Innovate Bare-X 150 Review

It is so comfy... is it a slipper or is it a shoe

There is a ton that I love about the Inov-8 Bare-X 150, with only one little downside. The positives- Lightweight, roomy toe box, zero-drop, no tie lacing, look awesome, very durable, incredible comfortable. The downside...very little traction. All in all one of my favorite shoes yet.

Lightweight

The Inov-8 Bare-X weighs in at only 150g (hence the 150 in the name). I believe this makes the Inove-8 Bare-X 150 the lightest shoe produced by the Innovate company, and much lighter most other conventional, and minimalist running shoes.  

Zero Drop

The Bare series from Inov-8 all feature a zero-drop differential. this means that the heel is not raised higher than the forefoot, better accommodating a forefoot/midfoot landing while running. If you are new to zero-drop shoes, these shoes will likely require an adjustment period, but you are not getting any younger so their is no time like the present to adjust to a zero-drop shoe.

Upper

The single piece upper is perhaps my favorite feature of the Inov-8 Bare-X. The Inov-8 Bare-X are made to slide on like slippers, and are snug enough to not let your foot move around in the shoe with or without a gentle pull on the incredibly simple lacing system. so shoes simply slip on and off with ease, and there is no tying required. These are my go to shoes not just for running, but when I need to slip on a pair of shoes to take out the trash, or run to the store, or check the mail....Slip on...Slip off again. They are comfortable enough I have also been known to where them as my house slippers.

Outsole

I was skeptical when I was first considering the Inov-8 Bare-X because of the lack of rubber on the outsole. I thought "an EVA outsole will never hold up to the trails I run." I was wrong. Thus far I have put in 400 miles with these shoes, 95% of which are on the trails of Marin County where I have made my home.

The outsole is lacking in traction which is no problem at all if used as intended....on paved surfaces, on trail these shoes will work, but an steep or muddy terrain you will want to tred lightly.

Toe Box

Innov-8 did well by making all their Bare series shoes with a nice wide, foot accommodating toe box. Other great shoes by Inov-8 such as the popular F-Lite series are not overly narrow, but I do appreciate the extra room afforded by the Bare-X.

Where to get the best deal on Innovate Shoes

I bought my Inov-8s at TheClymb.com. this sight offers great deals on all sorts of outdoor gear including innovates. By ordering from TheClymb.com was able to purchase the Innovate Bare-X for $55. that is more that 50% off of the retail price of $120. Not to mention, if you sign up through this link, I will get $15 credit toward my next purchase.

https://www.theclymb.com/invite-from/leviwebb

Newton Gravity Review

The Look

The first thing to notice about the new Newton Gravity is that it is now available in colors that you will want to wear. Though color is not the most important aspect of a shoe, it is certainly the first thing to get noticed. That being said, I love the green-on-black look of the newest line.

The Fit

The fit of the Newton Gravity is right on. Unlike the Newton MV2 the toe box is roomy and accommodating without letting the foot move around. These shoes fit wonderfully right out of the box and continued to remain comfortable until they were retired at 350 miles.

The Upper

The upper is a stylish and durable. with extra reinforcement in all the critical places. In particular I appreciate the additional stitching reinforcing the toe baox. I know I am not the only runner to have shoes have a blow out around the toes, and did I mention, now Newtons are available in colors you will want to wear.

The Weight

Weighing in at just over 9 ounces, the Newton Gravity is one of the heavier shoes I have reviewed.  Compared to the average running shoe it is on the lighter side, but compared to the Newton MV2 (about 6 ounces), the Newton Gravity is a beast, but this weight difference did not seem to slow me down, and the Newton Gravity Trainer lasted twice as many running miles as the Newton MV2 before critical fail.

The Outsole

The outsole features the classic Newton four lugs under the forefoot. These lugs raise the forefoot and provide comfort and protection under the forefoot where the foot of the natural runner will first contact the ground. Directly beneath each lug is a corresponding cutout in the midsole, this is what Newton has patented as their "Action-Reaction Technology," designed to return a small amount of energy with each stride. I am still unsure of my feelings on this Newton gimmick. I feel the best shoes are free of gimmicks, but the Newton gimmick is a gimmick in the right direction, encouraging a forefoot stride, rather than most previous gimmicks which were designed to make heel striking more comfortable.

