With the pandemic and some nagging injuries, I needed a way to get some running done on my treadmill no matter what. A friend suggested a virtual challenge.

“That’s silly,” I thought. I don’t need to spend money just to run on the treadmill. It’s sitting right there. I barely used it.

So I finally gave in and tried a challenge

And it was awesome.

And I got an epic medal from it.

What is a Conqueror Virtual Challenge?

Conqueror Virtual Challenges have made an awesome app to do virtual running races. You buy the race, and then add your kilometers to the app as you make progress. Kilometers can be walking, running, riding, rowing or anything else that’s human-powered.

The races are all over the world through epic places like Angkor Wat, Mount Everest, Mount Kilimanjaro, or the Pacific Crest Trail.

The races range from 32 kilometers up to over 4000 km. Clearly you don’t have to do them in one sitting. They are great motivators when you want to do a few weeks or months of running.

To track your mileage, you can hook up to a fitness app, watch, or just put your distance in manually. With running on the treadmill, I just added my kilometers after every run. The app shows the progress you are making along the route like Mount Everest or the Pacific Crest trail.

It’s easy to bank kilometers from your steps every day, your weekly bike rides or running on the treadmill. Regardless of how you get your kilometers in, it’s addicting watching the markers move on the map. At regular intervals get a postcard telling the story of interesting places along the way.

Most of the routes are from real places you can actually go run or hike but some aren’t. Five of the races are in Middle Earth through the Lord of the Rings locations, totalling 1061 km. You get a ring with the first race in the Shire and that ring fits into each medal.

Aside from the Lord of the Rings races, each are just displayed on Google Earth and you can look around at street view and 360 images at the scenery along your route.

But those medals….

Medals

Conqueror isn’t joking around when they make medals. They are huge metal works of art with moving parts, multiple layers, and sometimes hidden compartments.

The straps are just as nice with thick, soft fabric extending the art all the way around.

They’re easy to hang with a couple of nails, clip, or a fancy running medal holder on the wall.

Not only is it nice to get a prize for the end of the race but it feels good to look back at all the progress you’ve made in your running journey.

Causes

As you progress through your challenge Conqueror donates to a cause every 20% of your distance.

You can choose to either plant a tree or stop 10 plastic bottles from going into the ocean. These are just as much motivation for me as the big medal at the end.

They work with Eden Projects for tree planting and Plastic Bank for cleaning up ocean plastic.

Private Facebook Group

Once you have your first Conqueror Challenge started, you can be invited to the private Facebook group. It’s full of people doing their first challenges or working their 40th. It’s very well managed and the most supportive and positive Facebook I’ve ever been in. Many groups devolve into name-calling and harassment but the Conqueror group is on of the few that feels good to scroll through and be a part of.

Should you get a Conqueror Virtual Challenge?

Yes. I had so much fun doing the 2 Conqueror races I’ve done so far and will be doing more. I find myself wanting a race to work towards every time I finish. I’m working on the 3 mountain races of Everest, Fuji and Kilimanjaro. Everest and Fuji are done. Kilimanjaro is next.

The post Conqueror Virtual Running Challenges first appeared on Pack & Trail.

There’s carbon fibre in there?

Yes, there is.

Most training shoes are clunky to run in. They excel on the gym floor and the Crossfit box as a stable platform for lifts and HIIT workouts but then feel stiff and flat when out running.

The Vimana Carbon shoe is the carbon version of the Vimana Hybrid, a gym and training shoe that also runs very well. The carbon version takes it one step further and introduces a Carbitex AFX carbon plate just above the outsole which makes the shoe more stable and protective without increasing the stiffness at the forefoot when running.

But how can it do both at the same time? We’ll look at that in a second.

First up though, who’s STRIKE MVMNT?

Who is STRIKE MVMNT?

STRIKE MVMNT is a group of movement entusiasts out of Vancouver, BC, who love moving. It doesn’t matter if it’s parkour, CrossFit or trail running they just want to bring together everyone that loves moving too. They started building shoes that could help them do all of those things in 2010 and released their first in 2012. Their goal is to help build a fit, happy and healthy community around moving.

We share their love of movement. One of our favourite things is just getting outside in a human-powered way. It doesn’t matter if it’s trail running, mountain biking, paddling or climbing, it’s all human powered and feels great.

STRIKE MVMNT have a few principles that they have created their brand around too:

UNITED BY MOTION® = Unity through movement. Inclusivity of all movement modalities, sexes, ages, races, and orientations.

INTELLIGENT MINIMALISM™ = Perfect balance of versatility and protection for broad-spectrum athletic performance.

NEW ATHLETIC STANDARDS® = Quality. Performance. Timelessness.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Though we doesn’t have any physical products like shoes, we certainly think exactly the same way as STRIKE.

So that’s STRIKE MVMNT. What’s the deal with the carbon fibre in this shoe?

What is Carbitex AFX?

Carbitex is the big deal in this shoe. It’s carbon fibre but it’s not just any carbon fibre.

Regular carbon fibre can be made to be very stiff or very flexible but it’s usually all very stiff or all very flexible.

Carbitex AFX (Asymmetrically Flexible Carbon) is a specially woven carbon fibre that is flexible one way but not the other. The amount of flex and twist allowed can be tuned for the shoe.

The Vimana Carbon uses a 3/4 length plate of Carbitex AFX between the outsole and the midsole providing support and rigidity without much weight. It bends at the ball of your foot, just like your foot should, but won’t bend the other direction when you need support on the edge of a rock or log. The plate prevents the shoe from twisting in weird directions as well.

The AFX plate not only supports your feet but protects them as well. Nylon rock plates are great but can be stiff and heavy. The AFX plates are lightweight and flex in the right way but still protect your feet when sharp rocks poke through.

