The New Balance Minimus lineup expands this July with another offering in the 1690. Meant for “urban running,” the 1690 is a versatile shoe, usable for everything from concrete jungles to actual jungles. Sticking true to the ideals behind the Minimus collection, this shoe will offer a low-profile and flexible design, but also include a full length REVlite midsole for cushioning and protection.
New Balance lists weights of the 1690 as 9.0 oz for a Men’s size 9 and 7.6 oz for a Women’s size 7.
What to Watch For
Seamless Comfort: A one piece, no-sew upper limits irritations and blistering on the foot for comfortable wear.
Versatile Traction: The rubber outsole features a heel-to-toe lug pattern that will work on a wide variety of trail surfaces as well as on the road.
Low Offset: The 1690 is expected to offer a 4mm heel-to-toe differential for a more natural running experience.
It’s been a while since we’ve seen some revolutionary new running tech from adidas. But in the spirit of go ‘big or go home,’ adidas has just introduced a new midsole technology it claims will “change running forever.” There might be just a bit of hyperbole in that marketing message, but we think they’re onto something with the new Boost foam, which is debuting in several new running models this spring and fall.
Introducing Boost
If you follow the world of running footwear, you’ve probably stumbled upon this video demonstrating adidas’ new Boost material:
Comprised of small TPU pellets molded together, the Boost material promises significantly increased energy return over a standard EVA foam, while feeling even softer underfoot. The midsole is claimed to maintain the same density from mile 1 to mile 600 as well as in all temperatures. Don’t let the ‘packing peanuts’ look fool you – we’ve had a chance to give it a try and we found the compound to offer a surprising amount of rebound and responsiveness despite its soft underfoot feel.
OK, so glycerin – what the heck is that? Before you say, “it’s a popular neutral, maximum feature running shoe from Brooks,” did you know that it’s also an essential ingredient in dynamite? Bet you didn’t. What this clearly means is that if you want a dynamite run, the Glycerin deserves to be on your list. Read more…
When it comes to neutral cushioning, few shoes come close to the popularity of the Asics Gel Cumulus, which will enter its 15th iteration this year. Expect a few changes in this update of the Asics Gel Cumulus 14. Read more…
Since the release of the collection earlier this year, we’ve seen Mizuno’s Evo line gain a fair share of traction among runners who want a low profile, zero drop ride. For Fall 2013, Mizuno will expand their Evo offerings to include the Wave Evo Ferus, an off-road counterpart to their two existing models. Read more…
Asics Gel Nimbus 15 Women's Running Shoe, Wine/White/Flash Yellow
Nimbus: The king of the clouds in the Asics shoe stratosphere. OK, no more creative writing classes for us. But seriously, if you want a supremely cushioned neutral trainer, it’s hard to top the Asics Gel Nimbus series. On the heels of the very popular Asics Gel Nimbus 14, the 15th version of the shoe will add in more of the cushioning technology Asics is known for and introduce a fresh design from heel to toe.
What to Watch For
FluidRide Platform: Debuting on the Nimbus 15, a new two-piece midsole design blends cushioning and responsiveness. The top foam layer contains injected/blended rubber, positioned closest to the foot to maximize comfort. The bottom layer, without the rubber blend, is lighter and more responsive. (Note: the sample shoes pictured are branded with Solyte, but this new platform will not contain Solyte in production.)
More Gel: For maximum impact protection, Asics increases the size of the front and rear Gel pads compared to the 14.
FluidFit Upper: Another debut on the Nimbus 15, the upper features multi-directional mesh on the medial and lateral sides of the shoe, along with stretchable welded reinforcements. It’s designed to provide the ultimate biomorphic fit, and we’re eager to give it a try.
Weight Bump: Asics lists weights of 11.5 oz (Men’s size 9) and 9.4 oz (Women’s size 7). That’s a slight uptick from the current model and should not be perceptible when running.
