Product Review: Swiftwick Aspire Socks

Sep 27, 2011 by Greg Fowler

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a new (at least to me) brand of socks in the local Fleet Feet running store – Swiftwick.  I had a gift certificate with some funds left on it, so I figured I’d try them out.  The pair I purchased was a white Aspire One, the ‘One’ meaning the length of the sock.

Short review version: A+

Longer version: These are excellent socks.  I purchased a medium, which is listed as men’s shoe size 6-9.5.  I wear a 9.5 or 10 in most shoes and these fit perfectly.  No unwanted length.

Swiftwick advertises these socks as compression, blister free, and moisture wicking.  They are as advertised.  The materials listed on the package are 53% Nylon, 39% Olefin, and 8% Spandex.

I like the compression feature around the arch, but I honestly don’t know if it does much.  Feels good, though.  I can testify that the blister free and moisture wicking claims are accurate.  I have had run numerous times in them, including speed work,  with no hint of hot spots. Thus, no blisters.   In a major test,  I did a 15 miler in them last weekend in 80 degree 100% humidity weather, and they were awesome.  Every piece of my clothing was saturated in sweat, including my shoes, and my feet stayed comfortable.

I paid $12.99 for my pair, and they are worth it.  I will definitely be purchasing more of Swiftwick’s products in the future.  Also, they are made in the USA.

POFIFOTO!

 

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Reflections

Sep 21, 2011 by Greg Fowler

Normally, I try not to draw attention to myself when running. Someone might notice just how goofy I run. Now is the time of year I have to start making an exception.  Daylight fades fast in the evenings, despite daylight savings time fall back being over a month away,  so it is time to break out the reflective gear for night running.

There are many options on the market to make yourself more visible to on coming motorists – reflective hats and shirts, vests, and lights.  Here’s what I have in my closet:

1. Basic vest. At a minimum this is what I use and recommend you do, too.  It is lightweight and doesn’t get in the way. I use this one from Nathan:

2. Reflective hat. I’m a head wear person. Some aren’t.  So, I usually wear a reflective hat, too. I use one from Brooks similar to this but in the yellow version:

It is washable and mine has a flashing light on the back. My light died after a few months, though.

3. Safety yellow t-shirts. I lucked into these shirts – one long sleeve and one short sleeve.  They were a gift.  I normally don’t run in cotton shirts, but I make an exception for these at night. When combined with the vest, I’m pretty visible.

4. Blinking clip-on light. I have tried the blinking lights with little success.  They have 2 problems – the batteries don’t seem to last and I can’t seem to find a good place to clip them. They are inexpensive and worth a try, though.  Here’s the one from Nathan I have:

5. Water resistant jacket or pullover for cooler weather. I bought one similar to this last spring in a clearance sale:

Finally, the common sense items for the night runs: stay off busy roads with no sidewalks, run facing traffic, and ditch the ear phones.

Be careful out there.  You don’t have to run at night to encounter danger from motorists.  Actress Reese Witherspoon found this out last week: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44434373/ns/today-entertainment/#.TmkCSWr1g8k

POFIFOTO!

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Product Review: Saucony Amp Pro2 Recovery

Aug 14, 2011 by Greg Fowler

What is the most aggravating thing about children?  Nope, not the talking back.  Not the the messy rooms, either.  The most aggravating thing is out growing clothes, especially shoes, before they are worn out!

This situation is what leads me to this review of the Saucony Amp Pro2 Recovery shoe.  These are not running shoes, but, rather, post-running shoes.  Hence the term recovery shoe. These are not mine, but I did purchase them for my teenage son.  He had outgrown his Sanuks, a sandle that is very similar in style to the Amp, and asked for a pair of Amps as a replacement.

My son is a runner.  You may have read my references to runs with him in other posts.  He is also a member of the high school cross-country team.  One thing the team members seem to do is take off their running shoes as quickly as possible after runs and put on some sort of casual shoe.  I’m not sure if this is because they leave their running shoes in their lockers or what.  My son wanted the Amps for this purpose and for a casual school shoe.

