3 shoes, 3 Reviews

Recently I had the opportunity to test out 3 new pairs of road shoes that are coming out in 2014, Puma Faas, Saucony Mirage IV and Nike Free Flyknit. Here's what I thought!

Puma Faas 500v3

Puma Faas 500v3

The Puma Faas 500v3 is a neutral minimal training shoe.  It has a 4mm heel to toe ratio.  It has a lot of cushioning.  There is plenty of room in the toebox which is nice however there was also a lot of room in the heel.  I felt the heel cup was too big, my feet did not feel secure in the back.  Often times I felt that my heels were sliding up and down while I was running. The shoes felt comfortable when I put them on and I could feel the thick cushioning under my feet.  However, once I ran a few miles in them I began having pain in my feet, knees and hips.  In total I ended up only running about 20 miles in these which were short runs of 4-5 miles because of the pain I was having.  These shoes while very cushioned, were not giving me support in the arch of my foot and they caused me to overpronate.  Another reason I think they gave pain was due to the lack of flexibility and responsiveness in the sole, they felt stiff while I ran.  I also felt these shoes in general felt a bit bulky.  They were not overly heavy especially considering the amount of cushion however I prefer a lighter minimalist shoe.  Overall it's a sturdy, well cushioned shoe with plenty of room that came in a nice color, just not the right shoe for me. 

Pumas for mom and Una

Saucony Mirage 4

 

Saucony Mirage 4

The Saucony Mirage 4 is in Saucony line of "natural running" shoes.  It is pretty lightweight at about 7.6 oz (women's).  It has a 4mm heel to toe ratio, plenty of cushioning and a nice fit.  I found the toebox and the heel to be perfect in size.  Despite the significant amount of cushion, the shoe is very responsive and flexible.  The shoe did not feel bulky or heavy.  I felt supported in all the right places.  I never experienced any pain during the 20 or so miles I put into these shoes so far.   As much as I love a lightweight, 0mm shoe, I did enjoy running in these a lot.  They aren't quite as light as the kinvara or the virrata however these are a nice smooth, comfortable ride. While I won't race in these, I will definitely keep these around to train in.  And the colors are nice too!

Nike Free Flyknit

Nike Free Flyknit

 The Nike Free Flyknit is a hybrid of two of their running shoes.  It combines the sock-like second skin of the Flyknit and the great flexibility of the Free.   It has a 9mm heel to toe ratio.  When I opened these shoes, I was in shock.  I have never seen a pair of running shoes like these but then again I don't have a TON of experience either.  At first I was worried they were a bit too tight however I was so intrigued by them that I had slapped them on as soon as they came which happened to be the day after my 2nd marathon in two weeks so I'm pretty sure my feet/ankles were a bit swollen ;-)  The next time I put them on to actually go for a run, they felt WONDERFUL.  The fit is very snug around the ankle and foot which takes a little getting used to but it was never uncomfortable.  Due to this "second skin" technology, you can actually run in these without socks which I did for two short training runs.  I had no issues whatsoever but then again I had no issues with socks either ;-)  Additionally, these were designed so that you could also run without the laces.  One less worry during a race, laces coming untied!  I did not try it without the laces yet but may give it a shot.  The actual toebox and heel are good size.  I ended up wearing these for the Rocky 50K so I could get my testing miles in and I did not have a single blister nor did they bother my perpetually black toe.  I love the way these shoes are extremely flexible.  The sole literally wraps around the bottom of your foot.  These are super light (7.6 oz Men) yet very supportive and comfortable.  I was very surprised by this since it is such a light, thin shoe.  I was sure that I would feel every little bump and rock on the road but this was not the case at all.  I really have nothing negative to say about these shoes.  I was convinced that I would not find a another minimalist shoe that I would feel as fast and as good in as the Saucony virratas and that I certainly wouldn't like anything with such a large heel to toe drop not to mention something so close to a barefoot shoe.  Turns out I was wrong! 

sportin the Nike Free Flyknits at the Rocky 50K