Zero Drop Road Shoes

I don't know if I'd classify it as minimalist, but I recently switched to the Saucony Cortana 3 and I could not be happier with the shoe.

The Virrata sounds perfect for you, really a fantastic shoe. I don't have experience with any of the others that you mentioned.

If it's cushioned, it's not minimal.

The Newton MV3 are excellent for speed work/racing, but I don't think they'd be the best for long runs. Over 10K might be pushing it. I do my long runs in the Newton Distance and love the shoe. It's probably a better bet. It has a 2mm drop.

So osm, you liked the Virrata? How was the "ride"?

And from what I've read, Captain Oblivious, you can have a cushioned minimal shoe. You may be confusing minimal with barefoot?

romanrunner15 wrote:

So osm, you liked the Virrata? How was the "ride"?

And from what I've read, Captain Oblivious, you can have a cushioned minimal shoe. You may be confusing minimal with barefoot?

minimal and barefoot are essentially the same thing. you're confusing these terms with low drop. you can have high cushion, low drop shoes, and traditional drop, low cushion shoes (not too many of these however). if it has much cushion, it isn't minimal though.

romanrunner15 wrote:

So osm, you liked the Virrata? How was the "ride"?

And from what I've read, Captain Oblivious, you can have a cushioned minimal shoe. You may be confusing minimal with barefoot?

I issue does get a bit clouded because there are shoes with complex uppers and virtually no sole thickness and vice-versa where they have a bulky sole and not much on top.

Most people think of minimalism as the sole/midsole thickness/stiffness.

Would you say the Virrata is responsive or soft like the Kinvara?

I know a lot of people like the Kinvara but I found it too soft.

Thanks

I would also look at the Merrell Bare Acess and Bare Acess Ultra.

Also consider the Altra One (Squared). For me it's the first Altra shoe where execution matches the good ideas behind the shoe. It's a lot softer than previous Altras without being pillowy.

I wear the saucony kilkenny XC flat and have for years. 100 mile weeks, 1200 miles on a pair (at least). Long runs of 18-22 miles and no complaints. Most of the running is on the road but they are great for trails too. Best thing is that they cost $50.

Another vote for the Altra One 2 (squared). 23mm stack height and well cushioned. Zero drop. Wide toe box. Sub 6 oz. Perfect.

Make sure you order 1/2 size bigger.

All Altra shoes are zero drop and have wide toe boxes allowing the toes to splay. I love them. Have run in Superiors on the trail, The One, 3Sum and now One 2 - this one is by far the best for minimalists.

Pantman wrote:

Another vote for the Altra One 2 (squared). 23mm stack height and well cushioned. Zero drop. Wide toe box. Sub 6 oz. Perfect.

Make sure you order 1/2 size bigger.

All Altra shoes are zero drop and have wide toe boxes allowing the toes to splay. I love them. Have run in Superiors on the trail, The One, 3Sum and now One 2 - this one is by far the best for minimalists.

Altra shoes are for clowns and ducks.

cappy wrote:

Would you say the Virrata is responsive or soft like the Kinvara?

I know a lot of people like the Kinvara but I found it too soft.

Thanks

It's reasonably soft, but not pillowy by any means. I wouldn't classify it as responsive. I haven't worn the Kinvara, but I think that Saucony intended it to be like a lighter, zero-drop version of the Kinvara, so I imagine that the cushioning would be fairly similar. You definitely won't be feeling the ground the way you do in truly minimal shoes.

Hoka Clifton. Super cushioned. 6.9 oz. Nuff said.

zero drop cushioned are the way to go.

virrata 1 is all I have experience with. Great shoe. A little more narrow in the toe box than the Kinvara, that's the only downside to the shoe.

The Skechers GoBionic 2s have been well received, so much that they're selling out and hard to find in a lot of sizes. That's what I recommend. Altra's are kind of heavy. The guy saying the new Hoka racing flats are 6.9 ounces needs to take a pic on a scale to prove it.

Hi,

here You have a few links to self-made zero drop shoes.

http://www.bieganie.pl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=27500#p412241

One of them was made especially for Haile

http://www.yacool.pl/HydePark/boost/etiopski_kruk.jpg

http://www.bieganie.pl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=32986&start=165#p605997

Clifton is a 5mm drop, and is more like 7.9oz, but who's counting.

The Huaka is 2mm, and only an ounce heavier. Will probably be more durable, too.

Also, to the point about confusion about what "minimal" means...There is not a ton of consistency across the industry regarding terms like this. Some brands and store people throw that term on anything that is low-drop, even if it has a ton of cushioning (or even some stability). But I think most people would use the term "minimal" to describe shoes that aim for a mostly barefoot experience...Not just low drop, but high flexibility and not very much cushion.

The shoes that are low drop/high-or-some cushioning (most Altra's, Hoka, Saucony Kinvara, brooks pure series, etc) fit this mold, and the industry hasn't come up with a good name for them that the brands can agree upon. "Natural" seems to be the most often used word, but it's kind of vague.

Back to the point, the virrata is a nice shoe, The altra One 2 is cool, I'd stay away from the pure drift, the merrells are worth a look. The MR10 won't really be that different.

good luck