New Balance took the next step in their slow buildup to the release of their Minimus line of shoes yesterday by posting high resolution images of each shoe in the lineup (the NB Minimus Trail, Road, and Walking/Wellness). The marketing approach they are taking with these shoes is unlike anything I have seen before, which is hopefully a sign that they see minimalist shoes as a big part of their future offerings. Combine signs like his with a very pro-minimalist article in the November 2010 issue of Runner’s World, and you have to ask yourself if we are on the cusp of a big change in the way even the big shoe companies approach shoe design – I strongly suspect that minimalism is here to stay.
I’ll largely withhold comment on the shoes below until I can get my hands on a pair, but I do like the look of the last – looks like a pretty roomy forefoot on all three.
New Balance Minimus Trail
New Balance Minimus Road
New Balance Minimus Walking/Wellness
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About Peter Larson
I love the rugged look of the models. Any idea of what pricing might be?
Don’t have any idea about pricing yet.
The road shoe has sort of an orthopedic look to it. It best fits my normal usage but is my least favorite visually.
I was thinking the same thing – sort of Sketchers Shape Up like.
A running coach at my track was wearing the women’s road minimalist, she must be a NB tester. I think they look way more functional than the Kinvara. From what I saw, the midsole is very thin, they looked like a racing flat. Definitely less midsole than my Kinvara.
Maybe it’s just me, but the sole looks thicker than the original photo releases.
See:
http://counterkicks.com/wp-con…
http://counterkicks.com/wp-con…
Drool.
My primary interest is the Minimus Trail. I don’t like the look of the outsole/tread. It doesn’t look like it will have any traction (grass, scree, hard-pack soil, etc.) and so won’t meet the important requirement of being functional in use as well as fit. Other than that, the shoe looks good from the pictures (especially the forefoot), though they leave me worried about the fit of the heel cup also.
As long as it doesn’t have a plastic heel counter, I wouldn’t be too worried about the heel cup fit. NB is usually on top of the ball when it comes to fit parameters and such. I think the midsole looks thicker because the first pre-release picture was just a drawing, and the second one has someone standing in them. If you watch Pete’s slow-motion videos, shoes compress a decent amount when you put your weight on them. A “NB rep” posted on a thread on LetsRun in August about the minimus, and said MSRP was $100–on par with the Frees and the Kinvara. With all the R&D going into these shoes, plus the ad campaign and all, I can’t imagine they’ll be hucking these for $45 at Sports-mart. Since they are pitching them as a “minimalist” shoe and not just a racing flat, they can price it higher because there is a bigger market if you call it a “minimalist shoe,” even if it will be great for track 10ks and the like. I’m most interested in the road model, and it looks like the outsole will be much like the Nike Free–no carbon rubber, except for a tiny crescent on the heel. Hopefully that won’t cause durability issues, and hopefully rocks won’t get stuck in those honeycomb holes in the sole! I’d like to know what the absolute thickness of the heel and forefoot is.
Does not look that “minimalist” to me !
That’s the thing – despite the heavy marketing, these shoes aren’t really
pushing the envelope all that much. There are plenty of 4mm drop, cushioned
options out there right now, and 2011 is going to see a lot of zero drop
shoes arrive, as well as some additional shoes in the same range as the
Minimus line. Of the three, I’d say the trail shoe seems to be the most
innovative, but then I haven’t seen any of them in person.
There isn’t any other 4mm drop well cushioned shoes bar the Kinvara is there ? The Asics Piranha has a 4mm drop, but that’s not as cushioned as the Kinvara.
Anyhoo, re the Minimus – I’d be very worried about the durability of that sole in the road version
Nike Free 3.0, Newton, Inov8, Mizuno Wave Universe is close
Sent from my iPod
Well the Wave Universe, like the Piranha certainly doesn’t have as much cushioning as the Kinvara. The Kinvara has a whopping 14mm high forefoot, which I thought was high until I just looked at the Newtons ! Shame Nike don’t publish their heel/toe heights.
I wonder if having such a thick sole/more cushioning in a minimal shoe is a bad thing ? If having a low heel/toe drop is cancelled out by having a high platform to wobble along on.
Wow, what’s up with that Vibram logo? That’s pretty intriguing!
Can’t wait for this shoe. I’m running in the WT100s right now, and I think I’m ready for a lower heel drop.
The walking/wellness version looks like a martial arts shoe. :)
Vibram made the sole for the Trail Minimus.
Ugh! $100!?!? Yeah, make a shoe with LESS material, and make it cost more… R&D? You mean paying some one to do online searches? Ridiculous.
That said… Interesting color selection on that second Road model. A nod to the Nike Lunar, maybe? (duh!) I like the Trail and Walking, though with the latter I hope that elastic band can be replaced with a lace.
The trails look great.
While I love Vibram Five Fingers, I’m not a fan of minimalist shoes. After all, what’s the point of going barefoot if you can’t wiggle your toes?
Is it just me or does the wellness look like a zero dropped nike free?