Next up on New Balance second-generation Minimus Zero collection is the Wellness model, a recovery and walking shoe. This shoe is for casual, daily lifestyle wear – commuting to work, travelling, doing errands. The shoe is also perfect for athletes who want to adjust to a more natural stance and stay minimal throughout the day.

This is a significant improvement over the first generation model in terms of fit, comfort, and design. The shoe weighs in at 6.8 ounces and has a stack height of 7mm. It is also zero drop or 0 mm heel-to-toe differential. Compare this to the previous model at 5.8 ounces, 10mm, and 4mm drop. The extra weight must be coming from the redesigned uppers – that extra ounce doesn’t matter for a walking and recovery shoe.

I’ve been wearing the NB Minimus Zero Wellness model for 5 straight days and using it for everything except running – walking, weights & fitness workout, standing jumps, etc. It took a few miles of walking before the shoe felt broken in – it was a little stiff initially.

For the media samples, I had to size up by a half size (US 10.5) since they only came in standard width (D) but they will launch with D and 2E widths. The length was fine and so is the toe box – no blisters or hot spots from any usage.

It has a breathable mesh upper with strategically placed overlays. It also feature an easy on/off gender-specific hook-and-loop closure: a traditional athletic look for men and a sporty Mary Jane construction for women.

I prefer the adjustable closure a lot more than the previous model which is hard to put on if your feet grew over time. The tongue is similar to the NB Minimus Zero Road ‘taco-wrap’ but I like this more as it is better integrated with the elastic band inside for a glove like fit – one end of the tongue is left hanging on the NB Minimus Zero Road. Again, most readers know the tongue on uppers of running shoes is my pet peeve!

The outsole consist of an ultrathin sole unit composed of ground contact EVA and strategically placed, durable rubber lugs. These five pods of rubber lugs are concentrated in the high wear areas for walking.

This is a perfect shoe for training your feet and for recovery. If you are new to zero drop running shoes, try this out first – walk before you run, literally. Once you are comfortable wearing this for a few weeks or months, then start with the New Balance Minimus Zero Trail or Minimus Zero Road if your feet is strong enough. If not, choose one of the gateway or transitioning shoe from New Balance like the 4mm drop NB Minimus Trail or NB 110 Trail or your favorite brand from our shoe buying guide.

One weird and unresolved issue. On my left foot, I get my plantar fasciitis flaring up when I first put the Wellness model on. Not all the time but maybe half the time. After about 5 minutes or more, it goes away. It is something of a minor annoyance and I don’t understand why it happens. I only get plantar fasciitis when I wear cushioned, heeled, AND narrow running shoes (toe box) – it is very predictable.

Even though this is not a gym or training shoe like the New Balance Minimus Trainer, I alternate between them but still prefer the Minimus Zero Wellness more for now – more flexible, lighter, and easy on-off. Until the next generation Trainer comes out in a few months – I can tell you the new trainer shoe is awesome looking with a lower profile.

The New Balance Minimus Zero Wellness will be available in March 2012 on the New Balance web site and in running specialty retailers in many colorways and width sizing (D, 2E).

http://www.newbalance.com

*Product provided by New Balance (MSRP $100). CMP.LY/1 Review

If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@minimalistrunningshoes.org

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The Instinct and Intuition are the first shoes to combine form-improving benefits of a minimalist shoe with the comfort, cushioning, and support of a traditional running shoe. My pair of Instinct weighs in at 9.2 ounces and has a stack height of 17mm.

Altra Running Instinct

The Zero Drop platform and foot-shaped design work together to help runners maintain proper running form and reduce joint impact while freeing their toes to help alleviate foot pain. The foot-shaped design maximizes shock absorption and toe off and also allowing toes to relax and splay naturally. This will reduce forefoot pain, bunions, and excessive pronation.

The outsole is made of blown rubber material. The uppers consist of a quick-dry open mesh with minimal seams.

The Intuition and Instinct comes with two removable insoles – Molded Support and Flat Strengthen. The strengthen insole is flat with no arch support and is used for strengthening the foot. The support/off-road insole features a traditional molded arch and heel wrap.

