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.

Listen to This Week's Podcast Here!



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The Subjective: What's your favorite easy day shoe?

Chapters
0:00 - Intro
2:20 - The Subjective: what's your favorite max-cushion training shoe?
7:03 - Hoka Bondi 8 Review
18:30 - What would you change about the Bondi 8?
22:16 - Mizuno Wave NEO Ultra Review
27:36 - Sustainability vs. performance
32:57 - Bondi 8 & NEO Ultra comparisons
42:10 - Wrap-up

Science Weekly: What is the Difference Between Polyester and Recylced Polyester?
By Content Manager Bach Pham

Polyester is one of the most commonly used materials in clothing. It is made from a chemical reaction between air, water, and petroleum. It was born out of material research in the 1920s by Du Pont. Commonly used polyester is known as "virgin" polyester because it is created by a nonrenewable resource - petroleum. Recycled polyester offers an alternative by using plastic waste that already exists. It takes far less energy to produce and produces far less emissions. The quality of the material remains pretty much exactly the same. 

Recycled polyester is an important step forward to immediately cutting emissions from virgin polyester. However, long term it is only a stepping stone in that recycled polyester is hard to reuse once used. It is often blended with other materials, making it almost impossible to recycle and reuse. It can also be hard to color, which is why cleaner colors like a pale white or yellow is often very common. 

The negatives aside, recycled polyester is still an easy way for companies to swap out usage of virgin polyesters as sustainable material science continues to advance and improve.

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