Newton Gravity+ Review (2022 Edition): Do. It. All.
By Senior Contributor David Salas and Contributor Andrea Myers
Newton
has been a company that has built off of their ART (Action-Reaction
Technology) principles. This essentially consists of a membrane and
functioning unit that levers from the forefoot lugs that many have
associated with the company. One unique thing with the new lines of
Newtons are their efforts towards sustainability and creating a green
footprint on the planet. The + series has placed a huge effort toward
using fully recyclable materials and biodegradable materials to speed up
the breakdown of the shoe when it exists beyond its running mileage.
The Gravity+ is a recyclable performance trainer.
Price: $190 at Newton Running
Weight: 8.6 oz, (men's), 7.2 oz, (women's)
Stack Height: Unavailable
Drop: 3mm
Classification: Performance Trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
David: The
Newton Gravity+ is performance trainer that has quite a bit of
responsiveness for a recyclable shoe. The ride is a little on the firmer
end but still provides good protection throughout the miles. The pacing
ability is pretty versatile and can run both slow and fast. The lower
drop ratio and ART forefoot lugs does do great with creating a fast feel
throughout the shoe, but those sensitive to using the calves may need to
work on strengthening or gradually breaking in the shoe.
Andrea: The
Newton Gravity+ is responsive, low drop shoe that can be used for easy
miles and intervals. Newton makes one of the best fitting uppers on the
market, and the Gravity+ is no exception. The forefoot lugs reward you
for picking up the pace with a lively, slightly propulsive feel. Due to
the low drop (made even lower feeling due to the forefoot lugs), this
shoe rides like a zero drop shoe. Runners with limited calf strength or
ankle range of motion should be cautious when trying the Gravity+.
FIT
David: Newton
always produces great uppers and the Gravity+ is no different. The
upper is a 100% polyester mesh material that lies very comfortable on
the foot throughout. The width in the heel and midfoot are normal with
the forefoot being normal to slightly wide. The tongue is moderately
padded but does a good job of providing enough cushion for lockdown.
There is a lightly padded heel counter that hasn't provided irritation.
In a lot of ways it is a pretty simple upper, but one that works really
well.
Andrea: The Gravity+
continues Newton's excellence in uppers. Newton recommends going up a
1/2 size and sent me a women's size 10, which I found to fit like my
usual 9.5. The shoe provides enough room in the toe box for mild toe
splay without allowing for any foot translation. The width in the heel
and midfoot is normal and fit very comfortably for me. The mesh upper is
lightweight, breathable, and provides ample lockdown without any hot
spots or irritation. There is a semi-rigid heel counter that wraps
around the calcaneus on both sides. The heel collar has light padding
and I found the fit of the heel to be comfortable and unobtrusive. The
tongue is on the thinner side and is lightly padded. It is partially
gusseted with elastic strips attaching the tongue to the shoe upper.
There is also a lace loop on the tongue which also helps hold it
securely in place. I did not have any issues with irritation or movement
of the tongue while I was running. Overall, I was extremely pleased
with the fit and comfort of the Gravity+.
PERFORMANCE
David: The
Gravity Plus is a really fun shoe to run in. The foam is the EVA EcoPure
that they have produced from recyclable materials. This does run a
little on the firmer side but does get a little softened up with the
Duponts Hytrel foam strobel. The Action-Reaction technology on the shoe is pretty well-integrated and does give you a really quick rolling transition through
the toe off phase of the gait cycle. The heel is balanced pretty well
and transitions smoother than some other Newtons I have had in the past.
The geometry is still a little on the aggressive side and feels
somewhat similar to a track spike on the road. With that said the shoe
does feel really fun when picking up the pace. The heel and midfoot
transition could probably be a tiny bit smoother but does really well
with the turnover starts to pick up a little bit. I have done up to 14
miles okay in this shoe, though I have trained up to it. This is a nice
performance trainer for workouts. Even though the lugs in the forefoot
are present, there is still some mild flexibility to the forefoot and
feels somewhat natural. For me this is a nice shoe to workout in or do
some moderate to longer uptempo efforts.
Andrea: I
was excited to receive the Gravity+ because I really enjoyed testing
the previous model in 2021. I found this year's model to be a little
more forgiving as compared to last year's, which appears to be due to
the new Hytrel footbed. The Gravity+ is unique in a performance shoe in
that it is also comfortable at easy paces. It can be used for a full
workout, including warmup and cooldown. That being said, it does run
like a zero drop shoe and those not accustomed to such a shoe should ease
into running in the Gravity+. At easy paces, the lugs are noticeable but
not in the way. I would not choose this shoe for a long easy run, but
it is perfectly comfortable for a 60-90 minute interval workout. At
faster paces, the lugs give a rolling and mild propulsive sensation,
which is most noticeable for me below 5k pace. There is a flex groove
towards the end of the forefoot (positioned after the lugs) that give
the forefoot some needed flexibility. The lugs help roll you into the
flex groove, which then assists with push off.
