Invisible Shoes: Almost barefoot and fancy free

Running sandals from Adventure Girl's perspective

Invisible Shoe Huaraches

http://www.invisibleshoe.com/

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 16^th). 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

Saucony Hattori Review: From the streets of NY to the mountains of Alaska

Saucony Hattori's -- Two of many colorful combinations

Saucony Hattori

MSRP $80
Saucony: http://www.saucony.com

After a year of running in lower, flatter shoes (the Saucony Kinvara and then the Mirage) I was ready to go even more minimal. The Hattori is Saucony's most stripped-down shoe, designed for runners who are looking for the least amount of material between their foot and the road (or on the trail). Saucony was good enough to supply pairs of the Hattori to me and my guest reviewer, the Harrier of the Night (HOTN), for testing.

Like most reviews we've done on Runner's Tech Review, both testers conducted independent research and supplied separate viewpoints based on our individual experiences. HOTN and I are different types of runners and our expectations for running shoes also differ.

HOTN is is a college student in Connecticut who was born and raised in Sitka, Alaska. I'm based in New York and do most of my running on the streets and trails of Long Island.  HOTN has just returned to Alaska for the summer and that's where he put his Hattori's to the test.  HOTN competes competitively in marathons, ultramarathons, and mountain running and his preference is to run in the most rustic and nocturnal settings that he can possibly find.

The Emerging Runner

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I had some idea what to expect from this shoe based on the marketing buzz and some early reviews. When the Hattori's arrived I opened the box and observed (on the Emerging Runner) that: "The Hattori does not look like a running shoe and, if not for its sturdy mid-sole/out-sole, I would take it for a slipper with a very over-the-top design. The shoe fit me snugly and was extremely comfortable on my foot. I then tried it without a sock and it felt great."

I have gotten used to lightweight shoes having run the Kinvaras for a year, but these shoes, even at my size, still weigh in under 5 ounces.

Pool shoes (left), the original minimalist footwear

The thing that I didn't expect from the Hattori was that its simple construction would seem so similar my pool shoes. The uppers fit snugly but they stretched much like the material in a SPIbelt. If I'd had the opportunity to try on these shoes before requesting a size, I would have gone up from my usual 10.5's  to a size 11. I was concerned at first that the tight toe box would constrict my foot movement and cause my toes to blister or my toenails to blacken. Happily, this has never been the case.

To minimize the tight fit, I ended up buying a couple of pairs of Wigwam Ironman Pro socks that are thin and don't have any cushioning in the heel or toe areas. Even with more voluminous running socks, the experience has been reasonably comfortable and blister free. The fit without socks was better but I didn't like the scratchy feel of the counter along my upper Achilles tendon. Thin socks seem to be the best compromise.

FIRST RUN
The Hattori is indeed slipper-like with a narrow collar. It was a slight challenge to get them on my foot the first few times I tried. Once on, the shoes felt like a part of my foot with a zero drop and the low platform that seemed very natural. However, compared with both the Mirage and Kinvara, the Hattori lacked "spring." I think this is because the Hattori activates off the mid-foot and the spring comes from the arch and fore-foot as a kinetic response to toe-off.

Out-soles: after one use (top), after 50 miles (bottom)

The Hattori's provided plenty of proprioception, or road feel, with a thin EVA mid/out-sole that has patches of silicone-like material placed on the the heel and the (medial side) forefoot. Besides my cheapo pool shoes, I'd never run in anything that promoted a mid/front foot landing as well.

Out-sole mostly EVA with three silicone patches

It's a simple thing but my stride naturally adapted to this strike and prevented me from landing on my heel. The downside was the unexpected jolt that comes from landing on a stray piece of gravel.

Unused heel plate

No surface wear after a month's use

Running in the Hattori's felt truly natural from the start and I quickly covered five miles without any calf soreness. After 50 miles in the Hattori's the heel area remains pristine. I'm sure the time I've spent in the Kinvaras has helped strengthen my feet, ankles and lower legs. For those who are still running in higher platformed shoes, I'd recommend trying a shoe like the Kinvara, the Brooks Green Silence or the NB Minimus before moving directly to this model.

