“Available in both Men’s and Women’s models, the Vapor Glove is Merrell’s most minimal running shoe, with just a 6mm stack height front and back. It doesn’t get more minimal than this, folks. You still get a Vibram rubber outsole, durable mesh upper and external TPU heel support. Launches February 2013 at $80.00 MSRP.”

I asked for a bit more detail from my contact at Merrell, and was told that weight will come in a 5oz, and the sole has 2mm of EVA cushion plus a 4mm outsole. For comparative purposes, the Road Glove has 4mm of EVA, and the Bare Access has 8mm. Thus, this shoe will be the most minimal in the Merrell Barefoot collection.

Here are a few photos showing additional colorways (first two are men’s, second two are women’s):

Here are the key details reported by Running Warehouse about the Virrata:

• zero drop, cushioned sole (18mm heel, 18mm forefoot)
• lightweight: 6.5 oz in men’s size 9
• very flexible due to horizontal flex grooves in the sole
• bootie-style construction of the upper
• Launch Date: February 2013
• MSRP: $90

For more information, view the Saucony Virrata preview post on the Running Warehouse blog.

Let’s start with the Saucony Kinvara 3. It’s a nice looking shoe with what appear to be some pretty significant changes from the previous two versions. Here are photos of the some of the first-wave color options for the men’s and women’s Kinvara 3:

Men’s Saucony Kinvara 3

Women’s Saucony Kinvara 3

In addition to photos, RW posted a list of the updates found in the new Kinvara:

• More Durable Sole: Saucony heard the feedback about the durability of prior Kinvara models and responded by adding XT-900 rubber where it counts. Added rubber on the lateral midfoot and forefoot means you can expect more mileage out of your Kinvara 3′s compared to previous pairs.
• Same Heel-to-Toe Drop: Though many other Saucony models are lowering their offsets, 4mm is still the name of the game for the Kinvara. You know it, you love it, and Saucony didn’t mess with it.
• Smoother Transition: Already known for its flexible, light, and comfortable midsole, the Kinvara series is now designed to move with your foot even better thanks to a de-coupled and beveled heel, along with added flex grooves in the heel. While the Kinvara remains geared toward a midfoot strike, these updates make the shoe a little more welcoming for heel strikers as well.
• Still Lightweight: Official weights from Saucony are 7.7 oz (Men’s size 9) and 6.7 oz (Women’s size 8). That’s a few tenths of an ounce heavier than our measurements for the Kinvara 2, but identical to the official weights for the Kinvara 2, so we’ll have to wait to see whether or not the shoe has really bulked up at all.
• Redesigned Upper: Look for a streamlined upper with improved fit thanks to the use of FlexFilm™, a thin material bonded to the upper to secure your foot to the sole a little better throughout your gait.
• Widths Now Available: For those of you with a wider foot, Saucony is producing 2E widths in the Men’s version and D widths in the Women’s version.
• Pricing Uptick: All these innovations come at a price, specifically: ten bucks. MSRP on the Kinvara 3 rises to $100.00. We still think that the Kinvara is a tremendous value, especially since we expect increased durability in the latest iteration.

News about the availability of widths and a more durable sole should make a lot of folks happy as these are the two complaints I hear most about the previous versions of the Kinvara. Regarding durability, I’m still a bit skeptical that the new sole design will solve the lateral forefoot wear issue that some runners experience with the shoe. I personally have not had a problem with this, but I know plenty of folks who eat through the sole of the lateral forefoot really quickly – I suspect that true forefoot strikers are most likely to have an issue here. Thomas over at Believe in the Run posted a photo of the sole of the Kinvara 3 (see below), and though there appears to be added rubber under the lateral midfoot and extending forward onto the back of the forefoot, there does not appear to be any under the anterior two thirds of the outer forefoot. Not sure if any of these are final versions though, so time will tell.