I searched for Amps in Charlotte last weekend during my Newton hunt.  I could not find them, so we ordered them from Zappos.com about 4pm last Monday.  The shoes were on our doorstep about 1pm the next day.  Kudos to Zappos.

Bottom line here:  my son loves them.  They are very light weight (about 5.5 ounces) and, according to him, more comfortable than the Sanuks.  The back of them folds down so they can be used in what I would call “slipper mode” if you’d like.  He also received several positive comments about them from teammates.  That was probably his favorite feature.

You can read more about them at the Saucony website.

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Newton Shoe Hunt 2011

Aug 8, 2011 by Greg Fowler

If you’ve looked around my blog, you’ve seen that I have been moving toward minimalist shoes.  This seems to be going well, but my Kinvaras are getting high in miles and I don’t plan on using them much longer.  Also, I currently don’t have a long run shoe, having abandoned my Mizuno Wave Inspires after my foot injury in February.  What to do with half and full Marathon training looming?

As I mentioned, in my last post, Summertime Blues?, one of the motivation steps I planned to take was to purchase  a pair of Newton Running Shoes.  Why Newtons?  These are not marketed as minimalist shoes.  Having read reviews of Newton shoes from the Natural Running Center and Runblogger, I believe a pair of Newtons will help me on my journey to better form, less heel to toe drop, and ultimately, no more left foot pain. Maybe I’m just buying more magic beans.  We’ll see.

Since Newtons are not sold in my part of South Carolina, I planned to drive to Charlotte, North Carolina to see them.  Sure, I could order online, but I wanted to try them on and not hassle with any possible returns from online retailers.  I called a Newton dealer in Charlotte,  and they held a pair of Distance Racers for me.  Well, the Distance Racers did not work very well.  They were tighter in the toe box than I expected, rubbing my pinky toes.  Unfortunately, the store did not have my other choice, the Distance Trainer.

Hmm. Slight Change of Plan

After reviewing the specs and some reviews on the shoes (thanks, iPhone), I decided the Distance Trainer or Gravitas (a trainer also) would probably make more sense, since they should last longer and Newton shoes are pricey.  However, the Distance Trainer is cut the same as the Racers, so I expected them to be tight on my toes as well.  Long story short, I ended up at another running store, Charlotte Running Company, where I purchased a pair of the Gravitas model.  They fit much better across my toes due to different styling.  Also, I liked the blue color much better than the green  Distance Racers.  The heel to toe drop on the Gravitas is listed as 3mm, instead of the 2mm Distance Trainer or Racer. As an added bonus, the store was giving 10% off all purchases, and it was a back-to-school sale tax free weekend in North Carolina, so I saved a good bit of money on the shoes.

First Impressions

From a distance, the Newtons, look like most other traditional running shoes.  Upon closer inspection, though, you can see that the sole is different.  There are 4 lugs that provide the action/reaction system Newton describes on their website.  My wife said I was getting my own pair of Shape-ups…arggh.

Both stores warned me to take it easy transitioning to the Newtons.  So does the literature that comes with the shoe.  As a first run, I only did one mile.  The feeling is definitely different than any other shoes I’ve had.  With the lugs,  I felt like I was landing on a small ball under the balls of my feet.  This seemed to engage the muscles and tendons of my feet more than other shoes, especially that tendon on the outside of your foot that is about the size of 1/2 a golf ball (Fibularis brevis tendon maybe?).  They also seemed to work my right calf differently.  The next morning, my left arch was a little more sore than usual.  I plan on running a little bit every other day this week to ease into them.  I’ll update my progress in future posts.

Here’s a video of my form on the treadmill with them after the road run:

Newton Gravitas on Treadmill

POFIFOTO!