Traction in the
Gravity+ is okay, but I definitely noticed a little slippage when running
on wet roads. The outsole material, particularly on the lugs, does not
appear to provide much grip. I have 30 miles on my pair and there is
minimal wear on the outsole, so I would expect greater than average
durability.
STABILITY
David: The
forefoot stability in the Gravity+ is really good. There is enough
rigidity with the lugs and sole flaring that you really feel solid in
that region. The rest of the shoe certainly runs neutral. The platform
is normal width in the heel and midfoot and the upper provides a nice
but comfortable lockdown. Overall the shoe runs decently stable, but
there still is a little medial translation in the foot through the
midfoot. For those that need a little more stability may want to look
into the Motion + model. The stability throughout is pretty good for a
neutral model though. Traction is also done decently well for some off
road conditions.
Andrea: This is a
neutral, low drop shoe that feels like a zero drop shoe. That being
said, the Gravity+ feels balanced in terms of stability due the
stiffness of the XPS+ plate and lugs in addition to the secure fit of
the upper. The medial and lateral sole flare in the rearfoot and
forefoot as well as a wider overall platform in the forefoot also help
provide mild stability throughout stance phase. I am also currently
testing the Newton Fate 8, which has a significantly more flexible
midsole and feels a little less stable due to this feature. Overall, the
Gravity+ provides mild guidance which is more noticeable at faster
paces.
THOUGHTS AS A DPT / FOOTWEAR SCIENCE
Towards a Recycled Future
By David Salas
In
the running industry we are currently seeing big push towards recycling
materials. Newton has made some large efforts to accomplish this task
as well with recycled polyester, EVA, and rubber in the outsoles. The
process can be a little costly upfront but can actually have some
material benefits. Guo et al. (2019) found that if you recycle an EVA
based material with an EVA vitrimer (triethyl borate with a catalyst)
you may experience improvements in mechanical properties. Guo et al
(2019) found that the cross linking described above showed greater
thermal stability and storage than the normal thermoplastic EVA. More
research needs to be done but this is a good example of showing that
although something may be recycled, it doesn't necessarily mean the
performance or mechanical properties of the material will be lessened in
performance.
References:
Guo,
H., Yue, L, Rui, G., & Manas-Zloczower, I. (2019). Recycling
Poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) with improved properties through dynamic
cross linking. Macromolecules. A-G.
RECOMMENDATIONS
David: The
Newton Gravity+ stepped it up again from last year. I really enjoyed
this model and feel the new strobel did help soften things a little,
though I do think the transition through the midfoot could still be
cleaned up. I think either the heel could be rounded a tad more or the
drop just ever so slightly raised to clean up the transition point and
make the lugs feel a tad less aggressive on a training shoe. Overall, a
good shoe though.
Andrea: I agree
with David that this year's Gravity+ is an improvement on the previous
model due to the improved Hytrel footbed. This is a great shoe for
intervals, but I also agree that slight modifications to the lugs could
make the shoe feel smoother at slower paces. Overall, this is one of my
favorite workout shoes and I am particularly pleased with the
well-fitting and breathable upper.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
David: The
Newton Gravity+ is a performance trainer for a runner looking to have a
lot of versatility in potential speed and likes having a slightly more
aggressive track like ride. The drop ratio is on the lower end and the
lugs essentially make the platform level. This makes having calf
strength and stability important when running in these. The ride, however,
feels very quick and is still pretty smooth at all speeds.
Andrea: The
Newton Gravity+ is ideal as a performance trainer for runners
accustomed to low drop shoes. Runners who prefer a more responsive
interval shoe will like the firmer feel of the Gravity+. If you are
looking for a shoe that can handle warmup, cooldown and intervals, this
is a great option.
GRADING
David
Fit: A- (Incredibly comfortable, though a little bit of room medially through the midfoot)
Performance: B+/A- (Very
fast and quick transitions, great responsiveness for material base,
though still a tad abrupt transitioning from the midfoot into the
forefoot. Might be a little firm and aggressive for some, but otherwise
great.)
Stability: A- (Great forefoot stability, though a little translation medially through the midfoot)
DPT/Footwear Science: B+ (A good job of integrating recyclable materials into a performance shoe, though transitions can still be smoothened out)
Personal: B+/A-(A really fun shoe for long workouts or uptempo efforts, still a tad on the firmer end)
Overall: B+/A- (A fun performance trainer with quick transitions and a responsive ride using recyclable materials)
Andrea
Fit: A (remember to go up 1/2 size for a great fitting upper that allows for toe splay and superior lockdown)
Performance: A- (feels best at paces faster than 5k pace. Can be used for slower paces but lugs are noticeable.)
Stability: A- (stiffer sole, sole flare, and lugs provide nice guidance without any true stability features)
DPT/Footwear Science: A- (Newton is doing great work using recycled materials for its shoes without sacrificing performance)
Personal: A- (love the shoe for faster intervals, but would like to see lugs refined)
Overall: A- (great fitting performance shoe with recycled materials and responsive ride)
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
Price: $190 at Newton Running
Shop Men | Shop Women
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