That’s it – a simple shoe otherwise. But super-comfortable and designed just right. I have worn it on long road and trail runs sockless and it is one of the most comfortable and adjustable cushioning shoe I have ever tested. Some cushioning is good – I miss it sometimes with all the minimalist running shoes I’m wearing and testing. It just feel good without any worry of blisters, hot spots, foot pain, and back pain.

The super-wide toe box allow runners to wear Correct Toes or allow runners with 2E+ feet to fit nicely in the Instinct. By appealing to more runners than those already transitioned to barefoot-style running, Altra is positioning itself to be a major force in the running industry – road, trail, ultra.

The closest sensation that I can describe about how it feels running in the Altra Instinct is that of running barefoot in a tartan (rubber) track – the shoe is the tartan track! I usually do one day a week of barefoot running on the local high school track that is made of rubber. And the feeling of my toes splaying to the max and with a little cushioning from the A-Bound midsole…

The only negative I see for this almost perfect shoe is that it is a little heavy and bulky. A lighter version (less than 6 ounces) with the same features for the Instinct, like an Instinct Lite, would make this a perfect running shoe for all runners including those transitioning and those who have already transitioned. Maybe it will come before the end of the year.

NOTE: The Altra Instinct can be used for road running, trail running, fitness and cross training.

Altra Running  Intuition

My female wear-tester Sophie has been testing the Altra Intuition. She is almost a year in transitioning to minimal shoes and has been exclusively running in the Intuition for over 3 months on mostly trails. She loves this shoe more than her Nike Free Run +2, Skechers GOrun, and Merrell Pace Glove. No foot pain, no blisters, no knee pains. Her ankles used to hurt when wearing the Nike Free or Pace Glove. The Altra Intuition is her number one go-to shoe for both road and trail running.

The only problem she has with this shoe is when used for walking. The heel counter on her left foot only scratches her Achilles on long walks. This may be just a manufacturing issue. Other than that, it is perfect.

The Intuition is a gender-specific shoe from Altra, constructed specifically for women, to accommodate a narrower heel and midfoot, a longer arch, higher instep and toe positioning. Female-specific shoes will help women run better and healthier. This is not another shrink it and pink it shoe.

Final Words

Altra has another hit another home run in my books with the Instinct and Intuition as they did with the Adam and Eve. I’m really impressed by the company, the three co-founders, and of course the products. And it gets better by the day. Altra is addressing all runners needs with different but configurable shoes including Provision & Provisioness and Samson & Delilah. I’m really looking forward to the Samson next.

As co-founder Golden Harper has said,

“We’re seen our footwear reduce injuries, improve running techniques, and change lives. we know it will help your customers run better and healthier. Life’s short, run naturally!”

And I couldn’t agree with it more personally.

The Altra Instinct for men comes in two colorways: Black, Red.

The Altra Intuition for women comes in two colorways: Blue, Purple.

The Altra Instinct and Altra Intuition is readily available on the Altra Zero Drop web site and in running specialty retailers.

http://altrarunning.com

*Product provided by Altra Running (MSRP $100). CMP.LY/1 Review

If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@minimalistrunningshoes.org

So when I read that the new Endorphin MD model from Saucony has a lot wider toe box, I had to try it. And I ordered my true size (US 10) but standard D-width since they don’t have width sizing. It fits just right. I don’t think I’ll get blisters if I only wear it for short distances (800m or less) on the rubber track. Will give a detailed report as I participate in the senior games qualifiers (both track and field events) in the next two months.

The Saucony Endorphin MD3 is available from Zappos.

We’ve (my female wear tester and myself) been testing running jackets for the past three to four months between warm/windy and now cold/wet weather. We’ve learned that there is more to just jackets for a great run.

Winter Running

For Winter running, we wear-tested the following running jackets: Ashmei - Ultimate Softshell; Sugoi – Zap, Majik; Under Armour - Wind/Water Convertible, Escape Wind/Water; Brooks Running - Nightlife II, LSD Lite II; Gore Running - X-Running Light AS.

