NorthernRunner.com Blog

Having enjoyed running in the original Topo Terraventure, I was quite excited about trying the second version of this shoe. Everybody’s trail is slightly different, so the perfect level of cushion and grip for one runner doesn’t cut it for someone else! The original Terraventure was more of an all-terrain running shoe than a trail shoe for UK conditions. Most of the top brand trail shoes you see are designed in the United States and either it doesn’t rain much over there or nobody runs in the rain! That’s mainly... Read More

Altra Timp 1.5 Review Improvements to the Versatile Trail/R2T Running Shoe — The Altra Timp 1.5 is a highly cushioned Zero Drop off-road running shoe. Designed for Ultra marathons or long distance runs, it sits just below the maximally cushioned Olympus and above the more agile Lone Peak in Altra’s trail shoe range. The first thing you notice when you slip your foot into the Timp 1.5 is that your foot relaxes! The shape of the shoe is designed this way, to fit more naturally than lots of other running... Read More

Altra Escalante Racer Review — The Altra Escalante 1.5 is one of Altra’s most popular shoes. The Escalante is a lightweight trainer or even racer. The midsole is responsive but cushioned and soft enough to do some mileage in it. As the name might suggest the Altra Escalante Racer is the faster, lighter version of the Altra Escalante. Outsole As with all Altra shoes the Escalante Racer is Zero Drop. This is to encourage a more midfoot landing with the foot touching the floor under the runner’s centre of gravity.... Read More

My First Altra Running Shoes – Lone Peak 4.0 — My First Altra Running Shoes I was very excited to put the Altra Lone Peak 4 through its paces, as Altras were a brand that I’d heard good things about but had yet to try myself. Altra are a US brand and it has been via my trips to California that I became aware of them and their popularity among trail runners and hikers alike. In fact, they are Altra’s most popular trail shoe and were the second most worn... Read More

Topo Terraventure 2 — Topo shoes distinguish themselves as a brand creating lightweight running shoes designed to work with the foot’s natural movement. That means all Topo running shoes have a rounded toe box, to encourage your toes to spread on impact and naturally function as they would if you had no shoes on at all. This means that you get cushioning, stability and propulsion and all from your feet, not just the shoes! One of the advantages of increasing this natural function is that your feet and lower legs... Read More

Introducing the Altra Superior 4 — For Altra fans, the new Superior 4 will be an exciting introduction to Altra’s range of Zero Drop trail shoes. Altra’s most popular road shoe in its latest version is the Altra Escalante 1.5 and the new Superior 4 is in effect the trail version of that shoe, kind of the ‘escalante for the trail’. Altra have taken an already light, fast and comfortable trail shoe and made it lighter, added a bit more bounce and flexibility to the midsole and a grippier rubber... Read More

How Does the New Roclite 275 Fit, Feel and Perform? —- Roclite Range A lot of customers find the Inov-8 range confusing. Lots of shoes designed for different types of trail running that the Inov-8 marketing team describe with similar phrases making it hard to find the shoe that will work for you on the terrain you run on. The Roclite trail shoe range has always been the most versatile shoe. A shoe that would do a bit of tarmac, hard packed trails, cushioned enough for some muddy bits and... Read More

New Goals and Challenges in 2019? We’ve Boiled Down 10 Fantastic Options — Off-Road     Inov-8 | Roclite 275 G-Grip — Replacing the 305, this BRAND NEW shoe has 8mm drop, slightly softer cushioning, with high flexibility and uses G-Grip with Graphene to boost outosle durability by 50%. These are additions that will make this new Roclite very popular in 2019.   Altra | Lone Peak 4 Mesh — Where to start? It’s a cushioned, Zero Drop & FootShape trail shoe with plenty of protection at the toe and... Read More