SportsShoes Blog

As you know I’m somewhat of a Kanadia fan - my new pair of 4th generation shoes are the 4th pair I’ve had.

Thankfully Adidas have not tinkered with the sole unit which saw a major overhaul when the shoes went from 2 to 3.

The outsole is superb featuring really useful lugs which provide great traction both up and down hill and also make the shoe comfortable on harder surfaces.

Looking at them you could be mistaken for thinking that the shoes would ride too high for true off road use but that’s not the case in practise. The foot feels planted to the ground and very stable despite the good levels of cushioning.

The 4th generation gets a reworking of the upper which is more cosmetic than anything else but I think works well and gives the shoe a classy and expensive look. Inside Adidas have also upgraded the inner sole which is now a little more contoured round the arch.

So, another fantastic shoe from the Kanadia stable which works superbly on almost all surfaces but once again the real treat for the buyer comes when you take them to the till. How Adidas can pack so many features into a shoe at this price when the competitor products are around 20 quid more is beyond me.

Go and try them I’m sure you won’t be dissappointed.

Just be careful with sizing - they still come up very small so you’ll probably need a full size bigger than your normal shoe.      

This is my second pair of Adidas Kanadias, the last ones being the TR2s. I really liked those but for one small issue - the tread pattern was good when driving forward or braking in a straight line but when contouring or hitting anything at a strange angle you’d end up sliding around like Jane Torvill.

Adidas have obviously taken this on board as the new TR3 version of the shoe has a much more pronounced stud pattern which really improves grip and confidence when contouring. The ’studs’ also inject a little more cushioning into the shoes which I’m sure  many will like as the old version did tend to ride quite firmly.

The uppers are light weight but well designed to ensure a good all round grip of the foot when the laces are pulled tight and, despite being nylon, the laces do stay tied as long as you double knot them.

The sole unit still offers a nice firm ride to keep you pinging off your forefeet and in touch with the terrain and it’s low enough at the heel and midfoot to be classed as a proper offroad design.

I can’t comment on durability of the TR3s as mine are only a few weeks old but if the TR2s are anything to go by they should last a good while before they need changing.      

Mine are the bling orange version which I think look fantastic but I’m sure won’t be to everyone’s tast - if not don’t worry as they come in a number of other more subtle shades!

The only tiny gripe I have with these shoes and Adidas in general is the sizing - I cannot understand why but Adidas must be a full size bigger on their lables than the shoes actually measure. Mine fit perfectly and are labled as a 44 2/3 or a UK 10. I’ve never been a 10 in my life and all my other running shoes are either 43 or 44 UK size 9 and fit with plenty of room. So, check before you buy.

Overall I think these are fantastic shoe and I’d give them a whopping 8.5 out of 10 - just be sure to get the right size.

During my extended period of ‘rest’ while trying to recover from Plantar Fasciitis, all my dog walking, jogging and occasional running has been done in my Walsh Spirit Peak shoes. I’ve had them now for around 3 months and used them on a wide variety of surfaces from road to moorland to alpine trails, so here’s my review.

Walsh, until the ‘Spirits’ came along, were known purely for their fell running shoes and over the past few decades the PB trainers and racers have been undisputed market leaders. There have been a few other contenders who’ve tried their hand at making fell shoes but none really came close to Walsh until the guys from Inov8 took a look over the fence into Walsh’s garden and decided to mix things up a bit.

A quick check of the feet of competitors at any fell race just five years ago would have left you thinking that there was only one shoe to use – Walsh - but now the scene is very different. The increase in popularity of off road running has understandably not gone unnoticed by shoe manufacturers and there are now quite a number of excellent shoes from different manufacturers aimed squarely at fell runners.

Another recent trend in recent years has been the use of trail shoes rather than pure fell shoes in many UK races – particularly those over extended distances where competitors care more about comfort and cushioning than outright grip. Here the guys at Inov8 were cleaning up as they had some very capable trail shoes to compliment their out and out fell racing shoes.

Had Walsh continued to stick solely with fell shoes, they would have risked becoming extinct, they needed to react to their competitors and the changing needs of their customers – and that’s exactly what they’ve done with the excellent Spirit Peak and Spirit Lite trail shoes.

Mine are the Peaks which are almost identical in design to the Lite albeit a little heavier (no surpise there I guess) due to the addition of a little more cushioning and a heel counter to prevent over-pronation (fairly unusual in an off-road shoe).

