Month: February 2021

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Deconstructed of PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 MG/PRO CAGE

PUMA has launches a new series, the FUTURE Z 1.1 which is a series of football shoes. The series, with the outstanding appearances and the brand’s reputation, has attracted the attention of many football fans. And here let’s take a closer look at the MG and the Pro Cage of this series and figure out what is the difference between the internal structure of these two shoes.

(The PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 MG)

(The PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 PRO CAGE)

Looking at the two shoes from the above, you may be bewildered and may not be able to tell one from the other for they are just so similar in the vamp. In fact, on the left is the PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 MG while the other is the PUMA FUTURE Z 1.1 PRO CAGE.

In terms of the toe parts, the strip of the MG that is used to increase friction is placed on the Grip Control Pro hot-melt film vamp while the same setup of the PRO CAGE protrudes on the hot-melt film vamp.

As for the inside of the vamp, both adopt the EVOKNIT PRO woven material with the toe part reinforced to protect our toes. For the inner side of the vamp of MG, it is added with a layer of foam and then with white reinforcement layer in the toe, which is very comfortable for us. And for that of the PRO CAGE, the inner side is first covered with a layer of gray film and then with a white reinforcement layer and finally with the lining of the same color with the outer side of the vamp, which is why I felt the vamp a bit hard when I first wore them.

In the picture above is the comparison between MG and PC. The upper one is the MG and the other the PC.

When it comes to the heels of the shoes, we can find that there are actually great differences between the two. Although both adopt the adaptive compression strap in the heel, the techs used are quite different. Printed on the heel of the MG(the left one) is the FUZIONFIT+ whereas that printed on the PC is the FUZIONFIT.

There are also differences between MG(above) and PC(below) in the texture of the adaptive compression straps. But from my point of view, the FUZIONFIT+ is much softer and more comfortable and hugs my feet very nice as well.

The inner lining of the MG(the left) in the arch is designed with air holes as so to improved air permeability. However, when it comes to the PG, I felt a bit disappointed for there is no similar design in the inner lining of the arch, resulting in quite an average breathability performance.

Each of the shoes has a perforated heel lining that is similar to suede and can improve comfort and anti-slipping.

For the insoles, MG uses the NANOGRIP TECHNOLOGY on the surface while PC adopts the woven material.

And then looking at the back side of the insoles, MG’s (left) is made of black material, and the yellow perforated foam is relatively dark while the PC’s is comprised of red material and the yellow perforated foam is brighter.

(The model of the insole mold is TS042-1. )

With respect to the soles, MG is designed with a midsole without any foams and with a triangular hollow at the heel and flannel covering other areas. For the PC, the sole is comprised of flannelette-made midsole cloth, foam-made midsole and the TPU in the arch.

The TPU stabilizer of MG is placed in the arch to enhance the shoes’ supporting performance while the triangular hollow design is adopted in the heel to reduce the shoes’ weight.

PC uses the half-foot foam midsole with a TPU stabilizer in the arch to improve the overall stability.

Besides, the front-foot of PC is also adopted with large groove design, which can not only improve the overall flexibility, but also bring good cushioning.

Here are also some data of the two shoes. The front-foot of MG  of size 42 is about 11.13mm thick and the heel is 14.86mm thick.

And for PC of the same size,  its front-foot is about 12.39mm thick while the heel is about 19.34mm thick.

For the shoes’ weight, a single shoe of MG is 245.4g while a single one of PC is 271.9g.

Overall:

To summarize, MG can be used in a variety of courts; PC has also been significantly improved in the vamp and can as well offer  us a nice experience. But however good they are, it is only you yourself who knows whether they are suitable. So you might as well have a try.

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Deconstructed of the Harden Vol.4

As a fan of the Harden series for years, I have always been looking forward to seeing improvement in its shoes. So when it comes to the Harden Vol.4, it is for sure that I will take a shot. And since I myself was also very curious about the setups and techs of the shoes, I decided to check it out, and here is the destruction of the shoes.

In the toe part of the  shoes,  it adopts the suede material whereas the vamp is in the whole made of mesh material.

For the shoelaces,  it is the elastic nylon material that can enhance the wrapping performance.

