Another month, another super shoe. Hoka has been on the forefront when it comes to running shoe innovation. They have been pushing the market like no other brand in the last few years. Hokas uprising is closely connected to their maximum cushion approach balancing with the weightlessness of their product. Their latest release features the utter pinnacle of their recent collection – the long anticipated Rocket X2. The Rocket in its second edition is the brands leading road-racing shoe. Plainly aimed for marathon racing, the X2 has everything that all carbon super shoes these days obtain – a springy oversized midsole combined with a firm carbon plate – the magic combination for speed. Although weight typically is one of the strongholds for Hoka shoes, I was quite surprised to find out that the update to the Rocket X does also include a weight gain of 234 grams. One of the explanations could be that the stack height has been raised from 30 mm/25 mm to 36 mm/31 mm. Although running in the Rocket X2 did not feel clumsy and heavy though. While Hoka seems to rule the running shoe market, their top racing shoes have been lacking the magic somehow. One of the explanations for this is, that Hokas compression molded EVA foam, that is widespread with their training shoes, lacks the energy return that is needed for quicker running. The Rocket x2 is the first Hoka shoe to use the PEBA foam that most of the other shoe brands take for their top range carbon race shoes. Hoka listened and changed quite everything to the initial Rocket X model. With the arrangement of the new foam material and a remodeled carbon plate, this shoe has an amazing springboard feel. I was super thrilled to feel that amazing bounce that this shoe overs. A very powerful and race-oriented feeling of pure bounciness. Entertaining! Quite weirdly, the Rocket X2 doesn’t feel as “high” as some of the other carbon plated high stacked super shoes. It feels more like you’re in the shoe, other than on top of it. An experience some of the other shoes give to me and something that is very noticeable with this model. Consequently, this shoe feels exceptionally stable for its style. I sneaked some dry trails in during one of my jogs with this shoe and it felt positively bizarre to do that in such ease with such a road racing shoe. Although I used this shoe on trails, it is clearly a road racing shoe and should be used just for this. The outsole is very solid, offers a great grip on dry and wet roads and runs smooth on the track. The design is pretty much flat and that creates a smooth and comfortable ride. Its feels very stable and durable, also something that is not the norm for high end shoes nowadays. For some runners the missing padding on the heel section might be a problem. I’m used to it especially in the light high end racing shoes, but it is missing in this model. After some runs I figured out how to lace the shoe and it didn’t cause me any trouble at all, but It surely is a feature that can be improved in the next version. Although there are some downsides, the latest version of the Rocket X is an amazing and fast racing shoe. It’s a proper and well-constructed update to its predecessor. The shoe has an amazing support for speed and that makes this shoe a lot of fun and easy to run fast in. While additional weight might be a problem, it gets outweigh by the pure springiness that is exceptionally special and to me one of the best on the market right now. It is no surprise that all Hoka Elite athletes instantly switched to this model as soon as it was accessible. A shoe that now moves that distinct Hoka character into a real road racing Rocket ship.