The first thing I noticed when I got them out of the box were the words ‘made in China’ on the size label – a shame I thought as Walsh have always marketed themselves as not only a British company but a ‘made in Bolton’ company. However, having thought about it, shoes are no different to any other mass produced product, if you want the best and most efficient manufacturing technologies, I’m afraid you simply won’t find them in England – you must look to the East.

On closer inspection, the quality of manufacture is excellent – there’s not a stitch out of place, no glue where it shouldn’t be and all the pieces are exactly the same size and perfectly aligned – I’m sure Norman Walsh and his needle and thread could not have done better!!

The fit of the shoes is excellent and the closure via some fairly standard looking laces and eyelets is solid and instils confidence. Walsh have added a double last eyelet that gives the option of doing some fancy knot work to prevent laces coming loose but personally I think all this is a bit of marketing hype and have never had a problem with good old conventional lacing and a double tied bow.

The mid-sole, at least visually, appears to feature a fairly significant amount of cushioning but thankfully when in use they do not feel too soft and spongy which can make a shoe and its wearer feel totally disconnected to the ground.

The ‘pyragrip’ outer sole has a very simple looking tread pattern featuring large chopped off pyramid shaped squares across the whole of the underside. These are just deep enough to give good grip off road whilst remaining stable enough to be used on hard surfaces. The rubber compound is soft enough to give reasonable traction on most surfaces including wet rock but would not be what I would class as ‘sticky rubber’ so hopefully premature wear shouldn’t be an issue.

The upper on the Spirits is what I would class as a fairly ‘closed’ design with very few access points for water, mud, grit or small stones. This is great for keeping the feet dry in damp / moderate weather but personally I prefer a more ‘open’ design that allows more circulation of air and moisture.

The mild heel counter, which is there to prevent over pronation, appears to work well as the shoes offer a very smooth and stable ride without feeling like you have two blocks of wood nailed to the insides of your feet. As a neutral shoe wearer I was quite concerned about this feature but now I’ve used them I genuinely think it’s a positive feature not a negative.

Overall I think Walsh have done a great job with their first attempt at a modern day trail shoe. For me the styling could be better (they need to take some inspiration from the guys at Salomon) and I would prefer a lighter more breathable material for the upper. Having said that, they pass the ultimate test as you don’t think about them when you’re wearing them. A good shoe just does its job well without being noticed.

I think they’d be very happy in a race like Ben Nevis, long Lakeland runs such as Borrowdale, Langdale or Wasdale where comfy ‘rock capable’ shoes are needed or pounding out the miles in the Hobble or the Fellsman but for short, fast and steep races I’d leave them at home and dig out some Walsh PBs.

RRP £49.99 save £10.04

Nike Air Zoom Red Rocks II Trail Running ShoeS

A couple of weeks ago I pulled on my brand new Nike Red Rocks 2 shoes and went out for a run - 50 miles around the Calderdale Way – they certainly don’t look new anymore but how did they perform?

With a number of specialist off-road shoe manufacturers springing up over the past few years it’s easy to forget the established brands and get swept along with the hype and the latest trends and buy what everyone else is using.

A few weeks ago I walked into Sportsshoes, saw these and thought ‘now there’s an interesting looking shoe’ – when I picked them up I was struck by two things. Firstly they are incredibly light and secondly Nike have given them a proper grippy sole, not just a slightly reworked road tread with a useless smooth heel.

I tried them on and liked the way they fit, felt and looked so thought I’d give them a try. I’ve only worn them for one day so maybe a review seems a bit premature but having done 50 miles in them across moorland, track, road and rock I think I given them a descent test.

What I would say is that someone at Nike knew exactly what they were doing when they designed and built this shoe. It’s almost as if they’ve created them for English conditions rather than the hot, dry and grippy desert terrain that their name conjures up.

The fit is excellent and the lacing draws the shoe around the foot creating a very solid feel despite their ultra light weight. They also have a neat little ‘wire’ that runs around the heel cup and tightens via the main lace and the last eyelet.

The shoes use Nike’s Zoom Air technology in the forefoot which is a very thin air pocket to cushion the ride without adding bulk, weight or height.