Inside the lining of the heel is printed with “Hassayampa 106th Street”. With respect to the words, there is something fun behind it. It is said that it is the  address of a barbershop that Harden frequented.

The leather heels of the shoes, which are surrounded by TPUs  that are also printed with a three-dimensional logo of Harden, can enhance the support performance.

In the TPU, it writes the “DESIGNED WITH JAMES HARDEN”, indicating that Harden was involved in the design of the 4th version.

For the outsole,  it’s patterned with deformed grids that are greatly helpful in offering grip.

However, what is most surprising and touches me most is the numbers in the outsole. The “0001.9.59.11.12” is the birthday of Harden’s mother. So we can see that however famous and successful Harden is, he still puts his mother first, which is quite moving.

With regard to the weight, a single shoe is about 395g, which I think is of average performance.

Separating the left shoe in the middle, we can see clearly the internal structure and the  full foot Lightstrike cushioning material matched with TPU stabilizer.

And then cutting open the vamp and the sole, we can also see that the inner side of the vamp is made of fabric lining which is comfortable and skin-friendly.

The heel is filled with quite thick foam and surrounded by a TPU, making the heel stability stand out.

The blue insole has also been printed with the symbolic logo of Harden.

And the upper layer of the insole is made of foam material while the lower layer is made of non-woven fabric.

In recent years, Adidas basketball shoes are all equipped with soft foaming material as the midsole cushioning, and it therefore needs a larger stabilizer to reinforce the midsole that can  reduce the deformation caused by the force brought to the midsole.

Because of this, the TPU is so large that it almost covers the whole sole.

Printed on the TPU is the words “SS19 BASKETBALL_N3XTL3V3L”.

Here are the data of the TPU in size 42.5 shoes. Its length is about 208mm; its width in the front foot is about 85.45mm and that of the heel is about 57.47mm.

In addition to that, the thickness of the TPU is about 3.84mm.

Then in terms of the cushioning, the LightStrike is is responsible for the shock absorption and feedback.

Overall:

Although the brand adopts the large TPU to stabilize the midsole and this method has also been imitated by many brands, it just turned out that this can not stand up to the long time testing. Maybe someday Adidas will return to the double-density midsole.

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Deconstructed of the PUMA SKY MODERN EASTER

I‘ve shared my experiences and feelings about this pair of PUMA SKY MODERN EASTER previously. And here I also want to share with you the dismantling of this PUMA SKY MODERN EASTER for I know many of you are curious about the setups of the shoes.

Cutting open the left shoe in the middle, the inside of the shoe looks like this.

And separating the midsole and the vamp, we can see clearly the layers of the sole.

In terms of the vamp, it is made of leather and fabric combined with a variety of other materials, which makes the vamp distinguishing.

Having checked the inner side of the vamp, I found that the bootie was rather soft and fit our feet very well instead of rubbing them.

The lining of the heel is about 3.05 thick, which offers more stability.

As we can see in the picture above, the foam at the heel is super thick, which is designed in such a way to fix our feet and bring us a more excellent wrapping.

In addition, there is the large TPU surrounding the heel, offering quite a lot of stability and fixing our feet nicely but not uncomfortably.

The thickness of the TPU is about 6.04mm. With respect to this, I should say that the materials used are quite sufficient and excellent.

For the insole, its surface is made of fabric while the logo in the heel is relatively eye-catching.

The material used in the surface of the midsole is the EVA which aims at offering more friction with the insole so that the slipping of the insoles can be prevented.

The lower layer of the midsole cloth is non-woven fabric that can hug the midsole more tightly.

As for the cushion in the midsole, it adopts the full-foot PROFOAM tech with an upturned design from the front to the heel for improved lateral stability.

The grooves in the front apart of the midsole are similar to the honeycomb structure, which improves the flexibility of multidirectional movement of the front-foot.

The arch TPU stabilizer is placed between midsole and outsole. And below are the related data of the TPU for size 43 shoes.

Its length is about 100.93mm.

The front end of the TPU is about 54.55 mm wide whereas the rear end is about 39.79mm wide.

The thickness of the TPU is about 3.11mm.

