NorthernRunner.com Blog

The VJ Irock 4 is a running shoe designed to provide exceptional traction on soft, wet, and uneven terrain, making it ideal for cross-country running, fell running, and mountain running. Shoes of this type need to fit snugly to prevent your foot from slipping inside, especially when navigating uneven ground or sticky mud. The outsole must feature aggressive, long lugs that bite into soft ground and shed mud effectively to avoid adding unnecessary weight as you traverse wet, muddy terrain. Additionally, the rubber should grip well on wet surfaces, allowing... Read More

The VJ XTER is a well-cushioned, waterproof trail running shoe designed for versatile use in changeable winter conditions. Its substantial cushioning makes it suitable for both tarmac and hard-packed trails, making it ideal for road-to-trail routes and mixed terrain that includes sections of tarmac, hard-packed trails, and softer ground. The Finnish brand VJ Sports is renowned for the grippy outsoles of their shoes. Originally developed for orienteering, VJ’s shoes often feature tungsten spikes for enhanced traction on rugged surfaces. The Xter’s outsole is made from durable butyl rubber, known for... Read More

The New Balance SuperComp Pacer v2 is a carbon-plated race-day running shoe designed for shorter races, such as 5K or 10K. It offers a soft, responsive ride that, for efficient runners, could also suit a marathon. This shoe was created for American marathon record-holder Emily Sisson, who wore it when setting the US marathon record at the 2022 Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:18:29. With a stack height of 32.8mm in the heel and 24.8mm in the forefoot, the shoe feels closer to the ground than the height might... Read More

The Brooks Glycerin Max road running shoe is a highly cushioned running shoe designed for easy, recovery, and long runs. It reduces the stress of running on lighter workout days, helping you recover and train harder in interval sessions, hill repetitions, and track sessions. While compacted earth roads in Kenya are soft and provide relief to runners’ legs, the Brooks Glycerin Max aims to make the tarmac feel just as forgiving. Creating a max-cushioned road running shoe is challenging. Originally designed to help runners tackle ultra distances without excessive leg... Read More

The New Balance 1080v14 is a neutral road running shoe designed for handling the bulk of your training miles. If you enjoy a soft, cushioned feel for everyday runs, the 1080v14 is worth considering. The New Balance 1080v13 introduced the Fresh Foam X midsole, which had a distinctive bounce. In the 1080v14, the Fresh Foam X midsole has been slightly adjusted, making it a bit denser. If you liked the feel of the 1080v13, there’s no need to worry—the 1080v14 still provides a delightful bounce and spring. The sensation in... Read More

The Altra FWD VIA is a neutral, max-cushioned road running shoe designed for everyday miles and long runs. It replaces the Altra VIA Olympus but differs significantly from the previous model, rather than simply upgrading the VIA Olympus 2. Altra was originally created to make running shoes that allow feet to function naturally inside them. They featured wide, rounded toe boxes to give feet space to spread on impact, allowing shock absorption, stabilizing the runner, and propelling the next stride. To encourage a more midfoot landing, which enables proper foot... Read More

The Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 is a road running shoe designed to provide mild pronation support as a daily trainer. This type of shoe is often referred to as a stability shoe or mild-overpronation shoe. When a runner’s foot strikes the ground, the arch compresses to absorb shock, then ideally reshapes, allowing the runner to push off from the end of the big toe. If the arch doesn’t reshape quickly enough, the runner may push off from the inside of the big toe or foot, causing the knee to roll... Read More

The New Balance Supercomp Trainer v3 is a carbon-plated road running shoe designed for your faster training runs. The theory behind shoes of this type is that when you run in a carbon-plated racing shoe, they help you run faster by providing more spring and energy return in a lightweight package. To achieve maximum speed in this type of shoe, you need to load the carbon plate in the correct position and maintain that posture throughout the race. A training shoe like the New Balance Supercomp Trainer v3 allows you... Read More

The Hoka Speedgoat started as a trail running shoe designed for racing 100-mile events. Since then, Hoka has expanded its lineup, introducing more trail running shoes. Arguably, the Hoka Tecton X 3 or perhaps the Mafate Speed 4 has taken over as Hoka’s 100-mile racing shoe. Regardless, the role of the Speedgoat in Hoka’s trail running range has evolved, and the updates in the Hoka Speedgoat 6 reflect these changes. The Hoka Speedgoat 6 is now a versatile trail running shoe, designed for long distances on trails while also allowing... Read More

The Brooks Cascadia 18 is a trail running shoe designed to be versatile enough for broken ground while also providing sufficient cushioning for harder-packed trails. The fit and feel of the Cascadia 18 are quite similar to other Brooks shoes and resemble the feel of a road running shoe. This appeals to runners looking for a shoe that feels like their Brooks road running shoes but offers more traction and better adaptability to trail contours. Brooks shoes are known for their high degree of step-in comfort, and the Cascadia 18... Read More