The Differential

The Newton Gravity has a 3mm differential. This is less than most running shoes, however, as the champions of "natural running," I do wish that Newton would take a step forward and join Altra in dedicating to only making zero-drop shoes. Currently the only zero drop shoe sold by Newton is the MV2.

The Durability

From the moment I first wore the Gravity it became my go to shoe, and it remained my go to shoe for about 350 miles. I should qualify those miles. Nearly all of those 350 miles are trail miles, and the Newton Gravity shoes did not fail until I wore them for the Dipsea-Boy, an unofficial Trail-off trail adventure race. At some point during this race the glue holding the lugs part of the outsole to the midsole failed.

Unlike my experience with the Newton MV2, the upper remained in quality condition and would probably hold for hundreds of more miles.

Call for responses: I want to know what you think. Have you worn these shoes? Was your experience similar? Post questions and comments below.

LaSportiva Vertical K Review

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KzMfSEvA2Q] LaSportiva has long been known for their fantastic line of rock climbing shoes, and less known for their trail running shoes, but with the LaSportiva Vertical K that may be about to change.

LaSportiva has dubbed the Vertical K as not a trail running shoe, but a "mountain running shoe," and rightly so. The radical design of the Vertical K provides traction and rock protection that goes well beyond what a casual trail runner would require. This is not the shoe for a stroll through the woods, but for planting a flag at the top of a mountain and bombing back down the scree fields.

Lightwieght

For being such a durable shoe, the LaSportiva Vertical K is surprisingly lightweight. At only about 7 ounces the weight of the Vertical K rivals that of the New Balance Minimus Trail as well as the Merrell Trail Glove.

Flexibility

To add to the list of surprising features of the vertical K is it's flexibility. From toe to heel, the vertical K folds over itself with ease. To a runner this means that your foot controls where the shoe bends rather than the shoe controlling how the foot bends.

Heel Drop

The LaSportiva Vertical K has a 4mm heel-toe differential. Not a large drop, but still not a zero drop shoe. At 4mm, the heel-toe drop of the Vertical K falls into similar company as the Nike Free 3.0, Brooks Pure series and the Saucony Kinvara.

Midsole

I love the look of this shoe, but it is the functionality of the design that has shaped it's unique look. The design is based on what LaSportiva has dubbed MorphoDynamic Technology. The wave pattern on the bottom of the vertical K, provides not only incredible amounts of traction, but also contributes to the shoes being surprising flexible and lightweight.  This pattern combined with the particular softness of the foam used in the midsole also eli

minates the need for a rock plate, as the crevasses are deep enough and the foam soft enough to absorb the impact of sharp objects that a rock plate would usually protect against.

 The Upper

The one piece upper fits snuggly and holds the foot firmly in place with no rubbing or irritation on any particular part of the foot. The toe box is not incredibly roomy, but it is roomy enough that the edges don't blow out and the toes can wiggle. The entire upper is enveloped in a stylish Nylon wrap. The Nylon wrap seems to do little but to keep the laces tied and free of debris, but is stylish none the less.

Traction

This shoe is all about the traction. The traction of the vertical K is unmatched by nearly any shoe it the same weight class. The only other trail shoe I can think of that provides an equal amount of traction in a lightweight trail shoe is the Innovate X-Talon. The Frixionoutsole (LaSportiva's name for really sticky rubber) enhanced with durable lugs reinforces the vertical K as a true mountain running shoe.

Tech Specs From Sportiva.com

WEIGHT: 7 oz/ 198 g

LAST: Dynamic Race

FIT: Medium - Wide

UPPER: AirMesh / Nylon® 4-way stetch gaiter / PU Leather external toe cap

LINING: Mesh (back half and tongue only)

MIDSOLE: MorphoDynamic™ Injection Molded EVA

MIDSOLE HEIGHT (MM): Heel:  18mm / Toe: 14mm / Delta H: 4mm

CUSHIONING: Midsole 35A

SOLE: Morphdynamic FriXion® XF / VA Wave

SIZES: 36-47.5 (half sizes)

COLOR: Black/Yellow

ITEM NUMBER: 16S

PRICE: $115 USD

Purchase LaSportiva Vertical K from Sportiva.com

Have you tried the Vertical K? What was your experience? Leave your comments below.

Altra Adam Minimalist Running Shoe Review

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_xUzi2XXug&w=560&h=315] For those of you that just want the low down and would rather skip the details, I LOVE THIS SHOE! This is the shoe that will replace my Merrell Trail Gloves for the foreseeable future. The Altra Adam is a true zero drop, lightweight, flexible, minimalist shoe with a great ground feel, and a very spacious toe box, whats not to love. Want to know more? keep reading.