For the outsole, it is not in the least monotonous as do many outsoles of other shoes. The outsole is actually very nice with its assorted colors and its multi-textured design also does a tremendous job in offering multidirectional grip.

The front part of the outsole is upturned, making the stability and protection greatly improved.

I also measured the thickness of the sole. The forefoot (midsole + outsole) is about 16.42 mm thick while the rear foot(midsole + outsole) is about 23.63 mm.

Overall:

To tell the truth, the vamp is really satisfying for me. Made of a variety of materials, it is thick enough to offer excellent protection. Besides that, it is not only outstanding in providing the protection and support, but it has also a superior appearance which matters greatly as well.

To summarize, PUMA SKY MODERN is a pair of basketball shoes whose setups are very practical. All in all, it can meet the needs of most players and will also be of great help.

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Deconstructed of the ANSWER V

Allen Ezail Iverson’s sneakers have been talked about by almost everyone and they are also deeply loved by many people. However, notwithstanding that, the retro versions are criticized by almost everyone, which is quite to the contrary. So are there DMX  cushions in the retro version? Let’s take a look at the structure of the retro version of the  ANSWER V in 2019.

Separating the left shoe in the middle, the structure of the shoe is clearly shown in front of us.

Then let’s take a closer look at the inside of the vamp by separating the vamp from the midsole. As can be seen in the picture below, there is the thick lining which is connected with the vamp by stitches, making it fit our feet much better.

And on both sides of the tongue there are elastic nylon straps which are used to increase the wrapping performance. This design is quite simple though, it is actually very practical.

Below is the cross section of heel.

With respect to the insole, it is quite meaningful. On the insoles are printed with Iverson’s silhouette, which is monumental.

The flannelette material in the midsole can increase friction with the insole, thus preventing slipping.

In the image below, we can see the so-called DMX airbag that adopts the multi-chamber design, between which the air can flow freely.

The DMX that is made annular in the front is located at the stress position of the phalanges and is connected to the heel airbag through a Y-shaped structure.

The two air chambers are connected, but the middle part is relatively hard, which makes it easier for air circulation.

The DMX airbag of size 42.5 shoes is about 191.86 mm long. It is 74.96mm wide and 5.08mm thick in the front foot, and 43.78mm wide and 7.05 thick at the heel .

The TPU stabilizer in the arch covers a large area and the upturned design brings more stability.

As usual, I measured the TPU and collected all the related data. The outer length of the TPU stabilizer is about 164mm while the inner length is about 126 mm, and the TPU is about 3.83mm thick.

The material printed with the “DMX” is actually a rubber strip that fits together with the TPU.

For the outsole, the pattern designed this way can offer more grip which is essential on courts.

The forefoot (midsole + outsole) is about 17.96 mm thick whereas the heel (midsole + outsole) is about 28.53mm thick.

Overall:

The retro version of ANSWER 5 in 2019 has met the needs of most fans in terms  of its appearance. Although the shortcomings do exist, it is beyond question that this pair of retro version is still nice with respect to its overall  performance. But there is also a problem that is a bit bothering for me. That is the air cushion that I can not feel obviously, which is quite a different experience from the original version. So as a loyal fan for many years, I hope the brand can restore the original setups as much as possible so that more shoe fans can also experience the classic shoes, which I am sure is also heartfelt wish of many people.

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LA SPROTIVA HELIOS 2 Performance Review

I was surfing on the Internet one day and then the advertisement popped up. Out of interest, I clicked it and accidentally, I found this pair of LA SPROTIVA HELIOS 2. And after some search about the shoes, I bought it immediately which was also a birthday gift for myself since my birthday was approaching. The wait for the shoes was long and agonizing because I was expecting quite a lot of it. But it was worth the wait for it did live up to my expectation.

Several days ago, I wore the shoes out to exercise and many of my friends noticed the shoes as soon as they met with me. Some of them joked that it was coquettish while some other said it was very nice. And of course, I have an idea about it in my mind. I think the shoes are eye-catching and breathtaking, and it offers me quite a large amount of energy since I haven’t bought a pair of bright shoes as this one.