Attention Wave Precision fans: we have good news and we have bad news:
The Bad: There’s no Wave Precision 14 – your favorite shoe is being discontinued this summer. The Good: It’s being replaced by a brand new design that’s totally awesome.
The Wave Sayonara is undoubtedly among our most anticipated shoes set to arrive for the Fall ’13 season. Its name is a nod to the Wave Goodbye of the early 2000′s, a performance shoe that was built on a track spike last for a performance fit. The Sayonara is a lightweight performance trainer that frankly should have speedier runners frothing at the mouth a bit. In case you’re wondering (and we know you are), Mizuno has listed weights for the Sayonara at just 8.1 oz for a Men’s size 9 and 7.1 oz in a Women’s 8, which would make it one of the lightest trainers on the market.
What to Watch For
New Midsole Tech: Mizuno’s new midsole compound, U4ic (pronounced “euphoric”) is 30% lighter than their AP+ compound, while offering a smooth ride and, according to Mizuno, delivers just as much impact protection.
Wave Cushioning: The Sayonara features Mizuno’s Wave plate in the heel for impact protection and a smooth ride.
Seamless Bliss: The Sayonara uses a no-sew upper design with printed overlays for a great interior feel and a secure fit.
Lower Drop: Mizuno’s trainers have generally all been in the 12mm+ offset category, so even the slight reduction to 10mm in the Sayonara is a big deal.
New to Asics’ popular line of cushioned, neutral trainers for Fall 2013 will be the Gel Flux. Nothing too groundbreaking here, but we expect this shoe to be a solid offering for runners looking for great underfoot protection and high mileage durability without the bells and whistles of higher priced options. Plus, Seattle Seahawks fans will appreciate the Men’s colorway, shown below.
What to Watch For
Trusted Cushioning: Forefoot and heel Gel units in a full length SpEVA midsole provide plenty of protection from the hard road below.
Smooth Ride: Flex grooves in the forefoot along with tech such as Asics’ Guidance Line ensure a smooth heel to toe transition.
Competitive Weight: According to Asics, the Flux will slot in at 11.2 oz in Men’s size 9 and 9.3 oz in Women’s size 8. That means it should fall right in between the upcoming Gel Cumulus 15 and Gel Nimbus 15.
Altra makes its debut offering for the triathlon market with the aptly named 3-Sum. Two points to Altra for cleverness. It’s no secret that the tri world tends to have a knack for being an early adopter of newer tech (such as Altra shoes). We think a fair number of these will find their way to a transition area near you. Altra got the 3-Sum down to 6.7 oz for a Men’s size 9 and 5.9 oz in a Women’s 8.
What to Watch For
Barefoot Friendly Upper: A seamless interior will reduce friction on the foot, ideal for wearing the shoe sockless.
Yankz Lacing System: Production models will come with pre-installed Yankz brand quick laces for quick bike-to-run transitions. (Not pictured)
‘Natural Running’ Traits: A cushioned, zero drop platform encourages an efficient stride while a wide toebox allows for natural toe splay through the gait cycle.
When released in 2011, the Altra Lone Peak offered what few other trail shoes did: zero drop with a rugged construction and padded platform. Though revolutionary at first (relatively, of course), the Lone Peak soon faced some low-drop (and arguably better looking) competition in models like the New Balance MT110, Inov8 Trailroc 245, and Merrell Mix Master 2.
In attempt to rekindle its flame and reach a new sales “peak,” Altra has introduced the Lone Peak 1.5, a mostly cosmetic update to their original trail shoe. We think the new look is a big leap forward, and should help to get the shoe a little more of the attention it deserves.
What to Watch For
Bold Colorways: A departure from the bland grey and yellow of its predecessor, the 1.5 comes in hot Red for men and an Orange/Lime combo for women – colors guaranteed to stand out on the trails.
Reduced Overlays: The removal of several overlays around the midfoot should yield a more flexible and adaptive upper, as well as a small drop in weight.
Modest Weight: Expect the 1.5 to come in at 9.9 oz for a Men’s size 9 and an ounce less for a Women’s size 8.
