Karhu Ikoni 3.0 Review
By David Salas
Karhu Ikoni 3.0Price: $150 at Karhu
Weight: 10.9 oz, 301g (men's size 9), 9.1 oz, 244g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 30 mm / 22 mm
Drop: 8mm
Shoe Purpose: Daily Training Shoe; Neutral / Mild Stability
Pros: Excellent Rocker with gentle guidance
Cons: Forefoot flexibility may impact those sensitive to it, weight, for those who want lighter packages
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 is a daily training shoe for those with neutral mechanics that may need some mild guidance and stability. The shoe uses a rocker profile with a more flexible forefoot than others on the market. The general feeling on foot is a moderate stack and firmer ride with noticeable guidance and rocker. This is definitely a workhorse training shoe.
PAST MODEL: Karhu Ikoni 2.5
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
David: The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 fits true to size in my men's 9.5, though perhaps a tad short. Those sensitive to length may want to go up a 1/2 size (the Karhu North America website does advise this). Other than the length being a tad short though, the other dimensions felt good. The upper feels like a moderately plush training upper. The tongue has a good amount of padding and I had no issues with biting from the laces. The heel collar is similar and does have a good amount of padding on a stiff counter. The width in the heel and midfoot are normal, with the forefoot being slightly wide. The mesh upper is pretty comfortable and does hold its structure well. The general fit of the shoe is quite good and secure.
David's Typical Size: Men's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit David well: Nike Vomero 17, Saucony Ride 16, Puma Velocity Nitro 3
Shoes that have fit snug: HOKA Arahi 7
Shoes that have fit large: Salomon Aero Glide
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Yes
How Flexible is the Shoe: Moderate
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Potentially (padding)
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Average
PERFORMANCE
David: The Karhu Ikoni line has always been a favorite of mine for easy mileage. The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 did not disappoint. The Ikoni 3.0 updates a few things from the 2.0 including increased stack height, a new midsole, and improved outsole coverage. The new AeroFoam midsole does feel softer than previous Ikoni's, but I still wouldn't necessarily classify it as soft. It is on the firmer end, especially with the fulcrum embedded in the midsole. The foam is still protective though and should service your daily training needs.
The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 does use a rocker geometry. This model has a very well rounded heel and a more flexible and gradual forefoot. The midsole has a fulcrum embedded into it as well to help with guidance throughout the gait cycle and some added rigidity. The fulcrum is not full length and the shoe does maintain some forefoot flexibility. I do not have confirmation, but the stiffening agent feels about 3/4 length.
The Karhu Ikoni 3.0, would be in the moderate stack height category (at least compared to the current market). The rockered ride does a really good job of providing some gentle guidance through the heel and midfoot. The forefoot feels like a relatively natural toe off, since the metatarsals do have some flexibility. The shoe does have some subtle sidewalls integrated into the medial and lateral rearfoot that seem to do their job well. The AeroFoam midsole feels protective underfoot, but does not have the most bounce to it. I find the Karhu Ikoni 3.0 to be a true daily training model. Those that want a more grounded rocker experience can find that here in the Ikoni 3.0.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
David: The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 is a neutral to mild stability training shoe. Karhu categorizes their shoes with guidance, with this having a good amount it. The firmer nature of the shoe gives you plenty of ground feel, for the relative cushion. The outsole traction is decent, and should work for most uses. The upper has good lockdown throughout and feels secure on foot. The fulcrum does feel like it gives you some guidance forward and keeps you centered. For what its worth I do think this a nice stable neutral/ light stability shoe.
Thoughts as a DPT: The Importance of a Good Heel Bevel
By David Salas, PT, DPT, CSCS
Running shoes having been making pretty massive leaps and bounds over the last few years with design principles. One area where I think it has made the largest improvements would be heel bevels. A heel bevel is what is sounds like. A bevel, or rounding, to the outer edges of the heel. It may seem like something small, but this simple rounding can have big implications on how we move.
A heel bevel's intention is to help mimic the natural heel rocker on our foot. When we look at our heels, we have a natural rounding to it as well. This helps us rock forward when we walk or run. The rocker eases movement and facilitates our movement forward, decreasing some of the jarring or breaking forces upon landing on the ground. This allows us to transition forward effectively and pronate for shock absorption at the right times.
Heel bevels come in several shapes and sizes. Some shoes have dramatic bevels with very large moments of rounding, while others may have a small rounding on the posterior lateral heel (outside of the heel). In both situations, the heel bevel can work. To some degree it is dependent on the runner's individual biomechanics. The Karhu Ikoni takes a pretty general approach to the heel bevel, and gives a very smooth experience through that region. The Ikoni does not have much of a bias in any direction. Rather, it has a wide swooping rounding in all directions. This provides a pretty smooth landing regardless of where you are landing on the heel. Many people land on their outer heel when hitting the ground, and so you may see some shoes with a bias in that region. Adidas has had some pretty dramatic posterior lateral bevels in recent years on their performance lines. These are great for fast and quick transitions. That design also works well for those with lateral instability that need something to facilitate them moving forward and medially.
Shoes that do not have a rounding in that region often come off as very jarring when you try and run in them. Flatter shoes can be great for things like weight lifting and balance. For facilitating movement forward though, you will want something to have a little bit of rounding to smoothen out the landing at initial contact.
RECOMMENDATIONS
David: I really enjoyed my experience in the Karhu Ikoni 3.0, though I do have some recommendations. The first would be to clean up the length issue, but that's a small fix. The other would be to play with the forefoot sensation. It is pretty smooth as it is, but it feels like it needs to make a decision on either being flexible or more rigid and rounded. I think you could justify going either way on the model, but it feels like it is in a weird in between at the moment. I do think the shoe could use a little more AeroFoam as well for longer mileage efforts.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
David: The Karhu Ikoni 3.0 is a daily training shoe for those that want a firmer ride and a moderate stack rocker. The shoe does have some forefoot flexibility which gives for a more natural toe off feeling compared to some other rockered shoes. The midsole is protective, but not the most bouncy. This will certainly be a workhorse trainer for those that like moderate stack rockers.
GRADES
David
Fit: A- (A very nice fitting upper, though fits a little short. Relatively plush without feeling like it is too much.)
Performance: B+ (Very smooth rocker, though I'd like a little more foam for longer efforts, weight a tad heavy for category)
Stability: A- (A well done stable neutral shoe, outsole traction could probably improve this some, but otherwise really good)
Value: A- (I think you'll get your money's worth with this one. Decent durability and a nice ride for both running and walking.)
Personal: A- (Moderate stack, good rocker, a little flexibility for toe off.)
Overall Design: A-
SHOP | SUPPORT DORKarhu Ikoni 3.0Price: $150 at Karhu
Shop Men | Shop Women
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