Details

• S2 last with anatomical toe box
• 4mm drop from heel to toe
• 3/4 length Carbitex AFX carbon fibre plate
• Cush50™ EVA/EPE midsole
• Meta Platform Outsole with faceted triangular tread pattern
• TRES-FRESH antibacterial treatment on upper and lining materials

Fit and the anatomical toe box

The fit is great out of the box. They are comfortable and didn’t take a lot of getting used to.

The S2 Last shape the Vimana’s are built with is average width in the heel and mid-foot and I found it just wide enough in the toe box. I prefer wide toe boxes like Altra’s. It wasn’t so narrow it was restrictive or caused blisters but for a trail runner or hiking shoe, I like nice and wide.

I’m not sure if the narrow toe is better for the gym. STRIKE likes to make shoes that are good for all kinds of movement, not just one, so they tend towards features and designs that will make the shoes perform better over many kinds of movement, not just trail running.

Grip and the Meta Platform Outsole

The Meta Platform Outsole isn’t like any other shoe sole I’ve seen.

Small rubber pyramids cover the bottom in a consistent pattern. No lugs, just the small bumps across the shoe. STRIKE likes to make shoes that can be used for many different things. They can’t have big lugs if they are going to be any good in the gym.

On the trail, the Vimana’s are comfortable and easy to run with. The carbon plate doesn’t make the shoe stiff at all and adds protection for sharp rocks. I’ve run with thin soled shoes before and it becomes a game of avoiding the sharp pointy things. I was hammering along the trail jumping every pointy thing I could find and had no issues.

Dry dirt and rock are great with the Vimana. There is slightly less grip without big lugs on the bottom but unless the pitch is really steep, they don’t do much.

Wet rock and mud is another story. There’s enough grip for these to be a good option for wet, gross weather running. I found rock a bit slick and muddy hills a bit treacherous to stay upright. Something with bigger lugs (and maybe waterproof) is still my choice for wet weather running.

Clearly that didn’t slow down testers with Strike while the shoe was being developed. One tester was setting ascent and descent records on trail runs and was doing 100km off-road runs in them.

Final Thoughts: Strike Movement Vimana Carbon Shoes

Rating: 8/10

Verdict: Recommend for gym and urban running

I love when a brand uses brand new technology. It increases the performance of the product and brings the level of the whole industry up. The Carbonite AFX plates in the Vimana Carbon shoes is that new technology. They work well ripping around the concrete jungle and the gym. I’ve spent years in the local CrossFit box and it feels good in a good shoe.

The Vimana’s excel on the concrete but need some work for the trail. The small, smooth lugs on the sole just don’t have the traction on wet or loose dirt like we encounter so much in the mountains.

If you are a gym rat looking for something that can handle dry dirt no problem, the Vimana Carbon’s feel great. They’re flexible without the flat gym shoe feel. If you spend most of your days in the mountains, you’ll likely stay on your feet more with something with bigger lugs.

I hope Strike comes out with something with the Carbonite AFX plates with bigger lugs. That would be a killer combination.

The post STRIKE MVMNT Vimana Carbon Running Shoe Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

A few years ago I got my first pair of true wireless headphones and I can’t go back. The cord to your phone or even just in between the headphones gets caught on things and flaps around when running. First world problems I know, but once you try true wireless headphones you can’t go back.

JLab have put everything they know into the Epic Sport ANC True Wireless Earbuds: Touch controls. Active Noise Cancellation. 70+ hours battery life. Wireless charging. Good sound. Secure fit. They come with premium features without a premium price.

Specs

First all the details:

• Active Noise Cancellation
• 70+ hours playtime (15 in earbuds, 55 in the case)
• Wireless charging
• JLab ANC app
• Low Latency movie mode
• Dual connect
• Wear detect
• IP66 water and dust resistance
• 8mm driver
• IP66 sweat resistance
• $129.95 CAD ($99 USD)
• Check price on Amazon
• Check price on JLab

What’s in the box?

The 2 headphones obviously come in the box. The fit is easy to customize with the 6 different sets of ear tips. Small, medium, and large Gel tips plus medium and large extra-long tips and 1 medium Cloud Foam set of tips.

The headphones themselves are a bit bigger than many tiny earbuds these days with a large hook that goes around the back of your ear. Combined with the ear tips, the hook keeps them in very snug when running or working out. Even the best earbuds without hooks work themselves out of your ears eventually but the hooks on these Epic Airs never come off.

The earbuds can both connect indepently to your phone with Dual Connect. You can listen to just the left or the right without the other. I like doing this out on the trails to be hear animals or other people but still get music. It’s nice at home as well to hear a book or music but still hear the kids. If you are just using one at a time, you’re essentially getting 15 hours more battery life using one headphone and then the other.

The IP66 water and dust resistance rating means you can sweat all over them or wear them in the rain no problem. The 6 rating for water protects up to powerful jets of water so you could probably wear them in the shower without damaging them, but I wouldn’t try that myself. The IP66 rating only covers the headphones and not the case.

Next up is the charging case. It holds 55 hours of charge so any time you throw the earbuds back into the case, they turn off and immediately start charging. The case has a built-in USB cord that always stays attached so you never need to look for one. Or just set the whole case on a wireless charger and charge future-like.

Sound and EQ

The sound on the Epic Air Sports is good. It’s not the best sound I’ve heard out of headphones for but $100 it’s quite good.

The 3 different sound profiles are Balanced, JLab Signature and Bass Boost and it’s easy to switch between them with the touch controls on the side. A triple tap on either side changes to the next EQ mode.

Balanced mode is equal low, mids and highs and works well for audiobooks and podcasts. I prefer much more bass in my music.

Bass Boost increases the bass and decreases the others. There’s not a huge amount of bass but it gets the job done. I found them enjoyable to listen too. Too much bass can be hard to listen to for long periods of time. A better seal with the different ear tips will give you more bass.

JLab Signature is my favourite. It’s got solid bass but the vocals are clear and loud. Mids are decreased but I found it a nice mix and don’t miss much in my metal, pop and rap music that I tend to listen to.

