Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Invisible Shoes: Almost barefoot and fancy free

Running sandals from Adventure Girl's perspective
Invisible Shoe Huaraches
MSRP $19.95 - $44.95

The Emerging Runner
Earlier this year I was contacted by Invisible Shoe to test their brand of running sandals. These shoes are designed in a similar way to the huaraches that are worn by the Tarahumara people in Mexico's Copper Canyon. Being fans of the book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, Adventure Girl and I thought it would be interesting to try this ultra-minimal running experience.

Since I already run in Saucony Hattori's, I'd expected that I'd do well with this minimal platform. On the other hand, I thought Adventure Girl might find these thin sandals a little lacking when she negotiated the rough Montana wilds that she currently calls home.

Out of the envelope
I chose the model with a 4mm sole and the DIY (do it yourself) option. Since the Hattori's also have a 4mm outsole, I thought I could adapt to the thinner offering without much problem. The DIY process required that I measure my foot and supply that information to Invisible Shoe. In return I received a pair of black rubber forms that were textured for comfort and stability on the top, with a tire-like tread on the bottom.

I needed to locate a spot at the top of the form, where I would punch a hole and thread the lace between my toes. The form had two pre-punched holes near the ankles that were based on my measurements. I followed the instructional video on the Invisible Shoe website and laced up my sandals. The knot at the bottom, below my big toe, presented a problem with comfort but I thought I'd be okay running on grass. I wasn't.

Doing it yourself














The Experience
For the first time ever, I failed to complete a full test of a supplied product. I just couldn't do it. I'll admit that I really don't like sandals and I can't wear flip-flops, so I probably should have anticipated the problems I had. I wrapped the laces around my feet and ankles, per the website instructions, and went out in the yard to try them out.

Almost immediately I knew this wasn't for me. I got why this could be good for some people, but I found the experience painful. I tried three times to run with the sandals, but the feel of the lace between my toes and the knotted end above my forefoot were too much to bear.

Conclusion
I really like the concept and I think Invisible Shoe offers a very interesting product for people who can handle the feel of a sandal. I can't speak to the value proposition because I cannot use the shoes, but they are priced almost half of what you'd pay for a pair of Vibram Five Fingers. Read on for a real sense of the experience.

Adventure Girl
I read Born to Run a little over a year ago and I enjoyed it immensely. However, I wasn't necessarily motivated to pare down my own footwear in reaction to what I read. Several months ago Invisible Shoe approached Runner’s Tech Review about testing their huaraches designed for running. After some pondering about whether this was a good idea, given that the majority of my running occurs on rough, gravel roads, we gave our consent to Invisible Shoe.

A few days later I felt a bit silly standing barefoot on a sheet of 8 ½ by 11 white paper in the company bathroom tracing my foot with a Sharpie in order to produce a template for the Invisible Shoe folks to use in making my huaraches. There are two methods of sandal preparation offered. You can either have your huaraches custom-made and prepared for you ($39.95 - $44.95 a pair) or you can cut and prepare your own huaraches from a DIY kit ($19.95 - $29.95 a pair). The Emerging Runner opted for the latter option and I chose the former, which was why I ended up barefoot on a piece of a paper in the bathroom.

My custom-sized and prepared huaraches arrived via mail in a Tyvek envelope, not many days after we emailed my foot tracing to Invisible Shoe. I chose black laces (what I thought was a classic and discrete choice). To my surprise the sandals arrived pre-tied in the slip-on/slip-off style. True to the style’s name all I had to do was slip them on, wrap the excess lace ends around my ankles, and tie the loose lace end off. Then it was a matter of seeing how they ran!

The Verdict
My skepticism about the comfort of sandals for running was dispelled almost immediately. Running in the huaraches made me realize how much my feet sweat running in traditional socks and sneakers. Especially in the summer months! Having my feet exposed meant for a cooler, overall less sweaty run. Score one for the huaraches.

I've always been fairly weight sensitive when it comes to footwear. If I wear heavy boots on a long hike I usually end up tripping over roots and rocks towards the end of the day. The lightweight nature of the Invisible Shoe huaraches is practically unbeatable. I opted for the 6mm sole because I do a lot of running on rock surfaces. Though there is a lighter weight version (4mm sole), I still felt liberated and swift with the 6mm thickness.

I was initially concerned about the lump that the tied laces present on the underside of the sole between your first and second toes. It was clear that Invisible Shoe took efforts to flatten this knot as much as possible before sending the huaraches my way. When I walked across the linoleum kitchen floor on my way out of the house for the first test run the knot was a noticeable peculiarity. I was pleased then, to find that the knot was not apparent while running, although the Emerging Runner felt it in his pair.

I've been happy enough with the classic tying method that the sandals had in place when delivered to me, so I haven’t tried any of the other tying methods. There are a lot of options, almost all with how-to videos, available on the Invisible Shoe website.

