Well I am back!  Hope everyone who read part 1 enjoyed it and got some useful information!  Part 2 will focus on the feeling of the Running Style shoe to a bigger or larger individual.  For myself I would say anybody over 220lbs would fall into this category.  Remember being larger or weighing more is really just a number on a scale. 

What I hope you get from these blogs is that you can get great fitting and feeling shoes that will allow you to achieve your goals and live a healthy and active lifestyle no matter what that scale screams at you when you get on it!  And just a side note, this can be fairly subjective, what I find soft in a shoe someone may dislike, so after reading this stop by one of our locations and try them on for yourself!

So into the Running Shoe world, or for myself my day to day shoe and gym shoe.  Remember as well that a Running Shoe will make a great day to day walking shoe as you still get a huge amount of cushioning from it, the only draw back for some people are the ridiculous colors that seem to be coming out more and more frequently!

So let’s start off with a New Balance Shoe again.  We will start with the New Balance 880.  The shoe felt very light once on, and the heel did have a nice amount of cushioning with a touch of firmness.  The forefoot in this shoe was very firm, almost taking away from the comfort of the heel.  Medially there was no collapse but laterally I crushed the shoe immediately.  Overall the heel was comfortable but the lateral collapse was beyond what my feet would be able to deal with, if that was corrected and a little softer forefoot was implemented, then maybe we would go on a second date. 

Cushioning 8/10            Forefoot 7/10               Support 5/10                Overall 6/10

Next let’s look at the New Balance 1080, which in the New Balance world is essentially the 880’s older brother (or in the female version the older sister).  This shoe felt very similar to the 880 on the foot with some subtle differences.  The heel was softer and had a nicer feel to it than the 880.  The forefoot was a dream compared to the 880 very soft and a nice amount of room.  Medially again, there was no collapsing issues and I found that with the extra cushioning in the forefoot, I didn’t push through the shoe laterally as much.  It was still there but was not as distinguishable.  Overall the 1080 was a step up from the 880 in both the heel and forefoot cushioning.  It did have improved lateral support, and a nice amount for a running shoe.  (Side note here – the 1080v2 just came out, I found the shoe to be almost identical feeling to the original 1080.)

Cushioning 8.5/10         Forefoot 8/10               Support 7/10                Overall 8/10

New Balance also has two very similar shoes in the 840 and the 1140.  The biggest difference is the 1140 has a polyurethane sole instead of the standard EVA sole that is in the 840.  I found that the 840’s heel cushioning was a bit softer than the 1140’s but still felt like I was pushing through the 840’s heel towards the ground.  I found the same cushioning issue in the forefoot between the two of them as well.  The 840 was super soft while the 1140 was getting a bit firm, 840.  Medially neither shoe collapsed which was nice and laterally they were almost identical.  Because the 840 did have a softer forefoot I did notice a touch of collapse, whereas there was none laterally in the 1140.  Overall I preferred the softness of the 840 over the stiffness of the 1140.  If the heel of the 840 was just a bit firmer and not as soft this shoe would lean towards a 10/10 but because of the feeling of pushing towards the ground and the slight lateral push down it gets a 9/10.  The 1140 on the other hand did a great job handling my weight but the harder firmer sole takes some of the comfort away from it.  Due to this it gets an 8/10.

840      Cushioning 8/10            Forefoot 9.5/10            Support 9.5/10             Overall 9/10

1140    Cushioning 7.5/10         Forefoot 8/10               Support 10/10              Overall 8/10

Next up we have the Brooks Dyad.  Very similar style shoe to the 840 and 1140, but the biggest difference right off the bat was how cushioned the shoe was.  The shoe feels light and the heel was super soft.  In the forefoot the cushioning feels exactly the same, very soft and super comfortable.  Unfortunately the shoe failed me immediately laterally.  Once the shoe was on and I was standing in it I was crushing it laterally.  Overall this shoe was super comfortable but for the heavier individual the amount it let me down laterally is just too much to overcome.  If this was strengthened laterally then I have a feeling my feet would propose.

Cushioning 9.5/10                     Forefoot 9.5/10            Support 6/10                Overall 8/10

Another shoe I examined was the Brooks Glycerine.  This shoe was very light weight, and the cushioning in the heel was very comfortable.  It did have a firmness to it that handled my weight very nicely.  In the forefoot I again found a very soft and cushioned feeling that held up nicely.  There was no collapse medially, and the collapse I experienced laterally was very minimal.  Overall this shoe was a pleasure to try on and again if it was just a tad stiffer laterally this shoe would be the president of shoes for big dudes! 

