northernrunner

The Saucony Ride 19 is an everyday neutral road running shoe. It is designed to deliver a comfortable, cushioned ride at slower, easy paces, but is also responsive enough for slightly quicker running. The new Saucony Ride 19 takes some of the ride characteristics, as well as the general fit and feel, from the more cushioned Saucony Triumph. The base is not as wide as that of the Triumph, which I preferred, and because of this, along with the slightly lower stack height, the Ride 19 is a bit more... Read More

The Scott Kinabalu Ultra is a trail running shoe designed for hard-packed tracks and trails. A high level of cushioning, combined with a durable midsole foam, makes the Kinabalu Ultra a good choice for ultra trail events or long days out. Along with the Scott Kinabalu Trail the Kinabalu Ultra is the latest trail running shoe from Scott. The Kinabalu Trail is a more flexible shoe that is suited to a wider variety of trail conditions. The Kinabalu Ultra, in contrast, offers a smoother, slightly more controlled ride to help... Read More

The Hoka Mach 7 is a lightweight neutral road running shoe designed for quicker runs, yet versatile enough for everyday training. In an era where many running shoes aim to actively guide your stride through aggressive geometry and highly structured midsoles, it is refreshing to run in a shoe that simply feels natural. That is exactly how the Mach 7 feels. If you enjoyed the Mach 6 for that reason, the Mach 7 continues in the same spirit. That is not to say the Mach 7 is lacking modern technology.... Read More

The 361 Futura 3 is a well-cushioned trail running shoe designed for hard-packed tracks and trails, but still versatile enough to cover road-to-trail use and provide traction on wet and muddy surfaces. The Futura 3 has seen a lot of updates compared to the previous model. Apart from the appearance, which looks much more like a dedicated trail running shoe than its predecessor, the Futura 3 feels more substantial underfoot and more protective through the upper. The stack height remains 36 mm in the heel and 30 mm in the... Read More

The Saucony Azura is a road running shoe designed for fast training runs. In the olden days, it would have been classed as a racer/trainer. Essentially, it is a well-cushioned running shoe that is happiest when moving quickly but has enough cushioning and stability to be versatile enough for slower-paced runs and longer runs too. If you like to be moving quickly when you run, or you do a lot of tempo, threshold, or steady runs in your training schedule, then the Saucony Azura is a road running shoe to... Read More

The Altra Experience Flow 3 is part of Altra’s Experience range of running shoes. These shoes have Altra’s signature broad, rounded toe box and are still designed to allow a natural running gait and promote foot function, but they aren’t flat or zero drop. They have a 4mm difference between the height of the midsole at the heel and the height of the midsole in the forefoot. This is still a low heel-to-forefoot drop and helps to encourage a more natural midfoot landing, which loads the foot and allows it... Read More

The Hoka Gaviota is a road running shoe that offers a high level of cushioning alongside a high level of anti-pronation support. It is the equivalent of the Hoka Bondi 9 in terms of cushioning, but designed specifically for runners who over-pronate. Road running shoes that offer pronation support are often described using different terms, such as support shoes, stability shoes, or motion control shoes. While the terminology varies, all of these shoes aim to provide some level of guidance to control excessive inward foot movement. When the foot touches... Read More

The Brooks Glycerin Flex is a neutral road running shoe designed to work with the runner’s body, allowing it to function naturally without sacrificing comfort or cushioning. The Brooks Glycerin has always been the brand’s most cushioned road running shoe, and the Glycerin Flex is no exception. However, it is designed to allow the foot to do more of the work rather than relying on the shoe to guide movement. Brooks has split its road shoes into two main types. Some models use a rocker-shaped midsole to guide the foot... Read More

The Hoka Speedgoat is a trail running shoe designed to perform well across a wide range of terrain and distances, from a short morning run by the river to a 100-mile ultra. The ride is responsive and suits runners who like the feel of a quicker shoe. If you prefer a softer, more cushioned ride for ultra distances, then the Hoka Mafate 5 may be a better option. Hoka have made several updates to the Speedgoat 7. The most noticeable change is that the ride has become slightly softer. The... Read More

The Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 is a carbon-plated road racing shoe designed to add a level of propulsion when running on flat, hard surfaces such as roads. How much “free speed” you get from the shoe depends on how effectively your running gait loads the carbon plate, which, together with the high-rebound foam, pushes you further forward with each stride. The Cielo X1 3.0 has been designed for quicker runners who tend to land on their midfoot when running at pace. The foam at the heel is very soft and,... Read More