The Kinvara has been around for a bit now. Considering its low heel-to-toe drop as its chief feature and that many who have tried it have gone from a more conventional high drop, what are people's experiences with the shoe? Have people had problems with the change in the drop?
did my first run in them today and they felt great. flexible and responsive. felt a lot better than the run i did in my brooks launch yesterday. they stay pretty dry too.
Haven't tried it but I've heard a slew of very positive reviews.
As for hell-toe ratio I enjoy a flatter drop but my only current flat pair are Hyperspeeds which beat me up if I wear them beyond races and speedwork. Been considering the Newtons.
I just picked up a pair this week. Did 5.5 miles on Saturday, and loved them.
I haven't noticed any issues with the heel drop, but I always strike with the ball of my foot and don't put any weight in the heel anyway.
I like the amount of padding on the forefoot. My main concern is how well they hold up - they seem a bit flimsy. As long as I can get at least 300 miles from a pair, I'll be happy at the price ($90)
I think they are a decent shoe. I just passed the 300 mile marker in mine and they've shown very little wear.
This shoe is ok...not great. The shoe is really comfortable/light/a soft ride. However the shoes do wear out quickly and are terrible at wicking sweat(mine smell horrible). The foam is so light and filled with air that you can feel rocks and sticks A LOT on the trails. Every now in then i'll "OW!" when running over a particularly large rock.
Also, this is not really a minimalist shoe. Yes, it is light and the minimal heel to toe drop is nice...but while the foam is light there is still a considerable amount of it which takes your foot far away from the ground. I think this could be an ideal shoe for the average joe who runs 4-5 a day on the crete.
ive worn them for about a month now and i love the feel. the heel is a little noticeable but after a few runs it starts to feel normal. the shoes are very light and feel great. i run sockless and havent felt any hotspots. they do smell absolutely terrible though. this past week, however, i have had some lower back pain and it hasnt gotten better. not sure if it has anything to do with the shoe or not.
The upper material is very sloppy on my foot. However, that is just how the shoe fits on my particular foot. Some people really like it. It is definitely a comfortable shoe and feels great without socks on.
Just wanted to add that after using the Kinvaras for a couple weeks, I developed a low/mid back pain and I've never had back pain before. I stopped using them and the pain subsided. I like everything else about the shoe but I do find the back pain suspicious.
Mid/Low Back Pain wrote:
Just wanted to add that after using the Kinvaras for a couple weeks, I developed a low/mid back pain and I've never had back pain before. I stopped using them and the pain subsided. I like everything else about the shoe but I do find the back pain suspicious.
me too!!!! i didnt want to blame the shoes but its the only thing that has changed in my training and the back pain has not gotten better. it has worried me a little. i think the heel drop increases the impact when your heel hits the ground compared to other shoes.
i will be switching back to my nike lunarglides grudgingly...i loved the kinvaras but the back pain isnt a good sign. any recommendations on light trainers similar to the kinvaras?