Komodo Sport Review

I love shoes, and I love all Vibram Five Fingers but one of the new shoes really impressed us and set the standard high for any brand looking to make barefoot or minimalist footwear -and that’s the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport.



Instantly comfortable, effortless to slip on and pretty much everything you could ever wish for in a barefoot running shoe. But will barefoot purists approve of its cushioned insole? Read our in depth review of the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport and see for yourself.

Technical Specs
-aggressive multisport design
-stretch nylon upper
-heel and instep hook-and-loop closure
-stitch free, seamless 2mm PU footbed to reduce friction
-EVA arch support
-individual toe pockets seperate and strengthen toes
-4mm vibram performance rubber outsole for grip and protection

Looks
When it comes to appearance the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport looks every bit the technical sports performance shoe that it is. Borrowing design elements from the KSO and Bikila before restyling them into something sleeker and far more aggressive, these Five Fingers are covered in eye catching details. The Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport comes in a choice of black/bronze, black/grey and yellow/black colours for men. Meanwhile for women, there’s a choice of black/bronze and blue/yellow. The blue/yellow looks surprisingly good too. After all, if you’re going to wear unusual shoes, you may as well be bold about it!


Fit
Effortlessly easy to slip on just like the Bikila, your feet slide straight into the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport and your toes easily find the right place while providing plenty of room to wiggle, and without slipping out.

Pull the heel and instep straps to whatever tightness you prefer, stick then in place with the Velcro underside and you’re good to go.

The Komodo Sport fits very comfortably around the heel and ankle. Once again, by raising the cuff, the newer range fo Vibrams don’t pull on the toes and instead forms a strong, secure and snug hold around the ankle.

Feel
Even though there’s soft footbed and extra cushioning and grip across the full length of the foot, there’s still a lot of feeling in your feet. Walking or running, you still get a fully detailed feel, especially in the toes which have a lot of freedom to wiggle. The great thing about the Komodo Sport is all the extra cushioning. You could walk, but not run, in these heel striking all the way and it wouldn’t bother you. While that goes against the whole point of barefoot shoes, it’s a lot more forgiving when you do forget your gait and smash your heel into the tarmac. As Vibram’s Five Fingers line develops, it seems to be more about providing protection and support for your barefoot training rather than punishing you for getting it wrong.


One thing that’s really interesting is the sole, because there’s a huge chunk missing from the inside of the midfoot. Instead is a peice of tough, connective rubber, presumably to hold the shoe together and provide a bit of protection from whatever’s on the ground. But this part of the shoe is never used by your foot to make contact with the ground. That makes quite a big saving on weight, which explains how the Komodo Sport is so lightweight despire all the extra material, padding and straps.

Although there’s plenty of breathability, they are quite warm. This won’t bother you when you’re running about, playing basket ball or whatever, but for casual wear it’s quite noticeable. However, the irresistably cosy fit more than makes up for this. Plus you can comfortably wear them during the colder times of the year without a care.

What We’d Use Them For
We have to agree with Vibram that their Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport is designed for running and fitness, but its perfectly suited to all kinds of sports as well as casual wear. Something this comfortable shouldn’t be worn just for sports. If it wasn’t for the footbed, then you could wear these watersports just like regular KSOs.


Blended together from the KSO and Bikila, the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport is the perfect shoe for the core barefoot demographic. It’s great for running, walking and sports in general while being comfortable, supportive and stylish.

Will there be a backlash from barefoot purists over the soft footbed? Some won’t like it, but others will appreciate that your feet won’t need to ache quite so much from going ‘minimalist’ with their footwear.

Final Thoughts
You certainly get what you pay for with the Komodo Sport, even if you do pay a lot for it. We expect this to become the mostly highly sought after Vibram Five Finger shoe simply because it’s got everything. You can do virtually anything in it and go anywhere.

It’s a huge leap forward from the original Vibram Five Fingers Classic, combining the features of the two best selling ‘advanced’ Vibram Five Finger styles, taking the comfort, fit and protection of the KSO and combining it with a sole a toe fit that’s similar to the Bikilas.