The year kicks off with the public unveiling of the long awaited and profoundly teased Saucony Supershoe. Throughout the last few weeks this shoe could be spotted on the fast feet of US Elite Runners Jared Ward and just a couple of days ago as Parker Stinson amazed with a 4th place finish at a stacked Houston Marathon, his fastest ever. Perchance the all-new Endorphin Elite helped a little. Let’s get into the specifics and see what magic Saucony is distributing with their chief model. During the end of last year, early prototype images have been flocking the internet and the prominent hype sites. The unremitting contest for the next super shoe is real, and Saucony has lifted the high stacked top range marketplace with the vastly applauded Endorphin Pro 3 in the 2022 spell. Although Elite Athletes hackle brands to drive the development further and further in this top range hustle, Saucony devoted time and resources to surpass the needs of their elite athletes with this shoe. As stated above, Stinson and Ward have been quite crucial in the course of the making and development of this shoe. Saucony continues with its strong dedication to raw performance products. Right on time for their 125th birthday, Saucony reveals the shoe, that at this point of time, is the lightest, fastest and most energy efficient product they ever put on the market. The companies latest and peak rebound foam, PWRRUN is the base of the Endorphin Elite. Carbon is a significant share of every so-called super shoe. An innovative fork-shaped carbon plate is constructed to push runners forward and that is obvious and well placed in the Endorphin Elite. Precisely engineered with thoughtful toe-spring for a faster turnover and a positioned forefoot for a more adaptive ride. The sensation of snappiness and the feeling of forward drive is up to a new extreme, something I have never experienced in any other model in this category. It is a typical road racing outsole. Kept to a minimum and features a thin layer of tactically placed rubber that provides confidence inspiring-traction deprived of adding needless weight. To me, the upper has always been one of the strong points in Saucony shoes. And there is no difference in this one. Saucony calls it “Performance Knit Mesh”. It is a next-to-skin upper that snugs around the foot super nicely and is highly breathable. The inner feels like a sock and offers great shelter for the feet during the run. Whereas high stacked shoes sometimes can feel a bit insecure, I had the feeling that the inner construction helps to evade just this. I even tested some light trails and that wasn’t a big issue but assuredly not the footing that this shoe should be used for. Your foots POV – A shot that highlights the thin upper of this shoe. Very elastic but jet stable as the sites is protected by an added guard that keeps the foot in place. Particularly during high paced intervals a real game changer. The Endorphin Elite essentially features a combination of the energy efficient PWRRUN HG foam together with a newly designed carbon plate. Saucony calls this the Speedroll technology. It can be found in all the Endorphin models, but the Elite Version features the most aggressive available. The ‘Original Running Brand’, as Saucony calls itself, is making waves with this shoe. The vast sole with a 40 mm heel and a 32 mm forefoot (Heel-to-toe Offset: 8mm) is the base and combines the springy feeling with great padding. The Endorphin Elite is a first-class racing shoe and made for the marathon distance. After four years of development Saucony accomplished the aim for a top-class running shoe. Often marketing quotes sound self-assured and harsh but when Parker Stinson stated that this shoe is “a real game changer” some truth can be heard in his words. While I struggled a bit with the sizing in the Endorphin Pros, the Elite is true to size. I tested the shoe in a US13 and they were fitting flawlessly. The toe box gives plenty of room which I used to had problems with in other super carbon plates shoes in the past. Notwithstanding the generous fit, the lockdown of the foot is super good also down to a special padding in the heel section of this shoe. Generally speaking, this is a well composed shoe in regards to fitting. I never felt any compromises. The up-to-date performance model from Saucony comes with a fully new design approach and clearly sticks out in the Endorphin assortment. In addition this shoe the companies top line up features the Endorphin Pro, the kindly cushioned tempo trainer in the Endorphin Speed, the day to day workhorse that is the popular Endorphin Shift and the carbon-plated trail racing shoe that I have already been writing about, the Endorphin Edge. It is pretty apparent that this shoe is made for competing in its purest form. The Endorphin Elite is a performance shoe and should shine when race day is here. The farfetched spring-back paired with the direct notion, the negligeable design and geometry are a seamless blend to run fast on race day. And with the initial flashy green colorway (there is another one launching soon) on the lightweight knitted, mesh blend upper, all is set to run fast and aggressive.
