just racing in the shoe once or twice a year.
Are you counting brand and model? When are you doing the count - as they run by? If so, I think I could get brand most of the time but I’d struggle with model for most brands. Impressive if you’re also counting model.
I always argue, anyone can do a shoe count. The shoe count is simply the basis of the information. I am searching for the why. Why did Hoka win? Why did Asics drop back?. All the data collected paints a picture of why.
I wore Asics Tartherzeal 5 for Kona this year. But the rest of the asics lineup, especially the shoes available in the US, do not appeal to me.
Hoka’s marketing presence this year was huge, but I’m assuming the shoe choice was made well before showing up on the island.
I talked to Tim O’Donnell about Hokas when he was in Taiwan. The feeling I got from him was that Hoka makes a shoe that will work for elite runners like him and ordinary runners like me too. When I watch Jan run in Asics, I am pretty sure that shoes that work for him won’t work so well for me.
That said, my wife bought Hoka’s and they didn’t work out for her. I’ve tried them on in the store and I’m sorely tempted to buy them and find out for myself, but they seem to run narrow for my foot in the toe bed. I don’t want to spend so much money on a shoe that might not fit. And then along comes Hoka with a solution to this objection…there is a local 5km monthly run hosted here in Taipei…timed but very informal. But it gets a broad group of runners…from guys doing 15 minutes to new people trying to finish the distance. And the local Hoka distributor brings out a bunch of shoes and lets people try them for the run.
The brand presence they had at the expo, the Kona Coffee and Tea shop for race day, and their elite athletes…alongside hands-on,(feet in?) grassroots promotion like the one I described, and finally, great shoes to back it up…they will go far. The only common complaint I’ve heard about the shoes is their longevity.
ASICS just puts out shoes and hopes to sell them.
Nike markets vapor fly and 4% at a super high price point.
Adidas? In Taiwan, a fashion brand…they don’t bring in many performance shoes.
This is the only Shoe count I post live. All others, including Tokyo, Boston and London this year are saved for the fine folks at the running shoe brands.
Some interesting things I saw this year while doing the count.
Outside of a few shoes, almost all of Nike is the Zoom Vapofly 4% or the “training” version.
The dominant single shoe is the Saucony Kinvara.
If I reported this as an actual count Asics would end with 1/2 and Hoka would end with 1/2. There was a runner who went by with a Hoka One One Bondi on one foot and an Asics Kayano on the other foot. Guessing a leg length issue.
It still amazes me that I see old shoes on course. Yes I understand that all runners like to stock up on their favorite shoes but that’s not exactly what I’m talking about. I saw adidas shoes with technology that hasn’t been used for 6 years. The Kswiss models were from when they were actually making running shoes. If you were one of these athletes, explain it for us. I’d like to understand this better. Are you stocking up or are you simply just racing in the shoe once or twice a year.
Nice work Hoka One One.
I am a creature of habit and a cheap bastard, who always runs in at least the previous year model (they are consumables after all).
I also will not invest in new shoes that do not fit 100% right, and I dread every time having to find a new shoe as old stock runs out.
Old stock in my case is still good and the Hokas don’t fit and feel right.
My “why” is that Hoka saved my running career. Back in 2012 I thought I was done running. I was having so many foot problems after any runs more than about 90 mins. It was happening in Brooks, K-Swiss and Asics.
I thought I was done and was ready to hang up my shoes after one last race - IM Canada. On the flight home a read an article about Hoka and the Bondi. Ordered a pair as soon as I got home. I was so embarrassed by the size and coloring I did my first run at under the cover of darkness early in the morning. Within 2 mins I knew they were for me and was never embarrassed to wear my “clown shoes” or “moon boots” again. I can’t tell you how many snide comments I got about them for the next 2 years or so. Over time most of those folks had to eat crow and are now loving their Hoka.
Since then I haven’t worn anything else. I’ve tried most of the models and for the most part have settled on Bondi, Clifton and Challengers. I’ve did 3 more IM’s after that, marathons and am now focused on ultras. My running is far from dead thanks to Hoka.
Those are interesting stats and proves what I said. Anyone can do a shoe count. I’m not sure how close the Chicago number is. I won’t know that for a few weeks when I finish the work I do on Chicago. If Brooksis the top shoe choice in Chicago it will be monumental.
Asics doesn’t actually make a “tri” oriented racing flat anymore. Their latest model of tri shoes are pretty great, and a lot more race oriented, but that line has always been more of a training shoe than a race shoe. It seems as if they be abandoned the tri market, at least in terms of high performance racing. I suspect this is the reason for their decline.