Active Noise Cancellation and Be Aware

There are 3 different listening modes: Be Aware, ANC On and ANC Off.

ANC stands for Active Noise Cancellation. ANC-off is just like a regular headphone. When your ears are plugged with the earbuds, there is some isolation that happens because the eartips block your ear. Everything is quieter than not having the headphones in.

Turning ANC on, the headphones try to cancel outside noises that are coming through. It definitely makes a difference. Voices are tough to cancel out and are quieter but still come through. The major difference is with car, plane or air conditioner noises that are static and don’t change much. It does a good job at blocking those out.

Keep in mind the noise cancellation isn’t going to be as good as a big pair of noise cancelling over-ear headphones that cover your entire ears. If you’re a regular flyer or working with big headphones then the Jabra 85h headphones are awesome. I wouldn’t run or work out in them though. The Epic Sports are far better at that.

Having ANC on will drop the battery life a bit. The headphones are listening and calculating when it’s on so the battery drops to about 50 hours with it on instead of 70. I try to leave it off to save the battery. 50 hours is still nothing to balk at.

Be Aware mode picks up outside noises and plays them through the headphones. It is great when you need to hear outside noises like traffic or kids but want some music. Voices and car noises can still come through. The only issue with the Be Aware is wind noise. When you’re moving quickly or there’s a breeze going over the headphones, it comes through as a bit of static noise. If I’m riding my bike in traffic I have hear through on so I get music but I usually leave it off so I don’t get the wind noise.

Touch Controls

Both earbuds have touch controls to adjust a bunch of different settings and the volume.

On the left headphone:

• single tap is volume down
• double tap is voice assistant
• press and hold 1 second is ANC on/off/be aware
• triple tap is EQ change

On the right headphone:

• single tap is volume up
• double tap is play/pause
• press and hold 1 second is track forward
• triple tap is EQ change again

The touch controls work well for the most part. I can get the right number of taps most of the time. On occasion it will read 1 tap instead of 2, or 2 taps instead of 3. I can usually get the right function 90% of the time.

For call controls, answering is a single tap on either side, and hanging up is a double.

With Dual Connect and sometimes listening with only one earbud, some headphones change their controls when they’re in solo mode. The Epic Sports stay the same controls when using 1 or both.

Battery life and Charging

The battery life might be the most impressive thing about the Epic Air Sport headphones. Between the case and the headphones, they have over 70 hours of juice, with 55 in the case and 15 in each earbud. With that kind of charge, you’ll forget to charge them.

With how much I use devices these days for video and music, it’s really, really nice to have a long battery life. You just don’t have to charge them much. It’s always a hassle when I’m heading out for a run and my headphones die. The first 15 minutes on the charger is a quick-charge and will give you 1 hour of battery life if you do totally run out. They fully charge in 3 hours.

With Dual Connect the headphones can be worn on their own as well, the left can be worn for 15 hours and then the right for 15. If you like to wear them like this, it’s like having another 15 hours of charge.

Battery drops when Active Noise Cancellation is one, since the electronics inside are running on overdrive cancelling out noise. JLab says about battery drops to about 50 hours total with ANC. Even this battery time is more than most headphones.

To charge, just plug in the USB cord that’s built into the bottom of the case. It makes the case less smooth but it snaps in well and is super handy. When out travelling, or even just at home, it can be a pain to go find the right USB cord to charge something. It’s already attached to the case on the Epic Air Sports. The case supports wireless charging too if you already have a base for something else.

Best Prices on the Epic Air Sport ANC Headphones

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JLab ANC App

JLab have an app specific for the Epic Air Sport headphones. It’s basic but works well. There are 5 options in the app: Noise Cancelling/Be Aware, Equalizer, Customize Controls, Updates and Auto Play/Pause Sensors.

Noise Cancelling turns the Noise Cancelling on and adjusts the amount. You can have it enabled a small amount or slide the control up to max. Like most noise cancelling it doesn’t do as much for voices but makes them sound farther away. It helps more for white noise like traffic or plane noise. There’s a slider for Be Aware as well so you can let more or less outside noise in.

The Equalizer adjusts your sound profile. It comes stock with JLab Signature, Bass Boost and Balanced and one custom slot. You can tweak them and save them or reset the profile if you’d like to go back to defaults.

Customize Controls lets you change the tap controls. I found 1 tap, 2 taps and press and hold easier to do consistently than the 3 taps so I mapped those things to the actions I wanted.

The last options are to do firmware updates which come out occasionally to fix problems and to enable/disable the play sensors. This will pause your music if you take a headphone out. I really like this feature and leave it enabled all the time.

Calls

The call quality has been great. I can easily hear the person on the other end and they can hear me with no problem. I had seen some issues with wind noise around online in other reviews but I couldn’t replicate the issue. I had a conversation with someone with my ear pointed to a fan on high with no issues. With my iPhone not able to go very loud I use headphones for phone calls all the time now and these work very well.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

If you want a secure fit and insane battery life, the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC headphones will be perfect for you. The app isn’t really necessary but it’s a nice touch if you want to adjust the controls. Everything else can be done right on the headphones themselves.

I had trouble using the touch controls sometimes, registering 2 taps instead of 3 but I rarely have to do 3 as that’s changing EQ and I like the Signature profile.

I often wear hats and sunglasses which can interfere with over the ear headphones but I had no issues with these. They sat in place well, didn’t come off and didn’t bump my sunglasses out of place either.

The behind-the-ear style isn’t for everyone but the insanely high battery life and noise cancellation all for $100 USD to makes the Epic Air Sport a very nice option for working out, travelling and wearing around the house.

Check price on Amazon

Check price on JLab.com

The post JLab Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless Headphones Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

One run or stressful travel day in a polyester shirt and it smells. And it seams to smell right out of the wash from then on too. Nikwax even has an entire product just for cleaning synthetic base layers.

Sheep have the answer.

