Occasional Runner
This is inspired by the Shoe thread that is currently ongoing.
How important is heel drop in your shoe selection? It seems to be a hot topic these days, as if, after all these years of running in shoes, we've found a fatal flaw in shoe designs.
Personally, I think this is a bullshit spinoff from the BF movement. As a trail runner, I understand that my feet fall at a different angle with every step. This is the same reason that I think "motion control trail shoes" are bullshit. What good is a stiff medial post on trails?
For me, I totally ignore the heel drop and run in shoes that feel great. Sometimes, I think runners are trying to migrate to a lesser heel drop because its the current fad. A fad that is rapidly replacing the VFF's.
What say you?
P.S. Altra INVENTED the term "Zero Drop". Marketing ploy?
I couldn't agree more. I am not concerned with heel height, drop or whatever. I look for a certain degree of stiffness and I don't want a shoe too flexible. Not just in a up and down fashion but I grab the forefoot and try to twist it to determine what will work for me. I need a little cushioning but not too much. After that it has to work for my feet and bio-mechanics. If it doesn't work I don't try to make it work it just gets thrown into the garage for yard work or sealing the driveway, or painting, etc.
In my opinion--yes a marketing thing but whatever. If it makes anal tech-weenies happy that's great.
I buy what's comfortable and what will match my jeans once I wear them out!
No in all seriousness I wear what is comfortable and certainly have bought something just because it was on sale and worth the try. I am not a gear junkie.
I don't know if it's bullshit, but I have no interest in shoes with zero/low heel drop - I've been running very happily and injury-free for many years in my "high heels." I do find it annoying shopping for lightweight trail shoes and having to weed out all of the zero/low drop ones.
Endless trails
It's a little curious that the term began right about the time the bf movement
began to gain momentum and popularity. I don't pay attention to it personally.
Flexibility and fit are far more important to me than drop. To be honest I never
really bothered with motion-control, cushioning or any of the other terms shoe
companies use either. I cringe at running stores when the sales people try to
explain those terms to potential runners.
I use the same method NH uses.
Damn right it was a marketing ploy, a big problem in the gear associated with our
sport. IMHO, of course.
Le professeur de trail
I really am clueless to the zero drop or heel drop or whatever. I do say that maybe the shoe companies are screwing enough with the shoes which is what has caused my feet issues. Stupid shoe companies...
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
I have "normal" road and trail shoes (i.e. not low heel drop) and both models work great. I have yet to have a major running injury using any regular shoe...knock on wood!
The only time I had some serious foot problems was this winter when I tried lower heel drop shoes (4 mm I think) from the Brooks Pure project line. They are light and springy, but now I only wear them for short runs so my achilles doesn't hate me.
I'm not saying there's anything wrong with lower heel drop, but in my experience, I stick by "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I do get mad though when my Cross-fitty friend lectures me on shoes, and how I should be wearing low drop shoes. And I'm all like, YOU ARE NOT A DISTANCE RUNNER, BRO! (rant over)
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My 2 cents...
I tend to agree with the school of thought that the whole heel drop movement is a fad spinoff from BF, B2R, etc. I also think that you will be hard pressed to find shoes that don't fit within the 'minimalist' drop that don't have a stiff medial post. I'm no expert on shoes but that is what I see when running shoe shopping.
Personally, I welcome the FAD. In the trail running world I feel like it has made the shoe companies get more creative and innovative. The standard used to be 12mm+ drop and now we are seeing great flexible, light weight, and durable trails shoes coming out every season.
I have shoes all over the spectrum and am in the group that prefers feel over what a drop is. I also think that we would be stuck in road shoes or heavy trails shoes if it were not for this FAD.
under a rock
I like shoes with a lower heel to toe drop. I spent more time having ITB problems back when drops were higher. I like the trend that they are getting away from the higher heel stack. I don't think zero drop is for everyone. I can personally handle a 4mm. I feel that on road surfaces is where it's been beneficial to my running. Also, I spend most of my day barefoot or in completely flat shoes so I don't want my running shoes to be too far off base.
My biggest concern is that the toe box not squeeze my forefoot. I've had nerve issues that caused lots of pain in my toes from toe boxes not being wide enough in the ball or toe area. There is a new trend towards this. But, I really wish that the wider toe box trend really resulted in toe boxes that are truly wide enough for my toes. Most end up wider than the previous standard, but for me it's still too cramped and I hate having to size up just to get more room. Or, they are wider but lose the snug fit in the heel and mid foot, resulting in my foot twisting around inside the shoe on technical trails.
I don't think of it as a fad or a gimmick. It's something that many people have asked for and has helped many people to solve their own mechanical problems.
That I won't agree with. I was running trails lonnngg before this so called fad and I've seen plenty of good trail shoes come and go just like the road shoes. I think the reason we have so many trail shoes now is manufacturers finally realized we are a great demographic and it's just basic economics at that point. Not to mention we are part of the latest reboom of the running movement.
LMAO
You want to do a little research on a new shoe so you go to Zappos or Amazon to read the reviews and that is what you get. Perfect dpc!
Ya know, you're probably right about that. I tend to be a little cynical. I had a pair of trail New Balance
701's years ago and I wore them until the big N tore off, they were a little heavy and clunky but I loved
them. Now NB has a huge number of options to choose from, that's not exactly a bad thing.
That's a good point too, damn you people with your opinions.
LMAO You want to do a little research on a new shoe so you go to Zappos or Amazon to read the reviews and that is what you get. Perfect dpc!
I'm all about the color Harrier and considering i'm a bit color blind, you should see how I dress.
As a trail runner, I understand that my feet fall at a different angle with every step.
More marketing, but is this not the idea by Pearl Izumi's new line of shoes with "dynamic" offset? The transition is smooth, for sure.
My view is that people run differently, and that some people prefer shoes with a different range of drop.
One thing that I think gets lost is what I am going to call stack height. I have shoes with higher drop and low stack height (La Sportiva X-Countrys). Hokas have lower drop but are like running on platform shoes to me and do not work at all for my running.
One variable does not a workable shoe make ...