During my running process, one of the feelings of the shoes was that it was super light and comfortable. Although I’ve also copped the ascend7 of Mizuno, the WINGS of Salomon, I thought I had to change my opinion for I found this LA SPROTIVA HELIOS 2 was obviously more excellent than the previous ones. Firstly, it is much more comfortable and elastic. And secondly, it also offers a more outstanding grip which is for me very important because I usually go for off-road running.

Talking about the grip, I am quite satisfied with it. When I was running uphill, there were many gravels and sands on the road. But these were never a problem for this pair of shoes. In short, however rugged the roads are, the shoes can still offer me enough stability and nice grip.

However, there is one problem that bothers me most. That is the shoes’ sole which I don’t think is that satisfying. During the whole running process, I once stepped on the sharp stones, some of which just get stuck inside the gaps of the outsole, making me uncomfortable and lancinating.

Then on the way downhill, the condition of the road was very challenging for the shoes. Honestly, if the shoes didn’t have excellent grip and cushioning, I might have slipped many times. But thanks to its nice performances, I could enjoy my off-road running. And on the strength of my experience, I can tell you that you don’t even have to worry about slipping on wet grounds. Besides, the cushion also provides some protection for runners, which is actually a tremendous job done by the shoes.

As a matter of fact, as a pair of good shoes, it won’t attract your attention, but rather, it will make you focus on your running. And the cases is during the whole process, I frequently forgot my errand that I was doing tests of the shoes. But luckily, I remembered clearly all the feelings about the shoes.

Overall:

All in all, the only shortcoming I’ve found so far lies in the outsole which are mostly like to make stones get stuck in its gaps. But if regardless of this point, it still deserves recommending. Personally, Helios 2 is generally great and wears comfortably and also goes well with our daily clothes. From a professional point of view,  it can adapt to all kinds of roads, offers us anti-slipping performance and protects us well. Therefore, you might as well take a shot.

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Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit Performance Review

It was an ordinary day but it was destined to be a marvellous day. On that day, I just got up and went to work as usual, and it was not until the afternoon when I received the Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit, which has not been launched at that time, that the day became extraordinary.

As a matter of fact, running shoes are to runners what guitars are to some musicians who are always expecting to create beautiful melodies. From my perspective, new equipment is the incentive for me to stick by running. However, it also occurs at times that a pair of new running shoes rubs my feet severely that it might slow my pace of running. Therefore, it is of great importance to get the hang of the shoes first before running with the shoes. But still, I am looking forward to wearing new shoes and this Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit is the one that I want to try recently.

In terms of the shoebox, it is the most ordinary one of Nike. It seems that Nike is hoping to leave more surprises for people as soon as they open the boxes so that Nike adopts the orange shoebox in almost all of its running shoes.

Just like the charming smell of cheese when opening a pizza box, the smell of rubber is the most charming when I opened the shoebox. For the shoes’ appearance, the combination of blue, purple, white and black is very nice and eye-catching and make up a pair of visually perfect running shoes.

When it comes to the vamp, it is the flyknit tech that I take a liking to and I have to say that the Flyknit is the best vamp tech among all the vamp technologies. The main feature of this  technology is the double-sided textile structure, which is excellent in wrapping and protection. And the welt is designed like that of a sock, which is also a brilliance of the shoes. But what is even better of the design is that it can create a unique protection performance according to the different characteristics of each person’s ankles.

As we all know, many running shoes will advertise greatly of their outsoles and midsoles which are said to offer the optimal comfort and cushioning. And Nike is outstanding in this respect. Both the external and built-in air cushions and the soft materials are to increase cushioning performance of the shoes. Besides, the shoes are said to have adopted a brand-new tech without using any glue. With this tech, the soles are not only appealing in its appearance, but also in its softness.

To tell the truth, when I saw the descriptions of the outsole online, the first thing that came to my mind was the Puma Mobium. The design of the outsole can offer us the immediate feedback and flexibility. In other words, each time you land,  the outsole will respond to you, which is the most surprising thing about the new Free.

Looking at the picture above, you might be as shocked as I did. The softness of the sole is really amazing that it can be bent to such an extent. And thanks to the softness, it can be used to protect runners and to keep their way of running whether they are used to landing first on the front foot or the heel.

With respect to the insole, it is still the material widely used by Nike whose softness and comfort can be said to be on top of the field.