The shoes performed well during the NHP 8K

RACING
I knew I could run in the Hattori's for at least five miles without an issue so I elected to wear them during an 8K race. I scored a PR for that distance and found the shoes to be highly responsive. In fact, I ran this race at a pace almost a full minute faster than normal. I'll give the bulk of the credit for my PR to my training but the light weight of the Hattori's definitely provided an advantage in the final minutes as I battled fatigue.

OTHER  OBSERVATIONS
Style is definitely a factor in many people's purchasing decisions but for me it is the least important thing. That's a good thing because the first (of two pairs) that I received from Saucony are kind of garish, with their bright red uppers highlighted with black trim, a white mid-sole and some green elements.

Saucony supplied a second pair that are a more conservative combination of black and green.  I regret requesting the Hattori's in my normal running size because they are very snug. A half size bigger would have fit better with socks. The shoes do seem to be loosening up a little and perhaps that's intentional.

I pulled out my pool shoes to compare to the Hattori's and found many similarities. The pool shoes, with their hard rubber out-soles and waterproof insoles, weigh almost twice as much as the Hattori's. But unlike the Hattori's, the pool shoes lack any engineering to facilitate running motion. Still, with socks to protect my feet from blisters, my $15 pool shoes would be a preferable choice for me over expensive, highly constructed, running shoes with built-up heels.

BOTTOM LINE
The primary question I've asked myself for the last year is "Can I use an ultra-minimal running shoe as a daily trainer?" With the Hattori's, the answer is clearly yes. HOTN's experiences below and the light construction of the Hattori's make me a little concerned about the durability of these shoes. I'll find out over the next 12 months how they hold together and will update that experience on the Emerging Runner. In the meantime, I don't want to run in anything else.

The Harrier of the Night

I'm from Alaska, a fact of which I'm quite proud. It is a state of superlatives: the mountains are big, the trails wild, and the running is rugged. In the two weeks after I received the Saucony Hattoris, I introduced the shoes to Alaska – to the superlative – as best I could. It was a largely amicable encounter, but one from which these shoes may never recover.

FIRST IMPRESSION
When I took the Hattori's out of the box, it was further confirmation that the minimalist-running-shoe craze has metastasized to multiple shoe companies, at least for the immediate future. The Hattoris look sharp with their bright colors. Their non-traditional design seems to really strive for "innovation" – whatever that might mean in shoe world.

When I went online to check the Hattori's sticker price ($80), I was surprised because, to my mind, the material and design of these shoes did not seem to be worth $80. However, I wasn't fully surprised since the diminishing size and complexity of faddish minimalist shoes seems to produce a correspondingly large increase in price. This is akin to how the registration cost of marathons, contrary to all logic, seems to increase with the number of participants and ostensible economy of scale.

HOW THE HATTORI'S PERFORMED
While my parsimonious gripes are just that, I was pleased with how the shoes felt while running. First off, they're comfortable. Really comfortable! As I said, I introduced these shoes to Alaska the best way I could. I went running with them on road and track (of course) but also on both technical and non-technical trails and up and down mountains. I launched kayaks in them and played pick-up basketball. I wore them with socks and without. My feet were happy through it all, with few exceptions.

The Hattori's sole is thin. That's the trade-off with minimalist shoes. With thin soles, come more vulnerable feet. I thought the shoes handled flat technical trail well. If you're placing your feet intelligently, they would never suffer from contusion. When you run down a mountain, there's just too much velocity for these little shoes to handle all the impact that is transmitted to your feet. You have to slow down. But as I understand it, mountain running is a sport largely restricted to Alaska and the Intermountain West, so this is probably a non-issue for most prospective Hattori customers.

HOTN's Hattori's after use

Emerging Runner's Hattori's after the same period

HOW THEY HELD UP
The short answer is not well. After I had taken the Hattori's out five times, the webbing that constitutes the top of the shoes was giving way at the toes. The location of my big toe corresponded to the biggest hole and the holes got smaller correspondent to the size of each smaller toe.

