yurbuds.com
With my pediatric-sized earlobs, I’ve had more luck carrying a boom box on my shoulder than getting iPhone-issued ear buds to stay in my ears, most especially while running. And the quality of sound is a whole other beast. To find a pair of high-performance buds that cater to the small-eared lot was a God send, because a six-mile run just isn’t the same without a little classic rock. The Yurbuds Inspire Limited Edition Headphones do just that, they inspire. Inspire you to run harder, faster, longer—just like those who take on the Ironman, the company that Yurbuds joined forces with to release this product to the public. The headphones come with five different shapes and sizes of silicone ear fittings to ensure an adjust-free fit (you can also choose between ambient aware and noise isolating). The twist lock technology is simple—place the buds into your ear and then twist and lock into place—but it works.  Allowing also for a hands-free run, the tangle-free, sweat-resistant cord features a iWhatever-friendly control that allows you to switch songs, answer calls, and change the volume without ever having to touch your music-playing device. Yurbuds is so confident in their design that they’ve issued the buds with a lifetime warranty, and the option to send in a photo of the buds in your ears for a custom pair to be made and sent to you free of charge. There’s no denying that there’s something inherently cool about a boom box, but there is little that compares to finishing mile ten to a soundtrack of Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle.”

Another big initiative in 2013? Apparel and footwear for cold-weather running, including products that’ll make use of Gore Windstopper and proprietary tech like FlashDry and Thermo3D designs to create high-performance, gender-specific temp regulation for long-distance cold-weather runners. Products like the Feather Lite Storm Blocker Jacket ($200)—the lightest fully-waterproof, seam-sealed jacket they’ve made at just 10.5 ounces—were tested by TNF athletes on the trails of Mont Blanc, so they’ll work for you just fine.

They’ll also fill out a new line for the niche outdoor scene that prides themselves on braving the harshest cold-weather environments. The new Steep Series was tested by TNF athletes in the harsh world of Antarctica, and the 19 pieces in this new line will bring forth hardcore products with tech like the new Gore-Tex Pro waterproof/breathable fabric, water-resistant down, and other features that’ll keep you sheltered from the extremes.

“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

www.newbalance.com
For over two years I have been looking for a decently priced running hydration belt.  I tried out a friend’s belt and found that the little bottles were hard to unsnap and snap back in while I ran, and that the little pocket held barely anything.  Then I tried out a hand-held water bottle and discovered that I preferred to have my hands free.  Finally, a few months before running the Hood-to-Coast 200-mile relay, I spotted the Sport Hydration Waist Belt by New Balance. The belt adjusted to my waist and the pocket could hold my phones, keys, ID, and my trail grub—as well as the water bottle, which is positioned diagonally so that you feel nominal interference while running. I used this belt during training and the race, and felt that it performed better than the more expensive versions, and the nylon and polyester material the belt dried quickly from any sweat. I ended up using a different water bottle because the one that comes with it is tough to get open while running, but I would certainly recommend this belt to anyone who is running anything from one mile to 50.
-Jennifer Seabolt

Now available for ordering, this inventive spin on a running shoe comes from Skora, a new footwear maker playing in the neutral running scene.  The off-balance, asymmetrical lacing runs along the outer slope of your foot, which reduces lace tension that could cause discomfort from more traditional lacing when the laces put pressure on the tendon running from your big toe to the ankle.  This construction also enables the shoe to be make without a traditional tongue, which allows for an even tighter, glove-like fit.  The zero-drop shoe provides a modest 9mm of cushioning—and the additional 4mm liner can be removed for a closer-to-the-ground feel.  Abrasive rubber offers grip on the pavement, an anatomical last caters to a foot’s natural movement, goatskin leather uppers add armor to the outside, and the sheepskin inner lining means you can easily go sockless. We’ve got a test pair on their way, and we will report back this fall.
The shoes also come in warmer, synthetic mesh with new models slated for spring 2013.