Adidas Ultraboost Light Review (2023)

 

Adidas Ultraboost Light Review: Lighter, but is it Runnable?
By Chief Editor Matthew Klein

For the longest time, the Adidas Ultraboost series is a highly cushioned, comfortable casual shoe that attempted to be a running shoe. Although it featured many components that normally would do well for this sport, including a high level of cushioning, a secure upper and other features (including the recent addition of an excellent split heel counter), the weight of this line kept it from truly being a solid running shoe. Sitting at over 11.5 to 12 oz for men's size 9, this was a tank of a shoe that worked far better for walking and casual use than for higher-speed activities. The Ultraboost Light attempts to bring the weight down to a more manageable level and finally make this a running shoe. While still not a light shoe by any means, the latest edition of the Ultraboost is the first of the series that enters a weight realm and level of function that could be considered a true running shoe.

The Hard Lessons We Learned from Racing in 2022 | DOR Podcast #127

 

 

DOR Podcast #127: The Hard Lessons We Learned from Racing in 2022

For DOR Contributors Andrea Myers and Megan Flynn, 2022 was filled with a ton of training and racing, and not just running. In this episode, they share their training journeys from the past year: everything from workouts, races, injuries, and even triathlons. They also offer tips and strategies to help you better reflect on and learn from your fitness journey.

Saucony Peregrine 13 and 13 ST Review (2023)

 

Saucony Peregrine 13: The Best Got Better
By Senior Contributor Andrea Myers and Chief Editor Matthew Klein

The Saucony Peregrine is one of the longest-running trail series outside of the Brooks Cascadia. Originally coming to the market as a "trail Kinvara" (there was a Kinvara TR), the Peregrine has differentiated itself as it continues to be a lighter weight, nimble trail shoe. Like all shoes recently, the most recent version comes with a large number of updates that include some weight loss, an increase in stack height and further refinements to the upper and ride that make it better in almost every way. 

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Flash Review (2023)

 

Mizuno Wave Rebellion Flash: Trending Up
By Content Manager Bach Pham and Founder/Chief Editor Matthew Klein

Back in 2021, Mizuno gave us a glimpse at the first of their new racing, performance training future with the Wave Rebellion. A firmer, fast-rolling shoe featuring their new Enerzy Lite midsole, it offered the brand's lightest, most exciting offering in a long time. For 2023, Mizuno is ramping things up quickly with two offerings: the Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro, their top-of-the-line racing shoe, and the Wave Rebellion Flash, what feels like the spiritual successor of the original Rebellion. The Flash features some interesting updates not just in terms of the Rebellion vs. Rebellion Flash, but for Mizuno in general with a streamlined upper and shifting design focus.

Saucony Ride 16 Review (2023) - 150+ Mile Update

 

Saucony Ride 16: Best One Yet?
By Andrea Myers, David Salas and Matthew Klein

The Saucony Ride has always been the big training shoe for Saucony. The Ride is the primary neutral workhorse to log your daily mileage in. The shoe does not have a wild geometry or any new fancy foams. It provides a balanced ride with a gentle roll in the geometry using their EVA-based PWRRUN midsole. The result is a lightweight, balanced ride for miles to come. 

All About the Reponsiveness of Shoes | DOR Podcast #126

 

DOR Podcast #126:  Let’s Talk All About the Reponsiveness of Shoes

"Responsiveness" is a term often thrown around loosely in the running shoe world, but what does it really mean? On this episode of the podcast, Matt & David take a stab at defining it and exploring its many facets. A shoe's responsiveness depends on the midsole foam, geometry, stiffness, as well as an individual's biomechanics. They also compare and contrast the responsiveness of different shoes and consider what types of events or runs to use different shoes for.

How Newton Running is Leading the Charge on Sustainability in the Running Industry | DOR Sustainability Series

In our fifth edition of the Doctors of Running Sustainability Project, we spoke with Newton Running's Product Manager Laura Tingle and Founder Jerry Lee about the companies major investment into a sustainable future. Using a top-down approach to not only find ways to make sustainability a priority in their entire footwear catalog, they've also invested long term towards streamlining their processes and offices to hit their goal. This wide lens approach to tackling sustainability is what uniquely sets them apart from the rest, which is why we were excited to sit down and speak with them about how they made this happen.

Saucony Guide 16 Review (2023)

 

Saucony Guide 16 Review: If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It
By Content Manager Bach Pham and Chief Editor Matthew Klein

The long-running Guide series from Saucony has typically filled the category of medial stability with moderate-level cushioning for the brand since its inception. Before last year, it acted as the sibling to the Hurricane series, which was higher cushioned in comparison. 2022 brought a major update to the Guide. Saucony removed the Hurricane from its lineup altogether and elevated the cushioning in the Guide to maximal territory. Now the signature daily training stability shoe for the brand - with the Tempus as its performance-oriented cousin - the Guide continues the slowly-fading legacy of posted stability.

