To start off I'm not saying the Reebok Realflex is a bad shoe, but is it really a good choice as a minimalistic shoe?
Recently there has been a lot of hype about Reeboks entrance into the Barefoot Running shoe market. They launched their Reebok Realflex with a lot of hype and marketing dollars. If you want to check out their dollars at use, check out this catchy commercial.
When watching Reeboks technology video (shown below) you're off the top saying to yourself maybe they do know what they're talking about. The thing is, they are saying all the right things in the video. Here are a few quotes below:
"barefoot or natural running actually makes a lot of sense from a bio-mechanic standpoint."
" Bio-mechanically speaking it makes sense because when you land on your forefoot you land with your knee bent so all the shock absorption happens in your muscles not your joints. When you land on your heel all that shock is taken up by the joints in your knees and ankles and hips"
So reading those quotes your saying to yourself that Reebok has done their homework and maybe they are buying into the Barefoot running idea.
But quickly you see their true colors, after talking up Barefoot running they say this statement... "But we want to take that and improve it — namely by adding protection" If you truly believe that barefoot running is the best for you, would you say you can improve it, and then would you go above that and say to improve it you'll add protection to make it better??
When Vibram speaks about their Vibram Five Fingers newer models that just added 1mm more to their soles they have to apologize because they know with each mm added it takes away from true barefoot running feeling, so is Reebok missing something? Yes!
Reebok seems like they put alot of padding on the heel of the Realflex, why's this? Reebok tells us its for running down hill. I kinda think its for all those heel strikers that will buy these shoes because of the hype and now they won't complain because their heels will be protected, and they will continue to run improperly.
Reebok made a pretty shoe that looks great and is comfortable, but is it really a barefoot shoe?
They made the sole more flexible which is great, they made the shoe alot lighter which is great but when it comes to the padding there's still too much between your foot and the road.
Reebok say the Realflex is natural running perfected, I say it's marketing dollars perfected.
A great shoes not a great Minimalistic shoe
KO
Recently there has been a lot of hype about Reeboks entrance into the Barefoot Running shoe market. They launched their Reebok Realflex with a lot of hype and marketing dollars. If you want to check out their dollars at use, check out this catchy commercial.
When watching Reeboks technology video (shown below) you're off the top saying to yourself maybe they do know what they're talking about. The thing is, they are saying all the right things in the video. Here are a few quotes below:
"barefoot or natural running actually makes a lot of sense from a bio-mechanic standpoint."
" Bio-mechanically speaking it makes sense because when you land on your forefoot you land with your knee bent so all the shock absorption happens in your muscles not your joints. When you land on your heel all that shock is taken up by the joints in your knees and ankles and hips"
So reading those quotes your saying to yourself that Reebok has done their homework and maybe they are buying into the Barefoot running idea.
But quickly you see their true colors, after talking up Barefoot running they say this statement... "But we want to take that and improve it — namely by adding protection" If you truly believe that barefoot running is the best for you, would you say you can improve it, and then would you go above that and say to improve it you'll add protection to make it better??
When Vibram speaks about their Vibram Five Fingers newer models that just added 1mm more to their soles they have to apologize because they know with each mm added it takes away from true barefoot running feeling, so is Reebok missing something? Yes!
Reebok seems like they put alot of padding on the heel of the Realflex, why's this? Reebok tells us its for running down hill. I kinda think its for all those heel strikers that will buy these shoes because of the hype and now they won't complain because their heels will be protected, and they will continue to run improperly.
Reebok made a pretty shoe that looks great and is comfortable, but is it really a barefoot shoe?
They made the sole more flexible which is great, they made the shoe alot lighter which is great but when it comes to the padding there's still too much between your foot and the road.
Reebok say the Realflex is natural running perfected, I say it's marketing dollars perfected.
A great shoes not a great Minimalistic shoe
KO
I actually just bought a pair yesterday and have since done a nice easy 4-miler and a 7-miler this afternoon at race pace. They're my first foray into the "minimalist" shoe and, as they were the most comfortable of the type at the store, I was a bit apprehensive looking around the Web for reviews of them.
ReplyDeleteI've loved them so far, although time will tell if they hold up or if it's back to the old Brooks Infiniti's for me. Yes, the Realflex's are marketing at their finest, but, like I said, they felt the best in-store out of the Free+, Kinvara, and Free 7.0 offerings.
Happy running!
Started a new job bought some shape ups and got ruined last then a month So exchanged them for some reebox thought they would be better. its been like two months and i have a BaD blaster on my left foot. I my foot has been killin me I spent 100 and i really wish i could have kept My Shape Ups. My Easy tone Feel like i been walkin on the ground all day.
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