What to say about Hokas Speedgoat series really? If you haven’t been hiding under a rock since mid-2015 I’m sure you have heard about this one. Its one of Hokas utter stalwarts. Deeply rooted in the rich trail culture this company has. The name comes from the fabled Speedgoat 50k in Little Cottonwood Canyon (Utah), organized by Ultra Running Legend and one of the first Hoka sponsored athletes, Karl “Speedgoat” Meltzer. The newest version marks the 5th update of this highly popular series. The first thing that is undoubtedly drawing the attention is the well-made upper, a dynamic sandwich mesh that feels astonishing but still dense for proper off-road satisfaction. After a couple of strides, it’s pretty deceptive where another major development update comes into play – weight decrease. For the first time a Speedgoat shoe comes in under 300 grams. And that results in a lot of fun while taking this agile workhorse for a spin. Comparing it to the older versions, this is a noteworthy update. Hoka kept the comfort but cut down on overlays to slim the construction. In case you wonder – Spring Measurement: 35×21 mmA nice new feature is the protected toe rand in the forefoot zone. Especially during rocky outings this is a pretty nice add-on that keeps the foot secure. I was raving about the weight drop earlier, but another new feature shouldn’t be underestimated – the new CMEVA midsole. This is a lighter and more responsive material as before (although found in the EVO Speedgoats). This material adds nicely to a shoe that now has become significant more springy in its presentation. Why do runners choose to run in trail running shoes, of course – it’s the traction! The Speedgoat was never a shoe for super technical and rocky trails but it always was a super dependable partner for your wide-ranging door to trail runs. Whereas the preceding models had some issues, especially on wet rocky trails, this version comes with a new outsole design that certainly has improved. A close up of the Vibram Megarip outsole. Another year, another Speedgoat. Hoka managed to keep a great shoe great and managed to integrate some proper thought-out updates. With the 5th version of this shoe, they keep raising the bar and will please the fans of this model even more.
Undoubtedly Puma is no stranger to the running game. One of their prime athltes was Ethiopian Abebe Bikila who won the marathon of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo wearing a pair of Puma running shoes. Defending his title from Rome 1960, which he won without wearing any shoes. Having had a massive impact on the worldwide T&F scene with the likes of Linford Christie and legendary Wilson Kipketer, the company further increased their fanbase with the early signing of superstar Usain Bolt. When Puma signed Bolt in 2003, he was only 16 years old, but this deal certainly paid off. Although being a recognized brand within the sprint scene, the company seemed to have forgotten its roots that, besides football, lies within running. In the beginning of 2021 a lot of professional runners switched sponsors and Puma appeared behind the name of a lot of recognized distance runners. With the Nitro range the company seem to hit the scene with new and promising products. The Deviate range symbols Pumas homecoming to the serious performance side of running. The very first prototypes made a lot of noise within the scene and Puma marked their return to the market with their interpretation of a carbon-fiber plate road running shoe. In 1924 Rudolf and his brother Adolf “Adi” Dassler formed the so called “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory”. When they split in 1948, Adi went on to develop his own brand named Adidas and Rudolf established a new company called Ruda. Ultimately he changed the companies name into Puma and introduced the well-known symbol and the characteristic “Formstrip” in 1958. Until today both companies are situated in the small Franconian town Herzogenaurach in Bavaria, Germany.Puma offers two high-end models. The Deviate Nitro that’s studied here and the Deviate Elite as the absolute top range model. The crucial alteration between these two shoes is the foam material. Back in the days, way before the carbon excitement, companies used EVA material as the attention was more on cushion then on rebound. Then the carbon-bouncy propaganda took over and nothing has been the same since. The so-called Pebax material is the new reference class for springy shoes. Every company does use somewhat comparable. So does Puma for the Elite Version. The Nitro instead has a TPE sole. The presentation of this sole paired with the carbon plate is incredible. The structure and the placement of the foam generates a tremendously comfortable and lively piece of equipment. The Deviate Nitro is well-cushioned and the toe-off is speedy and energetic as you stride forward. A very nice feature of the Deviate line is that there are specific models for women offered. These versions have slimmer heel sections, lower instep, and a carved arch for a specific fit. A feature that should be a standard by now. A feature that made the shoe very comfortable for me, was this little feature in the back of the heel section. These pads are meant to lock the foot in the shoe and avoid slipping. Typically I tie my shoes very loose and this really made a difference to me, especially when running a bit faster. The natural environment for this shoe is the road. And that’s what the so-called PumaGrip does best. A solid and sturdy rubber provides great traction on non-technical environment. I used this shoes also on lighter and dry trails and had no problems. Despite the tendency of other running brands to use other expert rubber companies for the outsole material, Puma decided to create their own. The result is a good mix of rubbers that create a great and solid feeling for the ground and a material that appears to last well. I have about 400 kilometers on my pairs and it is astonishing how less wear this shoe has. While I was training with the Deviate Nitro the last few weeks, some of my training buddies got curious and one of the most asked questions was if this shoe is a racing or training shoe. Until now, I do not really have an appropriate response to this question. The shoe is light, the shoe is speedy, direct on the ground it feels yet very comfortable. Would I race with it? I probably would. Until now I ran the Deviate Nitro during several trainings, from commute runs, long runs to track work and fartleks. I keep loving the shoe for it reliability during all these occasions. Pumas return to proper running shoes suprised me and it will be interesting to see where the brand goes from here.
