And I mean very initial. Following my first ride on the Scott Plasma, I came home, put on the Zoot trainers and took my two dogs for a slow 1 mile rune. I didn’t wear socks to get a feel for the insides of the shoes. The shoes themselves are very light with out a lot of cushioning. The have a very low, flat profile, more like a racing shoe. They don’t seem to have any design feature to promote any certain kind of running like say the Newtons have with their obvious lug system. My initial concern had to do with blistering/chaffing issues I had read about from seams inside the shoe. Following the run I wore them to the grocery store just to keep walking around in them and found I experienced no such discomfort. They are comfortable, fairly wide and their size 11 seems to match up with my old Nike Haywards, although at first I thought they might be a little too big as they just look kind of long.
The run was way to short and slow to address their performance, but I will try them more this week and follow-up.
Are the soles of these shoes stuck in place? That is my biggest complaint about running with out socks - having the sole get crinkled when trying to put a wet foot inside the shoe at T2. Which pair are you running in: the racer or the light weight trainer? Do you notice any drawbacks yet compared to a regular pair of racing flats? The benefits sounds great, although the racer is horrendously ugly. How do the laces work? Thanks.
You mean the insoles? They are not fixed and can be removed. I have the trainers. I won’t be a good person to compare them to other racing flats as I have never worn other racing flats, just a pair of Newtons. The laces wotk just like speed laces, just already built in.
I got my Ultra Race a week before Hawaii and was planning on racing with them but changed my mind due to the perceived lack of forefoot cushoning. I have since fallen in love with these shoes. I love the carbon midsole which provides excellent support and spring. The forefoot cushioning is adequate and the shoes are very light and slip on like slippers. I tried Newtons and they caused several minor injuries. The Zoots are awesome in my opinion.
i tried a pair today(1h run), i rate then very high for a first run, i could race on then just out of the box. that is my initial impression
Which one did you use?
Does the race model has any support at all?
the Ultra TT
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The Ultra TT is the one I have as well.
Hey Bryan,
Hope everything is going well in AZ.
My LRS (Eugene Running Company) gave me a pair of the Ultra TT to get feedback on the product. They are going to start carrying tri-specific products and asked me earlier this year on what tri products/brands that they should look at. What a nice way to say thank you!!!
What I noticed was that even though I train/race in lightweight stability shoes the Ultra TT (neutral trainer) had enough support (even more) than most of the recent lightweight stability trainers/racers I’ve used. I hesitated at first thinking that “too bad I couldn’t test the Ultra Tempo”, but I was really surprised how supportive the TT’s were. That carbon sole makes a HUGE difference.
I also find that the sizing is true (even a little big, length wise), but they felt amazing. I went sockless with a couple short runs (4 miles each, sockless).
I still want to try the Tempo and Race versions to compare, but I will definitely be using the Zoots this season.
Pat
Eugene, OR
Hey Pat! Yeah, I noticed that the sizing is true, it’s just they look really long!
OK, I’m back from a 10 mile run in the ZOOT’s. I didn’t not wear socks BUT I did take a pair along with me just in case I needed them and I didn’t want to blow off the run. The first 3 miles felt perfect, the shoes were very comfortable but by mile 4 I could feel some rubbing above and on the side of my left heal. By mile 6 it was worse and I stopped to put on the socks. Good thing, I had a blood blister the size of a dime working there!
As soon as I put the socks on, the shoes actually felt even more comfortable, like a slipper almost. I could still feel the blister but it wasn’t bad. The shoe’s felt very light and responsive, very different from the Newtons. Now I don’t believe a running shoe will take seconds off my pace or alter my form, what I am more interested in is how my legs feel while running, how much impact absorption there is to cut down on fatigue, and how I feel afterwards. Here the ZOOT’s really worked great for me. My legs felt fresh during and after the workout. In contrast, the Newtons made my legs sore not from their design but from their lack of cushioning. The high heel tab didn’t bother me and the lace system works well.
I am hoping that once broken in a little to the contours of my foot I can give sockless running a try again and I plan on wearing these for longer runs, with socks, for the next few weeks. I like the results so far…
I started running just over a year now. Bought lots of shoes.
Just got some Zoots. Laces work beter than quick ones, they have pullies.
Don’t know about performance.
Can’t find out as I tend to have lost them already:)
bought the ultras…felt good at first, but the shoe is a little narrow for my foot over by the little toe bone. after a couple of days of just wearing the shoe around it felt better and today i ran a hard mile of the bike. shoe felt great to run in and was very comfortable. feet were not sore after even by the little toe, just neede a little break in period…SP
These shoe’s are driving me crazy! I just had an awesome tempo run in them, my legs feel great, the shoes felt great…and I have 2 new blisters! One on the front of my second toe, which is an odd spot. I think I was trying to use my toes too much to releive some of the rubbing on the blister from yesterday, and one on my right foot on the top left side of my big toe! I really like these and want them to work but I am killing myself. Maybe they need some more break in?
Would you run a marathon in them without socks?
Would you run a marathon in them without socks?
Not in a million years.
I thought the primary purpose of these things was that you no longer had to worry about wearing socks?
Exactly. “sockless shoes” are nothing but a marketing gimmick.
The only way I’d use a sockless shoe is in an Oly distance… and then I’d use a real racing flat cuz I can go under 40min/10k.
If you’re slower than 40min/10k, taking 15s to put on socks isn’t going to make much difference.
i havent tried them without socks so i still cant answer that question 
.