What is Merino wool?

The wool of the Merino sheep has somehow evolved to be the perfect material for us to travel, run, ride and hike in.

The wool is covered in a wax-like coating Lanolin which helps wick moisture away from our skin keeping your skin dry on hot, sweaty days (or plane rides). The lanolin also prevents the stink-inducing bacteria from sticking around. They can’t hold on to the wool fibres so no stink.

Who is Unbound Merino?

Three life-long friends from Toronto loved to travel but got fed up with lugging all the clothes around. They were taking clothes that needed to be washed after one wear because they wrinkled or stunk. They wanted something that could be worn a bunch before they had to wash it. Taking less clothes meant they could just ditch the suitcase traveling and go light.

Merino didn’t wrinkle or smell and looked great so they’ve been making Merino shirts, hoodies, socks, boxers and pants over the last few years that are great for travel. Those t-shirts are also my favorite for hiking and running.

A nice side effect of looking for the perfect travel shirts, meant they could travel all day, go for a hike, then go for dinner, all in the same t-shirt.

I wrote more about who Unbound Merino is in the Kanga Hoodie review.

How does the Crew Neck fit?

The Unbound Merino Crew Neck t-shirt fits like a regular t-shirt. It’s not tight but it’s not baggy. I wear medium for pretty much everything and it was right on for size. I’m a stocky 5’7″ 180 pounds and it fits well. The 6′ 170 pound model on the website shows a medium too.

The medium Crew Neck t-shirt is 70cm (27.5in) from hem to collar and 51.5cm (20.25in) wide. It fits well on a 39-40 inch chest with a 31-32 inch waist.

How long can you wear the Crew Neck t-shirt before it smells?

Weeks.

For an early crowdfunding video, the co-founder Dan Demsky wore Unbound Merino socks, boxers and shirt for 46 days. That’s over 6 weeks if you’re counting. Not bad.

Recently I wore the Crew Neck for 2 weeks straight. I worked in it, played with the kids, and ran outside. I needed the shirt for some photos and found at the bottom of some wet laundry. After running out to the photo location, it had aired out and smelled great.

Of course, if you spill something on the Merino or it’s just plain dirty then it might need a wash but it’s easy to go 3 or 4 times as long with a Merino shirt compared to a cotton or polyester one. Throw in some sweaty days and that can get even longer.

Why is Merino wool expensive?

Merino is rare in the fabric world. Anything made with Merino wool is going to be a bit more expensive.

Merino wool is harvested from the Merino sheep in Australia and New Zealand. Merino sheep are still fairly rare compared to other materials like cotton or petroleum-based polyester. Merino only grow their fleece out once per year so it takes a while.

The animals are well cared-for and live in comfortable conditions. The happier the sheep the better the wool. It would ruin the wool to cram all the sheep into tiny, awful living conditions so they can’t work that way.

Until there are more farms around the world and it’s easier to get Merino wool, the clothes made from it will be a bit more expensive than cotton or polyester.

The benefit to Merino is that it can take the place of multiple other shirts in your closet or suitcase. I can wear a merino shirt for a week easy without washing. If I do laundry once a week, that’s 7 other shirts I’ve just replaced.

The Crew Neck Details

• 100% Merino wool jersey
• ultra-fine 17.5 micron wool
• 190 g/m2 thickness
• $96 CAD ($75 USD)

Downsides

Merino wool has a lot of upsides and it’s my first choice for anything outdoors or travel but it’s not perfect.

Not as smooth as cotton

Ultra-fine merino is very close to being as smooth as cotton but it’s not quite the same. It’s light-years ahead of the old, scratchy wool sweaters. I can’t even imagine wearing one of those for anything. The Merino is so fine and smooth these days that it’s easy not to notice when it’s on. But at the end of the day though, it’s not quite smooth as cotton is on your skin.

Price

Like I said above, the price for anything made from Merino wool will be a bit more expensive. There just aren’t as many places producing Merino clothing and not as many sheep as there are cotton fields and polyester factories. Like silk, Merino wool just costs more to make right now.

Unbound Merino Crew Neck T-Shirt: Highly Recommended

If you are hiking, travelling, running, riding, going out for dinner or watching TV at home, an Unbound Merino Crew Neck t-shirt is going to be a good choice. I wear mine doing everything. Lay out it each night to air out and it’s good to go in the morning. After a couple of weeks of just airing out each night I’ll give it a wash and hang to dry.

I’d never want to wear a tech fabric shirt for weeks or sweat in it and go out for dinner but that’s easy to do with an Unbound Merino t-shirt.

The post Unbound Merino Crew Neck T-shirt Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

The JLab Go Air Pop headphones are small, lightweight true wireless earbuds that have 8 hours charge in each headphone and 24 in the case. They charge with a built-in USB cord. They can connect independently to your phone, are sweat resistant and come with 3 sizes of silicone ear tips.

The earbuds are just 3.7 grams each plus the 27.5 gram charging case. The case easily slips in your pocket and the earbuds are very lightweight in your ears. It’s easy to lose the tiny earbuds so always put them back in the case!

Taking them out of the case for the first time, they quickly connect just clicking pair on my phone. The Bluetooth goes about 30 feet from the phone before losing a connection. I did have one run where my phone was at the bottom of my backpack behind me and it was cutting out on the left earbud. I haven’t had an issue any other run.

One of the best features of the Go Air Pops is the dual connect. Each earbud can connect independently to your phone so you can use only the left for a while and then only the right. I use this a lot at home to hear the kids or on the trail to hear other runners and animals. It also extends your battery life since you are using the 8 hours in the left and then the 8 hours in the right. This is one feature my favorite Jabra Elite Active 75t headphones are missing.

So what all do you get for $20?

What’s in the box?

There’s not a lot in the box.