For a Winter running jacket to perform perfectly, it has to breathable so that sweat is not retained while keeping water and wind out. Thus maximum exterior protection from the elements but with excellent interior moisture management.

Retractable inner hand mitts would be nice for those days when you don’t have to carry your running gloves or forgot about them (which I did on many occasions).

Ashmei

Ashmei is a company based in the United Kingdom (a bonus to all my UK readers!) with a mission statement, ‘The finest performance running apparel in the world’. The Ultimate Softshell running jacket is windproof, water resistant, fast wicking (stretch merino material), warm and extremely breathable and has been ergonomically tailored with just the right features.

Under Armour

The Wind/Water Convertible jacket is for any weather and any climate. Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finished fabric keeps you dry and breathable wind-resistant materials block wind, keeping you warm, protected, and comfortable. The jacket also comes with detachable magnetic sleeves (can be stored in secure back pocket) thus making this the ideal jacket for all climates and conditions.

The Escape Wind/Water jacket is wind- and water-resistant DWR with Under Armour signature sweat-wicking fabric and perforated stretch ventilation panels. And 360-degree reflectivity increases your visibility when you run in lower light.

Sugoi

The Zap jacket is wind and water resistance with 360-degree reflectivity (3M Scotchlite) for winter performance and visibility.

The Majik Shell jacket feature a fabric with a unique membrane which gives the ultimate waterproof breathability performance; allowing hot sweat vapors from within to escape quickly while repelling wind and rain from the outside.

Brooks Running

The windproof and water-resistant Nightlife II is the jacket for night time runners, with 360-degree reflectivity (3M Scotchlite) and bright high-contrast color.

The windproof and water-resistant LSD Lite II sports a handy roll-and-stow hood, and now with a clip on the stash pocket, this crazy-light, stash-able jacket is always at the ready. With 360-degree reflectivity (3M Scotchlite), this is also an ideal night time running jacket.

Gore Running Wear

The X-RUNNING LIGHT AS jacket with Wind Stopper is the lightest, most packable product offering total windproof, maximum breathability and water resistance. Easy to bunch up into the size of your fist and easy to carry in any waist belt or pocket.

Our Verdict

The weather has been perfect for testing running apparel in the past 3 to 4 months. There are very cold days with no wind or rain, many rainy and windy days, and some days where the weather is more California like – sunny and clear.

The runs usually start out with our running apparel dry and warm. After finishing our runs, we are either drenched in sweat or wet from the rain or freezing because of the strong winds. If the running jacket perform as advertized, we shouldn’t be sweating or freezing. And we should only be wet on our caps or beanies or shoes from the rain – our body should be dry with moisture on the outside of the running jacket.

A perfect run means that we are dry AND warm through all the miles. We should be enjoying our run, not worrying about the weather or body temperature. Just as life is not always perfect, our runs are not always great.

For night running or running in low-light conditions (early morning), a safe running experience requires the jackets to have a high-contrast florescent color and reflectivity material placement. Reflective materials should be placed in motion zones and highly visible locations to increase the opportunity for early runner recognition and awareness by motor vehicles or bicycles.

All the Sugoi and Under Armour jackets performed very well by keeping runners warm and managing interior moisture. The Brooks jackets did not keep us as warm nor are they perfect Spring running jackets (they’re not as lightweight as The North Face or Gore Running) but they did offer the best reflectivity for night time running.

The Gore Running and Ashmei jackets performed very well all around with the quick changing weather here. It has the features from each – reflectivity, lightweight, warmth, and wind resistant. However, moisture management could be better on the Gore jacket. But that could have been a flaw on my part as I don’t have the correct layering system to maximize the performance of the jacket.

The Ashmei jacket however performed better than expected and is super-comfortable. The attention to details is simply amazing. There are two small storage pockets for essentials such as MP3 players with cable exits and bespoke cable routing which are placed at the center back hem and on the right shoulder to eliminate the hassle of long earphone cables constantly pulling when stretched. The scooped rear hem has a shock cord adjuster at either side of the jacket and features silicone gripper tape to prevent the jacket riding up.