Off-road the shoe performs flawlessly offering seriously impressive amounts of grip on ALL surfaces. More than this, I was struck by the overall stability of my feet in the shoes. They offer comfort, support, cushioning and grip in one package – there are not many that can do that.

Some time ago I declared the Inov8 315 ‘the Holy Grail of trail shoes’ but here’s a new contender for the title. Since the 315s which took me around Mont Blanc in the 2007 UTMB, I’ve tried the Inov8 320 and the Adidas Kanadia II both of which are decent shoes but neither of which come anywhere close to the Nike.

I would go as far as to say that if I had to choose one shoe that could do everything from road marathons to fell races to alpine ultratrails – this would be it.

At 50 quid it’s an absolute steal and whilst I doubt it’ll sell in massive numbers as it looks a little like a ‘pub shoe’ I can tell you that those that do buy it will definitely sing its praises – I know they’re a corporate giant with millions to spend on R&D but I have to say ‘well done Nike!’

Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers

Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers are a group of ladies of all ages, sizes and abilities who like to run, chat and keep fit. They formed over seven years ago and have a membership of over 300 ladies aged from 18 to 69.

7 Oaks Running Club

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See below for reviews:

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Brenda from Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers

Item Tested:

Thuasne Lady Force 3 Support Bra With Top Strap, size 34D

Star Rating (Out of 5):  3

Best Points: Very comfortable to wear.

Worst Points: Too much bounce for high impact sport.

Other Comments:

Went on a 40 minute jog. All my running bras are 34D and fit more compact, no to little bounce. Either the strap material is too stretchy or the sizing is wrong- it may be the first, there is an awful lot of stretch! I’d only use it for low impact gym workout or as an emergency bra.

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Angela from Seveoaks Ladies Joggers

Item Tested:

Thuasne Lady Force 3 Support Bra With Top Strap, size 36D

Star Rating (Out of 5): 4.5

Best Points: Very soft material, no chaffing at all, and nice and easy to put on.

Worst Points: The length of the straps is not adjustable.

Other Comments:

I am quite big breasted, and the bra contained them very well.

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Shona from Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers:

Item Tested:

Thuasne Lady Force 3 Support Bra With Top Strap, size 32B

Star Rating (Out of 5):  4

Best Points: Comfortable bra. Nice soft material and good fit.

Worst Points: The trim on the bra was white but the rest of the bra was a very pale grayish-blue colour, which wasn’t     very attractive. It needed to be either white, or a stronger blue, as it looked a bit discoloured.

Other Comments:

I was surprised by how soft and light the material was and didn’t expect it to give me enough support. In fact it was fine for my B cup boobs, but I wonder whether it would be supportive enough for a bigger size.

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Tina from Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers

Item Tested:

Thuasne Lady Force 3 Support Bra With Top Strap, size 34B

Star Rating (Out of 5):  3.5

Best Points: Very comfortable bra, in a lovely soft material. Fitted well under bust and under arms. No rubbing or friction over a 4.5 mile steady run.

Worst Points: It wasn’t quite supportive enough across the top of the bust.

Other Comments:

If I felt more secure in this bra (i.e less bounce!), I would buy it again as it was so comfortable.

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Sam from Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers:

Item Tested:

Thuasne Lady Force 3 Support Bra With Top Strap, size 32D

Star Rating (Out of 5):  3

Best Points: Nice and comfortable to put on. Has the top strap to support breasts. Comfortable to wear especially under the arms.

Worst Points: NO support in 32D at high impact exercise. Felt embarrassed that I was wobbling around and breasts would have been painful if I had run a long way.

Other Comments:

Not sure about the colour, it was supposed to be white but it looked greyish/blue to me and looked like it had gone through a white wash with a blue sock!

Well, just to prove that sportsshoes.com caters for every kind of runner we have just taken delivery of the biggest running trainer we have EVER seen.

SIZE 19 Adidas Supernova Sequence 2 Running Shoes!… yes you heard right… SIZE 19!

What a shoe… what a carbon footprint  ( yes i know technically there is no carbon footprint… but it is a play on words, sorry but getting grief from fellow colleagues )!!!

… so ladies, gentleman and fellow runners… I present Size 19…

You could pretty much fit the size 6 inside!

Compared to everyday objects!

Have we got a bag big enough?

So, don’t be shy… if we haven’t got your size then all you need to do is ask, we can do all sorts here at sportsshoes.com

Click here to view  the Inov-8 212 Shoes.