• Charging Case with built-in USB cable
• 2 earbuds
• Small, Medium, Large Gel tips

It’s basically all you need. The built-in USB cable tucks into the bottom of the case and doesn’t come off so you won’t lose it. I thought this was gimmicky at first but the built-in cable makes it easier to find the cable every time. It works best on a laptop where it can just sit on the table beside but it can plug into any USB plug on computers or the wall.

The Gel tips fit well right out of the box. Medium worked best for my ears. It doesn’t come with any Cloud Foam tips but you can get the $10 Cloud Foam Mneumonic Universal earbud tips for a more secure fit if you like those.

Details

Basic specs for the Go Air Pop headphones:

• 6mm driver
• Dual connect
• IPX4 water and sweat resistance
• Touch controls
• 3 sets Gel tips
• 8 hours battery life each earbud, 24 in the case
• $40 CAD ($20 USD)

Fit

The fit isn’t perfect but it’s pretty dang good. The silicon ear tips and the earbuds themselves are shaped well and stay in for long periods of time. I can run without having to adjust them too many times.

What most earbuds miss, and these aren’t any different, is having a small bump to sit in the bottom of your ear, just above the lobe. Some earbuds have this bump and they stay in much better than others. That said, the Go Air Pops stay in very well without it.

The coating is a very smooth plastic. It’s very durable, as I’ve dropped them a bunch of times with no issues. They would stay in better if it were a grippier, rubbery coating like on the Jabra Elite Active 75t but those are also $200 earbuds.

JLab also have the the $10 Cloud Foam Mneumonic Universal earbud tips for a more snug fit if you like those better. Funny that the Cloud Foam tips are half the cost of the earbuds.

Battery Life and Charging Case

The charging case is well made with a magnetic lid. Like the earbuds, it has a smooth plastic on it. I’d rather something a little grippier but it works.

The earbuds and the case together get 32 hours battery life, 8 hours in each earbud and 24 in the case. It takes about 2 hours to charge the case, and 2.2 hours to charge each earbud fully in the case.

To charge, there is a USB cord attached right to the bottom of the charging case. It’s not a very long cord but can plug in anywhere. It can hang off a charger on the wall but works best off the side of a laptop or somewhere the cases isn’t dangling in the air.

Best Prices on the Go Air Pop Headphones

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Touch Controls

The touch controls work fairly well. They take a bit of getting used to exactly how long you need to press the multiple touches for. Sometimes they read 1 tap instead of 2, or 2 instead of 3. I’m getting about 90% of the taps right after getting used to the timing.

For the left touch control

• 1 tap turns volume down
• 2 taps starts the voice assistant (Siri or Google)
• Press and hold 1 second goes to the previous track
• 3 taps changes the EQ from Signature to Bass Boost to Balanced

For the right touch controls

• 1 tap turns volume up
• 2 taps plays/pauses
• press and hold 1 second goes to the next track
• 3 taps changes the EQ

The controls don’t change if you’re using 1 or both of the headphones.

Sound and EQ Modes

The Go Air Pop‘s sound impressively good for the price. They aren’t going to beat $200 headphones for sound but those also cost 10 times as much.

They don’t have any electronic noise cancellation but they do plug your ears and block out other noise. The better the seal with your ears, the better they block out noise. Music at a moderate level blocked out most sound around me.

The earbuds use JLabs EQ3 sound. They have preset equalizer profiles: Signature, Balanced, and Bass Boost. Three taps on either headphone changes the the EQ profile to the next one. For just $20 JLab doesn’t include an app to adjust the equalizer but it’s impressive that they can even pack in the EQ presets and touch controls.

The JLab Signature EQ present sounds the best in my opinion. The vocals are clear with decent bass. The mids are lowered a bit.

Balanced is a balanced combo of highs, mids, and lows. Good for books and podcasts. Music without much bass sounds ok with this one too.

Bass Boost is a fun mode for running. Highs and mids are lowered and the bass is boosted as the name implies. It’s a bit harder to hear vocals but you get a bit more the heavier bass.

Bass is good but not amazing for these tiny headphones. They certainly won’t vibrate your head like a Powerbeats Pro headphone. The bass you can get will depend on the seal you get with your ear and the tips. I’d prefer a bit more bass but realize that the tiny 6mm driver can only deliver so much.

Verdict: JLab Go Air Pop Earbuds

At $20 USD ($30 CAD) there is no reason not to get the Go Air Pop headphones. They are the best true wireless headphones we’ve tested at this price. There just aren’t many that are actually recommendable at that price. Yes, the sound isn’t amazing but if you’ll need to spend $100 or more to improve in that department. For ripping around town, or the trails, with music in one ear, the Go Air Pop headphones can’t be beat.

The post JLab Go Air Pop True Wireless Earbuds Review: Only $20! first appeared on Pack & Trail.

And they’ve always wanted to create the perfect trail-running shoe.

Pulling experts together from Italy, Netherlands and China and and putting together their 60 years combined footwear experience they’ve created the norda 001 trail running shoe.

The norda 001 trail running shoe is the first shoe in the world to use a seamless bio-based Dyneema upper to keep the shoe very light and very strong. A Vibram Megagrip outsole and stable SLE midsole give a comfortable ride through any rock, dirt or concrete on your run.

Wait. What’s Dyneema?

Dyneema

Dyneema is one of the worlds strongest materials. 15 stronger by weight than steel. It’s extremely strong and extremely light. Ultralight weight gear like Hyperlite Mountain Gear backpacks and tent are made out of Dyneema.

Norda worked with Dyneema to create a seamless upper on the 001 shoe. It’s fast and lightweight but at the same time extremely strong and durable.

Along with the upper, the laces are also Dyneema and recycled polyester, 4 times stronger than normal laces.

Not only it is it strong and light, it’s sustainable: bio-based and BlueSign approved. Renewable sources supply 75% of the energy used to manufacture the Dyneema. Out of all the other upper materials for shoes Dyneema results in the lowest carbon footprint per unit strength.

