“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.

While some brands aim for exponential expansion in spring 2013, others will hone in on what they do best—and then do it all over again. And we’re happy to report that Patagonia’s footwear line will follow that latter strategy.  Focusing in on trail running, they’ve culled input from a cadre of high-performance athletes to refine and revamp their trail runners. They’ll introduce the EVERmore ($110, pictured), which boasts a 4mm drop and will be the lightest shoe in their line at a modest 7.8 ounces (men’s model).  Durable, breathable mesh uppers join forces with drainage ports, a soft heel, flexible mid- and outsoles, and an integrated footbed to perform on a variety of terrain. Even though it’s a shoe catering to mid-strike running, it’ll still have ample padding, with 10mm in the heel and 6mm in the forefoot, along with a rock plate for long-distance protection.

We also like the look of their new multisport-inspired mountain shoe, the Fitz Sneak ($100). The punchy, low-key sneaker should provide all-day comfort, with a sticky rubber sole and a cushioned EVA midsole that could be a solid, go-to travel shoe. We also like the graphic, which integrates the Fitz Roy silhouette across the uppers.

On the casual side, they’ll introduce the C-Street collection—relaxed suede and textile sneaks that look to be eminently packable (prices start at $80). And they’re unveil two new women’s models in their Advocate line, vegan-friendly Mary Jane slip-on ($70) and a lace-up sneaker ($75). We’re looking forward to ‘em both, in part because the shoes will come in a blast of fun, funky colors, and also because the Advocate line showcases Patagonia’s partnership with 1% for the Planet—something that’ll never go out of style.

Last month, Columbia Sportswear and its subsidiary brand Mountain Hardwear unveiled a new technology that will serve as the cornerstone of both company’s spring 2013 apparel lines.  Designed to be the ultimate solution to living the active life in hot climates, the advancement involves laminating small blue polymer “sweat-activated” rings on the inside of polyester apparel. As you exert yourself, these donut-shaped rings absorb your sweat and then the shirt drops in temperature, cooling off the wearer before the moisture evaporates. Columbia calls it Omni-Freeze Zero, and Mountain Hardwear dubs it Cool.Q ZERO, but the innovation is the same—and it marks the first time a tech feature will be highlighted by both brands.

The specific science behind the cooling sensation remains a tightly-guarded secret, but we’re happy to report that it works. We tested out several pieces of Omni-Freeze ZERO apparel while mountain biking in Sedona and on a multi-day backpacking foray into Havasu Falls, Arizona. In those arid climes, our sweat typically evaporated before the rings could fully absorb it; but we did notice cooling in less-vented areas like the small of the back, and when we soaked a neck gaiter made out of the material, it kept our neck and head refreshed and cool in the punishing mid-day Arizona sun.

But back in the over-humid heat wave that plagued the Mid-Atlantic in late June, the shirts really performed. We were noticeably cooler anywhere the Omni-Freeze ZERO fabric touched our sweat-drenched skin, including running, hiking, and biking in 100+-degree temps with record-break humidity. Treadmill runs echoed our in-the-field testing, though the shirts become a bit too stretchy when they were fully saturated.

This innovation may be a seismic shift for the outdoor industry. In addition to uses in the active wear, Omni-Freeze ZERO and Cool.Q ZERO could have far-reaching applications, including in travel apparel, EMT and rescue worker uniforms, and pretty much any situation where hot temperatures are a reality.

We’ll continue to test out these products throughout the summer and report back.  Right now, the Freeze Degree Short-Sleeved Crew (which combines the Omni-Freeze Zero tech with panels of Columbia’s Omin-Wick tech) and the Freeze Zero Neck Gaiter (pictured above) are tracking as must-haves.