After getting the shoes, the first thing I wanted to do was to wear the shoes out and to run to my heart’s content. But unluckily, it had been raining the whole day so that I had to test the shoes indoors for the first time.

At first, during the process of running, it turned out that I felt like I was running barefoot and there was not in the least any discomfort. And when I had run 5 kilometers, the shoes were just still quite friendly to me.

However, I have to mention that although the shoes feel like a pair of socks, you’d better wear socks or you’ll feel very uncomfortable.

Overall:

The Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit is overall satisfying for me after some indoor and outdoor tests. In the actual tests, I could feel the brand-new techs and the protection performance, which is mostly criticized, has also been improved. But not to put too fine a point on it, there is still great room for improving its protection performance. But notwithstanding that, this Nike Free RN Motion Flyknit is the best running shoe I’ve bought in recent years.

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Salomon S-lab Wings Performance Review

I’ve been into running for nearly 8 years during which I participated in many matches and have also run for thousands of kilometers. Thanks to my perseverance, I can gain some experience in the process and also some knowledge about running shoes since I’ve done lots of researches. And unconsciously I’ve stocked a variety of off-road shoes in my home. Therefore, I think I have a say in this respect.

Some of the shoes I worn frequently in the races before are the Salomon S-lab Sense 3 Ultra, the North Face Ultra Trail I/II and the Altra Paradigm. In fact, the Salomon S-lab Sense 3 Ultra is my first pair of off-road shoes which accompanied me for years. And it is not until recently that I decided to buy a pair of news shoes. So here is the review of this Salomon S-lab Wings.

The Salomon Wings is famous for its appearance that is quite bright and is also known as “red shoes”. With its outstanding feature, it is therefore widely noticed by  running lovers. But different from the S-Lab Sense series with white colorway, this red colorway with the black and white streamline is eye-catching and  looks quite dynamic.

Compared with S-Lab Sense, what impresses me the most is that the heel thickness of the Salomon S-lab Wings is 28mm while that of the S-Lab Sense is 19mm. Although the heel has been added with cushion, the shoe’s weight does not increase too much. In addition, the height of the forefoot is 19mm, forming a height difference of 9mm, which makes me assured to be engrossed in my exercises.

Another setup that differs from the S-lab Sense series is the outsole. The outsole of this Salomon S-lab Wings adopts a kind of more wearable rubber and its pattern is designed more reliable and practical. Actually, there are a number of tech used in the outsole: the ContaGrip, which is both durable and strengthens the grip performance and dynamic cushion technology of the shoes, is one of the important technologies of Salomon and also the core technology of this Salomon S-lab Wings; the Pro-feel Film is a very thin film coating, which protects our feet from excessive pressure on the sharp hard roads.

In terms of the vamp, it maintains the usual thin and light design of the Salomon, offering a nice air ventilation. The tongue of the shoe is also relatively thin, which also improves the breathability performance. And as always, the Quicklace system is light and strong, avoiding the inefficiency and inconvenience of changing shoes and lacing during races. To tell the truth, I didn’t see this feature as important before, especially for races under 100 km, but when it is time to change my shoes or to clean them, I realized just how handy this technology could be.

 

The black rubber toe of the shoe not only increases the protection of our toes, but also increases its wear-resistant performance.

Then when I was out exercising with my friends one day, one of them asked me to test whether the shoes are waterproof or not. And since I was also curious about this, I just went into the brook. It turned out that it was waterproof in the vamp, and even though it was soaked, it was also drained in a short time and before long it was all dry. So I think this is because of the excellent air permeability and comfortable wrapping.

What surprised me most is that the shoes does live up to my expectation on such rugged roads. Albeit that the roads were all wet, the shoes did not fail me During the whole process, there was not in the least any sign of slipping, which, I think, should be credited to the sawtooth design of the sole.

 

 

Overall:

The shoes are overall very nice. It is not only light, but also durable and practical. And its outsole is just outstanding that it can even compete with the Vibram’s outsole. Besides, it has also a very comfortable vamp that is skin-friendly at the mean time. But the only fly in the ointment is its insole that is very thin and can not hug the shoes that tight.