Tracksmith Eliot Runner Review (2023)

Tracksmith Eliot Runner: Coming out Swinging
By Senior Contributor Nathan Brown

Tracksmith has grown in popularity over the last few years thanks to their very comfortable, high-performance running apparel. The New England-based company also carries through the New England style with its gear, representing the culture of the company and region. The Eliot Runner is their first foray in the running shoe space, and they are delivering a sleek trainer utilizing some of the best base materials used in modern day running shoes including PEBAX foam. PEBAX, though usually associated with racing shoes, finds a new identity in the Eliot Runner, a daily trainer coming in at a high price point of $198. 

Saucony Kinvara 14 Review (2023)

 

Saucony Kinvara 14 Review: Big Changes to the Legacy Lightweight Trainer
By Senior Contributor Andrea Myers and Chief Editor Matthew Klein

With over 14 years of life,  the Kinvara series has maintained its place as one of the (if not the most) popular lightweight running shoes on the market. Debuted back during the minimalist era as a transitional shoe between super minimal shoes and normal trainers, it has continued to provide contrast even with the rise of super maximal training and racing shoes. Throughout this time, it has provided a haven for those who still wanted a light and simple shoe for daily training, workouts, and even races. True to its recent focus on performance, Saucony took on the task of updating the Kinvara to fit within today's footwear trends while maintaining its place as a lighter, transitional shoe. Amazingly, while version 14 has experienced an expected increase in stack height, it is the lightest this shoe has ever been. While still staying true to its roots, the newest version makes some changes that make this shoe double down on performance. 

All your Stability Questions, Answered | DOR Podcast #125

DOR Podcast #125: All your Stability Questions, Answered

Almost every runner has logged miles in stability shoes at some point in their running journey. In the past few years, the definition of "stability" has shifted with the advent of new foams and midsole geometries. On today's show, Nathan and Matt take a deep dive into the world of stability. They explore the history of stability shoes, current technologies, and upcoming new models. They also provide some guidance on how to choose shoes for yourself, whether you need stability or not.

Adidas Takumi Sen 9 Review (2023)

Adidas Takumi Sen 9 Review: 6.4 oz!!!
By Senior Contributor David Salas and Chief Editor Matthew Klein

The Adidas Takumi Sen series has always been an aggressive racing shoe in the adizero lineup. The shoe aims primarily at the 5k/10k distances with some appeal both above and below those distances. The Takumi Sen 8 introduced Lightstrike Pro and the energy rods into series. The Takumi Sen 9 continues upon this construction with a more streamlined upper that cuts an impressive 0.4 oz.

Hoka Transport Review (2023)

 

Hoka Transport Review: The Sustainable Urban Commuter Shoe
By Content Manager Bach Pham

The Hoka Transport represents the brands first foray into a shoe entirely dedicated to the commute. It's got all the bells and whistles of a Hoka product from the maximal stack height, sidewalls, shaping, and more in a package meant not for running, but rather for daily errands, working, and some mild hiking - its intended versatility bringing the new tagline "Adventure Anywhere." This is not just a commuter shoe though; it's a package that sets up Hoka's venture towards sustainability. The shoe features a new a EVA with 30% sugarcane, a new Vibram EcoStep outsole that is 90% oil-free, and tons of sustainably-sourced features throughout the upper. The Transport is probably the most diverse entry into Hoka's new lifestyle brain of the company (alongside Project Clifton).

Saucony Echelon 9 Review (2023)

 

Saucony Echelon 9: Stable and Ortho-Friendly
By Matthew Klein 

The Saucony Echelon series has had a quiet life up to this point as a go-to shoe for those looking for something with a wider fit, lower arch, and inherently stable while still being neutral and orthotic-friendly. The only challenge with this is that it was a fairly boring shoe that really only needed to come in black or white colors given that the majority of people using this were walkers (ask any experienced running store employee about this shoe and who they normally sell it to). Version 9 completely changes the vibe of the Echelon series. While it still has a wider fit, stable neutral ride, and orthotic-friendly chassis that will work well for those who previously used the Echelon, the new version comes in far lighter and with a max cushion design. Those who want the above features no longer have to settle for a simple shoe, but now have a really solid daily training option with a level of performance that rivals other top training shoes like the Ride, Guide and Triumph. 

The Truth about Orthotics, with Wessel van Veenen, Orthotic Specialist | DOR Podcast #124

DOR Podcast #124: The Truth about Orthotics, with Wessel van Veenen, Orthotic Specialist

In this week's episode Matt is joined by Wessel van Veenen, an orthotic specialist. The duo discusses some basics of appropriate orthotic usage and explores best practice use. They then dive into some new, exciting developments in the world of orthotics to look out for. Wessel also shares his unique background in footwear, including some unique testing through a brand that's exploded back into the running scene in recent years.