Newton Running Motion+ Review (2022)

 

Newton Running Motion+: Filling a Void
By Content Manager Bach Pham and Chief Editor/Founder Matthew Klein

Newton Running shoes have always been unique. From their forefoot lug system and rare forefoot posting in their stability shoe, the Motion series has consistently been different from others on the market. The Motion+ is an upgraded, new entry in the lineup this year, adding a performance aspect to their typical training model. Newton has added a second unique feature of their shoe line as of 2021 by making a huge leap forward into sustainability. Each pair of Newtons are now made with recyclable materials, including a recycled upper and quickly biodegradable soles thanks to an additive called EcoPure which activates through chemicals in landfills to help facilitate the shoe breaking down 75% faster than a traditional shoe that typical takes decades to decompose. With new entries like the Motion+ and Gravity+, Newton is showing that you don't have to sacrifice performance to create a highly sustainably minded shoe for the future.

Listening to Your "Foot Brain": How to Find the Right Running Shoe (ft. Megan Searfoss) | DOR Podcast #107

 

DOR Podcast #107: Listening to Your "Foot Brain": How to Find the Right Running Shoe (ft. Megan Searfoss)

Finding the right shoe, whether it's your first or your fifth, can be daunting. Matt & Andrea are joined by Megan Searfoss, owner of Ridgefield and Darien Running Company, to give a store-owner's perspective on finding the best shoe for you. Megan also shares wisdom from years of running experience and dozens of races including Ironmans and marathons.

ASICS Fuji Lite 3 Review (2022)

 

ASICS Fuji Lite 3 Review: A Light and Nimble Trail Crusher
By Chief Editor/Founder Matthew Klein

With the continued popularity of maximalist shoes particularly on the trails, looking for minimal shoes in this category can be challenging. Trail shoes with lower stack heights, more flexibility, and lighter weight for picking up the pace are not common. That makes the ASICS Fuji Lite series unique among the soft surface running footwear category. Version 3 returns with a better fit and slightly softer cushioning while maintaining the nimble, flexible but protective ride that made it a great shoe for those wanting a minimal or racing shoe for the trails. 

Puma Electrify Nitro 2 Review (2022)

Puma Electrify Nitro 2 Review: More Than a Budget Shoe
By Content Manager Bach Pham and Chief Editor/Founder Matthew Klein

While the majority of running shoes have continued to increase in price, a few shoes have been able to provide great rides at the $100 mark. This category of shoes sits on the line between a budget shoe and a premium shoe, bringing features from both sides. Surprisingly, many of the shoes in this category have been excellent, bringing incredible value for those hesitant to spend more money or newer runners getting into the sport. The Puma Electrify Nitro 2 is one of those shoes. Coming in at only $100, the Electrify Nitro 2 brings higher-level design and comfort to a shoe for new runners running short to moderate distances at a variety of paces.

Newton Running Fate 8 Review (2022)

 

Newton Running Fate 8: To Be, or Not to Be
By Andrea Myers and Bach Pham

The Newton Fate series has long been the brand's introductory shoe to the brand. It features their Action/Reaction technology at it's mildest, offering a balance between a traditional ride and their unique lug system. In 2021, the brand went through a tremendous overhaul, pushing the company ten steps forward into sustainability by incorporating everything from a fully recycled upper to a new hybrid midsole. The shoe's new hallmark besides their Action/Reaction technology is EcoPure, an additive that is incorporated into their products to help break the shoe down in landfills 75% faster. Note: it does not mean your shoe breaks down 10x faster; EcoPure activates in the right conditions typically found in a landfill, triggering itself to help decompose quickly and effectively. Pretty darn cool.

Performance Meet Sustainability with Mizuno's Wave Neo Collection - DOR Sustainability Series Vol. 4

Performance Meet Sustainability with
Mizuno's Wave Neo Collection
Doctors of Running Sustainability Project, Volume 4

By Bach Pham, Content Manager

In our fourth edition of the Doctors of Running Sustainability Project, we spoke with Tina Danforth, Product Manager of Footwear, Sportstyle, and Apparel at Mizuno and Stephen Pifer, Mizuno's Marketing Manager, about the new Wave Neo line. The Wave Neo Ultra and Wind are the brand's new models working to bridge the gap between a sustainability and performance. In this feature, we go over Mizuno's path towards these shoes and their carbon neutral goals for the future.

Detecting the Early Warning Signs of Your Running Injury, ft. Brodie Sharpe | DOR Podcast #106

 

DOR Podcast #106: Detecting the Early Warning Signs of Your Running Injury

Injuries large & small plague almost every runner throughout their career. Detecting early signs of injury and stopping them before they turn into something serious will help us keep running consistently. Nate & Matt are joined by Brodie Sharpe, a fellow PT, who specializes in injury prevention and rehabilitation. They take a look at the nature of injury risk, how to reduce it, strategies & tools for rehabbing, and much more.

ASICS Novablast 3 Review (2022)

 

ASICS Novablast 3 Review: The Best One Yet
By Chief Editor/Founder Matt Klein & David Salas

As companies continue to experiment with different foam compounds and geometries, shoes are getting lighter, taller and softer. The challenge with this combination is that it often leads to instability. However, several companies are learning and correcting this. The ASICS Novablast 3 is an excellent example of this. A popular cushioned training shoe, the newest version comes in much lighter, more cushioned and features better guidance in the rearfoot, making this the best Novablast so far. 

Newton Running Distance+ Review (2022)

 

Newton Running Distance+ Review: Sustainable Speed
By David Salas

The Distance series from Newton Running has always been about producing speed without crushing the legs. The Distance continues this tradition of "speed trainer" in a sustainable package. The shoe comes in the 8 ounce range and provides good responsiveness and a really airy upper. The Distance+ is a performance trainer with biodegradable capabilities similar to the rest of the Plus lineup. 

