Buying the right running shoes for you is very important for getting the best results. The Nike Epic React Flyknit comes in at 239g, that’s 5 per cent lighter than its predecessor, the Lunar Epic 2. It’s not just about the new rubber formula either, Nike also used computational design to crunch thousands of runner data points and to whittle away foam where it’s not needed and produce a shoe that copes with pressure in the right places without any foamy excess baggage. The uppers are fashioned from the familiar Flyknit we’ve come to know and love and that means a snug, comfortable fit that feels secure around the instep, but leaving plenty of wiggle room and flex around the toes. There’s also a heel cup for added stability. The Nike Epic React Flyknit is most at home on the road and will cope with everything from a fast 5km to those longer marathon training runs.
The Kwicky’s weigh a mere nine ounces. For their size and amount of cushioning, this surprised me. The low overall weight is likely because of the foam sole and seamless upper. Both are great features of the shoe but provide the secondary benefit of reducing weight. The sole is a lightweight foam that is softer than other similar shoes like the ASICS Speedstar 6. Because of that, I’m more comfortable running prolonged workouts on the road in the Kwicky. In most cases, I prefer the combination of a firm shoe and dirt trails but the Kwicky’s give much needed cushioning on the roads.
What is gait analysis and is it worth doing? Basic gait analysis involves a few minutes of jogging on a treadmill at your natural pace, while an expert casts his eye over your running style. This will be done for free at many specialised running shops such as Sweatshop and Run and Become. The aim of these brief consultations is to ascertain your running style, most importantly how your foot lands in terms of pronation, which will inform your choice of shoes. It’s free, usually only takes around half an hour, and could make a huge difference to your choice of shoe, so gait analysis is certainly worth trying – especially when you’re spending big money on a pair of running shoes.
Unsurprisingly, designs with more cushioning like the Brooks Ghost 10 and Brooks Glycerin 16 typically score higher in landing comfort. The usual formula for the best landing comfort is a balanced design that is not too cushy and not too firm. You need balanced cushioning to find consistent comfort. We find this with the Nike Pegasus 35, which scored near the top of our measure. Its secret is that it embeds Zoom Air units across the entirety of the midsole. Elements comprised of hollow EVA structures even seemed to cushion more than that of the versatile Cloud. That difference in sensation could be partially explained by the rigid speedboard, which gave more pop and stability to each stride. This put the X at the top of the category and helped earn it the Editors’ Choice award.
Even after a lot of races and workouts, the Hyper Speeds are still kicking. Once in awhile I’ll even wear them casually (hey, I’m a running nerd). I credit the sole, which isn’t too stiff or too hard. If you’ve ever owned a pair of Saucony Kinvaras, you know that the soft sole deteriorates quickly. I only got about 250 miles on them before they were retired. For those looking for the most minimalist racing shoe on the market, look elsewhere. The Hyper Speed 4 has a substantially raised sole for a racing shoe and weighing in at 6.6 ounces it’s definitely not the lightest. Read more details at https://info4runners.com/new-balance-993/.