Something that these days is part of the shoe business, is the rumor mill. Since months Alameda, California grounded outdoor powerhouse The North Face, was set to drop a carbon plated shoe. Well, it seems that all major shoe corporations are on the outlook to apprise their respective top range models with this technology. But suddenly it was a brand that is not necessarily known for its shoe building skills, that joined the hype. Since 1968 The North Face distribute and produce outdoor equipment. It all started with climbing gear and then grew into a brought variety of accessories, clothing and footwear. Personally, I have tested more than a few of their off-road running shoes in the past. Although their jackets, vests, caps and technical gear have been a stable in my wardrobe over the last decade, none of the shoes have majorly impressed me and it seems that technical clothing was more the focus then suitable footwear. Now they released a performance oriented trail running shoe that goes by the name of Flight Vectiv, merging a 3 D carbon fiber footplate, midsole rocker geometry and SurfaceCTRL grip into the first trail specific shoe using the prominet carbon technique. I had a chance to spot the Flight Vectiv last April as Spaniard and The North Face athlete Pau Capell wore the shoe throughout the 2020 version of the Fjällmaraton around Åre, Sweden where he came 2nd in the 100 kilometer distance. Pau was part of the development process of the Vectiv equipment range and mostly this shoe. TNFs VP of Global Footwear, Jean Marc Djian aimed high when the company took on this project. The company recognized that another try into the footwear market had to be an innovative and exciting. The Flight Vectiv is the top model of the novel TNF shoe assortment. It is the one shoe that contains full-length carbon plate combined with a rocker geometry. This combination is intended to upsurge the energy return and I was more than keen to see how this mix turned out in a shoe that is intended to be used off the road, a setting where the carbon technology is more to be seen in up-to-date shoe releases. On the picture above some details of the carbon plate are teased on the external. Even though the sock-like silhouette of the shoe looked like a pleasing feature, I was quite staggered how rigid it was to get into the shoe. The opening is rather small and that undoubtedly created some matters to me. As soon as you’ve entered the shoe, there is not a tense sensitivity. It just appears that the entering part of the shoe is pretty close-fitting. After a while I got used to it and know how to enter as the reinforced, breathable-knit upper is pretty strechable. Running this shoe throughout wintertime, I have the feeling that the body-hugging fitting also stops all sorts of muck to enter the inside. To me something that is very helpful particularly with the heavy use of salt and sand on the local streets. Frequently the small particles find a way to enter a shoe. Not so in this one. Generally the one piece upper that is elasticated and hugs your upper foot and ankle is super nice and fits around the foot like a glove. With the Flight Vectiv, The North Face planned a shoe for the longer and ultra-distances. The company paid attention to durable ingredients such as kevlar, polyamide and matryx materials that they also tested and used in other equipment. This time it seems that The North Face was able to familiarize their extensive knowledge from mountain equipment into footgear. The Flight Vectiv is an overall quality shoe that is very well made. Till now I spend somewhat over 100 kilometers in this shoe and I’m constantly surprised how it tackles different grounds and weather situations. The picture shows the 3D-molded heel counter for a better fit, another nice detail in a well build shoe with a quality finish. There were times when The North Face allowed their sponsored athletes to use different shoes and switch from their very own models to the ones that the competition offered. This has clearly changed now with the new shoe range. Several athletes have been smashing FKT’s last year. One of my favorite runs has been the record setting Grand Canyon R2R2R-alt FKT effort by TNF legends Mike Foote and Rob Krar. Check their video here. Time for these two to tackle some SwimRun competitions i guess. Without a doubt, the climax of this shoe must be the so-called 3D Vectiv plate. It offers momentum and in combination with the stability Rocker shape, the foot placement is optimized. The shoe is not super soft as many other carbon running shoes, but this is something that aims the runner while running on technical ground. At