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v3 Review (2022)

New Balance FuelCell Rebel v3 Review: A Little Bit of Everything
By David Salas, Andrea Myers and Matthew Klein

The New Balance Rebel series has been doing a great job of pushing forward the performance trainer category. The Rebel v3 continues upon this lineage with a new outsole design and a more streamlined and fitting upper. The FuelCell midsole still maintains bounce and feels a little more sturdy under foot than the predecessor as well. The Rebel v3 is a performance trainer that can turn over at fast paces as well as cruise at slower paces with pretty decent comfort at both extremes. 

Mizuno Wave Neo Wind Review (2022)

Mizuno Wave Neo Wind: Sustainability Aside, a Killer Trainer
By Senior Contributor David Salas and Content Manager Bach Pham

Many companies are doing their best to take on sustainability initiatives to decrease their print on this planet. Mizuno has taken good strides at trying to create very sustainable shoe with methods of recycling and reducing water usage and waste in the making of the Neo series. The Neowind is a recycled and sustainable daily trainer that mimics similarly to the build of the iconic Mizuno Wave Rider series. 

Mizuno Wave Neo Ultra Review (2022)

 

Mizuno Wave Neo Ultra: Sustainability Meets Max Cushioned
By Content Manager Bach Pham, Global Brand Manager Nathan Brown and Chief Editor/Founder Matthew Klein

Sustainability has become a hot issue among running shoe companies. How each company has handled the transition into the discussion has been entirely different though. Some have slowly incorporated recycled materials into popular models. Some have swapped midsoles with materials like castor bean or hybrid recycled foams. This month Mizuno decided to take things a step further with not just one, but two brand new releases that are built with both performance and sustainability in mind. In today's review, we explore the Wave Neo Ultra, Mizuno's premium cushioned trainer that's newly-built  with sustainable materials from top-to-bottom, including a new hybrid midsole called Enerzy Lite.

Reviewing Two Very Different Max Cushion Shoes | DOR Podcast #105

 

DOR Podcast #105: Reviewing Two Very Different Max Cushion Shoes

These days, max cushion midsoles aren't just for racing shoes. Maximally cushioned trainers are a staple in many runners' rotations. Today, Matt & DJ review two max-stack offerings, one a veteran to the scene and the other a newcomer. First up is the HOKA Bondi 8, the latest update to one of the original max cushion shoes. Next is Mizuno's Wave NEO Ultra, which offers not only maximum cushioning, but sustainability with over 50% of the materials used made from sustainable or recycled materials. They compare/contrast this two cushioned shoes and explore whether a sustainable shoe can offer real running performance.

adidas SL20.3 Review (2022)

 

Adidas SL20.3: Simplicity
By Content Manager Bach Pham

The SL20 has had an interesting history in its short life. Version 1 provided a low profile, versatile trainer that could pick up the pace for workouts and do a bit of daily training. It was light on the feet and for some reason always on sale from day one, making it an absolute bargain for runners. Version 2 came as a surprise as Adidas amped up the amount of Lightstrike in the midsole, moving it away from a performance trainer and more into the daily training realm. Version 3 arrived this year, retaining much of last year's formula with a new upper made with recycled materials. In this review, we'll be digging into the new upper change and going indepth on what exactly this shoe's role is in the Adidas line-up.

Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 Review (2022)

 

Saucony Endorphin Shift 3 Review: Tall, but Also Light
By Senior Contributor David Salas and Chief Editor/Founder Matt Klein

The Endorphin line from Saucony has been a hit from the beginning. The Pro, Speed, and Shift have all used well-integrated rocker designs and Saucony's "speedroll technology". The Shift 3 continues upon this with an even more streamlined design and lighter weight.

Newton Running Gravity+ Review (2022)

 

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. 

What to Do If Your Knees Do Hurt on the Run (Patellar Tendinopathy) | DOR Podcast #104

DOR Podcast #104: What to Do If Your Knees Do Hurt on the Run: A Primer on Patellar Tendinopathy

We know from the research that running isn't bad for our knees, but that doesn't mean we won't pick up knee injuries every once in a while. Patellar Tendinopathy is one of the most common ailments for runners. The knee is critical in the gait cycle, so is easily effected. Nate, Matt, and DJ discuss chronic tendon pain in the knee: its anatomy, symptoms, and risk factors. They give you tips for rehabbing the patellar tendon so you can get back to running consistently. Finally, of course, they cover what types of shoes can influence the tendon.

ASICS Gel-Kayano 29 Review (2022)

 

ASICS Gel-Kayano 29: Continued Evolution in the Long-Running Stability Line
By Chief Editor Matthew Klein

The ASICS Gel-Kayano is the second longest-running shoe series and the longest-stability shoe series on the market. Throughout its 29-year history, the last few years have seen the most dramatic changes. These changes are in line with the current understandings of stability and guidance, while still remaining true to its origins as a medially posted, premium stability shoe. Continuing to drop weight while improving comfort, the Gel-Kayano 29 maintains a strong tradition of improvement and evolution in the right direction. 

Hoka Bondi 8 Review (2022)

 

Hoka Bondi 8 Review: The Classic Max Cushioned Shoe
By Senior Contributor David Salas and Chief Editor/Founder Matthew Klein

The HOKA Bondi series has been a long time favorite for those that like high stack rockered shoes. The Bondi 8 comes in with a few updates that make the shoe a little more stable on foot without sacrificing the DNA of the model. The major update to the geometry is the usage of sole flaring through the forefoot and the introduction of a new foam. The shoe still rides like the lineage it has created with a couple of tweaks.