NorthernRunner.com Blog

This week we review Karhu’s entry into maximal cushioning road running shoes, with the Karhu Mestari Run 1.0. Karhu has been making running shoes for over 100 years. In that time, they have learnt that a good running shoe is not made of bouncy cushioning that makes you go up and down with every stride. In stead a good running shoe should push you forward and allow a smooth natural running motion. That way you are lighter on your feet, and you move faster with less stress on the body.... Read More

Many Brooks customers have been looking forward to our Brooks Cascadia 17 review. The Brooks Cascadia 16 was very different to the previous generations. The Cascadia 17 has kept many of the changes that were made to the 16 but they have been tweaked a bit. Depending on your foot shape and the terrain that you are running on, these changes could be positive or negative. The fit has changed. A snugger, more locked in fit has been created by a reduction in volume in the forefoot of the Cascadia... Read More

This week due to popular request we’ve finished up our Brooks Launch 10 review. The Brooks Launch 10 is a lightweight trainer or racer/trainer designed to be versatile enough for your faster running but cushioned enough for slower everyday runs. It is available in both neutral and a version that offers some anti-pronation support, the Brooks Launch 10 GTS. All Brooks running shoes that have the suffix GTS offer support. Overpronation via GuideRail (Launch GTS 10) When running, your foot hits the floor and the arch compresses to absorb the... Read More

This week it’s our NNormal Tomir review, the brand made famous by megastar Kilian Jornet. He’s one of the most accomplished runners out there, but is the NNormal Tomir any good for you? I think it is fair to say that Camper and Kilian Jornet have made their brand, NNormal, running shoes ‘for runners’. That might sound obvious, but by that I essentially mean that they have prioritised functionality and durability and haven’t got caught up in making their shoes feel super soft, so that the wearer is tricked into... Read More

This week it’s our Altra Torin 7 review, Altra’s everyday neutral cushioned training shoe. The Torin 7 has a 2mm increase in stack height compared to the Torin 6. This puts the stack to 30mm, which is the same as the Altra Paradigm, Altra’s everyday training shoe with some anti-pronation support. The midsole material is Altra’s Ego Max, which is the same material they use in the Paradigm. It has a soft cushioned feel ideal for those everyday runs, long runs and recovery miles. Altra running shoes have the same... Read More

This week we’re featuring a somewhat lesser-known brand in running, Scarpa, with our Scarpa Spin Planet review. The Scarpa Spin Planet is a trail shoe suitable for everyday training, if not with a slant towards ultramarathon distances. The upper uses 100% recycled materials and the midsole uses 45% recycled material, for a substantial step forward. Typically running shoe uppers use about 20% recycled material. This is because recycled materials are often not durable enough to use exclusively for running shoe uppers. Scarpa have not only found a recycled fabric that... Read More

Looking for a nimble, responsive Zero Drop trail running shoe? Our Altra Superior 6 review might come in handy! The Altra Superior 6 is Altra’s lightest, most nimble trail running shoe. It’s designed to be fast and responsive on the trails, giving you instant feedback so you can negotiate broken ground or obstacles in the whilst running fast. We used to describe them as an ‘Altra Escalante for trails’ but as the stack height of the Escalante has increased over the years and the Superior has remained at 21mm, it... Read More

Are you wondering whether the Hoka Cielo Road is suitable for you? Well thanks to our friends at Hoka, we’ve managed to put in some miles before launch and produce our Cielo Road review. The Hoka Cielo Road is Hoka’s lightweight 5km/10km racing shoe. Weighing in at 213g in a men’s UK9 it is light, but unlike 5km/10km shoes of yester-year, the Cielo Road has a good amount of midsole underfoot. It doesn’t feel in anyway minimal. The stack height is 33mm in the heel and 30mm in the forefoot.... Read More

This week we’ve put some miles into the New Balance FuelCell Propel v4 for our latest review. The New Balance Propel v4 is designed as an everyday training shoe, with a bit of extra propulsion. The midsole is made of New Balance FuelCell, which is has an initial soft feel to it and remains very bouncy and responsive, to encourage a quick cadence. In addition, there is a TPU plate enclosed within the midsole. This increases the spring and propulsion. It also makes the shoes stiffer, which helps guide the... Read More

This week we’ve brought you the much-anticipated Hoka Tecton X 2 review. The Tecton X 2 is Hoka’s carbon plated trail running shoe. Shoes that have a carbon plate within the midsole and a curved rocker shaped midsole are designed to help you run quicker. On the road carbon plated racing shoes have become the weapon of choice. A bit like the time trial bike in bike racing. They make you faster by not stopping the foot from moving when it hits the floor and by creating more spring, so... Read More