End-of-year gear: Running reviews

In the spirit of the season (insane shopping season, as far as I can tell), I thought I'd share some thoughts on gear I've discovered, or just loved using, in 2013. This update will be in two parts. This one is about gear for running, the next one will be about cool stuff for cycling.

So what have I been using this year?

My stable of shoes expanded this year to include the Altra Lone Peak and the Skora Base (more on this later), both of which I like. All of my road racing (and a fair bit of training) has still been in my Saucony Hattoris, which have sadly been discontinued. Shame on you Saucony!
Socks. I know people like socks for Christmas (or so my mum always said) and I know they're a very personal choice. That said, if I'm not out in my Injinji socks, then I'm probably running in Swiftwick. It's hard to say why they're awesome, they just are. I don't quite understand why I'm excited about a sock, but there you have it.
I've not really got a clear favourite in the running tights department, and the oh-my-god-these-are-awesome split shorts I recently found appear to have been, yes, discontinued (thanks Puma!) The best running singlet (vest, for those who speak the Queen's) I own is still my K-Swiss Ironman singlet.

So there are two things I want to go a little more in depth with, first the Skora Base and then the Altra Lone Peak. Let's face it - running is about shoes.

Skora Base

I'm going to have to come clean here: I didn't pay for these. A Skora ambassador (Kyle - thanks Kyle!) very kindly hooked me up with a pair, but I'm under no obligation to say nice things. Most of what I have to say about these is pretty good though.

Firstly, Skora shoes come in a pretty damn sexy box. I don't usually keep my shoes in the box after I first take them out, but the Skora box is nice (it has a magnetic closure). See how pretty it is?

Since first impressions count, here are the exact words I sent to Kyle on the day I got the shoes:

 I tried them on, and they felt good enough to just jump out of the door and go an easy 4.5 miles.

The shoe has a great shape and the length is exactly as hoped. With the one piece upper it feels super comfortable straight out of the box.

Cinching in the heel tab a little holds my heel in the shoe perfectly, and I have a fairly narrow heel. The forefoot has good space too. The middle of the shoe seems to be harder to secure completely. I feel like there's a bit of lateral movement allowed (which I only feel cornering quickly). It feels like the design of the velcro fastener is tightening the front of the shoe more than the mid, so if I tighten the strap to where the top/mid foot is 100% secure then it feels a bit too snug by the front of the strap system (and I feel like I'm running out of velcro to fasten the strap with!). I'll play with it... it's certainly not bad, just initially isn't feeling completely secure across the midfoot/around the arch.

First impressions from the run are fairly good too. The ride feels firmer than I was expecting. I think the firmer feel comes from the forefoot of the shoe being laterally stiff, which I wasn't expecting. It's plenty flexible in every other sense, and it certainly didn't stop me from getting some good strides done in my run. It'll be interesting to see how the flex changes as the shoe gets some miles on it.

I chose the Skora Base, despite being intrigued by the different outsole on the Phase, because of its similarity to the Saucony Hattori (13mm stack height, 0mm drop, velcro closure). The velcro closure is a big plus since I race duathlon and triathlon, but hate elastic laces. I'd like to stop right there though and say that it's not really a similar shoe. The Hattori is a ninja slipper that lets you count the grains of sand underfoot while running as fast as your legs can handle; the Base feels more sedate and solid, more of a stoic samurai. I can't stress enough just how cushy the upper is though.

My first impression largely stands after running in the Base for nearly 3 months. Unless you usually run in Hattoris, Vibram FiveFingers or the like, you probably won't notice the lateral stiffness in the forefoot. I've gotten used to it, but it's definitely there. It's got a good amount of foot protection though, easily enough for non-technical trail running. While I didn't initially feel that the shoe was right for racing or fast runs, I've changed my mind somewhat. I've run hard training sessions on road and trail in these shoes, including haring around corners like I stole something. When I'm pushing hard the shoes just perform and I don't really notice the stiffness that I feel at lower speeds. I'm still not sure that I'd race in these over my Hattoris, the design of the velcro closure isn't quite right, but I find myself reaching for the Skora most times I get ready for a run.

Altra Lone Peak 1.5

A lot of my running is on technical trails, mostly because that's what the trails here are like. They're often steep, usually rocky, and occasionally trying to kill me. I used to run them in Vibram Bikilas, but after dropping back from 6th to 25th in a trail half-marathon because of a badly bruised foot at mile 7 I decided I needed "a real shoe". Okay, I could've run the section with sharp, baby-head rocks a bit slower, but then that stops it being "racing".

So last year I got some hardcore trail shoes: the Pearl Izumi Peak II. They're a fine shoe, but at 9mm drop they're more ramp than I like. I also get some rub at the front of the shoe after 90 minutes or so. Which other shoes are available that are lower ramp, lower stack, but still offer good performance and protection on gnarly trails?

Enter the Altra Lone Peak 1.5

Be warned - the forefoot on these is super wide. I have oddly shaped feet - narrow at the heel and wide at the front. Sort of like flippers. These have a comfy heel cup that feels secure, and the lacing really allows me to get the shoe cinched down so it doesn't move around. Until the helpful sales guy at Santa Fe Running Hub showed me how I should lace these I was about to put them back and try a different shoe. This probably isn't a shoe for folks whose feet are narrow all the way along, but will most likely work for everyone else. The only problem I have with the construction on these shoes is that I get some rub at the top of the heel cup by the achilles, especially when running downhill. The simple solution is to wear longer socks, but if you're an aficionado of the uber-short socks (or no socks at all) then you have been warned.

Performance-wise, I have only good to say about these shoes. They give reasonable ground-feel while offering good protection from sharp rocks. The grip is awesome in pretty much all conditions, bar ice. Compared to other trail shoes I've had these still feel good on road, in case you have to run a couple miles to hit your favourite trailhead. Also, how sweet do they look?

TL;DR

There are some cool running shoes on the market, and if you're into natural running, minimalist running or just don't like bulky shoes (however you like to think of it) then I reckon it's worth taking a look at Skora and Altra. Also, everything I like seems to get discontinued pretty quickly, so if you like something I do it's probably worth buying six of them now.

Footnote (PSA)

As a final public service announcement I'd like to slate, without reservation, the Soffe running shorts. While they may be the same shorts that the US military use, I think that recent cost-cutting measures have sold the US military short. These are without a doubt the worst running shorts I have ever worn. Most of the negative reviews on Amazon relate to the lack of modesty required to wear these shorts. Trust me - I have little modesty and most of my running shorts are 1-2" inseam, either full or half split. I don't care that these shorts are short, or that the material is suggestively translucent. They aren't designed for humans, or running. I recommend paying the extra for a known entity that isn't a piece of crap. And with that... happy holidays and I'll get to writing about bike gear once I've been out for a ride.