361 Furious Future 2.0 Quick Review
By Matthew Klein
361 Furious Future 2.0Price: $220 at 361
Weight: 7.05 oz, 200 g (men's size 9 / women's 10.5)
Stack Height: 36 mm heel / 30 mm forefoot
Drop: 6 mm
Shoe Purpose: Super Distance Racing Shoe
Pros: Aggressive rockered ride, fast, bouncy midsole, wider fit in the forefoot
Cons: Rocker may be too aggressive for some, slightly long fit, better for longer distances than shorter distances, less stable midfoot/heel
SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Alphafly 3
PAST MODEL: 361 Furious Future 1.5
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
The 361 Furious Future 2.0 fits me slightly long in my normal men's US size 10. Those wanting a closer fit for shorter distances may be able to size down a half size as there is plenty of room in the forefoot and a little extra length. For long distance racing, I would go true to size, especially if you are wearing thicker socks. The slightly long fit felt a bit awkward during warm ups but felt fantastic during longer efforts as my feet swelled. There is a large amount of room in the forefoot with extra medial room that allows me to keep my big toe joint straight and enough room to wiggle my toes. The volume is lower and sits down across the top of the foot without a ton of stretch. The midfoot is normal in width with an integrated one piece tongue. With the wider forefoot I had to tighten down the laces, which caused the tongue to fold on itself. This did cause some irritation on the top of my foot, but the tongue folding also creates extra padding form the laces. Due to the slightly lower volume, the instep is also lower.
The heel fits normal in width but no major heel collar padding except for a rear portion. The heel counter is flexible except for the posterior-most portion and only bothered my heel a little bit (those with higher sensitivities at the heel/calcaneus should still approach with some caution. The security is fair in this shoe when you figure out the laces. The slightly larger fit does create a little translation that is mostly controlled front to back but is noticeable with turning. Like many super racers, this shoe is not great with quick turns. I have experienced some lateral sliding with quick moves during faster workouts in neighborhoods, so races/workouts in this shoe should be mostly in a straight line.
The 361 Furious Future 2.0 is a super racing shoe. It is the closest thing that I have felt to the Nike Alphafly 3 thanks to the softer bouncer heel, aggressively responsive foam and the bulbous forefoot. There is a 6mm drop but it feels lower as the large forefoot, stiff plate and toe spring make the front quite stiff. This shoe feels awkward running at slower paces but rolls and bounces extremely well at faster paces. The rocker is huge on the shoe with one of the largest and best posterolateral heel bevels I have ever seen. The whole heel is rounded and biased slightly lateral and the bevel travels underneath the heel. This adds to the slightly lower drop feel and quickly transitions forward. The forefoot is wide, stiff and fast. The rocker is slightly late but large. It felt like I was going over a speed bump that got better the faster I was going. At uptempo efforts this shoe still felt like something was being held back. It wasn't until I hit tempo paces and faster interval paces that the shoe really came alive. The ride is extremely aggressive and reward fast paces most. The faster you go, the more the shoe rolls.
Landing at the forefoot felt a little weird given the slightly longer fit, but hitting the bouncy heel and rolling forward felt best (so probably better for heel and midfoot strikers). For those with stable mechanics, this shoe is best as a 10k to marathon shoe given its larger size. Rolling fast for long paces felt best, whereas trying to hit 5k and below felt a little forced. As a distance shoe, the durability is incredible. I have 50 miles on my pair without a dent in the outsole and the ride continues to get bouncier. As one of the cheaper super racing shoes out there (can't believe I'm saying $220 is on the cheaper end...), this is a fantastic shoe that will handle tons of workouts and races over a variety of distances at a solid price. Just keep it on the road as the midfoot gap can collect rocks, so offroading is not the best option, even though the outsole material grips well.
The 361 Furious Future 2.0 has some stable elements but is still a neutral shoe. The forefoot is quite wide and has some noticeable sidewalls (trimlines), making this a fantastic shoe for those with medial forefoot stability needs. The midfoot is noticeably narrow and the well-beveled, posterolateral heel is not enough to overcome it. Those with mild medial heel stability needs may do well here given the small medial sidewalls, the lateral bias from the heel bevel and the slightly larger medial heel plate extension. So while there are highly stable medial elements in the forefoot, the midfoot offsets this shoe from being more stable medially.
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: No
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: No
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Not Flexible
How Flexible is the Shoe: Not Flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: Somewhat
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: No
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: Above Average / High
FINAL THOUGHTS
Matt
Fit: B+ (Slightly long fit with folding tongue that works better for those with higher volume midfoot but lower volume forefoot. Extra room in the forefoot for those wanting it and some length to accommodate swelling)
Performance: A- (Fast rolling ride with a bouncy heel and a bulbous forefoot that feels great to push off at faster speeds. Highly rockered ride that is awkward at slower speeds and best for long fast efforts 10k to marathon)
Stability: B [Neutral] (Highly medially stable forefoot but unstable medial midfoot. Overall neutral ride but great for those with forefoot stability needs)
Value: A (Fast ride with incredible durability. At $220 this is a great price that will get you tons of mileage in both races and workouts)
Personal: B+ (Love the durability and the rolling ride but wish the midfoot was a bit more stable. One of the more noticeably stable forefoots in the super shoe realm)
Overall Design: B+
The 361 Furious Future 2.0 is a clear step forward for the company. The level of aggressiveness puts this shoe quite high and provides a unique option for those with mild medial forefoot stability needs. The midsole foam is far bouncier than anything I have experienced from this company and the geometry is incredibly rockered and aggressive. If the medial midfoot were more stable/filled in, this would be an almost perfect shoe for me. While I have had mixed feelings about some of the earlier products, the current racing and training models from this company deserve some clear attention and should not be flying under the radar. I am excited to continue trying more from 361, and it is fun to start seeing them compete rather than catch up. So if you have an interest and it matches your mechanics, definitely consider this shoe.
Runners wanting a highly rockered, highly durable, lower drop, wider fitting, bouncy heel and incredibly snappy stable forefoot at a solid price should absolutely try the 361 Furious Future 2.0. Those wanting medial midfoot stability, a narrow fit, the lightest possible racer for 5k and below efforts or a non-rockered shoe will not find this in the Furious Future 2.0.
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR361 Furious Future 2.0Price: $220 at 361
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