We also noticed that Under Armour running jackets are a few inches longer in length and this little detail is significant in keeping warmth in.

One major lesson learned. It’s not just the jacket that determines a good or great run. Your performance will be severely limited without the accompanying gloves, hats, socks (or compression sleeves), base layer, mid layer, and outer layer. There were multiple late-night runs in the 30s and below weather where my hands froze – it didn’t matter what I was wearing if my hands are frozen and I cannot concentrate on my run. Head -to-Toe (your head, hands, and feet) and Skin-to-Shell  layering protection (coined by Gore Running Wear) is a must.

So even without the proper layers, I wanted to point out that the Ashmei jacket has a really nice feature that I tested on very cold days without wearing gloves. The Ashmei cuff has been engineered with winter weather in mind, scooping the cuff over the hand to protect them from the cold wind while an inner half mitt has been added that can be pulled down to wrap around your fingers if the conditions get worse. There are also thumb loops placed on the ends of the cuffs so you can pull the sleeve down further over your hand to give even more protection on really cold days. And it worked beautifully for windy and cold days here!

Spring Running

For Spring running, we wear-tested the following running jackets: The North Face - Better Than Naked Cool; Patagonia – Nine Trails, All Weather. These jackets are all lightweight, water-resistant, and breathable.

For a Spring running jacket to perform perfectly, it has to be super-lightweight, breathable, and abrasion-free for those long runs.

A bonus is when the jacket can be stashed away anytime.

Patagonia

Launching in Spring ’12 from Patagonia is a robust head-to-toe collection of trail running products. For this review, we tested the new women’s All Weather Top and the men’s Nine Trails Jacket.

First up, the men’s Nine Trails is superlight and combines tough triple-ripstop nylon and breathable stretch-woven polyester that’s treated with a Deluge DWR (durable water repellant) finish for weather-resistant protection. Slim fit and weighs about 4.7 ounces.

The women’s All Weather top is the perfect cover-up for your morning run. The top is made of a stretch polyester/spandex blend with breathable airflow mesh in the back panel for maximum ventilation.

The North Face

The signature collection from The North Face (TNF) is the ‘Better Than Naked’ (BTN) line. The Spring 2012 Better Than Naked Cool collection is more lightweight, breathable and comfortable than ever before, eliminating distractions to help runners perform better, and stay out running longer.

The BTN Cool Collection is water resistant, breathable and body mapped for convective cooling to remove moisture from the inside out. New burn-out ventilation panels allow for strategic venting throughout the garment, while reducing weight. Weighs under 8 ounces.

Our Verdict

Even though all the Summer lightweight jackets we tested can be folded up and carried snugly on your run before or after use, The North Face Better Than Naked Cool jacket performed much better for the trail runs in Northern California quick changing weather. Both Patagonia and TNF BTN jackets are water-resistant and breathable, but the TNF BTN jacket has better moisture control and greater reflectivity.

A pet peeve of mine with regards to running apparel is the location of the zip stash pocket for minimum bounce. Depending on whether I putting away my keys or ID cards/cash, I have a strong preference of whether they should be located in the front or back and top or bottom. For jackets, I prefer storing my ID cards/cash in top FRONT zip pockets or lower BACK zip pockets. For my keys, I prefer top FRONT zip pockets or I just store it on my running shorts/pants (preferably on the BACK).

Optionally, if I am carrying water or extra nutrition, I will carry my ID cards/cash and keys with a handheld hydration system or a hydration waist pack so the stash pocket does not matter.

The TNF BTN Cool Jacket when paired with the BTN Cool Short Sleeve Top and BTN Cool Short made my day. No chaffing, super-lightweight, highly breathable, and super-comfortable for short and long runs on roads or non-technical trails. And yes, the BTN Cool Short has a zip stash pocket in the back! The BTN Cool Singlet is the only item I’m missing…

Recap

Here’s a quick snapshot of selecting which jacket to use for different running situations or weather conditions.