The Saucony Peregrine 2 is the first update to Saucony’s first lightweight, 4mm drop trail shoe. I did a lot of running in the Peregrine last winter, and found it to be a very serviceable option as a lightweight trail shoe that could also be used on roads if needed. Sounds like the update mainly targets the upper, which Running Warehouse reports as being “more minimal” in the Peregrine 2. Here’s a photo:

One last teaser – Sam Winebaum recently attended the Outdoor Retailer’s Show and posted some photos of the Saucony Kinvara TR, a new trail version of the Kinvara set to be released at the end of the summer (The Saucony Kinvara TR is now available at Running Warehouse and Zappos). Sam has this to say about the Kinvara TR:

This new trail member of the Kinvara family shares the use of FlexFilm technology in the upper with the Kinvara 3 as well as the 4mm heel to toe drop. It weighs 8.5 oz men’s size 9 and has forefoot stack (midsole and outer sole) height of 12.5mm and heel of 16.5mm. It has a rock plate running from the forefoot almost to the mid foot.  I imagine this shoe will have a quite firm stable ride over varied terrain. Kinvara TR is a strong new contender in the light (<10 oz), low drop, yet protective trail runner category.

And here are Sam’s photos – looks like it might be another great multi-surface shoe:

Merrell – Gotta say, the Merrell Road Glove might be the shoe I’m looking forward to trying more than any other right now. I can vouch that Merrell is true to their word when they say they solicited feedback from the minimalist community when they were designing the shoe, and I’m really excited to see that the shoe will come in under 5oz and will have a flat outsole.

VivoBarefoot – I’m a big fan of VivoBarefoot shoes. I’ve been wearing the Ultra (which I love), Achilles, and Neo (reviews on the latter two coming soon) quite a bit this summer, and the VivoBarefoot Aqua is my go to work shoe. Most excited about the the Neo Trail and the kid’s Ultra. The hiking boot looks like an interesting option for winter.

Inov-8 – I just reviewed my first pair of Inov-8 shoes (the Road-X 233) and was fairly well impressed. Buzz around their zero-drop 2012 releases has been very positive from folks who have seen them, and they continue to do a great job providing a wide spectrum of shoe options.

GoLite – These guys are headquartered just down the road from me in NH, so I’ve been watching their stuff for awhile. In fact, one of the first non-Vibram zero-drop shoes I ran in was a GoLite shoe. Unfortunately, GoLite’s shoes have tended to be stiff and heavy, but that looks to be changing a bit with their 2012 line.

Altra – not much new here from Altra, but they indicate that the Adam and Eve will be released soon.

Teva – No running shoes here, but what you wear the rest of the day can be just as important as what you wear on your runs. I’ll be giving the Zilch a trial myself soon (I’ve worn Teva sandals during the summer for a long, long time), but even more excited about the kid’s version due to come out in 2012. Love seeing more flat options for kids!

“Another interesting model is the Saucony Hattori.  A 4.4 Oz. Zero heel drop trainer that offers a velcro strap closure, and not much in the way of a midsole.  The Hattori will be the most minimal model in the Saucony line.  Given Saucony’s distribution, this should prove a formidable challenger to the smaller brands making Minimal products by virtue of the sheer number of running specialty doors Saucony has open.  Saucony should be a serious player in this category right out of the gate.“

Here’s the picture of the Saucony Hattori from Runner’s World UK:

The Hattori follows many of the more minimal offerings we have seen so far in replacing a lacing system with velcro straps, and though it’s hard to tell, the upper looks very minimal. One puzzling thing regarding this shoe, if I’m interpreting the image correctly, is that the lateral midsole on the forefoot seems to lack any form of rubber protection (the midsole construction in the forefoot appears very similar to the popular Kinvara). For a zero drop shoe, it would seem that this would be essential since midfoot/forefoot striking is going to be encouraged. It will be interesting to see what the midsole composition is and how this might play out in terms of durability in this shoe. Exciting times ahead for minimalist runners!

Update 4/25/2011: Just put up a post with my preliminary review of the Saucony Hattori.

Saucony has made a strong entry into the lightweight, flattish soled running shoe category with its recent release of the Saucony ProGrid Kinvara. I haven’t worn the Kinvara myself, but word from some friends is that it’s a very nice shoe – lightweight, and well built for midfoot/forefoot runners (you can read a Kinvara review by my buddies Thomas and Steve over on the dailymile Community Blog).