Chafing wasn't a problem for the first half dozen runs. Shortly after that, I did have one lace that rubbed considerably on the top left of my left foot during a short run. This was because I didn't tie the lace securely before beginning my run. On the next run I adjusted the tautness of the lace and the chafing issue disappeared. That said, I wear flip flops a lot in the summer and that may have given me an advantage to adjusting to the huaraches.

Running in the huaraches made me feel light, cool, and unencumbered. I also was surprised at how nice they look. I was tempted to wear them merely walking around town.

The Concerns
As I anticipated, running on gravel in the huaraches can be problematic. The gravel roads I travel have variable size rocks and it’s not uncommon for some of the stones to be greater than an inch in diameter. Stepping on sharp rocks of this size in the huaraches hurts. Knowing this, I have to be diligent in watching my running surface to make sure to avoid the sharp, large rocks. Unfortunately, having to pay this much attention to where I place my feet means that I have less opportunity to look around and appreciate my surroundings. Since taking in the scenery is important to me, this is a drawback that gives me pause. Perhaps my feet will eventually toughen up enough to take on rocks of all sizes, but I have yet to reach that point.

What about winter? Where I live, snow comes early and leaves late. In fact, the high peaks around me were dusted with their first new snow just yesterday (September 16th). Very soon it’s going to be too cold to run barefoot. So, I anticipate that my Invisible Shoe huaraches will be retired for the cold season along with my tank tops and bathing suits, a duration that is about six months long. [Disclaimer: The flip side of this is that it hardly ever rains in the summer, which means I haven’t had the opportunity to try the sandals in wet conditions. I’m not sure that they would perform especially well.]

I try to run with my lab / chow mix as often as I can. Unfortunately, she occasionally gets distracted looking at a bird, squirrel, or neighbor’s pigs while we run and ends up stepping on my foot. This can be quite painful without the protection of a sneaker’s upper.

I’m having lots of fun with the Invisible Shoe huaraches and I've actually considered buying a pair for several running friends who I think might also enjoy the experience. If you’re a Five Fingers fan, I encourage you to take the next leap and try Invisible Shoe. I think you’ll experience yet another level of freedom and feel. I’m glad that this opportunity came my way because it revitalized my running when I was in a bit of a slump.

Running with the huaraches is fun, liberating, and occasionally, wince inducing (damn gravel!). The price tag is a bit steep if you go the custom-fit route, which I highly recommend over the DIY option, but if you can stomach it, I highly recommend giving them a try.

Here’s hoping next summer I've moved to a place with smooth dirt trails and warm, dry weather. You can guarantee I’ll be wearing the Invisible Shoe huaraches.

This review by Adventure Girl and The Emerging Runner
Posted by Adventure Girl at 9:33 AM 1 comments
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Moji Knee - Field Test

Website: GoMoji

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com/video


The Moji Knee is is an innovative system for athletes who are looking for a way to ice a knee injury without giving up any mobility. We received a sample unit from the company so that we could perform a field test during race and then test under less rigorous conditions.

Our original plan was to field test the Moji cold compression system during a 180+ mile relay run over a 24-hour period. We quickly encountered a problem keeping the Moji's frozen gel cold cell frozen as it needed to be transported without a cooling source for three hours prior to the race. Over this duration, the cell thawed and it was no longer cold enough to use. So, the first lesson is that it's important to use the Moji system within 20 to 30 minutes of removal of the cell from the freezer.

Due to this limitation the first Runner's Tech Review field test with the Moji was performed a week later, by two women who had completed a grueling hike/run. One of the reviewers was suffering from severe knee pain and the other utilized the system solely for preventative joint maintenance. Let's call the first reviewer A and the second B.

A had been using frozen ice packs off and on throughout the day before transitioning to Moji. She immediately declared it a significant upgrade and remarked that she particularly appreciated the simultaneous application of cold to both sides of her knee. In addition, A found she was able to comfortably move around the house while wearing the Moji. As someone who experiences chronic knee pain, A indicated an interest in investing in a Moji (or two -- as she experiences pain in both knees).

B used the Moji after hiking, running, and playing soccer. She cautioned against wearing the Moji on a bare knee without first thawing the gel pack a bit. Since B used the Moji as a preventative measure only, it was difficult to judge its effectiveness over a short duration of time, but, like A, she also indicated it evenly distributes cold temps across the entire knee, except for the backside. Since B's leg is slim, she didn't feel comfortable walking around because the Moji tended to slip down her leg, but it is important to note that the sample that was provided was sized for a larger person.

Both reviewers had difficulty correctly putting on Moji without referring to the instructions and both agreed that the device is made of very high quality materials. Other observers remarked about the quality and 'professional' appearance of the Moji Knee. The packaging was attractive and the reusable storage bag was useful for easy and clean transport.

