Wednesday, November 28, 2018

The Running Event 2019 Preview Videos: Under Armour. Brooks, Hoka One One, Saucony, New Balance, ON Running, Altra, & Reebok!

Article by Sam Winebaum
 
Brands presented their highlight introductions for 2019 to RoadTrailRun at the Running Event in Austin, Texas. Each brand presents two to three models.
Full Preview articles to follow with details and more models.

Altra Torin 4 and Torin Plush, King MT 2.0, Vanish-XC, and Tushar Boot
Update: Read our full Altra Preview article here
Vanish-XC, Torin 4 and Torin 4 Plush, Escalante 2, King MT 2, Tushar Hiker, Grafton and Wahweap Approach Shoes
Saucony Liberty ISO 2, Ride ISO 2, Mad River TR
Update: Full Saucony Preview article HERE
Brooks Adrenaline GTS 20, Pure Beat, Cascadia 14
Update: Full Brooks Preview article HERE Adrenaline GTS 20, Ghost 12, Revel 3, Pure Beat, Cascadia 14, Pure Grit 8

Hoka One Rincon, Clifton 6, and EVO Mafate 2
Update: Preview article and photos here
New Balance Fuel Cell Rebel and Fresh Foam More
Update: Preview article and photos here
ON Running Cloudstratus, and Cloudswift
Update: Preview article and photos here
Reebok Forever Floatride Energy (new), Harmony Road 3, Grasse Road 2, Fast and Fast Pro
Update: Read our full preview article here also includes Run 2.0
UA HOVR Infinite (plush neutral trainer)
UA HOVR Velociti 2 (up tempo trainer), HOVR Guardian (light stability trainer), HOVR Sonic 2 (light neutral trainer)

UA Connect/Map My Run.
All HOVR are Connect enabled with a  built in sensor with a  life of the shoe battery to measure pace, distance, stride length, and cadence.  No phone or watch is required to capture the data. With the MapMyRun app form coaching is offered based on Connect data.

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Monday, November 26, 2018

Nike Zoom Vomero 14 Review: Fast and Responsive Heavy Duty Run Trainer!

Article by Sam Winebaum

Nike Zoom Vomero 14 ($140)
The Vomero was a personal purchase at retail.

Introduction

The Zoom Vomero 14 is an entirely new run trainer from Nike. It only shares name, Zoom Air and the exact same weight with its predecessors. There is no question from my initial testing that the Vomero is designed to be Nike's new heavy duty faster, long and big mileage trainer. It is by far my favorite Nike heavy duty trainer in many years.

The Zoom Air is in a new full length patented configuration embedded in Nike's React foam. It is my understanding the Zoom Air unit swoops down in a curve similar to the Vaporlfly and Zoom Fly but here we have air instead of carbon for the plate.

At a reasonable shade under 10 oz (283 g) it is heavier than the Pegasus 35 (RTR review) and Turbo (RTR review) as well as Zoom Fly Flyknit (RTR review) and Epic React (RTR review). Not to worry it is a very dynamic riding shoe with a particularly well executed thinner, stable, firmer, yet well cushioned forefoot that likes to go fast and lively. My ground contact times as measured by RunScribe are close to the Vaporfly in the Vomero 14 which means I am turning over fast, always a good thing. Looking more closely at the stack heights we see the Vomero has a lower stack height at 27mm/17mm than its predecessor which was 31mm/21mm and is 1mm lower heel and forefoot than the Pegasus 35.

Update: The Zoom Vomero 14 was my 2018  Shoe of the Year. Read the article with run items in many  categories from shoes to apparel to electronics here

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Stryd versus RunScribe Plus: Can Data Make You Faster?

By Michael Ellenberger with Joost de Raeymaeker

RunScribe Plus and Stryd
The future is smooth, black, and shiny.
How do you record your runs? If you're like me, you use a GPS watch, automatically (or not) sync it to Strava or Garmin Connect, and forget about it. Maybe collect some kudos along the way, if you're lucky. If you're like some teammates of mine, you might document every run without the watch data, describing how far and fast you ran without an actual map, and add notes about how it felt, what you thought about, who you were with. If you're even more old school, you might keep a paper notebook lined with running entries and memories of those crisp fall days when you just felt like you could run forever. Or, when you found out the nearest open bathroom.