Somewhat lost in the heavy marketing being put into the Kinvara’s release was the recent release of another shoe by Saucony that might appeal even more to minimalist runners – the Saucony Grid Type A4 racing flat. A reader just sent me an e-mail (thanks Todd!) indicating that he tried out the Grid Type A4 and thinks very highly of it as a midfoot/forefoot striking shoe. For Saucony fans concerned about the overall sole height of the Kinvara (assuming there are people besides me who actually pay attention to things like this!), the Grid Type A4 might just be the shoe for you. The A4 is not only lighter than the Kinvara (it weighs in at 6.3oz vs. the Kinvara’s 7.7oz – both values for men’s size 9), but it’s sole sits closer to the ground (13mm heel cushion, 9mm forefoot cushion in the A4 vs. 18mm/14mm in the Kinvara). With a heel-toe drop of only 4mm, the Grid Type A4 does seem like a promising candidate for midfoot/forefoot striking runners.

One of the unique and interesting features of the A4 is the fact that it has a drainage system built into the sole – if you look at the picture below, you can see the oval-shaped holes circling the inner portion of the sole. I can think of several races in my recent past where these would have come in very handy.

Don’t know much else about this shoe (other than that it seems overpriced for a flat at an MSRP of $95.00 – Update: thanks to Lisa in the comments for pointing out that it’s selling for $79.95 at Running Warehouse), but it looks like it has the potential to be another strong offering from Saucony – if you’ve tried it and have thoughts, feel free to leave a comment.

Update 6/7/10: Below are some initial thoughts that a reader, Todd L., sent to me regarding his experience with the Grid Type A4.

“I just got back from my first run in them and although it’s a little early to give a thorough review, I must say that if they continue to feel/perform like they did today, they will definitely be my primary running shoe for a long time to come. I’ve gone through countless sneakers (Brooks Launch, Nike Free Run+, Saucony Kinvara, and Newtons, most recently) in an effort to find the right shoe for me. Along the way I learned that for me the biggest obstacle was the raised heel that most running shoes seem to have. Getting rid of a big heel allowed me to start running in a more natural barefoot-like” form. The A4’s, while they have a very similar heel/forefoot differential to the Kinvara’s, (4mm), are a little closer to the ground and have a little less cushioning but it seems just cushy enough to be very comfortable. Compared to the Kinvara’s, I think these might be a better choice for someone really trying to run more forefoot and really feel the ground to gain feedback and stay on top of their form.”

Update 9/16/2010: A reader (thanks Gilbert!) indicated that he has some concerns with durability on the Grid Type A4. After 215 miles, this is what the sole of his shoe looks like:

Hard to know if this is idiosyncratic to his gait (appears to be a forefoot striking wear pattern), but thought I’d share for your information.

For more on the Grid Type A4, check out the video below from Running Warehouse:

I’m very excited by the fact that shoe manufacturers are starting to respond to the demand by runners for more minimalist running shoes. In many cases, however, it has been new players to the running footwear market that have driven innovation in this area. One of the newest contributions to the lineup of minimalist running shoe options is the Terra Plana EVO:

Terra Plana, founded by Galahad Clark of the Clark’s shoe family, is a company that prides itself on making ethical and eco-friendly shoes. The EVO, which is Terra Plana’s foray into the running market, boasts their Vivo Barefoot TM Technology. According to Terra Plana, Vivo Barefoot is a:

“…revolutionary, back-to-basics design based on the simple principle that being barefoot is the healthiest way for you and your feet to be. An ultra thin puncture resistant sole allows your feet to be as millions of years of evolutionary design intended – Barefoot!“

And their description of the EVO goes as follows:

“The Evo is designed to be the best barefoot running shoe we could create. TPU cage on breathable mesh, slimline anatomic last with sucked out arch area for maximum barefoot performance response, lightweight micro fibre reinforcements, multi-density footbed for ultimate transition and density options on different terrains. The Evo is like running barefoot.“

Below is a video provided on the Terra Plana website about the EVO:

The EVO has generated some buzz in the minimalist running community, and while I have yet to see this shoe in person myself, some positive reviews have already started to come in. For starters here are some excellent and very comprehensive takes on the EVO:

1. Terra Plana EVO review from Donald at the Running and Rambling Blog
2. Terra Plana EVO review from Jason at Barefoot Chronicles
3. Terra Plana EVO review from Harry at Birthdayshoes
4. Terra Plana EVO review from Geek Dad Jonathan at Wired.com

