Minimalist Racing Flats are no longer being made —— Sad Days

I'm actually curious, does anyone train in minimal shoes and then race in super shoes? I feel like you could gather all the leg/foot strength from the training and then really put the shoes to work.

I actually think I got a half size too big. I have a left foot that is like a quarter size smaller than my right foot. The shoes feel extra roomy in that foot to the point its a hindrance. They feel ok running in, like a cross between the adizero hagio and the mizuno wave cruise is how I'd describe them. You can def race over 10k in the shoe, but I still prefer the streak lt, though the genten-rc will have better grip on wet roads (the lt 3 and 4 have horrible grip on anything wet).

I think I'm done ordering shoes from Japan. Its too big of a hasslewith about a 50% error rate on sizing for me.

I try to do my workouts in minimalist shoes.

Saving money so I've been using the Aatreyu Base Model for a lot of my track repeats and tempo/uptempo runs (not long runs though). I feel like their quality is meh; but they do what I need them to do. And I feel like I get more push out of Super Shoes come race time.

Typically lacing up the Vaporfly 2's since I stocked up on a few pairs before they went away

I highly recommend the Xero shoe line for real racing flats. I use them as my full time training shoes. i put nearly a thousand miles on my last pair of Xero Prio before they fell apart. super lightweight, extremely low stack height.

Ya, I think like 9-14 mm stack height. Can you run off road in those?

I do, and have for years, but it took a little getting used to on super rocky trails. Your feet toughen up. I also have Xero's trail shoes (Mesa II) which are much thicker/tougher on the bottom and would make you pretty invincible over the rocks, but they're a little too heavy/bulky for me now after years of the Prio. Still, Mesa II's are still about the weight of an old racing flat.

I've tried the propio nitro. It's an ok shoe for speed work or track racing. I don't know if I'd do much road milage or racing over 10k in them though. I'd rather wear the streak lt even on the track. The fit is just dialed in and it has the right pop when running. I don't know what shoe manufacturers are considering when coming up with shoes because you can develop a faster flat using early 2000s tech (og streak xc would be faster for me).

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I have 9 pairs of streak lt 4, 2 of streak lt 3. I'll prob find another couple on eBay while using those. I'm still finding them at about the replacement rate but I imagine that won't go on forever.

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Anyone know of anything else in the pipeline?

I think the company Active88 makes a pretty lightweight racing flat, although I have not tried it myself

I tried it. I didn't like it, the open sole pattern bothered my feet. It's called Active 88 Boulder and it might work for some.

I got a pair last week, will report back

I’ve done 10k in them so far and they are doing fine (5k on gravel/dirt, 5k on a track, spikes in for both)

haven’t worn something minimal like this for a while, so the mileage build will be slow

The Inov8 road (and trail) shoes might be interesting for some of you. I have only used their trail shoes, and not recently, but I did the general design philosophy they use, especially after the moved away from the super skinny shapes. (I had a horrendously narrow pair of X-Talon 212s for mountain running back in the day.)

They have a Roadfly with 18/12 midsole (total stack thicker) in standard and wide widths, nice toebox shape. There's also a zero offset Roadfly with 12mm midsole, also in standard and wide, and a max Roadfly, which I presume you wouldn't be interested in.

Decathlon also do some low drop flats that are do well as everyday minimalist trainers

I’m over 20 miles in mine, mostly on concrete and gravel and they are holding up just fine.

Time for an end of the year check in I suppose.

I have 6 pairs of streak lts with no wear, 2 pairs in use (one that is a pair of streak lt 2s that are sure to fall apart in a few more runs), and a few used pairs with holes in the toe box and/or sidewall (is that what it is called) that I really wouldn't want to race or do a long workout in.

I think 2026 will be the last year I can train full time in the streak lt but I'm holding out hope of a new minimal road flat with a stack in the 22-24 mm range.

I think I will go to the duel sonic 4 when these are all dead/holed - but I really don't want to - to me its like going from racing in jasaris to waffles - for those old enough to get the reference.

I have some other odds and ends around - a pair of saucony sinisters, mizuno wave cruises, some skechers flat, nike streak 6s and 7s - but I view these as just "can be used as a trainer in a pinch".

Any other minimalists care to chime in? Have any new flats come to market lately?

Here’s to the Nike “ Mariah”…. Many years, many roads, much happiness

Thank you

It exists. It's the Topo Fli-Lyte 6 (23-20) and if you want to go back to the days of the Nike Freez there's the Topo ST-5, which is 14mm zero drop shoe. You may also still be able to find an Asics Hyperspeed around.

You would have ran 30:45 in Vaporflys. But I understand none of the good supershoe brands will sponsor you/your team.

Coach Timo