the start it feels like the shoe is rigid as it does not provide much flexibly, especially to the sites. Although it feels stable and the feel for the ground is certainly given. Officially The North Face labels the Vectiv technology as “revolutionary soling architecture.” Fundamentally what they are describing are the layers beneath the feet. These are all the different foams and treads that work together to deliver a cushioned, safe and springy sensation. Despite the fact there is a lot of advanced and new material that has been incorporated in this shoe, the outsole is known from previous models. Grip on wet and dry terrain has been the attention in the development procedure. If you expect a super aggressive and “deep” outsole, you will be dissatisfied. The lugs are well and smartly placed but come in with 3.5 mm which is not a standard in trail shoes. After some sketchy situations, the design and traction really grew on me. To me it is a great mix of traction and control. The lugs are places in proper distance and that means that snow, dirt, or whatever sticky stuff you encounter, will not get stuck. I try to break in shoes on the treadmill. Until now, this tradition has never been used with trail shoes. It was different with the Flight Vectiv. It certainly is a versatile sole. A detailed look at the outsole construction that protects the 6 mm toe-to-heel offset. This shoe facilitated 14 North Face sponsored athletes to set FKTs wearing different Vectiv prototypes during a nearly race free 2020. To me, the Flight Vectiv delivers a high level of comfort and proper cushioning that still allows to feel the ground but not the pounding. Combined with the securely sensation of the sock-fit paired with a minor, cushioned padding at the upper heel region, this shoe ensures thoroughgoing comfort and support. Throughout the punitive dark and slushy time of the year and now, when all the lovely white stuff is about to dissolve, this shoe has really gotten to me. It’s fun to run due to the pleasant and well thought cushion, the ground feeling is excellent and joint with a well-planned outsole, it generates a certain security during the cold season. I ran the shoe a lot on icy and wintry streets but also took it around the local, technical, trail system. I get to treasure a well thought out shoe that I never saw coming from The North Face. Having run plenty of carbon-based road running shoes, I really valued this innovative tactic and the way it was shifted into a running shoe aimed to hit he paths. It can be discussed if it makes sense to issue a trail shoe that has a white upper, but at the end I felt it was enjoyable that the daily run was able to produce the color line. A very philosophical slant to this debate, I know. Its some sort of a minimalistic approach, even from the design. Typically trail shoes do look a bit unlike. The Flight Vectiv seems more like a road shoe. Yet, I have the feeling the shoe will continue in my daily rotation for a bit longer.
224 grams of running flat beauty – with the second revise of the firstly in 2015 launched 1500 series; prominent Boston based footwear makers New Balance provides an terrific and elegant shoe for wholesome and loose running.
The first issue of the 1500 series received raving reviews. Still New Balance included the athlete response and shaped a shoe that could be described as a perfect distance racing shoe. The 1500 in its second version comes up with light pronation stability as well as just about the right amount of cushioning that a running shoe of this style requires.
The special “Team NB Elite edition” looks extravagant with its “Bright Cherry” colour scheme. Pretty difficult to oversee. Naturally style is matter of personal favour. Personally I like the look of the new 1500 v2. That is how a racing flat should look like.
Sebastian Kienle, 2014 Ironman World Champ, wore the first version of the 1500 when he won the iconic event on Hawaii’s big island. Subsequently he was instrumental in the development of this shoe. Till now this is his racing shoe when it comes to Ironman distance racing.
Getting low – the general drop comes in at 6mm. Other hard facts are a 22mm heel height and 16mm on the forefoot. Proper racing style!
However the crash pad of the outsole still remains the same as seen in the first version, the design got altered a bit by the New Balance designers. Whilst they used tiny rubber cruxes in the previous model there are now some sort of triangular formed lugs. I took the shoe through its paces while running on the roads, gravel and on the track. I like the grip, no changes when it comes to ground control and general feel.