I can't say that this is unexpected. I have a pair of mountain running race shoes (that is, shoes I only wear during races). They're 8 oz. These shoes take a beating during each race and are already falling apart after only five different races over two years. But these Hattori's (4 oz.) are not rigorous mountain or technical-trail shoes. They strike me as road running shoes and their competitor is, without a doubt, Vibram's Five Fingers. Five Fingers don't fall apart after five different outings, and that's a comparative disadvantage for the Hattoris.

Saucony seemed to anticipate the weakness of the webbing. There is a shiny stripe of lamination that strengthens the webbing along its perimeter. There are also some lateral stripes of webbing across the top of the shoe that seem to be there more for design than for function. This webbing is located precisely along the top of the shoe, a region that experiences minimal stress. Interestingly, the higher stress areas, where the toes rub up, into, and through the webbing, are free of lamination and thus, full of holes.

DESIGN
Lamination aside, the design is so-so. I'm a size 9, and shoes fit like a glove...or a good-fitting shoe. This is great for trails because a snug fit commands a podalic dexterity that allows precise foot placement as well as the ability to push off roots, boardwalk, and angled rocks.

As the Emerging Runner notes above, the Hattori's are tricky to get on your foot. You have to finaggle and wiggle them a bit. The shoes lack a tab to allow you to hold fast with your index finger while you slip your heel inside of the webbing. This is a seemingly easy-to-fix shortcoming and I'm surprised Saucony shoe engineers didn't account for it.

The color of the shoes that Saucony supplied is striking. I received a red-themed pair, and when running downhill or in a sprint, I felt like Sonic the Hedgehog with my little red shoes darting in and out of my peripheral vision beneath me.

BOTTOM LINE
I'm a pecuniary shoe cynic. Hattoris aside, most shoes probably cost just a couple dollars to make (in terms of labor and materials).  Yet, with precious few exceptions, these shoes sell at an absurd MSRP. How has this come to be? I have no idea. And so a shoe like Hattori, while great for running, is so simple you may as well just buy generic water shoes for a third of the price. You'll probably reach the same end result (just as you might as well buy wetsuit booties instead of Vibram's Five Fingers).

However, if huge profit margins and the incongruity between price and product doesn't bother you, and you don't mind buying another pair in the somewhat near future, the Hattoris are probably for you. If that were the case for me, I'd count myself as sold, so to speak, on the Hattoris. And that hypothetical aside, I know I'll be happily wearing my current pair until they fall apart entirely.

Summary

What's good:

- Ultra light weight
- Facilitates mid-foot landing
- Comfortable fit and natural feel

What could be improved:

- Durability
- More guidance on fit
- Price
- Collar design to allow easier placement on the foot

This review by the Emerging Runner and the Harrier of the Night

Long term review: Five minimalist shoes, combat tested

After reading the book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall and studying the “Chi Running” video by Danny Dreyer I figured I was ready to try a new form of running. I chose a style that mimics the action of barefoot running by landing on the ball of the foot, rather than on the heel. I had been away from running for six months due to a deployment to Iraq and realized that the slow build back into running form was a great time to incorporate a new stride. But what shoe to use? Well, I consider myself a long distance runner and view a half marathon as a short run. I run between 60 and 80 miles per week but I'm not super fast, with a marathon time just over 3:30. Try as I may, I was unable to toughen the soles of my feet enough to run barefoot. I had no problem with the strength of my toes, arch and calf as they developed just fine. I just had to have some form of shoes. What follows are the five shoes I tried and my opinions about each.