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Product Review: New Balance Minimus Trail

Jul 31, 2011 by Greg Fowler

 

New Balance released their MT10 shoe, also called the Minimus Trail, earlier this year.  I had tried them on several times in the spring but did  not pull the trigger.  I was torn between the Merrell Trail Gloves and the MT10’s.  I have owned several Merrell casual and hiking shoes over the years, and I’m a Merrell fan.  I had never owned a pair of New Balance anythings.  In the end,  the New Balance just fit my foot better, and I finally purchased my MT10’s in mid May.  Last night I saw an updated and slightly different version in a shoe store at the mall (MT20’s maybe?), so I figured I better post my review of the MT10’s.

Initial Thoughts in Store

Sometime you try a shoe on in the store and immediately go “Oh, yeah”.  This was one of these cases.  These shoes are extremely comfortable.  They have no insert and invite you to go sockless.  I have not done this yet, though.  Size-wise,  I had to go up a 1/2 size from my normal 10 to 10 1/2.  I made sure I tried them on with my favorite Injinji socks.  I probably could have gone with 10’s, but I decided to err on slightly bigger than smaller.  The toe box is wide and is exactly what I was looking for.  The specs on the shoe say it has a 4mm drop, but I guess because there is so little midsole compared to my 4mm drop Kinvaras, it seems like 0 drop to me.

On the trail

I have put about 90 miles on mine since May.  This includes a few 10+ mile trail runs and a 5 mile beach run.  At first, I had some hot spots on the balls of my foot due to the shoe sliding around on downhills, but I changed the way I laced the shoes to prevent the sliding.  More on that in a minute.  You can definitely feel the terrain.  They are very similar in feel to  Vibram Five Finger Bikilas and almost as flexible.

I did compare the two on some gravel rock paths  and the slightly thicker MT10’s did feel better on the gravel.  Overall, I am very pleased with MT10 performance and happy to be able to run in so little shoe on the trails.   So far, though, I have not tried them in slick/wet conditions.  Summer has been very dry here.  I really don’t think they will be offer great traction in wet conditions.  We’ll see.

Dislikes

I only have 2 complaints about the MT10’s.  First, the shoe strings are too long.  Simple enough fix, I guess.  I could replace them, but for now I just double lace them to keep them from hitting the opposite legs when I run.  Second, they need one additional lace hole past what they have.  You know that additional hole in most shoes that is slightly lower than the next to last hole and 99% of people probably don’t use?  We’ll, I use it to lace my shoes so they don’t slip on the heel.  This keeps the shoe from sliding around and helps prevent blisters.  I make do with the last two holes that are there, but I am tempted to add my own additional hole.

Final Thought

I like these shoes so much, I have decided to violate one of my personal rules – not wearing current “active” running shoes for casual use.  What a rebel.

 

Additional Reviews can be found at the links below:

Natural Running Center

Runblogger

POFIFOTO!

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Product Review: Camelbak Octane XCT 2011 Hydration Pack

Jul 20, 2011 by Greg Fowler

Short Version: Highly recommend, very satisfied.  Only downside is fluid getting warm after 1 1/2 -2 hours.

Long Version:Summer training in South Carolina is hot and humid, and I believe I sweat more than average.  I lose 3-4 pounds on 2-3 hour runs.  So, fluid loss is a big concern for me.  During the week, most of my runs are in the neighborhood and are less than an hour.  For these runs, I usually prepare two handheld bottles that hold 8-10 ounces of fluids.  I’ll carry one and put one in the newspaper box and swap it out on a pass by.

For Saturday morning runs that last 2-3 hours, I head out of the neighborhood for a change of scenery.  This makes for a challenge to carry enough fluids for the heat.  For these runs, I normally wear a Fuel Belt with 4 to 6 eight ounce bottles.  The problem with this is that 6 bottles is too heavy and the belt falls down (I’ve lost a few inches in the waist since I stated running!), so I can only go with 4.  Sometimes, I’d stash an additional large water bottle at the neighborhood entrance and refill when I passed by.  Well, this summer as I decided to hit the trails more for Saturday adventures, this meant a challenge for liquids.  I also wanted to carry my phone.

