The Nike Air Pegasus 2006 version…comes in three versions…a Dri-Fit version for wet conditions, a ‘normal’ version with the longer-lasting sole and the ‘Bowerman series’ branded version which is lighter i believe…cheaper than the Equalon isnt it?
NEW YORK, NY, November 4, 2006 - The global editors of Runner’s World magazine, the worldwide authority on running information, awarded their second annual International Editor’s Choice Award for the 2006 Shoe of the Year to the Nike Air Pegasus 2006 during a special awards celebration Saturday night at Remi in New York City.
The award was presented on Saturday night following the conclusion of the Runner’s World International Shoe Summit, the now annual four-day conference featuring the editors of all nine international editions of Runner’s World and eleven of the world’s leading running shoe manufacturers, who presented their upcoming 2007 product lines.
Also winning awards were the Mizuno Wave Elixir, which was the choice among the international editors panel for Best Debut of 2006, as well as shoe manufacturers Brooks and Asics, which each captured Best Innovation Awards for their development and use of new shoe technologies.
The Nike Air Pegasus 2006 had previously been selected as an Editors Choice winner in five of Runner’s World’s nine international editions over the past 12 months, earning the honor in Germany, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States (Runner’s World publishes its Shoe Guides for buyers four times a year in the U.S. and several times a year in each of its worldwide editions).
Editors in each of those countries cited the neutral-cushioned shoe for its smooth ride, improved fit (from the previous Air Pegasus 2005) and “plush” cushioning, with several editors calling it the “benchmark” model in the neutral cushioning category.
Additionally, wear-testers in both Spain and the U.S. called it "the most comfortable shoe’ they had tested to date.
The Runner’s World International Editor’s Choice Award for Shoe of the Year is presented annually in collaboration with its International Shoe Summit, part of Runner’s World’s global initiative to find, test and designate the best shoes in the world for its readers in the eleven countries-Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands/Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the United States-where it currently publishes. The Asics GT-2100 won the inaugural RW International Shoe of the Year award in 2005.
This year, Runner’s World also introduced the award for Best Debut, given by the global editors to the new shoe line that represents the most promising new addition to its category.
The winner, the Mizuno Wave Elixir performance-training shoe, was praised as “light, stable and responsive” by editors in the Netherlands and Belgium, while RW’s editors in Sweden called it “a light and flexible shoe with a great mix of cushioning and stability.” Wear-testers in Sweden also called it “perfect for speedwork,” and editors in the U.K. liked Mizuno’s new Smoothride midsole, saying it gave the Elixir “enhanced heel-to-toe transition and good durability.”
Both Brooks and Asics were honored with Best Innovation Awards, recognizing noteworthy advances in shoe technology and manufacturing. Brooks was honored for its use of environmentally friendly “green” rubber (a non-petroleum based material) in combination with its use of compression-molded pre-form technology in its manufacturing process. Asics was honored for its creation of the second-density gel, a semi-solid non-encased midsole material that minimizes the impact of both the vertical and lateral twisting forces that occur during pronation.
Runner’s World puts all running shoes it reviews, both domestically and globally, through rigorous testing by its editors and hundreds of independent wear-testers, as well as via mechanical testing at its one-of-a-kind Runner’s World Shoe Lab at Michigan State University in conjunction with the MSU Department of Sports Medicine. Runner’s World is the only publication in the world that independently tests running shoes this way, and its quarterly Shoe Guides were nominated for a National Magazine Award-the highest honor in the magazine industry-in 2005.
In conjunction with the international shoe testing initiative, Runner’s World’s widely-recognized and respected “Editor’s Choice Award"™ Seal of Approval Program” now reflects this global collaboration, allowing runners around the world to recognize RW’s universal International Editor’s Choice seal as a way to help them select the most appropriate shoe for the level and needs.
Representatives from manufacturers including adidas, Asics, Brooks, Fila, Mizuno, New Balance, Nike, Puma, Reebok and Saucony were among those presenting at this year’s Shoe Summit before editors from the nine international editions of Runner’s World–Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands/Belgium, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the flagship U.S. title.
“The shoe manufacturers have quickly grasped the need and importance of communicating with our running audience around the globe,” said Adam Bean, International Managing Editor for Runner’s World, "The Shoe Summit is a fantastic tool in creating a uniformly consistent RW Shoe Guide across all of our international editions for the benefit of runners, manufacturers and retailers.
“For 40 years, Runner’s World has been the most trusted, independent source people turn to for all running information. As we continue to grow internationally, and as the scope of our research expands accordingly to best review the international running shoe business-which now probably accounts for more than $10 billion in annual sales-the manufacturers are eager to speak to our global audience about their product development.”
at the end of that… very weak attempt at humor.