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361° Spire Performance Review

I’ve received this pair of 361° Spire for nearly 2 months and after a large amount of tests, the review is finally here. The 361° Spire is overall very satisfying for me so that I feel I am more into running in the shoes. As an amateur runner, like many of you, I don’t run much at night. However, after I got the shoes, I found that I went out to exercise more and more. It seems like there is something magic in the shoes.

Besides the shoes’ appearance, it impressed me most by its wrapping performance which was really excellent. As soon as I put the shoe on, it wrapped my feet tightly, but there was still extra room in the front foot, thus offering my toes to stretch out freely. However, in terms of the size, the fact is that the actually size is a bit smaller than that indicated in the shoes. Therefore, if you are a wide-footer, I suggest you pick a larger size in case there would be any discomfort.

With respect to the shoes’ cushioning, it is not bad as well. As a matter of fact, after several tests, it turned out that the cushion was quite elastic and appropriate instead of being too soft. On top of that, despite the nice cushioning, the shoe still offers an outstanding stability. Therefore, when asked to evaluate the cushion and stability, I should say that both of them can be said to be on top of the field.

Since I am used to running at night and I exercise relatively more in summer days, I have a high requirement for breathability of my running shoes. Therefore, every time I am making purchases, the shoes’ breathability is the first element of my choice. And when it comes to this pair of 361° Spire, its breathability is, objectively speaking, above average. Even after a long distance running, the inside of the shoes still kept very dry even though my feet were very hot. This should be credited to the superior materials of the vamp, and thanks to that, I can have an enjoyable experience.

The reflective designs are now widely seen in almost every running shoes. As is shown in the picture, there are reflective marks in the front, the rear and even the side of the shoes which are essential elements of running shoes. With those designs, runners can be absorbed in their exercise without worrying about their safety. However, the reflective materials are a bit small. From my perspective, it would be much better were the design made larger.

For this pair of shoes whose size is 42.5, a single one  weighs a little more than 300 grams. Although it is not the kind of super lightweight shoes, such weight definitely does not cause any burden to runners. And even if most lightweight running shoes on the market currently weigh less than 200 grams, this one is only 100 grams more.

Overall:

Generally speaking, this pair of shoes is a perfect fit for daily training and matches. And in terms of this one, I think it  has done very well and there is a great possibility of launching new shoes in the future. With constant improvement and research and development, we are sure to come across a nicer model in the recent future.

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New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2 Performance Review

Several years ago, New Balance has specifically designed a brand new running shoe series for urban runners which is the Fresh Foam Zante. Initially, the Fresh Foam Zante V1 is more suitable for runners who have a preference for improving speed and need some more protection. But based on the  Zante V1, New Balance again released its Fresh Foam Zante V2.

Zante, which means the Greek island of Zakynthos named after an Arcadia leader, is wooded and beautiful. And just like the beautiful and heroic island, the Zante V2 comes in a variety of colorways with a summer vibe. Its different colorways are shown as below.

After a morning’s work, the shoes, as soon as I opened the shoebox, did make me refreshed. The combination of white, green and black, in my view, is quite cool and novel, which seems to offer me endless energy during the process of running.

The colorway of this pair of shoes goes very well with the green grass. And unlike spring which is a colorful season, summer entails such refreshing color as the shoes.

In terms of the shoes’ vamp, it is made of breathable mesh, and compared with the Fresh Foam 980 that also adopts the Fresh Foam tech, this Fresh Foam Zante V2  is much lighter. And I think this Fresh Foam Zante V2 distinguishes itself by its lightness: its midsole is not so thick as that of Fresh Foam 980; its outsole is also made to be lighter. So with the treatment, a single shoe whose size is US 8.0 weighs 451g, which can be said to be a nice design though it is not superior.

But as you can see in the picture, the air holes in the vamp are a bit large, I’d therefore suggest that you’d better avoid running on the sand and stone road so as to prevent those particles from entering the shoes and grinding your feet.

The high upturned toe here appears quite personalized and the Zante V2 at the heel is also prominent.

In the outsole, there is a large Blown Rubber that is rather wear-resistant. And made in hexagons, the Blown Rubber looks harmonious with the honeycomb pattern in the rear; they just bring out the best in each other. But they do more than just that. The staggered hexagons can also provide grip in all directions, which is enough to deal with the plastic asphalt roads and relatively flat masonry grounds.

