Do you feel the original Lunar Racer is a stable shoe? Obviously its not a stability shoes but given its wide heel and low ramp - do you think it offers at least moderate stability?
I’ve worn them up to a 1/2 marathon without problem but I’m considering using them for the Chicago marathon. I generally race in a lightweight trainer with modest stability (Asics DS trainer, Saucony Tangent).
Thoughts?
Dave in VA
I wouldn’t use the term stability; however, I think the shoe is relatively stiff through the midfoot, which helps give your foot a more secure foundation to land on top of. It’s a little thin under the midfoot, which can wind up exaggerating a pronation issue (think of the New Balance Minimus Road as well, here).
Why not the DS-Racer for Chicago?
No. I would not say that the Lunaracer offers anything in the way of stability.
Not really too much stability… I have run in them pretty much exclusively for all training and racing for the past three years. The first generation of the shoe to me feels a bit more narrow.
Love the cushioning but no, it’s about as far from stable as you can get.
Not much for stability… but great cushioning and very light weight. I have ran 1 marathon and a few halfs in them with minimal issues. Only problem for me is they are too narrow for my feet and give nasty blisters… as such, I only use them for 10k or less. I’m waiting for the wider version to come to market.
The DS trainer has more stability and is still quite lightweight - use that.
i’d call it neutral. do you need stability. Iam trying to like the lunar racer, as i have used the lunar trainer for years. I ran boston and usmc in the lunar trainer with no issues (well, not shoe related). I find the lunar racer feels faster than other shoes i;ve recently tried (kinvara, minumus trail, lunar trainer). So far i have only done my 60 min run in them. for 90 min i am trying the saucony kinvara–like it so far. haven’t built back up to anything longer–but so far both feel good
anyway, good luck–but if you really need stability that is not the shoe
No. I would not say that the Lunaracer offers anything in the way of stability.
+1, There is no stability. What it does have is exceptional cushioning for a ultra-lightweight flat. It’s more than cushioned enough for 26.2.
As an underpronator who needs no stability but lots of cushioning, they are my training shoe of choice.
Bonus: Nike marked the “weird” colors down $40 recently to clear them out.
It doesn’t really matter what other people think about the shoe. My opinion? Try a couple 18 milers (if you are up to that mileage) in the lunar racers and if you don’t have any issues, you’ve answered your own question.
Interesting. just got the red one from Runningwarehouse sale. No stability but as much cushion as a neutral performance trainer at half the weight. Sizing must be for sockless running because they were very snug at my size. if you gonna order and plan on using socks order half a size large.
I tried on the Saucony Cortona yesterday. Loved the fit and feel. Been running in Kinvara’s for the past year and love those.
I’d switch to the Cortona in a heartbeat, but at $144, it makes me crazy to pay that much for a pair of shoes that will be toast in 6 months. So for $50 I am going with another pair of Kinvara 2s.
I am a loyal Saucony wearer and the Cortona is the nicest feeling shoe I’ve ever put on.
I tried on the Saucony Cortona yesterday. Loved the fit and feel. Been running in Kinvara’s for the past year and love those.
I’d switch to the Cortona in a heartbeat, but at $144, it makes me crazy to pay that much for a pair of shoes that will be toast in 6 months. So for $50 I am going with another pair of Kinvara 2s.
I am a loyal Saucony wearer and the Cortona is the nicest feeling shoe I’ve ever put on.
Interesting, do you find the midsole on the Cortana as “squishy” as the Kinvara’s? Also, does the Cortana have a medial post? From the photo’s, there’s definitely some different midsole material on the medial side but I’m not sure if its firmer foam to help with pronation?
Not a post on the Cortana. It’s a touch of SRC, which is a slightly firmer foam than their typical midsole material. Gives it a little bit more beef in the midfoot without going to the Mirage-esque plastic piece. Still very neutral. Not as squishy as the Kinvara, but a very plush ride.
Not a post on the Cortana. It’s a touch of SRC, which is a slightly firmer foam than their typical midsole material. Gives it a little bit more beef in the midfoot without going to the Mirage-esque plastic piece. Still very neutral. Not as squishy as the Kinvara, but a very plush ride.
