I dont run much, just some short 2-3 milers with a 6 miler thrown in there every now and then, I mostly play basketball(which you know nothing about)(ha j/k) but I just bought the New Balance 749's and it says its a mild stability shoe, that shouldn't be bad if you dont know what kind of gait you have is it? They are vary light and a review I saw for them says they are for a lighter person I weigh 190... basically I had not read this post til now which I regret, and learned a lot for it. Thanks. Any input you might have about them, thanks?

If I wear Saucony Pro Grids, what train running shoe should I look at?

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Aggie...Any updates on the Avants?

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not yet, i still don't have a pair. tried to pick up a pair at the employee store when i was in portland, but they didn't have them. I'll probably try to get a pair when I get back to NYC.

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New Balance 749's and it says its a mild stability shoe, that shouldn't be bad if you dont know what kind of gait you have is it? They are vary light and a review I saw for them says they are for a lighter person I weigh 190... basically I had not read this post til now which I regret, and learned a lot for it. Thanks. Any input you might have about them, thanks?

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you probably won't notice any difference if that's all the running you do. fwiw - for the vast majority of training shoes, i don't buy into the whole "this shoe is for heavier/lighter runners" thing. its a different story when you get into lightweights and racers.

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If I wear Saucony Pro Grids, what train running shoe should I look at?

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"Pro Grid" is the name saucony uses for its cushioning system. That's not the name of the shoe. There are a lot of these types of names thrown around for cushioning or material used in a shoe. Its similar to Nike "air" or lunarlite. Brooks has MoGo and GTS. Mizuno has the "wave."

Every Saucony is going to be a Pro Grid.

Pro Grid Ride
Pro Grid Hurricane
Pro Grid Omni
etc, etc

Also, I'm not sure what you are asking.

I just read a few pages and saw you dont really comment on trail shoes (what I meant to type). Just looking for any info on what to look for in a trail shoe, I will probably go to the running store soon but was looking for any feedback first. Pro Grid Guide is my current shoe.

[This message has been edited by Vero143 (edited 12/31/2009 8:35a).]

The guide is a "light" stability shoe, so you a probably a slight over-pronator.

trail shoes are a bit different. First, most people who run "trails" aren't running anything technical enough to need a trail shoe. Which is why most major shoe manufacturers don't make a technical trail shoe, they just slap a different tread pattern on one of the shoes they already make (Nike Trail Pegasus, Saucony Omni Trail). Most good trail shoes are produced by companies like Salomon, Teva, Merril, Montrail, Northface, etc, and you probably won't find them in your local running store (unless you live in colorado or something).

Secondly, there are a lot of people out there that don't believe that trail shoes need stability b/c your foot strike is so inconsistent while trail running. You strike on your forefoot quite often due to uneven terrain. I'm a neutral runner, so I can't comment from experience whether or not the absence of stability will hinder/hurt you. However, I can tell you that your foot strike on semi-technical and technical terrain is quite variable, so the theory makes sense to me.

If you are running on carriage trails or something, you don't need a trail shoe. I did my 50 miler, which was almost all exclusively on trails in the Vomero. I tore them up, but they were sufficient for the type of trails I was on. There were roots, rocks and mud, but nothing crazy. I definitely could have run it in a trail shoe though.

Anyway, my favorite trail shoe, BY FAR, is the brooks cascadia. Its comfortable, not bulky, drains water REALLY well, and has a pretty good grip, even on wet rocks.

I won't pretend to be an expert on trail shoes, but I've had a few pair and run through some pretty serious technical terrain. The Cascadia will always be my first recommendation.

[This message has been edited by AggieOO (edited 12/31/2009 3:54p).]

I've been running in the Mizuno Nirvana for half of a year and will do the Houston Marathon in them. Everything has gone well and I'm going to keep running races. I want to experiment with a different type of shoe after this race.

My foot is:
- slightly narrow (almost measures a B)
- arch is not super-high, but high enough (more comfortable in a 3' heel than a flat) and fairly flexible
- my step is NOT light
- the Nirvana has not given me problems except a bit of rubbing from the elastic on the arch that keeps the tongue in place on my bigger foot. That only happened 2 times in 6 months.

Would you recommend going to the Adidas Supernova Cushion or the Nike Air Structure Triax? Or maybe something else altogether?

The crux of this need for change is that I don't want to keep shelling out $130-$150 every time I need a new pair of running shoes, which is going to be more often than previously.

if you are looking to go the adidas route, you'll want to look at the supernova control if you need a stability shoe.

the new triax just dropped (triax 13). I don't know what they changed, but people seem to like it so far.

TAT, tell your boo to stop being cheap and by you some shoes.



(runs and hides never to be found)

My boo needs to be saving his money for something sparkly. And I'm not talking about the reflective strips on running shoes!

agmatt06 - I got my Avants today. I'm going to take them out for a run tonight and see how they feel. Bad news is, these are getting difficult to find. Seems like they might already be phasing them out. I was able to find them on nike.com, as all the stores in the area are no longer carrying them.

Aggie...I last heard that they were going to roll the Avant line into a Lunar shoe (not sure what name they will use for it). Is that not a rumor anymore?

there is a shoe similar in the lunar line called the Lunar Swift. Its basically the new Lunar Elite without a footbridge. however, it still has "dynamic support." i tried it on last week. while it feels better than the glide, it still has dual density foam and didn't feel comfortable to me. I can't stand event the slightest bit of stability/support in a shoe.

there's also the lunar mariah, which is basically a lunar race with a more durable upper (and its technically in the sportswear line)

[This message has been edited by AggieOO (edited 1/12/2010 4:46p).]

did about 20 mins in the avants tonight (had to get back before tipoff, although maybe i should have kept running). they felt good, but not as soft as the LT. I'm guessing they probably feel about like the Pegasus will once it switches for phylon to cushlon (in march).

need more runs in them, but so far, i'm on board.

i'm three weeks into using a pair of brooks ravenna and i'm somewhat impressed so far. i prefer neutral shoes (midfoot striker, medium arches, slightly narrow feet) with light to medium cushioning but i'll run in just about anything. these fit sort of like a good pair of gloves. they hug your foot without being uncomfortable. the support is really mild. cushioning is medium and a bit softer than the pegasus line that i'm used to. they're about the same weight as a pegasus.

agmatt - be on the lookout for the Lunar Fly, which comes out in June. It will be the replacement for the Avant.

Pretty sweet shoe...That should be right about the right time line for me to be getting a new pair of shes...

its basically the Hayward upper on a trimmed down lunar trainer lower, from what i understand.

loved the Hayward, loved the lunar. this could be my favorite shoe ever...i'm trying not to get my hopes up.

I ended up getting a pair of Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax 13s today from Luke's Locker.

I was hoping to try either the Brooks Adrenaline 10 or the Asics Nimbus 11, but the guy said neither of those would work for me cause I needed a stability shoe.

After coming home and reading more, I think I may take them back and at least try the Adrenaline - it sounds like it should work for my foot type (normal arch). The description on runner's world for the adrenaline and the Triax (they only have the 12) are pretty much the same for who they work on.

Due to that I'm thinking of at least going back and trying on some of the others I had looked into. Although I want whatever works best, I'm trying to get away from Nike and would like to get into a pair of Brooks or Asics, personally.

Any opinions on whether or not the Adrenaline would be bad for my foot type? The guy suggested that Asics & Brooks across the board, as brands wouldn't work for me.

huh? the adrenaline is a stability shoe(i've had a few pairs and love them), and the nimbus is neutral. he didn't even let you try them on?

which luke's did you go to?

[This message has been edited by '03ag (edited 2/1/2010 8:52a).]

It wasn't really that he didn't let me try them on.

I had mentioned that I had some interest in those 2 and he asked if I had ever been properly analyzed.

I told him that I hadn't, so he analyzed me and then at that point mentioned that my arches were too high for either of those 2.

He tried a sucony on me, but said it didn't quite work either and put me in the Triax 13.

I didn't really push the issue, or I'm sure he'd have brought the others out.

Since then, I went to the local Dick's Sporting goods and they had the Adrenaline 10 in stock, so I tried it on and ended up buying a pair for a more extended, side by side comparison and I have to say, I'm keeping the Triax.

The guy was pretty dead on - the Triax fits my arch perfectly while the Adrenaline has a little gap between my arch and the insole. Also, I noticed that I tend to push against the mesh inside on the Adrenaline and I think after a bit that would irritate me.

So end result is that I should have asked to try those on if I had wanted to, but the guy's analysis was dead on and I'll be keeping the Triax and taking back the Adrenalins.

i'm an "expert" and there is all kinds of confusion in the two posts above. i hope it works out for you, but either you talked to some people who have no clue what is going on or your misinterpreted what was told to you and posted conflicting information here.

AggieOO -

which parts specifically - cause that is what I'm trying to find out.

I certainly am a novice when it comes to this, but I'd like to know what parts were wrong (I don't believe I mispoke about what I was told, and I'd like to know, if that is correct, what parts of what he said were wrong).

Thanks.

Mild overpronator here but with normal, ridged arches. I picked up a pair of the Structure Triax on sale at the outlet in Round Rock. Terrible shoes for my feet. Might work if you have straight, flat, feet.

The only place in B/CS that has Brooks that I know of is Shoe Daze. Went there, tried on the Adrenaline 10...felt great but a little wide, so ordered them in a "B." I'm looking forward to this one. Of course they tried to sell me some inserts as well, which I said no thanks. I'll give a report on the Adrenaline when I get them.

take that FWIW

AggieOO,

Just wanted to say thx for this guide. Read through every post, took your original post w/me while shopping, and was able to make an informed decision. Ended up getting a brand of shoe I never would've considered otherwise.

I went to Luke's Locker in The Woodlands. They carry NB, Mizuno, Asics, Saucony, Nike, Brooks, and (I think) Newtons. Staff was very helpful and seemed to know what they were talking about. They had me walk on a treadmill to evaluate my gait and spent time helping me pick the right shoe. Turns out, I needed a shoe that is one size larger than I normally wear. Although I spent more money than I wanted to, I consider it an investment.

Thanks again for this post. Happy running!

i've ditched my ravennas about 2 months in. i'm not certain of the cause, but the inner areas of the shoe keep coming into contact with the areas just outside the balls of my feet. back to my faithful pegasus.

the peg switches from phylon to cushlon in the next update (i believe in march)...i'm stoked about the update, but not all will be. it'll be a little softer ride, as cushlon is the material used in the vomero. As far as I know, the peg will use the same air system it always has though, so it won't be as soft as the vomero (which is a good thing).

The peg has always been a little too firm for me. I think this update might make it a viable shoe option for me.

i've been looking forward to the update since i read the announcement on some running shoe blog. the pegasus is too firm and inflexible to be really comfortable, but i've never tried on a shoe that fit as well as a pegasus. i just put up with it. something with a bit more squish will be nice. i've tried almost all of the brands over the years, but i always go back to nike.

does anyone have a suggestion for a good running shoe that would work well with a bunion? I just realized that I have a bunion and I feel a little sad about it. I've never really been one to wear tight high-heeled shoes so I'm not sure why I have it. I do have low arches. I just have a bunion on my right foot. It doesn't really hurt that much but if I run for long distances, I get blisters next to it. tia!

the women's vomeros have a piece built into them to expand for women with bunions.

thanks, the vomeros look interesting but in one description that I read, it says that the vomeros are built for the neutral or under-pronator but I overpronate a bit. so would those not be ideal? it seems weird to me since I've read that people who have low arches that overpronate are more prone to bunions so it is interesting that this show that accommodates bunions is for underpronators (is that the same as supinating?).

it is a neutral shoe. it has the bunion feature, b/c women are prone to bunions due to wearing shoes that are not good for them.

under-pronation is the same as supination.

if you over pronate, you definitely don't want the vomero.

do you have any ideas for shoes for someone with low arches who overpronates and has bunions?

Thoughts on this brand:
http://www.eccousa.com/shoes/biom/

They felt pretty good on my feet. I ended up going with some Saucony's from the recommendations at Luke's, but I'd like to add a natural type running shoe for once a week type stuff (this or Newton's or something like that).