I am aware of:
Adidas Boost
Saucony Everun (Freedom ISO, a few others)
Reebok Floatride?
Altra Escalante?
Newton Newtonium? (Distance 6, Gravity 6)
Those last three are marketed like something new, but no idea if it is TPU or repackaged EVA.
What else ya got?
Brooks Levitate - it’s basically Boost!
There’s also the old steady hand of the New Balance 990 series…but I don’t think that’s quite what you had in mind.
Any particular reason you’re searching this out?
Brooks Levitate - it’s basically Boost!
There’s also the old steady hand of the New Balance 990 series…but I don’t think that’s quite what you had in mind.
Any particular reason you’re searching this out?
I’m not quite sure if this is true. From what i have been told, the levitate is made from a slice of pu if that make sense and not from the little compressed small balls like in the others.
Jeroen
Yes to the Altra Escalante and wtf to Altra for not using the same technology in other shoes.
And, of course, yes to the Kinvara 8 (Everun).
I think the new Reebok is somehow similar to Nike’s foam but only read about it in passing.
The Levitate is PU wrapped in TPU.
It’s a pretty sweet feeling shoe. It’s one shoe that makes me wish I preferred a neutral shoe
Yeah, Brooks worked with BASF, who co-developed Boost in the first place. It’s good stuff.
So nothing from Nike?
They’re milking ZoomX in the Vaporfly. Eventually it’ll see its way into other shoes. I doubt they’ll feel the need to mess with TPU anytime soon.
So nothing from Nike?
7 out of 10 people walking into a running specialty store asking for Nike will leave with a different brand on their feet
So nothing from Nike?
7 out of 10 people walking into a running specialty store asking for Nike will leave with a different brand on their feet
Why?
And, of course, yes to the Kinvara 8 (Everun).
I don’t know if the Kinvara 8 qualifies… The TPU layer is so thin (maybe 1mm?) it’s ridiculous. I don’t think it has any measurable effect.
Have you tried them? I think they’re brilliant.
Why?
2 reasons why people seem to choose another brand, the first is somewhat subjective
- IMO Nike’s line up from top to bottom leaves the most to be desired from any major brand.
The second reason is I see a ton of customers walk into the store asking for Nike. When you have them go run with a Nike on one foot and something else from another brand on the other foot for a direct comparison, the majority of time the other brand gets chosen
IIRC the TPU layer is 2mm
agreed though it’s pretty thin & the effects are going to be minimal
.
How thick is it in the Freedom ISO? I am holding one in my hand right now, but don’t know how much is in the midsole.
Have you tried them? I think they’re brilliant.
Yes, I have a pair. I don’t find them significantly different from previous iterations.
it’s a full length Everun midsole. I think the heel is 20mm and the forefoot is 16mm thick. The drop is 4mm like the Kinvarva. Here is the interesting thing. IIRC the Kinvara is 2-4mm thicker than the Freedom under both the heel and forefoot. But the Freedom will feel like it’s 5mm thicker due to better cushioning.
The topsole is 2mm thick & iirc that’s for all Saucony models that have an Everun topsole.
If I had to choose between either the Kinvarva or the Freedom ISO as to which shoe would be The Shoe for the najority of people I think the Freedom ISO will be that shoe
Thank you. I have done the bulk of my miles over the last few years in the Kinvara 3/4/5/6/7, but got a free pair of Boston Boosts and really liked them.
The Freedom ISO feels like a nice blend of those two shoes to me. Just trying to figure out why.
One thing that often gets left out of the debate between TPU and EVA-based shoes is that the Boost materiel (and I assume the Freedom ISO) lasts freakin forever.
For me it would be the (big) weight difference and very likely the higher drop on the Bostons.
Cushion to weight, not even Hoka can compete with the Kinvara 8 anymore.
The Altra Duo will smoke it out of the water when it comes out though. I’m sooo getting that shoe.
One thing to consider with some 0 drop shoes. When you compress upon landing and roll through you could be at a negative drop for a bit in your gait cycle