I have slowly been working my way to become a minimalist runner. What are some good trainers for minimalism? Are there some good pairs of flats for high-mileage training? (around 60 miles a week) Preferably with some durability. Thanks.
These are some Im interested in:
What are your seperate opinions on the following shoes if you have experience with them?
Asics Hyper speed 4
Mizuno Musha 3
Nike Streak XC 3
Asics Piranha SP 3
Saucony Kinvara 2
Adidas Adios
Nike Streak 3
Nike Lunaracer+
High School Runner wrote:
Are there some good pairs of flats for high-mileage training? (around 60 miles a week)
60 mpw is not high mileage
For a D3 Junior in High School it is.
what the hell is a d3 high school?
Division 3
High School Runner wrote:
Division 3
Michigan?
Nope
I've trained in the hyperspeeds, lunaracers and pirahnas. IMO the piranha is best suited to track workouts and 5K (at most) road races. In terms of comfort and "feel" I much prefer the hypers and lunars for distance training, but I do most of my running on trails which have a mix of surfaces that include loose and fairly sharp gravel which tore up their soles fairly quickly.
BTW, one shoe that should get more mention in these type threads is the Saucony Kilkenny spikeless XC which I've also trained in. I think they use carbon rubber in the sole which held up very well. Just not nearly as much cushioning as the Hyperspeeds or lunaracer+.
Thanks for actually answering the question, and giving your opinions.
Unmentioned:
New Balance Minimus Trail, not bad
New Balance Minimus Road, not good
Saucony Hattori, sucks
Saucony Peregrine, friggin awesome trail shoe
Also, Lunaracer is not really a minimalist shoe. It has a significant heel-to-toe drop and has fairly thick sole. Nike Free 3.0 is also a decent minimalist shoe, not to be mistaken with the Free Run/5.0/7.0, which are not really minimalist shoes either.
Others I would recommend:
Brooks T7 Racer
New Balance 1400 (Phenomenal Shoe! Personal Favorite)
Brooks Green Silence
Are you a forefoot or heel striker? That should influence which type of minimalist shoe you get.
I'm a forefoot striker, and I absolutely love my Kinvaras even though they tend to get a lot of crap. In my opinion, they are one of the best lightweight/minimalist shoes for forefoot strikers. I can get 1000+ miles out of them and not miss a beat.
I use the adios and rockets for 90% of my runs, and the pros or cadence for the faster work.
Great shoes , adios is really not minimalist. The mtb100 new balance on the other hand is paper thin.
I think a lot depends on your foot. I have pretty narrow feet so for me, the Asics hyperspeed just fits like a glove. Love that shoe!
If you have trails to run on, definitely consider xc flats: saucony Shay xc or Kilkenny are good and cheap.
Kinvara's have that reassuring, cushiony feel
Addidas eikden/rockets are some of my favorites for faster workouts on the road.
I like Hattori's so far, but my opinion is easily influenced by price (I paid $44) and they're a little to minimalist for me to use every day.
runblogger.com has many reviews on minimalist shoes
Karhu Flow
I trained in the Hyperspeeds for awhile and did not like the sole of the shoe. The inner part was not attached to the bottom of the shoe and functioned more like an insert than an actual sole. This made it nearly impossible to wear sockless and gave it a bit of a shaky feel even with socks. Also, I found them to be a little stiff.
According to runningwarehouse, the Lunaracer drop is only 6 mm. It may not be a minimalist shoe, but that is not a significant drop.
minimalism is overrated wrote:
New Balance Minimus Road, not good
Why? Not to be harsh, but that's kind of a useless "review" :)
Right now I rotate the NB minimus with the Adidas Adios and Saucony Kinvara and frankly am pretty ambivalent about any differences between them (aside from the Adios being a bit more narrow).
Anyone have a very narrow lightweight trainer? I have huge problems finding shoes narrow enough.