So, will I be rushing out to buy a pair of Terra Plana EVO’s to try out myself? Well, these shoes are getting some great reviews from minimalist running bloggers whose opinions I respect greatly, so they seem like they have a lot of potential. The fact that they look more like regular shoes also carries with it some appeal when compared to my Vibram Fivefingers KSO’s, which I tend not to wear much when I’m not running. However, the current price tag of $160.00 for a pair of EVO’s is nearly double what I paid for my KSO’s, and is a major impediment to me being willing to purchase these shoes. Several of the reviewers listed above suggest that they are very well made, and are worth the price if you want an ideal minimalist shoe, but it’s too much for me to justify at the moment (my wallet is suffering from the arrival of a newborn baby an a home renovation!). I’d love to give them a test run, but until that price comes down, I’ll have to leave it to others to report on their performance.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Terra Plana EVO, they’re apparently pretty hard to find right now. They are available at Amazon.com (see link above and to the left), they’re listed as shipping in late May on Eastbay.com (and you can click the banner below to get free shipping), so you can try there, or check out the EVO in the Terra Plana on-line shop.

Below are a few of the many additional coloring options for the EVO:

A few months ago I was reading through a thread on the Runner’s World Barefoot Running Forum about a pair of water shoes called the Nike Sneakerboat. I’ve seen water shoes/aqua socks suggested many times as a cheap form of minimalist running shoe (and a minimalist shoe should by definition be inexpensive if there’s less to it – unfortunately the opposite seems to more often be the case!!!), but it can be hard to find a pair that are aesthetically pleasing (if you care about that kind of thing), or that have laces that can be cinched up. The Nike Sneakerboat looked to meet both of these criteria, but unfortunately posters on that thread indicated that the shoe appeared to have been discontinued.

 

As I was rocking my 6-week old son to sleep earlier tonight, I was thumbing through an Eastbay catalog, and happened to notice that they were advertising a shoe called the Nike Sneakerboat II. Nike has apparently released a sequel to the original Sneakerboat, and it is now available through several on-line retailers (see links below). I have no idea how this shoe might perform as a minimalist running shoe, but I was tempted enough by its apparently flat, minimally cushioned sole (see picture above), it’s reasonably attractive design (it even has a flywire-like pattern similar to Nike running shoes), and its low price ($40-45.00 depending on the store) that I ordered a pair to try out. The shoe is also apparently environmentally friendly (which is a big plus in my book), being made out of recycled materials as indicated in the following description from the Eastbay product page:

“Whether you’re passionate about the environment or just want a comfy casual shoe to wear on the beach, the boat and beyond — look no further. The Nike Sneakerboat II is made with recycled materials, including the recycled-content mesh and neoprene upper and the recycled foam sockliner. It also has an OS44 sticky rubber sole with Regrind™ for great traction on wet surfaces. Wear it for the earth, wear it for the boat — or wear it for a cool summer style!“

It’s clear from the above description that Nike is not marketing this as a minimalist running shoe (maybe they should – we’ll see), but the Vibram Fivefingers also began their life as a water sports shoe, so who knows, maybe these will do the trick. Given that these are half the price of most Vibrams, and a third of the price of shoes like the remarkably expensive Terra Plana EVO ($160.00 for a minimalist shoe???), it would be great if they represented another alternative to what’s currently out there for minimalist runners. Check back here in a few weeks and I should hopefully have a preliminary review posted (if I don’t, it’s likely because my wife strangled me for bringing yet another pair of shoes into the house!). In the meantime, if you just can’t wait to try them yourself, here are a few links to where they can be purchased:

Purchase the Nike ACG Sneakerboat II at Eastbay.com (Eastbay mistakenly call these shoes the “Sneakboat” on their website, but gets it right in their print catalog).

Purchase the Nike ACG Sneakerboat II at Onlineshoes.com

Below are is a picture of the Sneakerboat II in all black, as well as a picture of the sole.

A friend on Twitter sent out a note yesterday asking if anyone had tried the bottle in the image to the left, the Hydrapak Gel Bot. Apparently this bottle allows you to store both fluids and gel in one device (looks like the gel goes in the inner pink/red capsule), which might make hydrating and fueling on the run (or on a bike) a bit more convenient. My only question is how to keep the water cold, but the gel warm enough so that it will flow from the nozzle – I suppose watering the gels down a bit might work. I’d be interested to hear if anyone has tried the Gel Bot and what their thoughts are.

Below is the description of the product from the Hydrapak website:

The Gel-Bot delivers two performance essentials, fuel and hydration, in one easy to use bottle.

