Lunar Trainer vs. Lunar Racer

$79 here and with a coupon you get additional off. Free shipping both ways if they don't fit.

Moon Man wrote:

however, one of the tenants of minimalist shoes

"tenets", not "tenants".

voice of reason and experience wrote:

I've got a pair of racers and liked the ride but the toe-box was small and there's no give in the upper plastic material. In terms of being responsive, they're fine for road racing. At 4 oz, they feel pretty good. The platform is narrower than Trainers.

Lunar Racer is built on the Nike Free last. Unfortunately the upper is as noted has no give. Great racing flat, although your feet take a beating depending on the fit.

Lunar Trainer is a nice trainer, but the outsole wears quickly. The Lunar Glide will have move rubber and probably wear a lot better in the outsole. The upper of the Lunar Glide has some more material and is defintely more "traditional" in terms of an exoskelton on the upper. My short wear in the Glide felt good. Firmer in the midsole than the trainer and not as wide in the upper.

I tried the LunarTrn today, liked it very much, but I have worn the Hayward/Skylon for about three years, I wonder if the change will throw me off? Also I could not get over the fact that the heel of the LunarTrn is kinda way up there ( high heel to forefoot ratio), but feel good? Is it like many/most things, if it seems too good to believe well stay away from it? I am 165 5'11" losing weight, may get down to 155 by summers end the way my eating & economics is starting to result in my loss of lbs. Is it too good to be true? How long will it last? I am a true fore foot striker with little to no wear on my heel area of my last three pair of Hayward/Skylon shoes. I run both on the pavement/crete & love trails or fire roads.

Please send advice

I get major blisters on the toes in the Luna Trainers for some reason, but otherwise like the ride. Bummed out cause I wanted to run a marathon in them, but will go with the Elixer instead.

OK I bought them(L.T.), ran in them right out of the box on a 90+ degree day, they felt great.. I died too freakin hot after 72 minutes...

It is one of the only shoes that holds my foot or does not allow my foot to roll off the midfoot on the outside, excellent! If that was the only thing that the shoe did it is a success in my opinion

Why does Nike have to pull the plug on the LT so soon, 18 months maybe it will have been on the market, june 2008 to Oct 2009?

lightly salted wrote:

Why does Nike have to pull the plug on the LT so soon, 18 months maybe it will have been on the market, june 2008 to Oct 2009?

Because they're Nike. That's what they do. Everytime, a good shoe miraculously gets past the mediocrity police there, some bozo in marketing decides they need to "improve" it with a new version.

This is almost 30 years of experience with Nike Running shoes talking. When you find a shoe of theirs you realy like, go out on the internet and buy every damn pair you can find. Suck up the cost once because blink and they will be gone.

I've got a few Lunar Racers in mine.

I get blisters on my toes in the Lunar trainers as well. They seem pretty fast but also they make my feet more tired--maybe that's building up the muscles from the design. Nike gets stuff wrong in all of its products.

I ran in them the first time and my achilles and toes rubbed. I went up a half size and never had another problem. Go up a half size and make sure you have a thumb nail space at the top of the shoe.

Wearing shoes that are too small can cause hammer toes, fungal infections and many other common running problems.

lightly salted wrote:

Why does Nike have to pull the plug on the LT so soon, 18 months maybe it will have been on the market, june 2008 to Oct 2009?

Because the LunarGlide is a better shoe. I've run in both. The LG is better. In some ways I even like the Hayward better than the LT. Certainly for running fast I do.

Spring 2010 Nikes:

http://skylon.smugmug.com/gallery/8505432_2T4HX#559789203_epaya

Hey thanks for the pics of the new shoes.

Is this Misinformation or Information about the quality of the new Glide??

I was told by the well informed clerk at the shop I bought my LTs that the nike rep is not not even booking the Lunar Glide for his real runners shops, he did not want to fill the stores he services with that shoe.

I thought that was an odd statement & wondered what other people out there have found out from their own town running company, usa?

I'm curious about the lunar swift and the lunar elite. It may be that they are similar to the trainer. It doesn't appear that they are racers.

Hey, I've got 170 miles on my LunarRacers.. I've run 2 marathons in them 3 halfs, a bunch of other races and some workouts... Should I consider getting a new pair for my fall marathon???

I'm in the skylons also. Are they seriously discontinuing them? If so, when? All of the shoes mentioned so far have much too high of a heel and if they are overly cushioned they will not have the same ride at all. I've had some pf issues so I don't want to change how I hit the ground now that the pf is gone.

Anyone know?

Another wrote:

Hey, I've got 170 miles on my LunarRacers.. I've run 2 marathons in them 3 halfs, a bunch of other races and some workouts... Should I consider getting a new pair for my fall marathon???

No.

I have about 300 miles on my Lunar Racers. They are still feeling good, and can probably go another 200 or so I'll guess.

I did have to cut a half-inch slit in the heel counter on each shoe to avoid banging my achilles on every step, but other than that, they are an awesome shoe.

I wear them with no socks and they are straight-laced, but the fit is very good and I have no complaints with the upper.

The Skylons look to be in line through the end of the year and are not in the catalog for spring 2010.

The Lunartrainer will be gone after October of fall 09.

The Lunarelite is the replacement for the Zoom Elite but is a very different shoe.

The Lunarswift may be the closets thing to the Lunar Trainer but we will have to see what fit and feels like to determin that and I am not sure if it is posted for stability.

Haven't been able to wear racing flats in several years because of the simple fact that I am getting older. Ran Congress Avenue Mile in the Lunar Racers and love them. I use the Lunar trainer for 10-mile long runs and for races 5K and above. I also wear the Skylon.