Vivobarefoot is updating the Evo, which was one of the original ultraminimal shoes. It becomes the Evo Lite, which will hopefully fix the forefoot flex problem many have reported with previous iterations of the Evo (apparently it can cause abrasion on the top of the toes). The Evo One has a 3mm outsole and looks like a solid shoe ¨C I¡¯m not crazy about the Vivobarefoot running shoe aesthetic, but the One looks pretty decent. The Evo Stealth is a bit more structured version of the One and shares the same new outsole. For more, read this post on Toesalad.
Of all of the shoes on this list, this is the one I¡¯m most excited to try. Saucony shoes seem to work really well for me, and the Kinvara and Grid Type A5 are among my all-time favorite running shoes (both of these are also being updated this year). The Virrata looks to me to be a zero drop cousin to the Kinvara, which sounds fantastic. Weighing in at 6.7oz and with a stack height of 17mm, the Virrata Adidas LA Trainer Homme Boutique is a bit more shoe than the Hattori, but a bit less shoe than the Kinvara. I¡¯m hoping it has the softish feel of the Kinvara which I like for long distances. The Virrata will be in-stock in mid-February at Running Warehouse.
One study examined 120 healthy individuals both non weight bearing and weight bearing. Not one subject conformed to the historical criteria of a ¡®normal¡¯ foot. Further searching through the literature shows that the majority of data collected from sampled populations suggests that the normal (average) foot position at rest is actually mildly to moderately pronated, as opposed to ¡®neutral¡¯.
The PureDrift is Brooks¡¯ most minimal shoe. It has a removable insole that allows it to convert between a 4mm and zero drop shoe ¨C stack height without the 6mm heel-2mm forefoot insole is a uniform 12mm. Weight is 6.1oz in size 9. The PureDrift ships any day now from Running Warehouse. It is in-stock at Road Runner Sports.
The above Q&A basically describes my feelings on the topic of overpronation. You might think that you wear such shoes because you need support for your ¡°excessive¡± foot movement to prevent injury, but the reality is there is scant evidence at best that these shoes accomplish this goal, or that excessive pronation is even strongly linked to increased injury risk.
Adidas MotionI reviewed the Gazelle a few weeks ago, and have since put a bunch more miles on it ¨C it¡¯s honestly one of the best shoes I¡¯ve run in for a long time. Super comfortable, flexible, an Vente Adidas Tech Super Homme d just enough cushion for running both long and fast on the roads ¨C durability after 50+ miles has been great. With the discount, the $100 price tag drops to $80, which isn¡¯t too bad for a running shoe these days. I also just received a pair of the 8mm drop adidas Motion (see blue shoe above), which is also part of the ¡°natural running series.¡± The Motion is also incredibly comfortable, and I suspect it might become my top pick as a mild step-down shoe for someone moving away fro Adidas ZX 700 Homme France m traditional 12mm drop shoes ¨C stay tuned for a review!.
