Hoka One One Mafate 2 Trail Runners

www.hokaoneone.com
Call them the anti-barefoot shoe. These thick-soled, ultra-cushy trail runners combine lightweight uppers with a rockered EVA midsole that’s 35% wider, 30% softer, and 2.5 times thicker than standard trail runners. French manufacturer Hoka One One claims the design dissipates up to 80% of the strike force in a running stride, and after training on two pairs since last December, our stocky Clydesdale tester raved about their impact protection and cushioning.

“I’ve been struggling with Morton’s neuroma (underfoot nerve pain), a chrome steel hip replacement, and deteriorating knees for years,” he reported. ”For me, they’ve been a new lease on running. I can even train on pavement with no resulting joint tenderness or foot pain, and minimal soreness in quads and calves.”

For those same reasons, Hokas (available in trail, road, and combo models) have gained quick acceptance among ultra-marathoners and heavier, injury-prone runners. Some minimalist-shoe fans incorporate them into their footwear spectrum for recovery days and high-mileage training. When we first put them on, they felt a bit tall and tippy. Lateral dodging and nubbin edging are not their forte, but a polyurethane rearfoot cradle, and a wide sole platform avoid most ankle rolling, even on sidehills. The underfoot rocker and lack of a heel block make gravelly uphill sprints and muddy descents a bit insecure, but the cushion also meant we could heel strike aggressively on secure downhills.

The actual stride feels like running on stiff marshmallows. Stones disappear underfoot, and the rockered geometry, which incorporates a 4 mm drop between heel and forefoot, creates a natural mid-foot strike and easy forward momentum with no fold point between heel strike and toe push. This works well for devotees of Zen running technique. The shoes look massive, but they come in at a lightweight 11 ounces per shoe.

Hokas don’t work for everybody, but if you have stress injury issues with feet, knees, hips, or lower back, the Mafates are worth checking out. They cost a bit more, but ours still have plenty of cushion after 500 miles of running and hiking, so the value seems there. Mafate 2s run true to size in men’s and women’s, but other Hoka road models we’ve tried can run a half-size small.
-Steve Howe

$150

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Saucony Kinvara 3 Running Shoes

www.saucony.com, 7.7 ounces
Running footwear is personal, but here’s some straight talk. The minimalist craze is not for everybody; most people will find those shoes uncomfortable once the initial glow wears off. The Kinvara 3 is still extremely light (just under eight ounces per pair), but also boasts a supportive sole with excellent flex pattern that makes running relatively effortless. The original Kinvara was one of the first natural-motion running shoes; this upgrade maintains the four mm heel-to-toe offset that positions the runner’s foot during impact to create a greater range of motion than traditional running shoes (most have a 12 mm heel-to-toe offset). Basically, this allows your foot to flex more, creating a more powerful running stride. For people who’ve never worn these ultralight marvels, the difference is astounding. The upper is made of the company’s proprietary FlexFilm—basically a lightweight, highly dynamic flexible film that’s welded onto the breathable mesh upper to stabilize the foot. Additional security is provided by a memory foam heel pod and exposed EVA foam midsole that maximizes rebound and flexibility. Under the protective outsole are strategically-placed XT-900 carbon rubber pods that increase durability without increasing weight. Our testers, who have logged literally hundreds of miles in the Kinvara 1 and 2 applauded the new, reengineered outsole, with its beveled heel that improves the shoe’s natural rolling motion from heel to toe.

$100

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Nike+ Sportsband

nikerunning.nike.com
I was looking for a way to track my runs, but not drop $100+ on the technology to do it, so after some recommendations from friends I got the Nike+ Sportsband. It is water (read: sweat) resistant, tracks my distance, pace, time, and calories, which was exactly what I wanted—AND it is easy to use! (It can also track heart rate if coupled with a Polar wearlink+ Heart Rate Transmitter.) I bought an after-market shoe pouch for the Apple sensor to go on my left shoe (since I didn’t have a shoe that was Nike+ compatible) and then put the sportsband on my wrist, pressed the start the button, and I was off on my run, getting real-time visual feedback via the wireless 2.4 GHz receiver. The sportsband is extremely lightweight and was not even noticeable on my wrist as I ran. After my runs, I snapped out the USB part of the sportsband and plugged it into my computer; it connects to the Nike+ online dashboard and shows my runs and breaks out my pace and times per a mile. I would suggest calibrating the sensor to your stride (do a mile run then a mile walk on a track), although Nike claims it’s 90% accurate right out of the box. I have used this band for everything from tracking my distance on leisurely walks to miles-long races and I would certainly recommend it to all runners looking for a cheaper and super-easy solution for tracking running or walking key metrics.
-Jennifer Seabolt

$59.00

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Asics Gel-Nimbus Running Shoe

www.asicsamerica.com
The ASICS GEL-Nimbus is like a good, firm handshake. The shoe hugged my feet right off the bat and put a spring in my step. So much so, that it might have felt like an indulgence was it not for some serious support to balance the cushy ride. This was especially appreciated on downhills. No matter which way I run in my neighborhood in Northwest DC, there are hills to enjoy. The Nimbus eases the jar and keeps you on track. ACICS’ combination of GEL and foam technology affords this delicate combination at a very light weight, allowing for an even more airy ride. I wore the Nimbus for my part in a 200-mile Ragnar Relay on paved and dirt trails from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington, DC, through the light of day and the dark of night. Lack of sleep and miles of wear-and-tear had me running on fumes during several points along the way, but the Nimbus offered enough balance to help keep my stride steady, even while my head swooned and my muscles ached. The shoe’s wide base, high-tech guidance underneath, and welcome inner details such as memory foam and close-wrapping asymmetrical lacing contributed to a nice, snug fit and confident footing for the long haul. Whether out for a loop around the hood or on a days-long trek, the Nimbus offers comfort without sacrificing performance.
-Pawan Bhatia

$130

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Five Ten Dome Trail Running Shoe

www.fiveten.com, 13 ounces
For a first impression, the brawny 5.10 Dome was likeable right out of the box, an awesome-looking outdoor multisport shoe. But at first sight I was convinced that the fit would be too wide for my feet. That this relationship simply wasn’t going to work. Ah, young love, so much insecurity. I slipped on the shoes, cinching them to perfect snugness with the darling of all lacing systems. No kidding, the laces slip effortlessly through the eyelets, which are metal-trimmed webbing loops, as smoothly as if the shoe designer was tasked to distil butter into a lacing system. The system functions so well because the wide-set eyelets allow laces to span pressure over a greater area, providing superb fit and comfort. For a first date, the Domes and I bounded out the door for a quick jaunt up some nearby mountain switchbacks. No discernible heel slippage. No sliding. Yes to ankle support. The first kiss…wait for it…didn’t happen, but the affair was beginning to simmer! It blossomed over miles and miles of easy and difficult terrain, which makes it a real relationship. Five Ten calls the durable Dome “a hiking shoe on a trail-running last.” Sure, but it’s not too bad as a light mountaineer, either, or in a pub crunching peanut shells. The supple all-leather/Nubuck upper is breathable and supportive, and a compression-molded EVA midsole sits underneath to keep things light and cushioned. From where I sit, with the Dome next to me on my desk, I’ve gotta look beyond the mud and wear to see this light shoe’s inner beauty. It’s there, hiding in comfort. The Stealth S1 rubber outsole may hold sticky proprietary secrets, but for the wearer the secrets translate to comfort over miles of varied terrain and grip on rocky surfaces, with the thick midsole adding to the overall pleasures that are still revealing themselves.
–Jan Nesset

$130

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