Vibram FiveFingers KSO. (list price $85.00)

I paid $129 for a new pair of Vibram FiveFingers KSO's in size 43, in black, from AJFastDeals on eBay (www.myworld.ebay.com.sg/ajfastdeals). These shoes were difficult to find in my size and most vendors would not ship them to an Army Post Office. That accounts for the high price. The Vibrams weigh 5.7 ounces and were immediately comfortable on my bare feet. Walking around in them did make me self conscious but not so much that I wouldn't wear them. I spent a week using them only for walking and to do short sets of strides. I was concerned that the seams in the toe area would cause blistering but I never experienced any problems. Over the course of seven runs I worked up to a maximum distance of 12 miles in these shoes for a total of 47 miles. I finally gave up the experiment when I constantly developed blisters on the inside edge of the ball of my foot at any distance greater than 6 miles, regardless of the use of BodyGlide. I gave the shoes to a friend who uses them every day for weight lifting .

Mizuno Universe 3. (list price $119.99)

I paid $107.99 for a size 10.5 pair of Mizuno Universe 3's from Road Runner Sports (http://www.roadrunnersports.com/). The 3's weigh  a mere 3.6 ounces. Since I was familiar with Mizuno shoes there were no surprises with the very comfortable slipper-like fit. This is the lightest running shoe I have ever used and I had concerns about the lack of padding and the durability of the shoe. It turns out that there is enough protection at the ball of the foot to allow for running on a 130 degree day on the asphalt (Najaf, Iraq not Badwater). The upper is very breathable and it dried quickly, making it a very comfortable hot weather shoe. I was surprised by the superb, almost magical, traction provided by the strategically placed tread. The thin sole provides just enough padding to absorb some impact and insulate from extreme temperatures while still giving the foot an excellent feel for the ground.

I usually retire my shoes at 300 miles and did not expect these flimsy feeling Mizunos to last even that long, but due to slow mail delivery I ended up putting 517 miles on the Universe 3's. The longest run I'd done in these shoes was 18 miles and at around mile 490 I became aware that the padding of the shoe was beginning to break down. This impressive shoe has earned a permanent place in my running shoe rotation. It will be part of my kit for the New York Marathon in November and the Peanut Island 24-Hour Marathon in December. There are now two fresh pair in my closet and I feel that these shoes have set the bar by which all other minimalist shoes will be measured.

Adidas adiZero Rocket (list price $84.99)

I paid $76.49 for a size 10.5 pair of Adidas adiZero Rockets from Road Runner Sports (http://www.roadrunnersports.com/). The Rockets weigh 7.5 ounces. This shoe almost provides as much cushion as a conventional shoe (although less than the Green Silence) but retains outstanding forefoot flexibility and a very minimal heel drop. Running in these shoes was very similar to running in the Mizunos but the irregularities of the ground are not transmitted as acutely to the balls of your feet. The extra weight makes the Mizunos feel even lighter in comparison. I have a 24-Hour Ultra Marathon coming up on a course constructed of paving stones. After running 177 miles in the adiZero Rockets, I have decided that they will be one of three shoes in the rotation for that race. The upper is very breathable and the lacing system keeps the shoe firmly in place. Environmentally, these shoes are worth considering as they are manufactured in the United States resulting in cleaner factories as well as reduced shipping impact. This is a great shoe at a good price.

Nike Air Zoom Katana Rac3r III (list price $108.99)

I paid $53.96 for a size 10.5 pair Nike Air Zoom Katana Rac3r III's from Road Runner Sports (http://www.roadrunnersports.com/). The III's weigh 6.3 ounces. I have been a long time abstainer of Nike shoes although from 1984 until 1990 I ran almost exclusively in Nike Pegasus shoes. Some time in the 90’s, in their rush for innovation (or more numerous model changes to help sell more shoes), the Pegasus changed. With it, the entire line of Nike shoes seemed to no longer fit my feet because they would squeeze my toes unless they were so big that my heel flopped around. In recent years I have been hearing how Nike has improved again and that the “too small toe-box” was a quickly fading bad memory. These shoes not only fit the description of what I was looking for, their sale price could not be beat.

