Running Shoe Reviews and Information

The New Balance Tempo is the replacement for the beloved New Balance Zante. However, the Tempo is not just the Zante under a new name. As the name suggests, the New Balance Tempo is a shoe made for running at a faster pace. Compared with something max. cushioned like the 1080, if you prefer a firmer, less cushioned ride and naturally faster tempo in all your training, then the Tempo could even be your everyday trainer. For most people though, this will be a shoe for your tempo runs, steady... Read More

Topo Magnifly 3 Review – Part 1: Intro For those unfamiliar with Topo, Topo is a brand that is all about letting the foot function. So all the shoes have a low heel to forefoot drop to allow a more natural, midfoot landing. The heel to forefoot drop ranges from 5mm to 0mm with a variation of cushioning levels/stack heights and different levels of flexibility. So whatever your skill level there is a Topo shoe that will meet your needs. The toe box is broad and rounded, more like a... Read More

Updated: Hoka Torrent 2 Review The bulk of this review was created for the original Hoka Torrent and the Hoka Torrent 2 has a only a few adjustments/improvements. As a result, all of the content below is still super relevant. A whole new review would feel incredibly repetitive. Instead let’s look at what’s changed with the new version. Torrent 2 vs Torrent – A Durability Upgrade The Hoka Torrent 2 is the same nimble feeling trail shoe described below that’s great for harder broken trail like the original, that I... Read More

Altra Provision 4 Review There aren’t many if any running shoes on the market that are made to allow your foot to function naturally but also give some guidance or pronation support. The reason for this is that most runners who land on their midfoot tend not to then pronate, as a lot of pronation is caused by the initial breaking force when the runner’s heel hits the floor. The other reason is that it’s difficult to make. If you put a mechanism in the shoe to actively reduce the... Read More

The Altra Timp is Altra’s well cushioned trail running shoe. Designed for mainly hard packed trails but versatile enough for some tarmac and some wetter trails too. Like all Altra shoes the Timp has a broad and rounded toe box aka FootShape and is Zero Drop. In combination with each other, these two aspects of Altra running shoes allow your foot to both splay on impact & function inside the shoes whilst giving them room to expand as they land and naturally warm up. You are even encouraged to run... Read More

The Altra Lone Peak is Altra’s original and most popular Zero Drop trail running shoe. It has developed a lot over the years and has become one of the most popular trail shoes that we sell at Northern Runner, with a mid/boot version and a waterproof version also available. The current version is the Lone Peak 4.5, which like all Altra shoes is Zero Drop, with a broad rounded toe box (aka FootShape) and as such is designed to allow the foot to function naturally and encourage movement through a... Read More

A lot of the running niggles and injuries that we hear about in the shop are down to the fit of the customers’ running shoes. Running shoes in general, from major high street brands in particular started to take on a common shape and form and many people bought what they considered ‘normal’. A Quick History Lesson The more pointed shape of shoes didn’t come about because it was the ‘ideal shape for our feet’. In fact, in one point in history a more pointed toe shoe would fit into... Read More

New Balance 1080v10 Review — The New Balance 1080 v10 is the latest version of New Balance’s most cushioned running shoe. The shoe is designed for the neutral runner to use for their everyday and longer training runs. Over the previous nine versions, the 1080 has built up a large and passionate following due to its comfort and fit, coupled with a careful balanced cushioning that is neither too hard nor too soft for most runners. The fit of the 1080v10 is further enhanced by a knitted upper that has... Read More

Scott Supertrac 2.0 Trail Running Shoe Review — The Scott Supertrac is our bestselling trail shoe in store. The reason for this is its versatility. As most trail shoes are designed either in the US or with the US market in mind, they often don’t have the combination of traction in wet muddy conditions and cushion/underfoot protection for hard packed trails that we need in the UK. This makes it difficult to find a trail shoe that is versatile enough to work in all the conditions you might encounter during... Read More