The third test was performed by an active runner who used it to treat some minor knee pain and as a preventive measure after distance runs. The Moji Knee was easy to set up and it provided excellent cooling around the entire knee for the first 30 minutes. Once the gel began warm up from contact with the knee it became far less effective. It was also difficult to tighten the brace enough to keep the cold directly on the targeted part of the knee, especially when walking. Another benefit for the design is that it can be wrapped around the upper thigh to provide support and cooling to the quadriceps muscles.

Overall, we recommend the Moji as a high end therapeutic tool for those with chronic knee pain. Anyone undergoing physical therapy for the knee will find it extremely useful, and it could surely be worn during electro stim treatments. Just be aware that it won't be adequately cool for use after more than an hour outside of the freezer. For those who'd like to use Moji in situations where access to a freezer isn't available there is another product we didn't review, called Moji to Go, that might fulfill your needs.

The Moji Knee retails for under $85 and is available at http://www.gomoji.com/

Emerging Runner Labs Rates "MixMyGranola"

Website: MixMyGranola

MixMyGranola can be described as Web 2.0 for food. Consumer generated content on the web that you can eat. Interesting yes, but is it a good experience? I took it to the Emerging Running Advisory Board to see what they thought about this product. The raters were me, Sedentary Man and Adventure Girl and our rating criteria were based on quality, taste, freshness and value.

According to their website, the company started when the founders concluded "none of the ready-made granolas that [they] could find in supermarkets and grocery stores really fulfilled all of [their] granola dreams. They created MixMyGranola.com to allow customers to custom-make their own granola mixes.

I was happy to try it out. Raoul from the company provided a gift certificate that allowed me to create a pound of mix. There was a dollar limit so I needed to constrain my choices to allow me to choose a combination of ingredients that added up to less than the amount of the gift certificate so I could reserve for shipping. The MixMyGranola website is attractive and the process is made very clear. You choose your base granola and then choose dried fruits, nuts and grains. You can even choose non-traditional mix-ins like gummy bears although I can't imagine a person who is so interested in good granola would make such an unhealthy choice. But the Emerging Runner is not here to judge the customers, just the company.

The selection process was simple and I liked the fact that, with each step, you understand both the cost and the nutritional makeup of your choices (calories, fat, fiber, etc.). I chose a mix with a muesli base, dried strawberries, dates, walnuts and pecans. I entered my personal data, the certificate code and then submitted. I received an acknowledgement of my order and my mix showed up a few days later by Fedex in an attractively designed tube.

I divided the mix up and gave portions to SM and AG and asked them to rate it based upon the above criteria. On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being best) the three of us scored it as follows:

Quality: 4.7
Taste: 3.7
Freshness: 4.3
Value: 2.3

Impressions:

OVERALL
(ER) “I liked that I could specify every ingredient and I also liked the quality of the ingredients. Flavor (muesli) was slightly bitter and would have benefited from some balancing sweetness (dried fruit helped a little). I wished that I had chosen a granola base. Value questionable - can you justify paying $12/lb to get exactly what you want versus paying $8-9/lb at a high end market for a good quality mix?”

(AG) “Good website, fun process, nice packaging. Excellent fruit and overall quality. I think MixMyGranola is something I’d purchase as a treat or for consumption during a special race or event, not for everyday consumption and training.”

Criteria

QUALITY
(AG) “Definitely top-notch, as reflected in the below comments regarding taste and freshness.”

(ER) “I don’t have many points of comparison but this seems to be very good stuff. The pecans were huge and there was a generous amount of mixed-in ingredients.”

TASTE
(AG) “The muesli had a pleasant, oaty flavor that helped to counteract its dry, dusty nature. The fruit contributed the most vibrant flavors. The dates and strawberries alike were perfectly sweet, although I might have preferred more of both. The pecans were very good and counterbalanced the sweet fruits, although might have been better if toasted (roasted?).”

(ER) “I did not care for the muesli’s flavor but the rest of the ingredients tasted great. I added some brown sugar and heated the mix and I liked it much better.”

FRESHNESS
(AG) “Here MixMyGranola surpassed any other granola I have had recently. The fruit, in particular, wasn’t overly desiccated as you often find with dried fruits. Instead, they were moist and almost reminiscent of the texture of gummy bears. The strawberries were a quite surprisingly jewel-toned red that didn’t deviate too far from the natural color of a strawberry to be suspicious. The oats were too dry, but I think this is their nature. I added half of my portion to milk, and that improved the experience dramatically.”

(ER) “Certainly fresh, no complaints about that.”

VALUE
(AG) “The price is prohibitively steep. I think silver is trading at approximately $12 a pound, and this granola exceeds it by a few dollars. I might be willing to pay $15 for an entire pound of the delicious strawberries, but I think the sticker price is too high for a mix.

(ER) “Unless you are a dedicated granola fan with very little free time I question the cost against the work to buy high quality ingredients like these and mix them yourself. All the same, it’s a fun experience and a high quality product.”

 

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