The point of using Dyneema is that it let’s norda use the highest performance materials on earth but also be sustainable and kind to the environment. For norda “performance and sustainability always run together.”

Norda x Vibram Formation outsole

The outsole is a custom Formation outsole developed with Vibram. It uses Vibram’s Litebase technology which really boils down to being thinner and lighter compared to previous outsoles while still being as durable and grippy.

The outsole is made with Vibram’s Megagrip rubber which is their grippiest rubber that is still durable over the long run. Some rubbers are very soft but don’t last long, others are durable and hard but aren’t as sticky. Megagrip aims to do both. It grips wet and dry surfaces very well. The recently-reviewed Tecnica Magma trail shoes use Megagrip as well

The pattern with 5mm lugs was inspired by the Canadian Shield, a rock formation that underlies a lot of Canada that is the largest and strongest pre-Cambrian rock formation on earth.

Is all this good? Let’s see.

First all the specs and then we’ll get into what this all gets you on the trail.

All the Specs

• Seamless bio-based BlueSign Dyneema upper
• Dyneema and recycled polyester laces
• Norda x Vibram Formation outsole using Vibram Litebase and Megagrip.
• 5mm lugs
• 360 degree hi-vis sections
• 247 grams (8.71 oz) per shoe with Ortholite insole
• 4mm drop (23mm to 19mm) with Ortholite insole.
• $285 CAD ($288 USD)

What I like

Comfortable

Right out of the box the 001s are comfortable and easy to wear. The midsole provides plenty of cushion.

They’re comfortable to run on the road and enough cushion and spring on the trail. I found they’re were a touch on the narrow side but I have slightly wider feet and prefer wide toeboxes like the Altra’s.

Sticky outsole

The 001s are nice and sticky on any surface. I found I could easily rely on them going up steep slick rock or dry, dusty dirt. With it being so dry and hot right now in PNW, I haven’t seen much for wet and muddy on my runs. I look forward to jumping on that as soon as the rain comes back.

Strong and Light

That Dyneema is about as strong as you can get for an upper. If it can’t withstand the rigors of trail running over long distances over time, nothing will. At only 247 grams per shoe, they are on the light end of running shoes but not the lightest. I expected it to blow it out of the park and be ultralight but the large cushion in the midsole accounts for a lot of that weight.

Improvements

norda Lock System

The edges of the tongue and collar around the ankle are very thin. Norda calls this the Lock system to hold your foot in place without adding much to the weight of the shoe. I don’t have any issues with the edges of the collar, it’s quite comfortable. The tongue is a bit thin, not providing a lot of cushion when the laces are done up fairly tight.

Price

Anything made with Dyneema is going to be a bit more expensive. It’s a premium material on a premium product. I think if it extends the life of a trail running by a meaningful amount it will be worth it if you run a lot.

Who is this good for?

If you are looking for a slick design on a trail running shoe that should last for a while, check out the norda 001 trail running shoes. A couple weeks testing certainly won’t show if they will last 5 years of hard use but with Dyneema’s reputation, I’m betting they will. As with all Dyneema outdoor gear, the price isn’t for everyone, but it is for someone. If you’re looking for the highest quality materials on the planet in a trail runner, the norda 001 shoes are one of the few choices.

Buy online at Valhalla Pure Outfitters

The post Strong and Light: norda 001 Dyneema Trail Runner Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

The Lone Peak series of trail runners has become the a go-to shoe for long distance hikers. Even though they’re fantastic for hiking as a lighter shoe with a wider toebox, they’re actually a trail runner. But whatever you do use them for, you’ll likely find they’re well suited for it.

Most of the Lone Peak line are not waterproof, they let water in and let water out just as fast. When the weather is warm this might be fun. But when it’s cold and miserable it’s nice to have drier feet.

The Lone Peak All-WTHR Low trail runner is basically a Lone Peak 5 but with a burlier mid-sole and a waterproof membrane wrapped around it.

Specs

• $160 USD
• eVent waterproof membrane
• MaxTrac outsole
• GaiterTrap
• FootShape toebox
• 25mm stack height
• Zero drop
• Balanced Cushioning
• Ego midsole
• 374 grams (13.2 oz)

MaxTrac outsole

The outsole or grippy lugs on a shoe is important. The MaxTrac outsole on the Lone Peak 5 has solid grip without being unstable. The lugs grip but won’t hold on to mud if it’s wet.

The new Ego midsole in the Lone Peak 5 and the ALL-WTHR provides a bit of bounce and cushion. It’s just enough to run on the road if that’s your thing but it feels great on the trail.

I typically run a bit on the road to get to the trails and it’s plenty for that. I wouldn’t do long road runs with them.

There is a rock plate in the forefoot which is nice on the gravel and rocky trails. It adds a bit to the weight but helps keep your feet from getting beat up on the trail.

Zero Drop

Most shoes have some drop in the height from the heel to the toe. High heels are obviously a ridiculously large drop but most running shoes have drop of 10mm from the back to the front. So if a shoe was 35mm from concrete to foot in the back it might have 25mm in the front and a 10mm drop from the back to the front.

Altra have made the ALL-WTHR and Lone Peak 5 zero drop. They take a bit to get used to but they are excellent for mobility and leg strength. When you are walking barefoot, that’s obviously a zero drop how nature intended. Schedule time to work into a zero drop shoe if you have never run or walked in one before.

These ALL-WTHR are 25mm from front to back.

How wide is the toe box?

The FootShape toebox is one of Altra’s signature specs. The extra wide toe box allows your toes to spread out in the shoe just like they would if you were walking barefoot. They say this allows your big toe to line up correctly with the rest of your foot give you more power on each pushoff.

I just love the wide toebox for comfort. It doesn’t feel sloppy but enough for my toes to spread out where they want to. After longer runs or hikes, your feet are going to swell and there’s extra room for that.

The rest of the shoe in the forefoot and heel are narrower to prevent any slipping around. It just leaves space for the toes to do what they need to do.

