Recommended Shoes – Runblogger

Saucony Shoe Previews: Breakthru, Zealot, Mirage 5, and Peregrine 5

Peter Larson — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:00:58 +0000

Update 1/28/2015: I have now posted full reviews of the Saucony Breakthru and Saucony Zealot.

A few weeks ago I posted a preview of some 2015 shoe releases from Asics, this week we’ll take a look at some new shoes on the way from Saucony. All of the videos below were produced by Runningshoes.com at the 2014 Outdoor Retailer Show -you can find their Youtube channel here.

Saucony Breakthru

This video is the first I’ve seen or heard of this shoe. They describe it as their lightest-weight trainer with a responsive sole and 8mm offset. It is priced at $100, which is in line with pricing on shoes like the Kinvara. Based on the description, seems like the Breakthru might be a competitor to a shoe like the Mizuno Sayonara, New Balance 890, or maybe the Brooks Launch. Nice looking shoe! Update 1/5/2014: Read my review of the Saucony Breakthru here.

Saucony Zealot

I wrote about the Sacuony Zealot in a previous post, but since it’s a new shoe thought I’d share the video preview here as well. The Zealot is a replacement for the Cortana, and is a well-cushioned, 4mm drop shoe. It also features Saucony’s new Isofit system in which the laces attach to a cage external to the upper. Update 1/25/2015: Read my full review of the Saucony Zealot here.

Saucony Peregrine 5

Looks like mostly an upper update with a slight drop in weight to the sole due to a change in the rock-plate material.

Saucony Mirage 5

Looks like some small changes to the outsole, not sure how much the midsole has changed. My big problem with the Mirage 4 was that I felt it was way too firm for my taste, but I know others who like it for that reason. It will be interesting to see how this one feels. Saucony also adds a new upper that includes the Prolock addition to the lacing system to wrap the midfoot. I have seen some complaints about the Prolock in the Kinvara 5, but it worked ok for me.

Best Low-Drop Ultramarathon Shoes: Recommendations From Nate Sanel

Peter Larson — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 14:00:00 +0000

My perfect trail shoe would be one with a minimal upper that fits like a glove over the forefoot, a wide toe box, excellent drainage, great grip, a soft ride, 0-4mm heel/forefoot differential, and enough cushioning to run 100 miles.

When talking about shoes for an ultra, I think that it’s important to distinguish what distance and what sort of surface the race will be on when picking the right shoe. A shoe that is perfect for a muddy 50k might be terrible for a 100 miler on hard-packed dirt roads. Since I only use shoes with less than a 4-5mm heel/forefoot drop that is all I’ve included in my list.

Note: This list is only based on shoes that I have used myself. If there are other shoes you’d recommend in this niche, leave a comment!

You can also view Pete’s recommendations for cushioned, zero drop road and zero drop trail shoes.

Top Low-Drop Ultramarathon Shoes

Altra Lone Peak 1.5

Stack Height: 17mm, 17mm
Weight: 10.2oz

Quick Take: for burly trails – super comfy with a great, wide toe box, good traction. If drainage was better this shoe would be just about perfect. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s full Altra Lone Peak 1.5 Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

Altra Torin

Stack Height: 20mm, 20mm
Weight: 9.0oz

Quick Take: for road ultras – perfect balance of cushioning without being squishy like a Hoka. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s full Altra Torin review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

La Sportiva Helios

Stack Height: 20mm, 15mm
Weight: 8.5oz

Quick Take: Burly trail shoe, incredible traction, good drainage. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s Full La Sportiva Helios Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos

Montrail Fluidflex

Stack Height: 21mm, 16mm
Weight: 7.4oz

Quick Take: Super light feel with nice cushioning. Good for distances up to 50 miles.

Read Nate’s Full Montrail Fluidflex Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos

Hoka Bondi B Speed

Stack Height: 35mm, 30mm
Weight: 9.5oz

Quick Take: Road shoe with super soft feel and incredible cushioning. Works better off road than you would expect. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s Brief Hoka Bondi B Speed Review

Buy at Zappos
Buy at Hoka Europe

Hoka Bondi B 2

Stack Height: 35mm, 30mm
Weight: 11oz

Quick Take: Same as Bondi B Speed, with more breathable upper. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read about Pete’s wife’s experience with the Bondi 2

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Hoka Europe

Hoka Stinson Evo

Stack Height: 38mm, 32mm
Weight: 11.8oz

Quick Take: Hoka cushioning with the best traction of any of their shoes. Narrow-ish toe box. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s Hoka Stinson Evo Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Hoka Europe

Brooks PureGrit 2

Stack Height: 21mm, 16mm
Weight: 9.7oz

Quick Take: Good do-everything shoe with a nice ride. Traction better than the PureGrit 1, but still could use improvement. Good for distances up to 100+ miles.

Read Nate’s Full Brooks PureGrit 2 Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Merrell Mix Master II

Stack Height: 18mm, 13mm
Weight: 9.0oz

Quick Take: comfy shoe that is right in the middle of minimal to traditional spectrum. Good for distances up to 50k.

Read Pete’s Full Merrell Mix Master 2 Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos

New Balance MT110

Stack Height: 18mm, 14mm
Weight: 7.7oz

Quick Take: The best fitting shoe I’ve ever used. Firm ground feel, decent traction. Uppers prone to ripping. Low price. Good for distances up to 50k.