It's 2018, so why not ditch your paper running log, hand-written date on your trainers, and manual step-counter and move into the future? Sure, there are some interim technologies - basic GPS watches, Strava, multi-sport behemoths that can handle anything - but for a lot of us, running in 2018 looks a lot like it did in 2008. And 1998. And (okay, I'm making it up at this point) 1988. Want to know how many steps you take? Count them. Want to know whether you over-pronate? Better get yourself to a running store and have them film you, or find yourself a treadmill and line up your iPhone just so and hope you can determine what that shaky video footage really means. (That one isn't exactly 1988, is it?)

One of the RunScribe Plus units (left), and a Stryd Power Meter (right).
Regardless - data science is now a part of running, and it's here to stay. But why, exactly, do we need to know our power output, shock, efficiency, motion, symmetry, and more? Why can't we just... run? I set out to find out if two new running tools - the Stryd Power Meter and the RunScribe Plus - could make me faster. You'll be disappointed in the answer (it's "TBD"), but hopefully I can provide some insight into what these nifty little gadgets can, and can't, do. I tested them mostly along with my trusty Apple Watch Series 4, but you don't have to - they work with most major GPS running watches, or, without a watch at all*! Both Stryd and RS+ allow for data retention and sync once you're back in the confines of your home. D.C. Rainmaker, I am not, but grab some coffee (or beer, depending on time of day) - this might be a long one.

* * * * *

Hardware Review: RunScribe Plus
Like pebbles... but with more science.
I'll get this out of the way - the RunScribe+ setup costs $249.99. Compare that to $199 for the Stryd Power Meter and $70 for the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod, which is not being reviewed here. Does the RS+ setup do more than those two? It tracks more metrics, certainly - having two pods, rather than one, allows for a more accurate calculation of leg- and foot-specific imbalances, as well as improved clarity of those shared across both legs. It also (as we'll see) has a better interface, for the most part, which may help make up some of the cost difference. All I wanted to highlight was that these aren't cheap, necessarily, and to be ready to pony up the cash if you want this sort of data. For many of us, it may well be worth it. 

All laced up and ready, even on the tricky upper of the Zoom Fly FK.
Unlike the Stryd, which is a singular pod, there are two RunScribe Plus units - one for each foot. They are solid little units, plastic, but not so light that they feel cheap. It's a delicate balance - you need to attach it to your shoe somehow, so lighter is obviously better, but you're also at a risk of knocking it around against downed branches, curbs, stones, whatever. I imagine the most technical trails or paths you run, the more you'll care. I really only run on pavement and crushed gravel, so it's not a huge concern for me. Others may care - but I can't imagine something feeling much more durable than this. It's satisfying when you can drop something onto the floor and not immediately worry about it. Why can't iPads be made out of plastic? Anyway...

Like a good USB drive, don't forget to eject before removing.
The RS+ allows for two mountings, on-lace (like Stryd), and at the heel. I received two sets of the RS+ and neither of them, unless I'm way mistaken, included the mountings for the heel. Ultimately that's fine - I prefer the laces anyway - but it did mean I couldn't actually try the heel mounted pods. Oh well. [Edit: RunScribe's website has been updated to read: "We have moved to a laces-focused solution. All (new) sets of RS Plus are shipping w/ 2 sets of Laces Cradles." I suppose I wasn't crazy, after all.]

The charger (right) is pretty slick here, too - it holds both footpods at once, and charges via Micro-USB. I'd hope for USB-C in a future update, but you charge these things so infrequently, it doesn't really matter. The back of the charger provides a convenient holding spot for each of the two clips which allow the pods attachment to your laces. Traveling to a race? Clip the pods into the front of the charger, the holsters into the back, and toss it in your bag. Nifty, and a well thought-out design.

What else will you need to get up and running? The RS+ is compatible with over 20 Garmin watches through Garmin Connect IQ. It also has an Apple Watch app, or you can bring your phone (Android or iOS) and track via the RunScribe+ app. This speaks more to software, but it also interfaces with Zwift. I've never used Zwift (I haven't run on a treadmill in some time, for that matter) but it sure looks like a nice way to spice up an indoor run, if you have the capabilities.

[Edit: RunScribe confirmed for me that the latest version of the RS+ has a barometric altimeter, which should provide meaningful altitude data for those who are fortunate enough to have hilly terrain. As a Chicago runner... it's not quite so useful, but nice to have, regardless.]

Each RS+ unit is smaller than a Stryd, but then again there are 2 of them.
Too much reading? The takeaway is this - there are two RunScribes, instead of one. And they charge in a neat little box. No, really - you put these on your shoes, so obviously they're largely designed to be forgotten about, and they do a pretty good job. I, for one, like the baby blue accents, but it does make the footpad stand out more than black might.

Hardware Score: A- (Why no USB-C? And that $250 buy-in... Yikes! You better love data, or learn to quickly.)

* * * * * 

Hardware Review: Stryd
[MPE: Stryd provided me with some additional information, which I've worked into the review in the respective sections, below. In short, the charging (which was one of my biggest issues), is about to get much easier. Moreover, there are some software elements I hadn't realized before, but I've now updated the review to reflect the new information!]
About as premium of an unboxing as you can get.
In its cradle, the Stryd Power Meter certainly doesn't scream "tech."
As noted, the Stryd costs $199, $50 less than the RunScribe+. At least the unboxing experience (above) makes you feel it's money well-spent: more organic shapes and solid materials. What do you get for $199? It actually isn't listed on their page, but I'll tell you - the Power Meter (footpod, I'll use these interchangeably), the charging dock, the USB charging cable, and the mount to keep the footpod in your laces. Simple enough. Some versions of the Stryd unit have a different color front indicator light - I like the way it blends in here. Very subtle, very futuristic.

The Stryd Power Meter looks like something you'd pull out of a river, if you chose to do such a thing. It is organically-shaped, with ridges in the firm rubber and a weird, almost-hidden button in the center for modulating its power state. It's nice to roll it around in your hand... not that you'll do that, much. But you could. And it'll feel good. There's only one here, unlike from RunScribe, but that's okay - you can mount it on either shoe and be off and running. 

The Watch is elevated towards the camera here, but they're comparable.
The Stryd Power Meter is compatible with a large number of watches - most Garmin and Apple Watches included. The full list is here (usually I'd paste this in as a photo but really, there are a ton). I tested it with an Apple Watch and an old Garmin Forerunner 235 I borrowed, and it worked fine.

Like the RunScribe, the Stryd attaches only to the laces. Unlike the RunScribe, there's no other mounting option. Fortunately, lace mounting is easy, and especially convenient if you switch shoes as often as we do here at RoadTrailRun. Just don't forget to take it with you when you're rotating pairs.

A bit smaller than an AirPods case.
Charging the Stryd is considerably trickier than the RunScribe, and it's only (real) hardware deficit. Yes, this setup undoubtedly looks cool - it honestly looks like a pebble, sending ripples into a lake. The aesthetics is nice. But besides the fact that your glossy charging "lake" will be covered in fingerprints from day one, it also requires that you line up the Stryd just so on the pad so that the wireless charging can function. If you're like me, and often set something to charge on something else, you better make sure that something else is flat, because any angularity and this foot pod is going flying to the floor. It's small enough to get lost easily (I've done this once) and without anything adhering it to the charging mat, pretty easy to lose track of. This problem is accentuated by the fact that the charging cable (also Micro-USB to USB-A) is incredibly short, so you better have a flat surface really, really close to your outlet. It's imperfect, if not downright frustrating - but there's an upside: like the RunScribe, you won't be charging this much: it's rated to last about 20 hours of run time on a charger. Depending on who you are, that's 1-3 weeks. Not bad.

[MPE Edit: Florian, a helpful commenter, called to my attention that Stryd can be charged by any Qi-compatible wireless charger, including those that work with Apple iPhone (8 and newer) and the new Google Pixel series). Wireless charging isn't super widespread yet, but I have seen mats in a number of hotels and Starbucks, which may be useful if you're traveling and didn't bring the Stryd pad. Stryd doesn't make note of this on their website, so as with all charging-related curiosities - use with caution!]

[MPE Edit II: Stryd confirmed for me that the footpad is Qi-compatible, and also that they're switching to a dual-charging system: units will now ship with a wired clip in charger, which should offer "a more secure charging experience you can take with you," as well as the existing wireless charging capabilities. This is a big improvement, in my opinion!]

The Stryd charger. Yours may not look so clean, after a few sweaty runs.
Quick takeaways: The Stryd looks cool. There's only one of... it. Charging is futuristic, but finicky*. 

Hardware Score: B+ (Cost is a factor here, for sure, but my biggest complaint is that charger.)

*See updates, above, which should presumably fix the biggest issues I had with charging!


* * * * *

Now to software. For reference: I am a law student, I have been trained as a chemist, and I am a (reasonably) long-time runner, but I am not a data scientist. All of these numbers are what's being proposed to me by the respective apps, and I am sure that there are places where I'm missing what's happening, or misunderstanding some data, or just flat wrong. Please feel free to tell me in the comments (really!). Both platforms are evaluation on MacOS and on iOS, as that's what I primarily use. With that... let's get on with it.

Data & Software Overview: Runscribe Plus

RunScribe provides a plethora of data, which is accessible via a web browser (“Dashboard”), an iOS app, Android app, Apple Watch app, Connect IQ software for Garmin, Suunto Ambit and Spartan Compatibility, and sync with Garmin Connect, TrainingPeaks, and Movescount. Hard to imagine there are many runners left out here.

Opening the RunScribe Dashboard gives you more than enough information; at least the visual aids are clear.
RunScribe’s comprehensive metrics, calculated by the pair of footpods and tabulated through the aforementioned platforms, “highlight tradeoffs between the core elements of a runner’s stride: Efficiency, Motion, Shock, & Power.” Motion metrics include those often described at a running store when selecting the newest trainer: footstrike type (heel, mid-, or forefoot strike), pronation excursion (in degrees), and pronation velocity. Fortunately, RunScribe provides context to its metrics - particularly helpful when some of the data may not make intuitive sense. On a recent run, my RunScribe told me I had “high” efficiency, “average” shock, a midfoot strike (on both feet), and a differential of pronation - average on my left, and low on my right. In both cases, it was marked as low velocity.
Nearly all metrics can be displayed graphically (top) or numerically (bottom).
Notably, RunScribe also describes the symmetry of a running stride, the only consumer-grade system to do so. They say that the bi-pod system captures “independent Left & Right data for each of our metrics, enabling you to see any imbalances in symmetry from your footstrike type to running power.” It’s pretty amazing tech - this can be tracked in real-time - and almost certainly illuminates something in most runner’s strides. The RS system allows you to tag individual shoes, terrains, and workout types, so that you can later come back and view, for example, every run you’ve done in a Zoom Fly, just to see. It’s a really smart feature, and one I need to get better at staying on top of.

Realtime data coming from the RS+.
It’s worth noting on the issue of symmetry - really with all metrics, across both platforms - that being aware of the biomechanical issue and fixing it are immensely different concepts for many of us. In the RunScribe Dashboard clip, below, you can see that while the footpods have me reasonably symmetrical, there is a difference of (for example) about 25% between my left and right “footstrike type” (5.8 versus 7.4). Is that something to be corrected? It’s hard to know. If Steve Magness, the famous scientist/author/coach, who provides an endorsement on the front page of RunScribe, was my coach, than I could likely implement some of this more readily - at the very least because it’s easier to have someone observe your gait from afar - but as a self-coached (read: not coached) runner, these things are not easy to apply.

Of course, there are some obvious implementations that runners of all abilities can make - bringing stride cadence closer to 180 strides per minute at all paces (the traditional view; there are dissenting minds here). Trying to focus on a midfoot strike, with your landing underneath your body and a quicker, rather than longer, turnover can also be vastly beneficial. I spent several months in college working to increase my efficiency and while I still have, as my collegiate coach told me, “the least knee-drive in school history” (it’s true), I have found a more efficient stride that’s helped me over longer distances. Just focusing on upping my cadence and managing where my shoe planted ended up being a massive help. But of course, I did that before RunScribe even existed.
"Run Summary" gives Strava-esque data.

Let me crescendo into the biggest question of all here, and one that I certainly, in a few weeks of testing these two platforms, have no answered - do we need to change? Do we need to be symmetrical? Many national-class and even world-class runners are asymmetrical if not downright inefficient. The LetsRun Community (message boards) have a few good threads on this, linked here and here. Of course, RunScribe has a number of resources as well (see e.g., here, here, and here). There is not shortage of data and ways to interpret it.

Small things, now: The RS+ Apple Watch app doesn’t allow for GPS recording natively, so you’ll need to run two apps at once, or measure your distance another way. It may be coming soon (the AW app is quite new itself), but I elected to just forego the app and pull the data after my run (the pods silently collect your run data, regardless, as long as they’re paired). I can’t imagine dealing with the biometrics on a tiny watch screen mid-run, anyway - but may others can.

If you’re a data nerd - and I suppose I put myself in that camp - you’ll probably love the RS+ plus system just to have it. I know I do. And maybe if I had some injuries to overcome, or a coach to go over the data with on a regular basis, I'd give this a more glowing recommendation. But for now, it's a toy - a really, really cool toy - that I'm still trying to find worth in. Doesn't mean I don't love using it (I do!), but does mean I can't tell every runner to go and grab one this holiday season. Not yet.


Data & Software Overview: Stryd

The main page that greets you in the PowerCenter.
Stryd has a browser interface (the PowerCenter) and an iOS app. Both relay, ultimately, the same data, but do so in different layouts. Stryd also has an Apple Watch app, though you can't review data in it, only record. That's par for the course on most Apple Watch workout apps (who'd want to review all these numbers on a screen that small, anyway?).

Update: The Apple Watch app allows users to review individual runs by swiping right and seeing distance, then clicking on that run, which allows for a view of individual metrics on the graph. Not as full-featured as desktop or iPhone, but, as I said - you're probably going to want to get to a bigger screen, anyway.

You got all that?
You get a bunch of additional metrics on desktop, too, by clicking the circles below the "main" readouts: Elapsed Pace expands to Max Pace; Elapsed Time expands to Total Time; Average Elapsed Power expands to Max Power; Averaged Elapsed Form Power expands to both Average Elapsed HR and Average Elapsed Leg Spring; and Average Elapsed Cadence expands to Average Elapsed Ground Time and Average Elapsed Vertical Oscillation. Phew. This is the majority of the available measurements taken by the Stryd, in their absolute form.

Then there's the Running Stress Score ("RSS"), which Stryd sees as the shortcut to your run analysis, as far as I can tell: RSS = 100 x training duration x (Power/CP)^K, where critical power ("CP") is your maximal average sustainable power over one hour of running, also referred to as “lactate threshold” power. Only have a few seconds to check the app? This is where you should look - RSS quantifies your day-by-day running intensity relative to your critical power, giving you a single number representing both the variety and duration of training. Looking at the algorithm above (and cheating a little, because I already know the answer) we can see that one hour of training at one's critical power will earn them exactly 100 RSS points.

This RSS metric is, as far as I can tell, the most useful, quantifiable piece of data Stryd provides. It's similar to Garmin's Training Effect software, in that you could theoretically sit down and plan a training block around matching specific RSS scores to specific workouts, but it's also just easier information to use than Average Elapsed Leg Spring (no offense to leg spring, of course).

Stryd's iOS app provides this funky, "flyover" style map of your run.
The iOS app allows you to view your run in "real time" (i.e. it provides the metrics for you at that specific point in your run, overlaid onto the map) which looks sharp, and has some obvious utility - you can see what happened to you during that part of the race. Maybe you felt your legs giving out, and wanted to see how your cadence changed; maybe you wanted confirmation that there really wasn't a downhill when you started speeding up. Both should be available in this view.

Apple Watch interface. Simple.














*This is a long asterisk, and hopefully you followed it down. Stryd says that it records every run, even if you aren't using the app. Just run, technology free (besides the footpod), come back home, and it'll have your run ready for you. But I can't get that to work - despite resetting the app, trying just about every setting I can think of, and more. [Update: Stryd is helping me through some troubleshooting and hopefully we can have this up-and-running soon. None of the other reviews had this issue, so may just be a faulty unit, or user error.]


Head-to-Head (ft. Joost de Raeymaeker):

Joost and I were split on which system we preferred overall:

Not a lot of room left for, you know, the laces.
Joost said he preferred Stryd overall, as he found the immediate metrics a lot more helpful to me than those provided by Runscribe. Unfortunately, Joost wasn't able to use the newest iteration of the RS+, but the system is (largely) conserved. Moreover, Joost noted that while the power metric is new with Runscribe, he was disappointed overall, as well as in the lack of barometric measurement.

Even so, he reported that while his first Stryd was incredibly accurate, it ended up going the way of so many electronics and needed to be replaced. Stryd sent him a complimentary replacement, but he found the accuracy to be well off its distance calculation, and the app doesn't allow for a calibration factor.

[MPE update: I didn't have an issue r.e. the calibration factor, but for those, like Joost, who did, Stryd allows hardware-based calibrations to override their software, which may be helpful if you have a watch that allows it!]

I (Michael) would prefer the RunScribe, were I approaching these in the marketplace. For a reasonably small price difference, you get considerably more metrics and a software interface that (in my opinion) is largely more user-friendly. After two weeks of using the system, I don't think I'm ready to handle 10% of the data provided - but I'm excited to keep digging and hopefully integrate it fully into my training. Let's say this - the RunScribe is will stay laced in my trainers a long while.  I also preferred the hardware, though it's mostly a toss-up, as both are really well-made and seem to have strong customer service.

* * * * *

Conclusions

So, can data make you faster? Ultimately, I think I'm asking the wrong question. Instead, can we make use of all this data? I know that I can't; at least not right now. RunScribe+ and Stryd both have tons of metrics - Power being perhaps the most obvious (and the one Stryd pushes the hardest), but all worth considering, if you have the time.

Paired with an Apple Watch or a Garmin Fenix or Forerunner, either of these footpods will provide more than you can need, even on-the-fly. If you're like me (or like me, before this review), and still think that time and distance are the extent of the data you need after a run, you're in for a real treat. It's amazing technology, fun to play with and imagine the possibilities. 

Both Stryd and RunScribe make strong statements about injury prevention; I suppose in the time that I've been reviewing these footpods, I have not been injured, so they've been successful that far, but I don't think that's what they intend. And, ultimately, if you're strapped for time, barely squeezing in your run every day for family, work, and other commitments - you aren't necessarily missing anything by not having these numbers. You won't finish your next race and think if only I knew my pronation velocity, I would have caught that guy! 

Here's the truth: I fully believe you could help prevent injuries, or increase your efficiency, or even, yes, become faster from these things. There's more data here than even the top coaches in the world are dealing with, and if you have the prowess to sort through it, more power to you. It's exceptionally cool, and fun to play with. But for me, now, it's just that: a toy. A really fun toy, one I'm excited to use for the upcoming weeks and months and (hopefully) years - but one that I'd advise only the nerdiest of runners (and I imagine RTR readers are among them) to pick up. Those who have stuck through this far may well enjoy a RunScribe or Stryd, find catharsis in picking apart the numbers for that long run, race, or grueling workout. If that isn't you, you aren't missing some critical piece of training. But if that does describe you - welcome to running in 2018.
Shop for Run Scribe Plus HERE
Shop for Stryd HERE
Reviewer Run Bios
Michael Ellenberger is a 3d year law student at Northwestern University who recently ran a PR 1:07:43 half marathon. His full run bio is here.
Joost de Raeymaeker is 50 and won his age group in 2018 with a PR 2:27.32. He is a photo journalist http://www.deraeymaeker.com who lives in Angola, Africa.
Comments Questions Welcome Below!
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Garmin Fenix 5 Plus or Suunto S9 Baro - Having Trouble Deciding Which? We Compare!

Article by Jeff Valliere
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus or Suunto 9 Baro


Unsure which flagship watch to pull the trigger on for cyber Monday or over the upcoming holiday sales season?

Any of the Fenix 5 Plus series or the Suunto 9 Baro line would be fine choices, but much depends on your use and preferences.  

-Are you an ultra runner looking for maximum battery life?  
-A mountaineer, climber or avid adventurer looking for rugged durability, pulse ox and  mapping functionality?
-A daily runner looking for music, contactless payments and day to day smartwatch functionality? 

We have had the opportunity to review both the Fenix 5 Plus and the Suunto 9 Baro over the past months and are often asked which one we would recommend.That is a bit of a tricky question to answer, but we’ll do our best to weigh the pros and cons of each, as well as what common attributes they share.


For a deeper dive into the details on each, please read our detailed review of the Fenix 5 Plus (here) and Suunto Baro 9 (here).

Saturday, November 24, 2018

Brooks Running Launch 6 Initial Review: A tempo run worthy upper and more forefoot cushion!

Article by Sam Winebaum

Brooks Running Launch 6 ($100)
Introduction
The Launch is the Brooks up tempo and longer race shoe. It slots into the Energize collection. My Launch 6 sample checks in at exactly the same weight as the Launch 5 (RTR review) in my size US men's 8.5: 9.17 oz / 260 g, so about 9.4 oz in a size 9.  It has a 10mm drop shoe. It comes in a very reasonable $100 and is available now. RoadTrailRun will have a multi tester review soon.

Fit

The Launch 6 fits me true to size with a performance type fit while the Launch 5 had a looser fit overall as its mesh was fabric like very soft, overly pliable and not very supportive at faster paces.  I barely had enough lace to double knot and the laces are noticeably wider over the foot than in the Launch 5 although actual volume feels about the same, a touch less loose and easy in the Launch 6 as the upper is clearly more substantial in its support.
The Launch 6 may fit a touch shorter or lower at the big toe than Launch 5 due to the denser mesh weave in that area but overall there is sufficient toe box room for me and an improved hold.
My troublesome left foot bunion sees no pressure, always a good test. Those with wider higher volume feet may find this more structured upper snugger as there is less give overall to the upper. I'm "run happy" here as in the Launch 5 I found the upper support marginal.

Upper
With version 6 Brooks outfitted the Launch with a new somewhat more substantial one piece engineered mesh upper which in my one on each foot 5 mile test run solves the loose rear of mid foot hold that two of our three testers, including me, experienced with the Launch 5. The new upper also better secures the forefoot,
Instead of a printed/painted logo providing of the L5 the Brooks logo in the L6 is a pliable overlay, and likely a functional one providing some support and structure. The mesh is soft but with more vertical texture than the fabric like Launch 5's.
The tongue is no longer puffy thick but is amply padded. The ankle and achilles padding is also slimmed down and snugged up but still quite reasonably plentiful.

Midsole


The midsole remains BioMoGo DNA and my sense in running a Launch 6 on one foot and Launch 5 on the other that the combination of midsole and outsole changes makes the Launch 6 a touch softer at the heel and more obviously so at the forefoot.

To further stabilize the mid foot the very narrow waist of the midsole is slightly filled in below the outsole to widen the platform with the Midfoot Transition Zone "X" now seeing more flex openings through the outsole .
There is no question, and Brooks calls it out in their spec sheet, that the forefoot is more cushioned. They say "..updated midsole with additional foam under the forefoot offers a longer lasting energizing run experience."  How much more foam we will find out when we get stack height stats. The more flexible forefoot Launch 5 is somewhat fatiguing at the forefoot, firm, thin and not as stable with its unstructured upper also contributing. No longer with Launch 6 as the cushion is noticeably improved as is forefoot stability although the response and toe off agility could be considered to be a touch tuned down.

Outsole
The rear outsole now has a much wider heel landing decoupling groove. I could feel somewhat softer easier landings and transitions off the heel as a result. This said the Launch overall is on the firmer side matching its uptempo purpose.  The front outsole now has four shallower but slightly wider flex grooves instead of five. The last V shaped one near the mid foot as well as the slots cut out of the Transition piece had me feeling a more continuous, smoother transition. There is plenty of durable rubber here which should give many miles but which also likely add to weight.

Ride
So far I have taken the Launch 6 for a 7 mile progression run to 9 minute pace average and a slow recovery run the next day with my wife. The faster run was delightful. I particularly appreciated the new forefoot cushion and stability as well as smoothness of transition but wished for a touch more flexibility at faster paces. I had none of the forefoot fatigue of the Launch 5 on either run and even at 5 very slow miles in my side by side the Launch 5 was starting to ache my toes. The run feel was of well if firmly cushioned with a touch of bounce (a bit more than L5) and no leg fatigue in run. The next day, as with Launch 5 runs, my legs were sorer than I might have expected, They were OK at slower paces but there are better recovery slower days shoes out there such as Brooks own Ghost 11 (RTR review), Levitate 2 (RTR review), or Glycerin 16 (RTR review).

Conclusions
As I ran my faster progression and pondered the Launch 6, I thought "marathon shoe", for hillier courses and for those in the 3:15 to 4:15 range due to its good forefoot cushion and decent stability for the later miles.  I would try it for such purposes, something I would not have attempted with the thin forefoot cushion and less than secure upper and mid foot stability of the Launch 5. At about 9.4 oz the Launch 6 is closer to trainer than even marathon racer weights and as such with its expected durable and copious rubber as well as very decent cushion can make it a great faster days choice or daily trainer. I am thrilled Brooks seems to have gotten back on track with the Launch 6.  I do wish that they could better join the party with some lighter foam and more judicious outsole coverage to lighten such a faster purpose shoe.

Our full multi tester review with comparisons will follow soon!

Sam Winebaum is the Editor and Founder of RoadTrailRun. He has been running and shoe geeking for 45 years. As he turned 60 in 2017 he was thrilled to clock a 1:35.24 half and as he turned 61 a 3:40 marathon to qualify one more time for Boston. Sam runs his roads and trails in coastal New Hampshire and Park City, Utah.
The product reviewed in this article were provided at no cost. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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Thursday, November 22, 2018

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