Cushioning 10/10                      Forefoot 9.5/10            Support 8.5/10             Overall 9.5/10

The next shoe I looked into was the Nike Lunarglide.  Having used Nike throwing shoes for some time, I am familiar with the shape of Nike shoes.  Saying that, I did find the heel of the Lunarglide fairly narrow.  The cushioning was soft but firm, and I didn’t have the feeling of pushing through the shoe towards the ground.  The forefoot cushioning was very soft and very comfortable but once again I found the shoe to fit a little narrow for my foot.  The shoe did have some lateral collapse, but nothing medially.  Overall this shoe was a comfortable shoe but unfortunately the shape of this shoe didn’t line up with the shape of my foot.

Cushioning 7.5/10                     Forefoot 7.5/10            Support 7.5/10             Overall 7.5/10

Now we will take a look at two entries in the Asics world.  The first one being the Asics Cumulus.  This shoe was very light and the heel was nicely cushioned.  Asics utilizes a gel cushioning system which is noticeable in the Cumulus.  It has the softness of the EVA and the firmness of the Gel.  In this case I found the firmness to be just a tad much.  The forefoot I found even softer and more cushioned, and I didn’t experience any collapse medially but did get a little bit of collapse laterally.  Overall the Cumulus was a decent shoe, handled my weight well but could have a bit softer heel and no collapse.  Saying that those two items are addressed in the next shoe!

Cushioning 8.5/10                     Forefoot 9.5/10            Support 8.5/10             Overall 8.5/10

The second Asics I scoured the skies for was the Asics Nimbus.  This shoe again is the big cloud brother of the Cumulus, in the cloud shoe world.  The extra cushioning in the heel and forefoot are considerably more comfortable than the Cumulus.  Tons of forefoot cushioning on this shoe gave it a hint of lateral collapse, but a far cry from some of the other shoes.  Medially I experienced no collapse, and overall the amount of cushioning on this shoe is very comfortable.  If the Brooks Glycerine won’t change its ways for me then this would be the next shoe my feet would propose to!

Cushioning 9.5/10         Forefoot 9.5/10            Support 9/10                Overall 9.25/10

Ok, so I know you have been reading for a while and I do apologize.  I have two shoes left to go through, and as you are reading this online, I will assume that you have checked Facebook and Twitter through out, and hopefully grabbed a snack and something to drink!  So let’s finish this off quickly, so you can head over and see us to try on these shoes for yourself!

Second to last (in terms of reviewing not in terms of rating) is the Mizuno Rider.  This shoe is not made for heavier people at all.  The wave platform that Mizuno utilizes seems to work against anyone with some weight to them.  The heel feels very hard, limited cushioning and a very narrow heel.  The forefoot doesn’t fare any better, and even if it did I don’t think any of us will be walking around on our toes just to say you are wearing some Mizuno’s!  Due to the limited or low amount of cushioning, I experienced both some medial and lateral collapse on the shoe.  Overall, as I mentioned, this shoe is not designed for heavier individuals.  It is a very narrow, shallow shoe, with harder cushioning.

Cushioning 5/10                        Forefoot 5/10               Support 7/10                Overall 6/10

Finally we made it!  This is how I feel when I have to do a warm up lap before practice!  400 meters is farther than you realize!  The last shoe I want to discuss is the Saucony Triumph.  The first thing I have to mention is the amazing new laces.  Gone are the rounded laces that undue once you take a step.  Utilizing what I can only describe as gym short drawstring, the laces on these shoes are very cool and I hope to see this become the norm on shoes ASAP.  The heel is nicely cushioned on the Triumph although the new minimal heel height is a bit low for handling a heavier person.  The forefoot is very cushioned and a bit wider than most standard neutral running shoes.  I found very little collapse laterally on the shoe, which was a pleasant surprise.  Overall the Triumph was a very comfortable shoe, but due to the new minimal pitch it is using, it lacks just enough heel cushioning to make me not like this as much as the Glycerine or the Nimbus.