Thanks, Saucony categorizes the Cortana as “Supportive Cushioning” whatever that’s suppose to mean. Its the only shoe in this “new” category. Sounds like a cushioning shoe with a touch of stability to me.
If you were attempting to break categories of footwear down (without diving into heel-toe drop/ramp angle, weight, midsole heights, etc.), this is where I’d draw the lines (Note: speaking in VERY general terms here…there are exceptions in every category):
Racing
Cut cushioning and stability out for the sake of weight-savings. Road feel and reducing ounces are the primary goals. ex. Asics DS-Racer.
Performance Trainer
A slightly stripped down version of most shoes in the below categories; will typically give a bit more road feel underfoot without sacrificing much in the cushioning or stability departments. ex. Mizuno Wave Precision (performance neutral), New Balance 1190 (performance stability).
Responsive Neutral
more flexible underfoot and through to toe-off. Will typically feature a bit more road feel than the shoes in the next category up. ex. Mizuno Wave Rider
Structured Neutral
Still a neutral shoe; however, will typically either be filled-in and contact with the ground under midfoot, or feature a plastic truss to stiffen the midfoot section of the shoe. ex. Asics Gel-Nimbus, Saucony Triumph
Flat-lasted Neutral
A shoe that is almost constantly in contact with the ground. Filled in underfoot. It is usually a shoe built on a motion-control platform, but without the posting. ex. Brooks Dyad
Blend/Light Stability
This is the first category of stability; as such, it will have the smallest amount of posting available in the stability category. Will take some of the features from a structured neutral shoe, and then add a small dual-density midsole on the medial side. Two classes exist: midfoot blend (Asics 2160/Saucony Guide), and rearfoot blend (Mizuno Wave Inspire/Nike Structure Triax)
Moderate Stability
The principle difference between this and the previous category: the size of the post increases. Cushioning levels also tend to increase slightly to offset the rigid feeling of the medial posting. Ex. Brooks Adrenaline, Asics 3030, Adidas Supernova Sequence
High Stability
Again, a very slight increase in posting. However, this is also where companies tend to focus a ton of cushioning as well, to attempt to justify the stratospheric pricing ($140–very soon the $150 class). Ex. Asics Kayano
Light-duty Motion Control
Remember that Flat-lasted neutral category? Take that shoe, slap more posting than in the high stability category, and you have yourself a motion control shoe. This class has a little bit more flexibility, particularly through the forefoot, for a person with a lighter weight frame that needs a metric ton of stability. Ex. Mizuno Wave Alchemy, Saucony Stabil
Heavy-duty Motion Control
The Clydesdale division of running shoes. Huge posting? Check. Pretty rigid? Check. Heavy as hell? Check. Ex. Brooks Beast/Ariel, New Balance 1012/1240.
So where does that Cortana fit in? I would argue that it hits all the targets of the structured neutral category: pretty well filled in underfoot due to that SRC compound, a TON of cushioning to justify that pricepoint, but no physical medial posting. It’d be right in line with the Triumph in terms of support, which is to say that there technically isn’t any, but due to it being filled in underfoot it helps the foot set-up to be the proper foundation for the rest of your kinetic chain.
Thanks Ryan, that’s a much more detailed analysis than the typical Cushion/Stability/Motion Control categories typically discussed. I guess I generally train in the Blend/light stability category.
Quick question, where would you categorize the Hoka Bondi B’s?
Having lots of blister issues with mine even with socks & vaseline, while not “stable” from a motion control view it is a wide sole & that feels like a slight “stable” feeling as it keeps the foot from rolling like some narrower shoes (think Air Mariah here). If it were not for the blisters, I would have no problem using them for the marathon. However, I am waiting for the Brooks Pure Project which is coming out soon, and is supposedly like the Luna Racer only with comfort & more stability at just a few tenths of an ounce heaviere–which would be worth the trade off of a little weight. I should have a pair in October (I have some “contacts”) so they won’t be available to the public until later.