Like with the rest of the new 2011 Five Fingers range, Vibram has paid attention to the heel area, providing more cushioning for any barefoot gait slip ups as well as more padding around the heel area of the foot itself for a more comfortable fit.

If you’re trying barefoot for the first time and you’ve got money to burn, get yourself a pair of these. They may be very technical, but they’re still perfect for an entry level barefooter. But we can safely assume that most will progress up to them from the standard Vibram Five Fingers Classic.

So, to round up: Unless you’re going off road in serious mud and filth or doing water sports (in which case you’d want the Treksport or KSO), the Vibram Five Fingers Komodo Sport is the best Five Finger shoe for running, walking, sports, comfort, fit and style. That’s right, THE BEST.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our Vibram Five Fingers reviews.

Mizuno Wave Ronin 3 Review

If you are a fan of Mizuno and Minimalist shoes then the Mizuno Wave Ronin 3 is the shoe for you. This is Mizuno's best offering to the Minimalist shoe market.

Mizuno shoes are know for their durability and runners love that they seem to offer better energy return then their competitors.

The Mizuno Wave Ronin 3 is 7 ounces (.4 less then the last version) and is considered a performance neutral running shoe. It has a lightweight, responsive midsole with durable cushioning. Dynamotion fit that reduces the effects of lateral stress on the shoe resulting in optimal fit while running. G3-DR outsole that provides superior grip and added durability at key contact points.

This is for all the female runners out there, yes ladies, finally a Mizuno flat just for you! Yes these now come in a specific womans width and size.

And finally, the forefoot mesh has been improved by adding a stretchable material which keeps the toes ultra-comfy during races. The wave plate is amazing as it not only offers superior cushioning but it also adds some mild pronation support.

If you want a lightweight, minimalist shoe that you can take on trail or street check out the Mizuno Wave Ronin 3. It is light and flexible plus and dark in color so it won’t show a lot of dirt. Plus its not the Mizuno Ronin 2 with that mustard yellow color and tribal looking tattoo on it.

Nike Lunar Trainer Shoe Review

Here's a review of the Nike Lunar Trainer's, they are not a barefoot or minimalist Running shoe but are very popular and a lot of people are asking about them. I understand everyone won't ware minimalist shoes so I like to help those who don't swell.






The following is what Nike wants to tell us about the Nike Lunar Trainer.

The Nike LunarTrainer+ Men's Running Shoe is ideal for the runner with a neutral to mildly overpronated gait. The LunarTrainer delivers plush cushioning, springy response, barely-there comfort and mild pronation control. Mesh upper with internal bands for lightweight breathability, comfort and a snug, secure, locked-down fit.
Reflective elements for enhanced visibility in low-light conditions Internal heel counter with external overlay wraps the medial side for a snug heel fit and extra support.

OrthoLite sockliner molds to your foot's shape for a custom fit, comfort and support LunarLite cushioning for soft yet responsive shock absorption Phylite carrier bonded to LunarLite foam for smoother transition at heel strike and to moderate pronation Molded sipes along the carrier's base for enhanced flexibility and a more neutral, efficient stride Outsole Waffle Pistons for increased cushioning and response Rubber in high-wear areas for durability and traction Nike+ readyWeight: 9.1 ounces.

Review:

With countless training shoes in the market, the Nike Lunar Trainer is an attempt to give a different look and feel for runners and athletes out there.

It surely didn't fail in design department. I've had people commenting they looked 'nice.' With such a radical sole design, I thought "What was Nike thinking?" It had a few jagged lines horizontally sidelining the base of the shoe. While it does give the impression of space walking, it certainly kept me wondering on the functionality of it.

If your used to minimalist shoes you'd find the Lunar's large sole a little hard to get used to. Personally, I am not a fan of too much cushioning and support in running shoes. Too many running shoes focused too much on giving the 'running on pillow' feeling, that they lost focus on making the shoes light and responsive enough for natural running gait.

The Nike Lunar Trainer, build with very light materials, managed to keep the pair light, so that helps with the larger sole.

Nike states that after your run your legs shouldn't be exhausted, Nike claims this is due to the spread of pressure points which spreads out across the shoe, on each step. This would help greatly in cutting down the micro damage when running.