I decided to try a hydration pack, which is a fancy term for water back pack.  After some research, I decided on the Camelbak Octane XCT with their 100 ounce Antidote reservoir.  Camelbak gears this pack toward runners.  They also make hiker and cycle targeted packs in a variety of reservoir sizes – 50, 70 and 100 ounces.  Those versions were prevalent in my local hiking and cycling stores, but I could not find an Octane, so I ordered mine from RunningWarehouse.com with free 2-day shipping.  There were 3 color choices, black, green, and red.  I considered the green, but it was a tad flashy for me.  I figured black was a good safe bet.  My wife liked the red.  So, I went with red.

As promised, I had the pack in the 2 days.  Thumbs up for Running Warehouse.  I spent some time before dinner that night checking out the reservoir system.  The system consists of the reservoir bladder, a tube, and the mouthpiece valve.  The reservoir fill opening is about 4 inches wide and seals into place with a rubber gasket after about a 1/4 turn.

The tube snaps into the bottom of the reservoir and routes up through the pack.  The mouth piece has a open/close valve.  You keep it open and bite down on the mouthpiece  and suck out the fluid.  Pretty simple.  The pack itself has several pockets.  One is a small pocket on the left strap which is a great place for a gel packet or two.  Two zippered pockets are on the waist belt and are fine for cell phones and keys.  Then, the final pocket is in the center of the back.  There is also a bungee cord on the back in the shape of an X, which Camelbak says is a good spot to hold a light jacket.  After dinner, I put in about 30 ounces and went for a 4 mile trail run in the 90 degree heat.

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed was the sloshing noise.  I’m sure the partially-full reservoir compounded this. After a couple of minutes, I stopped noticing it. One concern I had was whether the pack would rub anywhere.  On my first few runs, I did not experience any problems.  There are 5 adjustment points and I was able to work out a proper fit.  On my longest run with it (15 mile trail) it did rub raw places on my hip bones.  I did not notice this until after the run, though.

Another concern I had was how the weight of the pack would affect me.  A full reservoir and pack would weigh 5-7 pounds.  This may not sound like much, but over the course of 2-3 hours this may make my already questionable posture even worse.  I did have some slight soreness in my upper back after the first few runs, but it did not bother me after a week or so. I try to remember to keep good posture.

The Big Test

After a few runs with the pack , I was ready to put it to the real test during the Xterra Harbison Half Marathon.  The course was to have 5 or so aid stations, but I had never done a trail run race or run a race in the July heat soup of South Carolina.  I felt the pack was a good option for this race.  One trick I learned from the Camelback website was to fill the reservoir partially the night before and put it flat in the freezer.  Before heading out for the run the next day, I added a bit more fluid to make my total amount for this run around 64 ounces.  I can remember this because I included 4 Nuun electrolyte tablets in my mixture – 1 per 16 oz.  I ended up drinking about 40  of the 64 ounces.  I probably would have taken in more, had the water not warmed up.  I was still sweating at the end, which to me, meant I kept well-hydrated in the heat.  I believe the electrolytes helped, too. I was very pleased with the pack during the run and barely noticed it was there. I did not notice the rubbed places on my hip bones until after the runs.  I’m not 100% sure how they happened.  Maybe the adjustments came looser than usual and I did not notice.  Test passed.

Final Thoughts

For me this pack is going to be a good option.  It holds enough fluid for me and has just enough room to carry a few things.  Some people may not like the added weight.  Keeping the fluids cool is a challenge, though.  In the future, I will freeze about 90% the night before, instead of the 75% I tried for the half marathon.  The ice was fully thawed and warm in the summer heat after about 2 1/2 hours.  It didn’t help that I had to take it out of the freezer well over an hour before the race.  Also, the water that sits in the tube is always warm on the first swig.  Not much to do about that. Keeping the reservoir clean is going to require some effort, too.  Camelbak sells a $20 cleaning kit to help with this that includes brushes and cleaning tablets.  So far, I have made sure I air it out diligently after use. Overall, I am very satisfied.

 

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