An inside look – The 1500 V2 bids added padding in the middle of the sole to care for runners with pronation troubles. While the shoe is light and meant for racing this could be a bonus for runners that are generally struggling with lightweight racing flats. Still the support is light that the extra “T-Beam” technology offers. The lightweight TPU shaft is built to provide torsional stability arch support through a middle beam design.
“REVlite” is the title of the foam mixture that is used as the base of the shoe. The lightweight composition bids excellent and springy underfoot cushioning which I really valued.
Besides a tacky design the greatly centred heel-to-toe cavity supports the runner to achieve a straightforward and precise ride as the shoe is stabilised.
More specifics of the firm outsole and the certain lug-designs.
A key factor for the steadfast and supportive ride that this shoe offers is the “REVlite” sole.
Front end – New Balance reorganised the start of the lacing and built-in a petite holder in the centre of the bottom end of the shoe.
Pretty much like his predecessor the V2 comes in with a snug and well-made no-sew layers finish that is called “FantomFit”. A lot of racing flats are designed very narrow in the toe box area. Not so with this one. NB gives the forefoot plenty of space.
The foremost revise to the first version of the 1500 – a sock-like tongue support that keeps everything in check and creates a very comfy and precise feeling while striding.
With the revise of the 1500 NB raised the bar when it comes to running flats. Whilst the latest model supports a direct stride it still has some decent and well located cushioning. Something that hasn’t been seen within such a style of shoes. I really became a fan of this one. Still I don’t know why the up-to-the-minute model is a little bit heavier then the first version?
It is difficult to pick a running-shoe category for this one. With the latest Wave Catalyst, Mizuno just announced a successor for their Wave Elixir Modell. This shoe fulfils the lightweight and up-tempo chunk of their range. Pretty rare for a shoe of that category it features a moderate support for over-pronation. Looking back at the first-born Elixir model, the Mizuno engineers condensed the offset by 2mm. Mizuno used the grown space to renovate the padding, which provides this shoe a great cushioned sensation deprived of loosing a blameless contact to the ground, since very little energy is lost in compression and rebound.
Mizuno shaped a shoe that feels home among athletes gazing for a speedier trainer or tempo run shoe. Without a doubt there is speed in this shoe, but for a model like this it bids further stability, support and construction that a lot of comparable models miss.
The centre of attention is the Mizuno typical wave midsole (A Wave Plate constructed from pebax Rnew). It offers a great fitting and cushion through the heel and midfoot.
The Wave Catalyst is somewhat of a multipurpose, everyday training partner. There are not many shoes around that are that stable and likewise reckless. Mizuno offers great responsiveness with sufficient cushioning.
Pretty trendy – The Wave Catalyst in the “Palace Blue / Safety Yellow” colour theme. Mizuno understands to design characteristic shoes with a unique style.
Heavy-duty – I was astonished by the characteristic of the sole. Knowing the wear and tear sectors of my shoes following some miles of running, this one did not demonstrate too much shred. Mizuno promotes its extraordinary blown rubber to be super robust. Well, it looks like they are spot-on.
Besides the overall performance there are a lot of polite and petite features that make a shoe singular. Mizuno pleasantly incorporated their well-known runbird symbol in the sole.
The well-made compress of the upper material paired with stress-free adjustability of the laces creates a well fitting shoe. There is also plenty of room in the forefoot section without the impact on feet movement. With its 260 grams the shoe has a lot to offer for that weight division.
Robustness – A forceful carbon rubber is the highlight in the back part of the sole. Mizuno calls this rubber part “X10”. It supports the heel-striking runner. As a forefoot and middle foot striker I cannot access that piece. However I value the duration of the sole. Tough material is the backbones to the well-lit and bouncy cushion.
Key component – The flexible midsole shield provides an well-organized arrangement between the heel the middle part of the foot. It adds a secure sensation to every stride. Well needed with such a low-to-the-ground purpose. Running relaxed and gentle the shoe transports a clammy touch. But this is gone once you get yourself into a more lively and speedier state. The Wave Catalyst starts to deliver a dynamic and steadfast sensitivity with an capable structure that keep the motion in check.
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