To understand how this works, you've got to dissect the shoe to see what is inside. Inside that fluorescent sole is actually the Lunar Lite foam core (white color). And this is the stuff that actually distributes the stress when running over a larger area.






It's 30% lighter than it's outer Phylon (fluorescent) core, which makes it ultra light.
"They feel good, real good. Very light, yet still provided plenty of cushion and support for long runs. A little less cushion than the Moto, less than the Vomero.

They are extremely responsive and the cushioning rebounds very quickly. Different than any other shoe I have tried. When walking around the house, they fell like marshmallows, but when you start running, they firm up and support your feet.

The Mesh upper fits tight to the foot (a good tight), and even though the top of the shoes touches my toe, It doesn't aggravate it.

Bottom line, it's pretty good. The light weight feeling when running was great, although it did feel like running in sandals because of the large sole. And it's a trainer shoe, so you could use it for other workouts in the gym as well. Should you get it? If you wanted some attention grabbing pair of trainers, then it's not a bad idea to get them.

Puma Faas 500 Review

Have you seen the new ads for the Puma Faas 500's? How can Puma go wrong when selling a running shoe and have the fastest men and women promoting it? Hey I want to buy a shoe that will make me run like Bolt!

Here's what Pumas site say:

The Faas 500 islightweight neutral trainer for everyday training, inspired by the rhythm of the world’s fastest country — Jamaica. It’s constructed with BioRide Technology, an integrated system that gives you a more natural and responsive ride. The unique rocker shape allows for a biomechanically efficient stride with an effortless toe-off. The flex grooves built across the tooling increase responsiveness while the full-length lateral groove in the midsole reinforces stability throughout the gait cycle.


The Faas 500 takes design cues from PUMA’s old school running trainer, the RS1. It features a mesh upper with synthetic suede. The EverRide and EverTrack in the outsole add cushioning and durability where it’s needed, while the OrthoLite® sockliner increases breathability.




So what do you think? Are you sold yet? I have always been a fan of Puma for their style but not a huge fan of Pumas for a running shoe. It seemed as if they spent a little too much time focusing on soccer cleats and fashion, but not enough time on their running shoes. So when I first saw the Puma Faas 500 I thought to myself here's another flashy Puma shoe that won't cut it. But like me you'll quickly find out that your Puma Faas 500's are more then just a good looking shoe they are a good running shoe.

The Puma Faas 500 running shoes were put together with 3 categories in mind; rocker, flex, and groove, all of which make up the BioRide Technology midsole. The rocker helps propel the foot in a forward motion from heel to toe, the flex allows your foot to do a little more work with each individual foot strike, and the small grooves allow the shoe to contour the ground and better react to every foot strike. I found the midsole of the Faas 500 to have plenty of cushion on middle to long distance runs, allowing my feet to do a little more work than normal, but not too much. Although they worked great for me on mid to long distance runs, I am not too sure they would work all that great for a runner with heavy pronation problems.



The thing about the Puma Faas and it's "rocker" it seems like it was designed for heel strikers or mid foot strikers, as you know I'd like to see you forefoot striking.

Overall, I was very happy with how the Puma Faas 500 performed and I commend Puma for stepping over to the bright side! If you are looking for a more lightweight minimalist shoe, Puma is also going to be offering the Faas 300 this season which is a trimmed down version of the 500. For more information, please visit Puma.com/running

Design
Well, this Fluo Green/Puma Silver colorway is about as out there as you can get – but I like them a lot. I’m not sure if it is actually what they are designed for, but I have felt safer running in the evening time while wearing them! They really are pretty minimal to look at, with just the signature Puma design in Navy running along either side of the shoe. The upper is created using a mix of lightweight mesh and synthetic suede creating a very durable combo.



Shape
One of the unique features of the Faas series is the actual design of the sole. If you look at the above image, you will notice how the front of the shoe (toe box) sits naturally off the ground. This is part of the BioRide technology used in the shoe designed to create a naturally responsive ride, in particular it is the rocker shape that offers smooth touchdown and effortless toe-off as you run.

