The unlikely footwear phenomenon rages on! Vibram FiveFingers this week announced a new “foot glove” model to debut this fall that’s advertised as a “stylish streetwear cross trainer,” whatever that exactly means.
In iron-red mountains over Sedona, GearJunkie’s editor joined a group to run for a few hours in search of vortexes and good views. A first-look test of new apparel from Columbia and Mountain Hardwear was on the docket, too.
This past weekend, a GearJunkie writer tackled Colorado’s Vail Pass Half Marathon, a 13.7-mile footrace that climbs to an alpine finish line at an altitude above 10,000 feet.
In a lineup of minimal shoes, the Vertical Ks from La Sportiva are unique. They offer a flexible, lightweight build plus a low heel-to-toe drop spec. But the cushy shoe has more protection underfoot than true “barefoot” stock.
Our Denver-based contributor, Sean McCoy, signs on the dotted line to commit to the GORE-TEX TransRockies Run, a six-day stage race this August in Colorado that covers 120 miles and about 20,000 vertical feet of elevation gain along its killer course.
A retro look and a deliberately under-engineered design set Altra Running’s Lone Peak shoes apart. We give the zero-drop running shoes a trail test.
Vibram adds tread to sole and a rock guard to protect on FiveFingers shoe, markets the result to trail runners. We give it a test this spring on hardpack, mud and loose dirt.
A minimal athletic shoe made with goat leather? A $195 price tag? Yep, meet Skora Inc. of Portland, Ore., a startup looking to build a better, different type of running shoe.
In 2012 we drive cars that give voice directions and have phones equipped with robot personal assistants. Now fitness freaks can clip on a mini “personal fitness coach” device to get real-time feedback as they run.
Curious about the swim-bike-run sport of triathlon? In our article this week for Outside magazine we highlight a spread of tri gear for first-timers and burgeoning tri junkies alike.
With a super light build and a foamy “bubble” sole, New Balance has created its most minimal trail-running shoe yet. We get a sneak peek at the Minimus Trail ZERO.
Footwear for running uphill on snow — that’s the topic of this post, which highlights a GearJunkie editor’s equipment picks and overall experience in a unique mountain-running event earlier this month in Colorado.
Swollen, bruised, and beaten down from 10 days of wilderness racing, Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers is back in the USA. Here’s a race report plus images from the intense South American competition.
It took 162 hours and 31 minutes. But after more than a week of racing Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers has managed a third-place finish in the 2012 Patagonian Expedition Race, a multisport competition that’s been dubbed the toughest race on the planet.
Team GearJunkie/YogaSlackers has been racing now for a week straight in southern Chile, where the Patagonian Expedition Race is held annually near the very tip of South America. Our squad is currently in third place and gunning toward the finish line today. Here are a few images from the action.
Tight, posture-controlling shirts from Intelliskin are advertised to make you “look, feel and perform” better. Our reviewer squeezed into one of the company’s shirts for a test of the science-heavy garment.
For adventurers on a budget, Ryders Eyewear offers great performing shades without the big-ticket price. Our four-month review ended with our tester giving these two thumbs up. Can you say “prices starting at just $39!”
Called out as having superlative fitness tools and a function that serves as a “DJ while you run,” Motorola’s new GPS watch is nothing if not unique. We give the MOTOACTV watch/gadget a first test.
Do you run after the sun sets? A blinking red “taillight” and an oval-shape beam distinguish the Sprinter, a headlamp made by Black Diamond Equipment specifically for “runners of the night.”
A cinch-on lacing system and an aggressive design identify the S-LAB Fellcross as a distinctly Salomon shoe. But the Fellcross is a new breed for the French brand, a beast with extra-toothy tread that’s advertised as “low profile and ultra-light.”
We are proud to announce a partnership with Minnesota-based Team WEDALI, the nation’s No.1 adventure racing squad! Beginning in January, the team will be renamed Team GearJunkie/WEDALI and race under the “Team GJ” banner for the 2012 adventure racing season.
For those not-so-cold active days, this wool-blend Ibex jacket has become a Gear Junkie favorite. A streamlined, hood-less design, a thin breathable back, and a jersey pocket on the rear make it unique.
Equipped with five tiny rubber pads on the sole said to align with the foot’s metatarsal bones, the MV2 from Newton Running is a different beast. The new model, released this month, is also lightweight, flexible, and made to appeal to runners in search of a fast, minimal shoe.
In a three-month wear test, we’ve evaluated a new pair of sports glasses from Adidas Eyewear on a dozen adventures in conditions from snow to hot summer sun. Gear Junkie editor Stephen Regenold explains the unique proposition and performance attributes of the high-end Adidas shades.
Contributor Chelsey Magness gets geeky with her training regimen for a month via Suunto and the company’s new M5 Running Pack, which includes an HR strap and a “foot pod” to track pace and speed in real-time on a run.
These rocker-soled Skechers are touted to promote a “natural running” gait; our testers vehemently disagreed. “To me, while running on pavement, the Shape-ups shoe felt bulky and weird,” noted one tester in our review.
This miniature music player from Sandisk is not made for the outdoors specifically — it is not “ruggedized” and water will kill it. But for training and around-town use, the no-fuss unit is just what Gear Junkie needed.
“It’s not a sock, it’s a foot-cover!” That’s the tagline for Puretoes, a new sock-like product with holes for toes and grip material on the soles.
Vibram has announced a line of “lifestyle” models for spring 2012, including FiveFingers shoes made for daily wear and two small toe-shoe models for kids.
A mesh upper, a split-toe design, and “octopus tentacle”-inspired detailing on the sole make the to-be-released Maliko from OluKai Inc. one of the most unique water shoes we’ve ever seen.
A new speed record was set this weekend for a complete thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. Gear Junkie gets an exclusive on what it took for speed-hiker extraordinaire Jennifer Pharr Davis to run/hike the 2,181-mile AT in just 46 days.
No, thanks.