Night & Low-Light Running Jacket

Top Choice:
Brooks LSD Lite II
Runner Up:
Under Armour Escape Wind/Water

Warm & Day Running Jacket

Top Choice:
Ashmei Ultimate Softshell
Runner Up:
Sugoi Majik Shell

Warm & Super-Lightweight Running Jacket

Top Choice:
Gore X-Running Light AS
Runner Up:
Under Armour Escape Wind/Water

Water & Wind Resistant Running Jacket

Top Choice:
Ashmei Ultimate Softshell
Runner Up:
Under Armour Escape Wind/Water

And the overall winners…

MRS Reviewer's Top Choice

Ashmei Ultimate Softshell

MRS Reviewer's Runner Up

Under Armour Escape Wind/Water

#1 Winter Running Jacket

Ashmei Ultimate Softshell

#1 Spring Running Jacket

The North Face Better Than Naked Cool

http://www.patagonia.com

http://www.thenorthface.com

http://www.underarmour.com

http://www.sugoi.com

http://www.brooksrunning.com

http://www.gorerunningwear.com

http://ashmei.com

*Product provided by Ashmei (MSRP $275), The North Face (MSRP $130 each), Patagonia (MSRP $100 each), Brooks Running (MSRP $75 to $100 each), Under Armour (MSRP $75 – $100 each), Gore Running Wear (MSRP $160), Sugoi (MSRP $100 – $180 each). CMP.LY/1 Review

If you have a product you’d like reviewed, contact me at info@minimalistrunningshoes.org

I reviewed the NB MT110 a few months back. The NB MT110 and NB WT110 are both now available at Running Warehouse, New Balance, and Zappos.

Altra Running is now taking pre-orders for March 1st shipment of the long awaited Altra Samson and Altra Delilah running shoes. The Samson combines the fit of The Adam with a lace-up design and stronger midsole. The Delilah combines the features of a minimalist design, truly female-specific shape and a durable, lace-up, performance shoe.

Take 10% OFF courtesy of Minimalist Running Shoes! Pre-order here now.

Inov-8 Bare-X Lite 135, a women’s only model weighing at a light 5.5 ounces. Lightest minimalist women’s racing style in the Inov-8 road series. Breathable 3D airmesh upper wit quick-lace system with bungee closure. Zero drop with a 3mm footbed for light underfoot cushioning. Now available!

UPDATE 2/4/12 – One of my readers, Tobias, tells me that this looks like the Puma H-Street Plus model. Thanks mate!

My nephew visited briefly from Australia and on transit at San Francisco airport. But he brought a pair of Puma running shoes that he is currently running in – minimal of course. He does not know exactly the name of the model or technical specifications but it sure looks REALLY MINIMAL to me. Unfortunately I did not have a chance to weigh it or measured the stack height.

Some of the lightweight models from Puma Japan are making their way to the US in 2012 so we’ll have to see what approach they’re taking. The FAAS series are still on the bulky side – weight, cushioning, heel-to-toe differential.

Maybe this one will make it to the US?

A GREAT post by New Balance on the behind-the-scenes design of the New Balance 110. And the more than three years of ongoing collaboration between ultra runners,  Tony Krupicka & Erik Skaggs and the New Balance design team in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Available now for under $85, a real bargain for such an amazing trail running minimal shoe. The men’s NB MT110 comes in two colors and the women’s NB WT110 also comes in two colors – all named after the New Balance Ambassadors: Green Mountain (Boulder) for Tony, Siskiyous Mountains for Erik, Evergreen (Colorado) for Brandy Erholtz and Bandera (Texas) for Liza Howard.

I reviewed the NB MT110 a few months back.

They also have VIVOBAREFOOT Evo and Evo II deeply discounted. FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $90 and NO SALES TAX outside of WV.

Zappos now have some great new colors for the Inov-8 BareX-Lite 150! Grab yourself a pair before they run out.