How do they feel to run in?
If you are looking for running shoe that offers fantastic rebound properties but is also lightweight, well then these are for you. Weighing in at 9.7oz, I am still shocked at how Puma have put the whole shoe together. They are well padded, offer a super soft landing and are just down right comfortable – something that is extremely difficult to find in a lightweight shoe. The only issue here is if your looking for the feedback from the ground like your vibrams you lose some of that with the Puma Faas 500


For me, the key to the shoe is the Groove technology, a midsole groove offers flexibility in the shoes movement side to side offering a more natural stability to the way you run. This, in my opinion, is the highlight of the shoe and offers an ideal solution for runners who have ankle issues. Think of it this way, you know when you are running around a corner and you sort of drop your hip/shoulder into the turn? Well, the Faas 500 offers a smooth feel as you go through the turn, with the sole of the shoe staying flush to the ground, but the midsole groove moving with your foot to give you increased stability.



Finishing Up
The Faas 500 is a running shoe designed to offer the highest level of comfort and durability. They absolutely succeed in both capacities. I would recommend this running shoe for anyone looking for a super high level of cushion and support while running. There are many similar versions on the market, but when you add the lightweight feel of the Faas 500, it seems to be the complete package! Soccer wise, they are great if you are looking to use road running as a source of fitness, where the terrain might be pretty bumpy. And if you have ankle issues, they are a pretty solid option!

Desiree Davila shoe: Brooks T7 Racer

Alot of you sat glued ti the T.V as Desiree Davila almost became the first U.S female winner of the Boston Marathon. Even though she came up seconds short, Desiree Davila had the race of her life.

Desiree Davila fought to the tape to become the first American female finisher and second-place overall female finisher at the 2011 Boston Marathon. Desi clocked in at the official time of 2:22:38, an American women’s course record, making her the third fastest U.S. female marathoner of all time. Only Olympic medalists Joan Benoit Samuelson and Deena Kastor have run faster.

I know you all find that interesting but deep down, I know what you’re asking… what shoes was Desi wearing? It's the Brooks T7 Racers.

This would not be considered a true Mininalist shoe but I must say it's nice and light and is on the lower end of support.

Brooks say:
Looking for something "lickety-split"? This incredibly light road-racing shoe is the fastest in the pack, with a new eye-catching upper for fly-by style. The streamlined, asymmetric upper works with the anatomy of the foot to perfectly wrap the arch securely from start to finish.

Hansons-Brooks athlete Desiree Davila races in the T7 and wore it during this year's Boston marathon as she became the third fastest U.S. female marathoner ever. Triathlete Chrissie Wellington also races in the T7 and calls it "an amazing shoe!" She was rocking a pair when she smashed the world record at the Ford Ironman Arizona in November.





SPECS:
Surface : Road/Track

Pronation : None/Normal

Build : Small, Medium

Competition : Road racing

Arch : Flat, Medium, High

Category: Competition
Weight: 6.4 oz
Platform: Curved
Construction: Strobel
Sizing Note: Men's Sizing/D width only.
Launch Date: February 1, 2011

Converse Chuck Taylors review

I've seen this question throughout my travels on the Internet... "Is there anybody out there running in good ol' Converse Chuck Taylors?"

I would like to start off that I would never think of running in a pair of Converse All-Stars or Converse Chuck Taylors.

But there is a large group of people out there that believe that the Converse Chuck Taylors would qualify as a minimalistic shoe.

I have a few issues with calling the Converse Chuck Taylors a minimalistic running shoe, they are too long and narrow, they don't really give you enough room to spread your toes. The shoe may be minimalistic in look but there sole is think and heavy. Also Nike has recently bought up Converse and added arch support and cushioning to the Converse chuck Taylor's.

There is a large group of people using the Converse Chuck Taylors to workout in, loving them for Dead lifts and squats because of their flat sole, but you don't see many running in them and I wouldn't recommend it.

On a side note - in Rocky II Stallone was wearing chucks for his victorious training run up the stairs

A cool shoe? Yes
A running shoe? No

KO

 

Reebok Realfex Review: A Good or Bad Shoe?

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