Cushioning 8/10                        Forefoot 9/10               Support 9.5/10             Overall 8.5/10

Well there you have it, finished!  Again I would like to re-iterate that weight is just a number on the scale and these were my subjective feelings on the shoes.  Everyone will feel it a little differently so stop by, get a free gait assessment and let us see how these shoes feel!  And as a last note, any shoe reps or industry people out there, in no way, shape or form am I meaning to bash any of your shoes, as I mentioned this is purely what I felt being a heavier person.

So now that we are done thanks for reading, come by and visit us, and let the Fitting Experts help you get towards your health and athletic goals.

Hello fellow Kintec-ians!  Or is it Kintec-erites!  This is my first blog post to you so I hope you enjoy it, and it gets you thinking before you purchase your next pair of shoes.  I, like many people who visit one of our 9 locations everyday, have to deal with an added issue when purchasing my shoes.  And what is that issue you may be asking yourself?  I have to deal with the weight I carry around everyday! 

See, unlike all my fellow co-workers whose passion is running (or various other endurance events), I am a 310lb Shot Putter.  My full activity from beginning position to release is about 2 seconds, which is a far cry from the various amounts of time and energy expended by my co-workers in their aerobically based activities.  I am aerobically challenged if you will, and as such when I am purchasing a shoe, it is a different experience.  That shoe designed for the 150-170lb runner feels very, very differently to my foot than theirs. 

So why am I blathering on about this?  Great question!  This leads me to the meat and potatoes part of this blog!  (See Pete I threw in a food pun just so you can rib me about it!  Did it again!)

So let’s take a look at some Walking and Running style shoes through the eyes of a big person like myself while trying on the shoes.  If this goes well, I will take a look at a variety of hiking style shoes, both the Trail Runners and the Casual Hikers.

So let us begin with the standard Walking Style Shoes. 

First up is the New Balance 927.  At first glance this shoe does appear to be bulky, but on the foot it doesn’t feel that big.  It does come in a Velcro version as well for all the flexibility challenged members of our big club!  The heel has some really nice cushioning, and I didn’t feel like I was going to be pushing through and hitting the floor. I did find the forefoot a bit tight across at the base of the laces but otherwise the cushioning was comfortable.  The nice part of this shoe was the structure both medially (inside support) and laterally (outside support).  As a “supinator” or “an under-pronator” I have a tendency to crush my shoes laterally.  The 927 held up admirably to my weight.  Overall this shoe handled my weight really well and had a nice soft feeling to it.

Heel – 9/10                  Forefoot – 7/10            Support – 10/10           Overall – 9/10

Next up is the Etonic Minado.  This is a beast of a shoe when you stumble across it in its natural environment!  Once on the foot it still felt a bit bulky and the height of the heel didn’t help that feeling.  The heel cushioning was definitely firmer than the 927, but it did have some give to it.  The forefoot had a nice feel to it, was softer than the 927 and had a great shape.  The Minado fared well medially (industry note – it should its a medially posted shoe!) while in the shoe but I did experience a decent amount of collapse laterally almost immediately once on my foot.  Overall the Minado is a good shoe.  With a little more softness and if Etonic dealt with the lateral stability aspect it would definitely give the 927 a run for its money.

Heel – 8.5/10               Forefoot – 8.6/10         Support – 6.5/10          Overall – 7.5/10

Lastly in the Walking category is the Saucony Echelon LE.  A relatively new kid on the block, this shoe doesn’t look as blocky as the 927 or the Minado, but does have a heavier duty outsole than the other two.  On the foot it feels fairly light in comparison, but the stiffness of the heel gives it a weird slapping feel when walking in it.  The cushioning is nice but not as soft as the 927.  The forefoot on the Echelon is pretty wide, but nicely cushioned.  Oddly on this shoe I did find the shape of the shoe to affect how my gait felt.  I found myself to be hitting rather hard on the heel and actually collapsing medially on the shoe.  Laterally I had no problem.  Overall this shoe for the heftier human didn’t take me through my striking path as nice as I was hoping.  With some minor tweaks to the heel on this shoe it will become a formidable contender.

Heel – 8/10                  Forefoot – 9/10            Support – 7.5/10          Overall – 7/10

So with that we will conclude part 1!  Look for part 2 shortly where we discuss the finer aspects of the Running shoe. 

If you do have any further questions about the specifications or structure of your footwear, please stop by and any of the Kintec Fitting Experts will be glad to help you out!

And just as a last note, any shoe reps or industry people out there, in no way, shape or form am I meaning to bash any of your shoes, as I mentioned this is purely subjective, and what I felt being a heavier person!