By extracting data from runners of different running postures, paces, weights and so on, and then building a powerful ergonomic database, New Balance also designs the honeycomb midsole, which was then tested with massive amounts of computer data to achieve optimal cushioning and supporting. Actually, the hexagonal shape of the midsole is similar to that of a honeycomb and they are scientifically distributed.

If you look at the shoes carefully, you’ll find that the concave and convex honeycombs are arranged in an orderly way. The concave ones are responsible for absorbing the impact of shock while the convex ones play a significant role in offering support and stability.

With respect to the thickness of the midsole, it is also very meaningful. Although the overall midsole looks flat and slender, the thickness of the midsole of the front foot cushioning part is 20mm while the midsole of the rear part is 26mm. With the height difference of 6mm, runners can form proper running postures.

On top of that, the sawtooth on the outside of the insole provides greater bite force between the insole and the upper, thus preventing the insole from slipping during matches.

Since the reflective designs are necessary and widely seen in many running shoes, they won’t be absent in this New Balance Fresh Foam Zante V2.  At the two sides of the toe and the heel, the logos are made of reflective materials so as to ensure safety in night running.

Since the shoes are all here, I made a brief comparison between the three. The Zante V2 is roughly the same weight as the Nike Free5.0, but both are slightly heavier than the  Li Ning Ultra-Light 13.

Overall:

Having talked so much about the shoes’ performances, I know you might have had a general idea about the shoes. In short, as a pair of lightweight shoes, the Zante V2 is not ideal for heavy runners, but it is ideal for long-distance running in the cities, making it a great choice for summer night runs.

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Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 Performance Review

Every time I saw the word “Nike” or the Nike logo, I always have lots of things to talk about. In fact, I’ve got along with Nike for years during which there have been unforgettable moments of joy and sadness. When I was still in college, I’d decided that Nike would be my faithful companion. And now, many years later, I still stand by that decision. Recently, I got to know a pair of Nike shoes and I am quite into it which has also accompanied me through my glorious moments. That is the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33.

After more than 30 years of development and continuous technological innovation, various technologies of P33 have been almost perfect, which can be seen from the fact that there is not much difference between P33 and P32.

Since I’m a bit heavier, I can feel the cushion instantly with every step I take. Unlike Lunar, the P33’s cushioning is not so fast and soft, but rather slow  and long-lasting. The heel Zoom continues the P32 technology that  meets most joggers’ needs who are used to landing on their heel first. However, now that more and more people have learned to run scientifically and gradually they are used to landing on their front feet in the running process, the front foot Zoom added in P33 provides us with a brand new experience. From my perspective, when  I am absorbed in exercising, the comfortable cushioning makes me feel like the calories inside my body are “evaporating” with the air.

However, when I was running with the shoes the first time,  I found that along with the increase of distance, my dependence on the cushioning performance has  turned to the supporting. The soft Cushlon midsole with the Zoom in both the front and the rear did bring me comfort, but the supporting performance still has some deficiency. The support of P33 is still not enough to reach the level of Structure, but for the average runners, the support is still sufficient and powerful. In addition, compared to the lateral texture of the P32’s midsole, the P33’s longitudinal texture also provides structural support that is less likely to disappear during long runs.

The new and deeper groove design of the P33 sole makes the startup more easier and with the nice grip offered by the outsole, we can have a very nice experience with the shoes.

I once wore the shoes to exercise on rugged roads and during that period I also found that the vamp support of P33 is still of some help. On the basis of the original vamp Flywire, a layer of Flywire breathable engineering mesh is added, which not only makes the vamp support better but also improves the durability of the shoes.

What was even nicer was that my feet remained dry after that exercise, which should be credited to the breathable vamp. But to tell the truth, there is no much difference between the P33 and the previous version. 

Overall:

In fact, I have a deep emotional attachment to Nike. As a loyal and senior fan of Nike, I’ve bought more than 10 pairs of Nike shoes. So when I got this pair of Air Zoom Pegasus 33, I knew that it would be my reliable comrade. To sum up, the shoes are excellent and with its superior performances, the shoes deserve your trying.