I haven’t tested the Lone Peak 5 but other testers online mentioned the ALL-WTHR being slightly narrower and slightly shorter than the LP5. If you need every millimetre of that space, the ALL-WTHR’s slight size down might not work.

What is the waterproof membrane?

The waterproof membrane in the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR shoes is the eVent membrane. It’s very similar to the Gore-Tex membrane but is more breathable, allowing sweat to pass through easier from the inside.

The eVent membrane bootie inside the shoe is completely waterproof. You can stand in puddles if you like. The only downside to a waterproof running shoe like this is the low sides. The waterproofing only goes to the top of the shoe!

Running or hiking through snowy, wet or dewy trails is a dream with waterproof shoes like this. Your feet stay dry and warm the whole time. If any water does get in though, it takes a bit longer to get out. If you plan on running through massive puddles or streams over the tops of the shoes, mesh shoes that will drain faster would probably work better.

All waterproof membranes make the shoe a bit warmer. It’s another layer in the shoe that reduces airflow so using a shoe like the ALL-WTHR on hot summer hikes will be hot on your feet. They feel great when it’s cold, snowing and wet outside, when you want the extra warmth to keep those toes moving.

What I like

There’s so much to like about the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR low running shoes. They can run, they can hike, they can go straight through the miserable weather in the winter.

Waterproof eVent Membrane – keeps your feet warm and dry through the slush and puddles.

FootShape toebox – lets your toes spread out and expand on longer hikes and runs.

Zero drop – reinforces more natural movement while running and hiking.

What I don’t like

Heavy – Because of the waterproof membrane, the ALL-WTHR are a bit heavier than the lightweight Lone Peak 5. On slushy days, I’ll take the extra weight if that means I can be more comfortable.

Warm in hot weather – Not the best shoe for hot days running. Something vented like the regular Lone Peaks are better. Most days running in the Pacific Northwest I’m happy to have the waterproofing.

Is there a mid version?

If you’re looking for a lightweight hiker and just looking for higher waterproofing, there’s a mid version of the Lone Peak ALL-WTHR. Same basic shape and features but just taller sides with a bit more support and waterproofing. I haven’t tested these but they look like they’d be excellent light hikers for wet conditions.

Who is this good for?

If you ever hike or run in wet, muddy or snowy conditions, definitely have a look at the Altra Lone Peak ALL-WTHR shoes. They have a ton of space for your toes and keep them dry in gross conditions. They’re going to be very warm when it’s hot out but when the weather turns, it’s definitely nice on the trail.

The post Altra Lone Peak All-WTHR Low Trail Runner Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Truly wireless headphones with no cords to your phone and no cords between them have come a long way in the last couple years. Bose has entered the game as well as other big fitness sound players like Jaybird and JLab Audio. Jabra, a company with tons of experience in the business sound and headphone game has jumped into the fitness side. And their latest entry is probably the best truly wireless headphone you can get in 2018.

The Elite Active 65t truly wireless headphones are small and comfortable. They have good battery life, solid bluetooth connection and great sound. They’re easy to wear for hours at a time. Settings are easy to change through the phone app.

Let’s look at the specs.

Jabra Elite Active 65t Headphones Specs

• 5 hour battery life and 10 more in the case
• Solid phone app to change settings like HearThrough and equalizer
• Can pair with multiple devices
• Motion sensor for tracking steps
• IP56 sweat rating with 2 year warranty against sweat and dust
• Rubberized outer coating for grip on the earbuds
• Bluetooth 5

Elite Active 65t vs Jabra Elite 65t

A similar option to the Elite Active 65t‘s are the Elite 65t headphones. The newer Elite Active earbuds we’re reviewing here is a couple grams lighter. The Elite 65t is billed as the professional training option with it’s heart rate and VO2 max sensor. The Elite Active has the accelerometer for movement tracking, quick charges and is sweatproof. The heart rate monitor and VO2 max sensors mean the Elite 65t’s sell for about $30 more than the Elite Active.

Back to the Elite Active 65t.

Performance

There are a lot of pros to the Elite Active 65t‘s. The cons are few, nit picky problems experienced by other truly wireless headphones as well.Pros

• Good sound
• Comfortable to wear
• Tiny case
• Multiple silicon ear gels for different size ears
• Can use the right earbud by itself
• Jabra 3rd generation true wireless stability.
• Can opt for Google Assistant on Android and Alexa/Siri on iOS
• Rubberized feel on case and headphones

Cons

• Less battery life than larger headphones
• Still has plugged-ear feel
• Can’t use left earbud by itself
• Can’t use Google Assistant on iOS
• Only 6 equalizer presets

Sound and Connection

The sound from the 65t’s is very good. I have no issue with listening to it for long periods of time. It’s clear with plenty of bass. The sound profile can be changed in the app for more bass, more treble or both. There are 6 equalizer presets: Default (flat), Speech, Bass boost, Treble boost, Smooth and Energize. I find I’m on Bass boost most of the time since I listen to bassy tunes most of the time. If you are into different music, then you may prefer Smooth or Treble boost.The bluetooth connection has been very solid in testing over the last few months. Some headphones drop the connection periodically when the phone is further away or when the phone is just in your left pocket or backpack. Aside from the connection dropping when more than 40-50 feet away, it never drops.

The Phone App: HearThrough and changing settings

The phone app for iOS and Android gives you access to settings and listening profiles. The settings are separated into Preferences and then the listening profiles Commute, Focus and Active. You can set different settings for profiles. Changeable options are equalizer presets, HearThrough, Soundscapes and the activity tracker.

HearThrough plays sound from your surroundings through the headphones. It sounds similar to not having headphones in, even though earbuds are completely plugging your hears. When you want to hear for external sounds like traffic or kids this can be a great option. I found I couldn’t hear much if my music was loud but turned down sounds would come through. One option I’d like to see, hopefully in a firmware update, would be the option to turn up the volume on the HearThrough sounds.