There are four primary features I look for in a minimalist shoe.

1. Zero Drop
2. Ground Feel
3. Flexibility
4. Toe Box

Zero Drop

The Altra Adam is a true zero drop shoe. This is one of the things I love about the Altra company. Altra is dedicated to producing zero drop shoes. Zero drop refers to the height differential between the heel and the forefoot. In a zero drop shoe the differential is zero. In other words, the heel height and forefoot height are even. In my opinion, the closer to zero drop the better.

A true zero drop shoe such as the Altra Adam best replicates the natural running form present when running barefoot for the obvious reason that when barefoot the heel is not lifted. By contrast to the Altra Adam, the New Balance Minimus has a 4mm heel-toe differential. The Nike Free 3.0 heel-toe drop is 7mm.

Ground Feel

The Altra Adam has an amazing amount of ground feel. The 3mm outsole allows the feet to feel and react to the terrain while still providing adequate protection from sharp or otherwise dangerous objects. The trade off with ground feel is that after a certain number of miles your feet are likely to become sore from not having that familiar cushion between your foot and the ground. As I primarily run on trails, I found I could get in about 12 miles before the ground became uncomfortable. Road running is much more forgiving in this respect. If you prefer a little less ground feel, the Altra Adam comes with an two variety of insoles, each of which provides a little more protection, and a little less ground feel. If you want even less ground feel Altra has a whole line of zero drop shoes, such as the Altra Instict, that are not as lightweight and flexible, but do include a midsole.

Lightwieght

The Altra Adam weighs in at under five ounces making it lighter than the Merrell Trail Glove (6.2 oz), or New Balance Minimus (7 oz), or even the Vibram FiveFingers KSO (5.7 oz). The lighter the shoe the more efficient each stride and less torque on the joints. The featherweight quaility of these shoes makes them amazing for speed work, especially on the track.

Toe Box

When you first see the Altra Adam you immediately recognize that the toe box is shaped a little different than most running shoes. Altra took the novel approach of making the toe box shaped like a foot. Not so much like a foot that you need special toe socks, but enouigh like a foot that the toes are allowed to naturally splay without being impeded by the side walls of the shoe. The roomy toe box of the Altra Adam make it amongst the most comfortable shoes I have worn. If fact, I got the Altra Adam to run in, but have found myself wearing them as my everyday running around shoes as well.

These are the most important features that make up a minimalist shoe, but there are other features that will probably interest you as well.

Fit

I found the Altra Adam fit true to size. In the past I have taken to wearing a half size larger for a little extra room in the toebox. The already roomy toe box of the Altra Adam make this unnecesary.

Traction

This is the only department were I found the Altra Adam to be lacking. In most running scenarios this is not a big deal, but when running down a steep hill in the mud a little more traction would be nice. This of course is another factor that would alter ground feel.

Design

rather than laces the Altra Adam has two velcro straps. These shoes fit my foot so well I actually found these straps to be unessesary as the semi-elastic upper mesh held the shoe snuggly in place.

Socks or no socks?

Strangely enough, I get this question often. Just as with any other shoe, I strongly suggest that you wear socks. No socks = stinky shoes = less friends. Don't like how socks hold in moisture? Try Smartwool.

About Transitioning to Zero Drop Shoes

If this is your first pair of zero drop shoes you will want to take some time to transition. Most importantly you will first want to ensure that you are running with a natural forefoot stride and maintaining good natural running form. If you are not sure if you are doing this consider hiring a natural running coach such as myself. If you are not in the Bay Area, check out the Altra Learn to Run Initiative.

Even if you have perfected natural running in a shoe with a raised heel, when transitioning to a zero drop shoe you will likely notice your calves will become more sore than you are acustomed to. There is nothing wrong with this, they are simply deconditioned and will take some time to recondition themselves to running naturally.

Start with just a few miles per week with the zero drop shoes and slowly add more milage as is comfortable. Just like with any other kind of training doing to much to fast will lead to injury. If you do not want to sacrifice mileage while you transition, supplement mileage with the shoes you are most accustom taking extra care to maintain a short stride and avoid heel striking.

Order Altra Adam from AltraZeroDrop.com

Have you tried the Altra Adam or Eve? leave your comments below.