Read Nate’s Full New Balance MT110 Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

New Balance MT1010

Stack Height: 23mm, 19mm
Weight: 7.7oz

Quick Take: Similar fit to the MT110, but a little bit sloppier. Better cushioning, excellent traction. Good for distances up to 50 miles.

Read Nate’s Full New Balance MT1010 Review

Buy at Running Warehouse (on clearance)
Buy at 6pm.com (clearance)
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Skechers GoBionic Trail

Stack Height: 12mm, 12mm without insole, 18mm 14mm with insole
Weight: 8.8oz

Quick Take: Excellent traction, light fast feel, soft cushioning. Good for distances up to 50k.

Read a Full Review by Caleb Masland

Buy at Zappos
Buy at Skechers.com (use code AAA20 for 20% off)

Pearl Izumi EM Trail N1

Stack Height: 23mm, 16mm
Weight: 9.8oz

Quick Take: light fast feel, smooth heel/midfoot to toe-off transition. Good for distances up to 50 miles.

Read Nate’s Full EM N1 Trail Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos

Recommended Zero Drop, Cushioned Trail Running Shoes

Peter Larson — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 19:37:00 +0000

Though I enjoy wearing zero drop, barefoot-style shoes casually and while running on roads, I’ve found out the hard way that running trails in minimally cushioned shoes can sometimes be difficult, especially if pointy rocks are strewn about (a bruised foot during my first 50K made me realize the value of a good rock plate…).

Fortunately, more and more options are popping up in the cushioned, zero drop trail running niche – below are my recommended shoes in this category. All of the shoes listed below work well on roads too and thus offer quite a bit of versatility. However, if you are looking for dedicated zero drop road shoes, you can also view my recommended zero drop, cushioned road shoes here.

NOTE: I’ve only included shoes that I personally have worn or that have been reviewed here on Runblogger.com. If you think there’s a shoe that should be here that’s not currently included, leave a comment and I’ll look at giving it a try!

Zero Drop, Cushioned Trail Shoes

Merrell Ascend Glove

Stack Height: 10.5mm, 10.5mm
Weight: 8.5oz (size 10)

Quick Take: firm cushion, forefoot and heel rock plate, wide forefoot, drains well, decent traction
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

Altra Superior

Stack Height: 12mm, 12mm
Weight: 10.3oz

Quick Take: removable rock plate, very flexible, super-wide toebox, runs 1/2 size small, very versatile shoe
My Brief Review

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

Inov-8 Trailroc 235

Stack Height: 13mm, 13mm
Weight: 8.3oz

Quick Take: roomy fit, no rock plate but protective outsole, firm ride, decent traction, some have had upper durability issues
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)
Buy at Wiggle (outside US)

Skechers GoBionic Trail

Stack Height: 12mm, 12mm without insole, 18mm 14mm with insole
Weight: 8.8oz

Quick Take: soft cushioning, rock plate, good traction, removable footbed allows switching between 0mm and 4mm drop
Read a Full Review by Caleb Masland (my coach; my review soon)

Buy at Zappos
Buy at Skechers.com (use code AAA20 for 20% off)

Other zero drop, cushioned trail shoes that I have not yet run in include the Altra Lone Peak, Inov-8 F-Lite 232, and the soon to arrive Mizuno Ferus.

Recommended Zero Drop, Cushioned Road Running Shoes

Peter Larson — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 17:03:00 +0000

If you’re interested in going more minimal with your running shoes, but don’t want to give up cushioning, this is the pace to look. A growing niche in the running shoe world is for zero drop shoes that retain some amount of cushion – I put a lot of miles on shoes in this category, and below is my current list of recommended models.

Note: I’ve only included shoes that I personally have worn or that have been reviewed here on Runblogger.com. If you think there’s a shoe that should be here that’s not currently included, leave a comment and I’ll look at giving it a try!

Zero Drop, Cushioned Road Shoes

Saucony Virrata

Stack Height: 17mm, 17mm
Weight: 6.7oz

Quick Take: great forefoot cushion, narrower fit, my marathon shoe
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Mizuno Wave EVO Cursoris

Stack Height: 18mm, 18mm
Weight: 6.8oz

Quick Take: wide forefoot, great breathability, soft feel underfoot
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Merrell Bare Access 2

Stack Height: 14mm, 14mm
Weight: 6.2oz

Quick Take: wide forefoot, firm ride, reasonably priced
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Altra Instinct 1.5

Stack Height: 16mm, 16mm
Weight: 9.7oz

Quick Take: super wide forefoot, firm ride
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

Skechers GoBionic

Stack Height: 11.5mm, 11.5mm
Weight: 6.0oz

Quick Take: super flexible, sockless upper, roomy forefoot, low price
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Zappos
Buy at 6pm.com (as low as $45)
Buy at Skechers.com (use code AAA20 for 20% off)
Buy from Skechers UK

Altra Torin

Stack Height: 28mm, 28mm
Weight: 9.0oz

Quick Take: super wide forefoot, max cushioning in a zero drop shoe
Nate’s Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Optimal Run (ships internationally)

New Balance MR00

Stack Height: 12mm, 12mm
Weight: 6.1oz

Quick Take: firm ride, good ground feel, but narrow through the midfoot
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)

Brooks PureDrift

Stack Height: 12mm, 12mm
Weight: 6.1oz

Quick Take: wide forefoot, firm ride, very flexible
My Full Review (click to read)

Buy at Running Warehouse
Buy at Zappos
Buy at Sportsshoes.com (outside US)