Forums >Gears and Wears>Does this shoe exist?
Strict WTF adherent
The criteria: Neutral, lightweight, some cushioning and preferably with a drop of maybe 7mm or less ... but with a straight last?
Half Fanatic #846
Sounds like you're looking for a minimalist type shoe with some cushioning. My Skechers Go Bionic are neutal, light, zero drop, and looks like they have a semi-straight last.
For a more technical comparison of similar styles, check out www.runblogger.com.
"I don't always roll a joint, but when I do, it's usually my ankle" - unk. "Frankly autocorrect, I'm getting a bit tired of your shirt". I ran half my last race on my left foot!
New Balance 890s are a close fit. I think that the drop is 8MM. I run in them with good results.
Rebuilding my aerobic base....racing next year.....nothing to see here....move along now.
Look at Altra.
Out there running since dinosaurs roamed the earth
Saucony Kinvara. Don't know about the straight last, but they"re neutral, have a 4mm drop, and are both light and cushioned.
Right on Hereford...
Asics Gel-Lyte 33. 6mm drop, decent amount of cushioning (much more than the Skechers Go Bionic). And the last is slightly curved, but not a lot.
The "straight last" part seems to be the hard part. At RunningWarehouse.com, I could only find Altras listed as "straight." Most others are curved or semi-curved. If semi-curved is close enough, I like the Saucony Kinvaras a lot. If price is a driver, the Gel Lyte33's are only $60, but they are listed as "curved." I recently picked up New Balance 730's at a Sports Authority for $60 -- 3 mm drop, "semi-curved," lightweight and cushiony for as light as they are. Durability might be an issue, as well as finding your size. Brooks Pure series might have something close (again, I think I only saw "semi-curved").
If price is a driver, the Gel Lyte33's are only $60, but they are listed as "curved."
I actually meant the Gel Lyte 33 2's, not the original Gel Lyte 33, which I didn't like nearly as much. But yes, they do have a bit of a curve to them.
I just looked at several of my recent favorites (I'm a shoe tester, and have lots of shoes), and the Puma Faas 350 comes the closest to fitting your criteria, I believe.
brerfootbill wrote: Sounds like you're looking for a minimalist type shoe with some cushioning. My Skechers Go Bionic are neutal, light, zero drop, and looks like they have a semi-straight last.
I haven't tried those.How are the Bionics?
Just the Skechers GoRus and the GoRun Rides. Very light, almost like ballet slippers compared to the pairs of Brookses and New Balances I used to run in. Padding under the midfoot, not the heel. Pretty much a zero drop shoe.
Well, I try to run mostly barefoot, and a couple of times a week in minimalist shoes to give my feet a break from the pavement. As far as the other Skechers you mentioned (which I haven't tried), I think the Go Bionics would be noticeably "less shoe" - closer to being barefoot probably, but feels to me like some padding equally distributed underfoot. I think the Runs and the Rides each have a 4 mm drop.
Thanks all. Some very helpful feedback here. I've actually been in Kinvaras for a few years now, mixed in with a few other shoes. But even they are a bit too curved for my flat-as-pancakes feet. As SubDood pointed out, the "straight last" part is the challenge ... looks like Altras could be the answer
Hoka Bondi B fits all those criteria except for the "some cushioning" as it has quite a bit compared to most shoes.
http://www.runningwarehouse.com/descpageMRS-HOBBM3.html
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