The Katana Rac3r III's are the closest I've found to the Mizuno Universe 3. The additional weight of the III's probably comes from the conventional looking tread material and the sole that, while not as flexible as the Mizuno's, did provide excellent feel for the running surface. The toe box is a bit tight in typical Nike fashion, but not as bad as I remembered. This results in a bit less use of splayed toes for finding footing than the Mizuno’s allow. Otherwise, this is a great shoe at a great price. After 210 miles I can say that the shoe performs well, has sufficient traction and may have slightly longer lasting cushioning (If the shoes are retired at 300 miles, this is a non issue). Due to my aversion to the tight toe box, I did not order another pair, but if you are comfortable with Nike shoes and want to try a minimalist shoe, this is definitely the shoe for you.

Brooks Green Silence (list price $100.00)

I paid $75 for a size 10.5 pair of Brooks Green Silence from Brooks Pro Community (http://www.brooks.promotive.com/). The Green Silence's weigh 6.9 ounces. A bit of truth in advertising is needed here. I wrote a letter to Brooks complaining that their products were not available to deployed Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines due to their shipping policies. Brooks wrote back stating that we could purchase shoes through their online Pro Community and that the shipping problem would not affect purchases made there. Additionally they would give us 25% off every purchase through this program up to $1,000 a year. All we had to do was go to their special website and apply for an account which would be approved in less than 7 days. I was attracted to these shoes for a number of reasons. The Green Silence seemed to fit the mold of a lightweight racing flat that can be used for long distance, barefoot style running. They are also designed and constructed with attention to the environmental impact of the shoe. The shoes are made with water-based adhesives, non-toxic soy based dyes and inks, 75% post-consumer recycled material and a biodegradable midsole, insole and collar.

All this new design engineering makes me a bit concerned about durability. And frankly, while they are not as weird looking as the FiveFingers, they do come close. The Left shoe is predominantly red while the right shoe is predominantly yellow. The colors seem to be a perfect match for Ronald McDonald -- they could be clown shoes. The Green Silence don’t generate the same weird looks I've received while wearing the Vibram FiveFingers. Instead they attract attention without the ridicule. Unfortunately I had to give them away to another Soldier because they were too small for my feet. I ordered a replacement pair of size 11 shoes. The assessment that follows is a combination of my observations as well as those of the Soldier who is now using those shoes.

The Green Silence may be considered minimalist when viewed from the perspective of the upper, but the sole has plenty of padding especially when compared to the Mizuno Universe. There is not as much heel drop as is found on a conventional trainer so a midfoot/forefoot landing, while not essential in this shoe, is still recommended. For its weight the Green Silence has plenty of underfoot padding. The lacing system and integrated tongue flap takes a little getting used to. Once mastered, it is deceptively fast, making this a decent choice for triathlons. The upper is very breathable and yet has enough padding as well as toe protection that I would not be adverse to using the Silence as a light trail shoe.

In terms of durability, the shoes now have 103 miles on them (1/3rd of the way through the planned lifespan and there are no visible issues so far). The padding is not breaking down and getting them wet has not caused the shoe to fall apart. There is room for improvement on the eco front as these shoes are made in China (according to the box they came in) but Brooks has set the standard for eco friendly shoes and has produced an outstanding racing shoe that is appropriate for training too. They have managed to create a shoe with much more environmental consciousness while not sacrificing any of the performance and durability that we have come to expect in our running gear. Brooks has set the bar very high. This is the shoe by which all other eco friendly shoes will be measured. Of note; Scott Jurek set a new American 24 Hour Marathon Record in a pair of Green Silence on a 0.78 mile course of pavement and dirt full of tight “Formula One” turns at 165.7 miles. I plan to use them for my own 24 hour marathon on December 31st 2010.

Lower numbers = better

 

Note that this chart proves that the choice of shoes is very personal. The Nikes were not as favored by me as the Adidas or the Brooks. I hope my experience with these shoes can help others choose the minimal shoe that serves them best. Besides my recommendations please try the shoes in a store before you buy to ensure a satisfying fit. Companies today are churning out more and more varieties of minimalists shoes. I am sure there is something out there for everyone.

This review by The Running Geek