NorthernRunner.com Blog

Although not as well-known as other running shoe brands, Karhu has a rich 100 year heritage that includes their shoes being worn by exceptional Olympic athletes like Paavo Nurmi and Emil Zatopek. Karhu started making Javelins, Skis and Discuss using locally sourced birch from a small workshop in a side street in Helsinki way back in 1916. The company was then called Ab Sportartiklar Oy. Finnish birch was discovered to be uniquely lightweight and flexible and ideal for many Sporting implements, including running spikes that Karhu therefore started to develop.... Read More

When you look at the 100 plus years of Karhu’s history it strikes you that Karhu has always been a brand that is a step ahead. They were using Finish birch to give their spikes a bit of spring in 1916 and had ‘Air Cushion’ in their shoes in the 1970’s, before any other brand had started putting cushioning into their shoes. They noticed the drawback with cushioning in that it essentially makes you go ‘up and down’ through your cycle and not forwards. As a result, they developed the... Read More

The Brooks Catamount is designed to hit a niche in the trail running shoe market. Currently most trail shoes are one of two extremes; trail shoes designed for softest, muddy ground with long studs and a minimal level of cushioning or must more softly cushioned training shoes. These extremes were created because trail running races were almost non-existent and trail running was more for recovery. The races were found on fells, cross country or over mountains. Well studded minimal shoes were the best footwear for this kind of racing. In... Read More

The LA Sportiva Mutant has been on the market for a few years now. It might seem funny to be spending the time writing about an ‘old’ model of shoe. Most running brands change their shoes regularly updating and altering. La Sportiva spend their time developing their shoes so when they come to market they are already tried and tested. So, they often stay unchanged for many years. The Mutant is one of those shoes and is worth a mention because it is a good shoe that often isn’t in... Read More

The Hoka Speedgoat is well established as one of the most cushioned trail running shoes on the market. Named after Karl ‘Speedgoat’ Meltzer, who has won more 100 mile races than anyone else, you get the idea of what this shoe is designed for. The rocker that features in all Hoka shoes is positioned in the Speedgoat to allow the runner to run with a quick cadence and midfoot strike. The cushioning isn’t as soft and pillow like or bottomless like it is in other shoes designed for running ultras... Read More