I’ve done a couple of races in my X-talons now so I thought I’d give you my thoughts.

Although I’m a convert to Inov8’s trail shoes, these are the first fell racing shoes that I’ve ever tried as I’ve always been a fan of the classic Walsh PB and belived that where a ’stud’ is required they just couldn’t be beaten. Until this one came along I’ve always thought the Inov8 fell shoes just looked all wrong (especially the mudclaw with the offset laces) despite lots of folk wearing them and some good reviews.

To me the x-talon takes the great features of the Walsh PB (light weight and grip) and the Adidas Swoop (fit and cushioning) and blends them together to give a VERY impressive off road shoe.

They are very light 212 grammes for a UK size 8 (sounds about right as mine weighed in at 230 grammes on the works scales in a size 44) - and the fit is very good for a racing shoe. One of the most important thing about a pure fell shoe, as opposed to a trail shoe, is that your foot is kept as low to the ground as possible to avoid rolling your ankles on uneven surfaces. The x-talon achieves this but without compromising on cushioning which, for a fell shoe is excellent. I really think that if you are a reasonably light runner you could run a LONG way in these without a problem.

Where they really score however is in their grip. The sole pattern is similar to the Inov8 trail shoes but with fewer and more pronounced studs. This results in a sole that grips soft ground well and clears mud very quickly (in the same way that a football boot does) but I’m sure it will also lead to very quick wear if they are used on hard surfaces. However, what they’ve managed to achieve where so few others have is to make the shoe grip on wet rock. The x-talons match the Walsh in this very important area giving the wearer confidence over all surfaces.

If I had one tiny critisism it would be the laces. They are very thin nylon things (like really thick fishing line) with clever little lumps of rubber along their length to stop them coming loose. Although they’ve stayed tied in both races I’ve done they aren’t as easy to do up tight as a conventional lace.

Overall these are great shoes from the box - only time will tell how they last through the season.

Here’s a pic of mine at 1 hour 18 mins old (after the Noon Stone fell race).

Click here to view  the Inov-8 212 Shoes.

Well we all know that every year Nike likes to come up with something fresh and new and, unsurprisingly, this year it’s all centered around the Olympics. Their latest grand design is the Lunar shoes. With their distictive designs this is a shoe you will be seeing a lot of on the TV during the olympics - especially when it comes to the athletics.

Nike lunar trainer

• Introduces the Lunar lite foam - mega springy and lightweight
• Has an anatomical last - based on nike free technology
• Has pillow waffle outsole - lighweight with cushioning value

WHAT WE THINK…

The hype is good - it always is with Nike. This shoe is ‘out there’ - the colours are bold and the outsole has a futuristic shape - but it works. The fit is fantastic, the feel plush and it is very light. Time will tell if stands up to serious road training but so far it feels fantastic.

Watch the lunar trainer designer video

Nike lunaracer

• Nikes lightest shoe other than the Mayfly (which is limited to 100K)
• Flywire upper adds structure without weight
• Pillow waffles - add cushioning without weight

WHAT WE THINK…

Nike promise ‘a super lightweight experience that makes me wanna run’ - well that is a little over the top from our amigos in the US of A - but the truth is that there’s some excellent technological thought gone into this shoe… and ultimately the scales don’t lie - it’s progressive and incredibly light (oh and it looks the business too doesn’t it?!)

Watch the lunar race designer video

Wow - I’ve spotted these little corkers on the website and they look great - can’t wait to see them in the flesh and maybe give them a try.

Only reason I’m excited by them is that I used to use Nike’s Tupu trail shoes which I thought were brilliant and could never understand why they dropped them. These look like a new version of the Tupu but even lower and leaner.

If they work like they look I reckon they’ll sell very well…..

Checkout louise redknapp in her fit flops!

Fit flops are continuing to fly our here at sportsshoes.com and it looks like they are catching on in celeb-land too.

If you haven’t read the previous blogs on them, fitflops are a revolutionary new sandal that work you ‘bum’ muscles as you walk - as such they bill themselves as the shoe with ‘gym built in’.

For more information on how they work click here

 We have a few different types of fit flops in stock at the moment - take a look.

AND WHATSMORE We’re one of the only stores in the country stocking the mens fit flop - so the guys too can have buns of steel!! - take a look