Asics doesn’t actually make a “tri” oriented racing flat anymore. Their latest model of tri shoes are pretty great, and a lot more race oriented, but that line has always been more of a training shoe than a race shoe. It seems as if they be abandoned the tri market, at least in terms of high performance racing. I suspect this is the reason for their decline.
I seriously doubt this, because the brands that actually are having an actual tri-specific shoe like, Zoot and Pearl Izumi are not even an factor, second I don’t think most AG athletes do their marathon on racing flat’s but on a more solid shoes. But I must also say I never had a feeling that Asics was even in the tri market with a tri specific shoe unless you go back to the mid '90’s. The Noosa is promoted as one, but there is not too much tri specific about that shoe.
I do know why Asics is declining in market share, at least in Europe
I must admit I don’t know anything about the European market. Why is it they’re losing market share there?
Among other reasons they out price themselves completely, decreasing the margins drasticly on their most popular models like kayano, nimbus, gt series hoping that this would stop online sales from directly putting the latest models on sale/discount. Which didn’t make any difference except that the brick and mortar stores are all turning away from the brand and for the last few years at times having serious stock problems.
And the nr 1 reason for customers, not just store owners, is the constant changing of fit and feel of the top 3 models.
I ran NB for 8 years. Then moved to Asics the last 3. With a year of Zoot in between. I switch between stability in nuetral throughout week. I left NB because Zoot helped one year. Their shors were awful but for the 10k racers so never asked to be renewed on their grass roots team ( not sure if it continued anyway) I then tried NB 1080 foam shoe which was was terrible. So moved to Asics. Yes, because lots of sales online or at Canadian store Sportchek.
In 3 years of Asics each season i love/hate Kayano and Cumulus. The GT i tried year over year i cant wear. Now, 2017, the Cumulus fits great and Kayano upper mesh way better! The Dynaflex is killer. So i dont konw what Asics was thinking in 2016 where everything fit different than 2015 and was frankly shit, but 2017 far better and i rotate those 3 shoes and will probably race the Dynaflex at Toronto Waterfront marsthon this weekend.
I ran NB for 8 years. Then moved to Asics the last 3. With a year of Zoot in between. I switch between stability in nuetral throughout week. I left NB because Zoot helped one year. Their shors were awful but for the 10k racers so never asked to be renewed on their grass roots team ( not sure if it continued anyway) I then tried NB 1080 foam shoe which was was terrible. So moved to Asics. Yes, because lots of sales online or at Canadian store Sportchek.
In 3 years of Asics each season i love/hate Kayano and Cumulus. The GT i tried year over year i cant wear. Now, 2017, the Cumulus fits great and Kayano upper mesh way better! The Dynaflex is killer. So i dont konw what Asics was thinking in 2016 where everything fit different than 2015 and was frankly shit, but 2017 far better and i rotate those 3 shoes and will probably race the Dynaflex at Toronto Waterfront marsthon this weekend.
I wonder why you rotate between a neutral shoe and a supportive anti-pronation shoe? But for the rest this is the underlying problem, if you liked the 2015/2016 models there is a great chance you don’t like the 2017 range and vice versa
After 15 years of orthodics I transitioned off the past 2 years. I find PF can be kept at bay rotating the 2 platforms. Anytime I spend too much time in one either my heel has pain from the post in the Kayano or my old stress fracture injury upper foot hurts from neutral shoe.
Hoka’s marketing presence this year was huge, but I’m assuming the shoe choice was made well before showing up on the island.
The actual marketing you do in Kona is tricky, but can be rewarding if you take the right attitude and employ a long term strategy.
Where many brands fail in this is they look to short term. We need to convert here at this event. We need to get sales here at this event . . etc . .In the current climate - that’s not going to happen. The event marketing you do at a given event, is just one thing in a whole series of things you need to be doing.
Hoka is a good example and of a longer term strategy, that they have steadily been applying over a number of years in the triathlon space, and in Kona - and it’s been paying off for them. They are now the #1 Shoe in Kona at the IRONMAN World Championships.
Like Cervelo, and Rudy Project this in and of itself can be a helpful coup in your marketing going forward. But again, you have to keep your foot on the gas pedal - all the product categories are very competitive, with good quality other products and brands ready to move forward.
We need to convert here at this event. We need to get sales here at this event . . etc . .In the current climate - that’s not going to happen.
Well, Hoka sold 625 pairs according to their own retailers newsletter. That is more then I would have expected. I also found it interesting that Newton seems to be pretty stable now. Good for them and I hope they survive the difficult time they were in.