To USE:

1. Load the inner chamber with energy gel.
2. Fill the bottle with water/fluid.
3. When the nozzle is pulled open, you get water and water only.
4. With the nozzle pushed down, squeeze to get the gel out of the center valve.

This patent-pending design lets you fuel or hydrate with just one hand. Perfect for racing or total gel addicts.

Here’s a YouTube video about the Gel Bot provided on the product page:

The Hydrapak Gel Bot is available at Amazon:

The newest incarnation of Nike’s Free line of running shoes, the Nike Free Run+, is now featured on the Nike Running website (see image to the left from the Nike Running Blog). Here’s how they introduce this brand new shoe (quote is from inside.nike.com):

“Barefoot running. Everyone’s talking about how great it is, but is it truly beneficial? We think so. And here’s why.

Barefoot running frees up your foot’s range of motion, allowing you to strengthen muscles you don’t normally use in a typical running shoe. But we understand that you aren’t crazy about squishing your toes in mud or dodging broken glass with bare feet.

Enter the Nike Free Run+. Its flexible design closely mimics the natural movement of your foot. And unlike a lot of regular running shoes, its flexibility provides a world of comfort on the run or while walking around.”

This pitch shows that Nike is aiming squarely at the barefoot/minimalist running trend with this new shoe, yet I find it somewhat surprising then that the shoe is billed as having “increased support under the arch for improved stability” and “more cushioning for an exceptional ride.” Both of these run counter to the whole idea of minimalist and barefoot running, which preaches less support and less cushioning (and the best example of a shoe minimizing these is the Vibram Fivefingers).

The Free Run+ seems to be moving even further away from what Nike did so well in their more minimalist Free 3.0 line (one of my favorite shoes, which appears to have disappeared – Update: they’re back for now), and I can only assume that they are tying to appeal to a more mainstream market. That’s not saying that this shoe isn’t a vast improvement on most more typical running shoes in terms of it’s flexibility and weight (it likely is), but I like to whine when a personal favorite (the 3.0) goes away. If they could make this same shoe with a smaller heel-toe drop, I’d be first in line to buy it, and I would still like to give these a test drive and write a more formal review (Update 4/17/10 – all I can do is speculate right now, but I just wrote a post that fleshes out my preliminary disappointment with this shoe – On Minimalist Running Shoes: Vibram has Balls, Nike Dropped Them).

In addition to introducing the shoe, Nike also provides a post about how several elite level runners use the Free Run+ in their own training – these include the likes of Paula Radcliff and Kara Goucher – not too shabby there. I like the look of the new shoe, and it will be interesting to hear feedback from the running community once it starts to hit the store shelves.

Update 10/27/2010: I have now posted my own Nike Free Run+ review. Check it out here: https://runblogger.com/2010/10/nike-free-run-review-nice-transitional.html.

One of the questions I frequently see posed about the new Brooks Green Silence racing flat is why it’s not actually colored green? It’s the most environmentally friendly running shoe on the market, and it has the word green in its name, so why isn’t it green??? The color scheme that has been released, asymmetrical red, yellow, and black (see picture at left), is also the color scheme for the Brooks-Hansons Distance Project team, so presumably that’s why that combo was chosen. I for one would like to see a green version of the shoe, and below I’ll provide some evidence that such a model does appear to exist somewhere out there in Brooks-land (thanks to @ZakBranigan on Twitter for alerting me to this!).

As a member of Brooks ID, I am part of a Flotrack site where videos are occasionally posted relating to group activities and events. In a recent video, Brooks ID program manager Steve DeKoker is seen holding a version of the Green Silence that appears to combine a lime-green upper with a black sole – a combination that fits the name and environmental message of the shoe far better than the red/yellow/black scheme of the currently released model (don’t get me wrong, I do like the red/yellow version).

Fast forward to the 2:00 point of the video below to see what I’m talking about (I’m assuming this is fair to share since they provide an embed code!):

I recently reviewed the Brooks Green Silence, and can say that it is currently one of my favorite shoes to run in. It’s lightweight, has a low heel, is extremely comfortable, and has a very fast feel. Should Brooks decide to release a “green” Green Silence, I’ll be one of the first in line to buy it once my current pair wears out.

Update 5/23/2010: Brooks has announced that it will be releasing a black/green color scheme (different than the one in the video above) for the Green Silence in August – see image below: