 "In the running")
NIKE ZOOM ELITE 8
I clock in a lot of kilometres every week. The Nike Zoom Elite 8, I was told, was for running on tarmacs and hard surfaces.
The fit was snug, leading me to remove my socks. Sockless, I ran on to the concrete-floored parking lot of my locality. Well, there was a fair bit of the bounce back from the insole, which also protected my feet from impact as the outsole dug into the ground.
The grip was excellent, even while turning corners, the laces didn't come untied and the shoes felt light. After running for nearly 90 minutes, I didn't get sweaty feet, though I was drenched all over. Air circulation is definitely this pair's highlight, so much so that I rarely wore socks with these shoes on.
While running on grass was satisfactory, small pieces of gravel got stuck in the outer sole after a couple of rounds of a track encompassing pathways and gravel.
At Rs 8,995, the Nike Zoom Elite 8 isn't for a brisk walker like me; but if you're a serious runner who drops in at the gym before or after the daily run, this could fit the bill.
REEBOK CROSSFIT NANO 5.0
The Reebok CrossFit Nano 5.0 looks great, if a bit loud. Kevlar is extensively used in the shoes, making them tough. They also fit snugly. I put on the pair, which felt light, and ran a few rounds in my friend's gym. Turning corners or running was smooth, with the sturdy shoes turning out to be flexible. Under my friend's supervision, I completed a few routines consisting of presses, squats, stretches and lifts. Not once did I feel I was losing my feet; and neither did my toes feel "boxed in". Next came the jumps - the shoes felt comfortable and I did not feel much impact, despite being a centurion in terms of weight! They're good for this, my friend explained.
I tried running outdoors; there was some bounce, but not enough.
At Rs 9,999, the Reebok CrossFit Nano 5.0 are serious training shoes in which one can occasionally run.
PUMA MOBIUM ELITE SPEED 1.5
I am a midsole striker and the pair amazed me with the bounce. For a shoe devoid of a dedicated heel-piece, it did a good job when I was striking my heel at the fag end of my 5-km run.
The shoes have an eight-shaped flexible band, called the Mobium band, at the middle of the outsole; this provides them with flexibility. At the end of the run, I also discovered that my feet were sweaty - there seemed to be no ventilation.
Despite the price of Rs 10,990, one gets used to the Puma Mobium Elite Speed as the default pair for running: They're comfortable over the long term, provided one invests in a good pair of socks as well.
I clock in a lot of kilometres every week. The Nike Zoom Elite 8, I was told, was for running on tarmacs and hard surfaces.
The fit was snug, leading me to remove my socks. Sockless, I ran on to the concrete-floored parking lot of my locality. Well, there was a fair bit of the bounce back from the insole, which also protected my feet from impact as the outsole dug into the ground.
The grip was excellent, even while turning corners, the laces didn't come untied and the shoes felt light. After running for nearly 90 minutes, I didn't get sweaty feet, though I was drenched all over. Air circulation is definitely this pair's highlight, so much so that I rarely wore socks with these shoes on.
While running on grass was satisfactory, small pieces of gravel got stuck in the outer sole after a couple of rounds of a track encompassing pathways and gravel.
At Rs 8,995, the Nike Zoom Elite 8 isn't for a brisk walker like me; but if you're a serious runner who drops in at the gym before or after the daily run, this could fit the bill.
The Reebok CrossFit Nano 5.0 looks great, if a bit loud. Kevlar is extensively used in the shoes, making them tough. They also fit snugly. I put on the pair, which felt light, and ran a few rounds in my friend's gym. Turning corners or running was smooth, with the sturdy shoes turning out to be flexible. Under my friend's supervision, I completed a few routines consisting of presses, squats, stretches and lifts. Not once did I feel I was losing my feet; and neither did my toes feel "boxed in". Next came the jumps - the shoes felt comfortable and I did not feel much impact, despite being a centurion in terms of weight! They're good for this, my friend explained.
I tried running outdoors; there was some bounce, but not enough.
At Rs 9,999, the Reebok CrossFit Nano 5.0 are serious training shoes in which one can occasionally run.
PUMA MOBIUM ELITE SPEED 1.5
I am a midsole striker and the pair amazed me with the bounce. For a shoe devoid of a dedicated heel-piece, it did a good job when I was striking my heel at the fag end of my 5-km run.
The shoes have an eight-shaped flexible band, called the Mobium band, at the middle of the outsole; this provides them with flexibility. At the end of the run, I also discovered that my feet were sweaty - there seemed to be no ventilation.
Despite the price of Rs 10,990, one gets used to the Puma Mobium Elite Speed as the default pair for running: They're comfortable over the long term, provided one invests in a good pair of socks as well.