NorthernRunner.com Blog

The Hoka Skyward X is the replacement for the Hoka Bondi X. Essentially it is a maximally cushioned shoe that provides a plush ride with a bit of propulsion. Where the Bondi X was simply a Hoka Bondi with a carbon plate added, the Hoka Skyward X is a shoe that has been designed from scratch to provide a very unique combination of cushioning and propulsion. Hoka was the first brand to come up with an ‘oversized’ midsole. Essentially they put a lot more foam between the runner’s foot and... Read More

As the name would suggest, the Altra Escalante Racer 2 is the new version of Altra’s popular road racing shoe. It’s worth mentioning that not everyone used the Escalante Racer as a race-day-only shoe. We have a number of customers who like barefoot shoes but find running in them for too long leads to sore feet, so they like a bit of midsole. The 22mm stack of the Escalante Racer offers these runners just enough foot protection without taking away too much feel for the ground, which stimulates natural foot... Read More

The Inov-8 Mudtalon is a trail or fell/mountain running shoe designed to be used on soft ground. It has more cushioning and underfoot protection than the Inov-8 Mudtalon Speed which often makes it a better option for longer races, everyday training on the fells/mountains and fell running rounds like the Bob Graham, Paddy Buckley or Charlie Ramsey. It replaces the X-Talon 260 Ultra in Inov-8’s range. Like all the shoes in Inov-8’s new range the Mudtalon has an anatomical shaped toe box. This is a more rounded toe box which... Read More

The La Sportiva Bushido 3 is a nimble feeling trail running shoe designed to be grippy on rock (wet or dry) and nimble enough to allow the trail runner to skip over broken ground with ease. The third version of the Bushido is now available in a wide width. That’s great news for those trail runners who don’t have a narrow foot, as the Italian brand La Sportiva tends to fit on the narrow side. La Sportiva prides itself on providing everything for the mountain athlete, including trail running shoes.... Read More

The Altra Vanish Carbon 2 is a race day shoe designed to give the runner some extra propulsion to help them run faster. The Vanish Carbon 2 is a little different to the original Vanish Carbon. Although it is still a zero drop shoe which means that the midsole is the same thickness at the heel as it is in the forefoot. A design that allows for a more natural midfoot landing. The thickness of the midsole has been increased by 3mm to give a 36mm stack height. The foam used... Read More

The NNormal Tomir 2.0 is a versatile, everyday trail running shoe and this week it gets a review! Designed to be used for the bulk of your trail running miles, it is well cushioned, durable and has a versatile enough grip to cope with everything from tarmac to soft muddy trails. The original Tomir was designed as an ‘all rounder in the mountains’. The midsole was made from a firm EVA that softened up as the shoes go worn in but still remained a dependable, durable shoe that you could use... Read More

This week we’re moving quickly in our Altra Escalante 4 review! When the running world went barefoot-crazy partly due to the success of the book ‘Born to Run’, runners really enjoyed the ground feel and posture that they got from flat or zero drop shoes that were really flexible with no midsole cushioning. The issue that occurred was that after a few miles the runners feet got sore. This was amplified when the runner got tired and wasn’t able to hold a good running posture. This made them heavy on... Read More

The Inov-8 TrailFly is a trail running shoe designed for use on hard packed trails and this week we’ve combined our experience and finished up an Inov-8 TrailFly review. It is cushioned enough and the outsole is durable enough for use as a road to trail shoe. Like all the latest additions to the Inov-8 running shoe range the Inov-8 TrailFly has a more anatomical fit designed to work with the foot so it can respond to the contours of the land giving you balance and propulsion. Back in the... Read More

In the second huge flagship update launching 1st June 2024, we’ve finished up our Brooks Ghost 16 review (thanks to our friends at Brooks giving us the shoes nice and early!). The Brooks Ghost 16 is a neutral road running shoe designed for everyday use, great for easy runs, long runs and even some slightly quicker stuff. Now in its 16th version, the Brooks Ghost is a well-established incredibly popular running shoe. Due to its popularity, it’s remained almost unchanged for a number of years. Now though, the Ghost 16... Read More

There’s a new version of a flagship running shoe at New Balance this week, with our New Balance 860v14 review. The New Balance 860v14 is a road running shoe designed to offer some pronation support. It is well-cushioned and ideal for everyday training runs. Together with the New Balance 880, which is the neutral brother of the 860, the New Balance 860 has been the workhorse of the New Balance road running shoe range since its inception. It has been such a successful shoe, that changes from model to model... Read More