Along with HearThrough, equalizer presets and white noise soundscapes can be changed within each listening mode. A bunch of different white and pink noise sounds allow you to drown out all other noise. This is great in the focus mode. There’s also an activity tracker that uses the accelerometer in the headphones. You can track your steps when the tracker is active. I’m not sure I’ll ever use this since the iPhone can do this anyways and I can’t enable the tracker without my phone. The slightly different more expensive Jabra Elite Sport headphones have a VO2 max and heart rate monitor built in. They would show in the app as well.

Case and Charging

The case is tiny, only slightly larger than an AirPod case. Compared to other headphone cases, it easily fits in your pocket. The buds slide into place and the case closes easily. It would be nice if they could magnet into place inside a bit more than they do. The earbuds hold 5 hours of a charge and the case holds another 10. I use them a lot and quickly run through the charge on the headphones but popping them back into the case turns the earbud off and charges them at the same time.  You don’t even realize they’re charging until the the 15 hours are gone and it’s time to charge again.

Charging is easy with a micro-usb cord into the bottom of the case. There’s a tiny led light above the usb port that displays red, yellow or green, depending on how much charge you have. A 15 minute quick charge gives you 1.5 hours of battery. The case has a slight rubberized grip to them which feels really good.

What could use a little work

None of these items are major issues. The 65t’s are very refined and use the latest tech so it’s hard to find fault with any of the features. These are my upgrade requests to take these headphones into absolutely stellar level of performance.

Less battery life than larger headphones  – Larger truly wireless headphones may have more battery life but the headphone and case are also larger. The Epic Air headphones from JLab have 10 hours in the headphone but are larger with an ear hook around the back and have a much larger case.

Still has plugged-ear feel – Most wireless headphones sit deep in your ear to seal out sounds and actually stay in. It creates a plugged-ear feel that makes breathing sound loud in your head. I’m not a fan of it but at this point almost every headphone does it.

Can’t use left earbud by itself – The phone connects to the right ear bud which then connects to the left earbud. This means you can use the right earbud by itself but not the left one. I use the earbuds by themselves quite a bit and would love to be able to use either.

Can’t use Google Assistant on iPhone – This might be a limitation of iOS but you can’t use Google Assistant on iOS app yet. Siri and Alexa are the only options. I use all Google Assistant and Google Home for my assistant needs at home.

Only 6 equalizer presets – The app only has 6 presets to choose from. Jaybirds app has a ton of different presets to choose from, even listing favourites from their athletes. It does let you adjust the equalizer to whatever you like to hear. There’s no way to save it though.

Final Thoughts on the Jabra Elite Active 65t Headphones

After testing a large set of headphones this year and using headphones almost on a daily basis for the last few years for workouts, running and work, the Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones are the best truly wireless set I’ve used so far and easily the best of 2018. There could be a few small improvements but my requests aren’t anything major. A few of them could just be addressed with firmware and app updates.

I highly recommend the Jabra Elite Active 65t headphones. 

Pin it

The post Jabra Elite Active 65t Headphones Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

Since high school, I’ve run to stay fit. At that time it was more just because we were forced to run in gym class but I liked it all the same. One thing I noticed quickly was music changed the pace of my running.

Getting into a good fast song, I would pick up my running tempo. Coming around to a slower song, I would slow my running down a bit. But only to a point, if an insane drum and bass song came on, there’s no way I could match that kind of temp and for slow songs, well, they just didn’t make it onto my running playlists at all.

The problem is trying to find a good pace. It’s not a good running pace if you’re always changing it. One song you’re fast, one song you’re slow. It might be good for fast and slow intervals but long pace runs, the music is going to wear you out.

I’ve wondered if I decide what pace to run, I could go out and find all the music and sort it by it’s tempo and just pick which speed of music I wanted to run to that day. This guy spent the time doing that and it’s a huge amount of work. I have my “new music processes” set up so that it’s as little work as possible. I wasn’t going to do the work manually so I thought I was just going have to suffer through different speed music on my runs.

But as with everything else these days, “there’s an app for that!”

TrailMix Pro

TrailMix is an iOS app for running (they’re working on an android version) that changes the tempo of your music to match your running tempo. You can also use it for walking.

iPhones and iPods have a gadget in them that’s called an accelerometer which detects movement kind of like a pedometer. Every time you step down while running, the phone picks that up. With this, it knows your cadence or how many times you step to the ground each minute. Throw in some other cool technology that allows them to change the tempo of a song without distorting the pitch and you’ve got an app that plays music at exactly the tempo you are running at.

Now you can go for a run and listen to music at the same pace you are running at, the app will match it up. You can also use the Cruise Control feature and set the tempo or beats per minute manually and then run to that. If you are aiming for a certain tempo and would like to run that tempo the whole way, then you can set it and forget it. Some runners will run to a digital metronome of constant beeps in their headphones so they know what to match with their running speed. Metronomes are the things that go tick tick tick so music players can stay on time. I can’t imagine what running with a constant beeping in your head would be like. I much prefer music!

Free version vs Pro

What’s in the Pro version that’s not in the free version?

Magic Shuffle – Automagically picks the best songs for your pace

Cruise Control – You can lock in a pace for a consistent workout, no changing pace to match your run, you have to match the music!

Enhanced stats – get more stats, time spent moving and average pace

Unlimited playlist capacity – 20 randomly selected songs from each playlist are available, all songs are available in the Pro version

No Ads – you can also disable Kiip rewards 

Download free TrailMix from the App Store

Download TrailMix Pro from the App Store

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Happy Running,

– Ross 

The post Make your music run with you: TrailMix Pro App Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.

A new entry into the trail running market is Teva with their TevaSphere line. And remember it’s pronounced T-e-vah, not Teevah. I was blissfully unaware of how to say it properly until I started doing more research into their shoes and reading all the marketing material. I guess there are enough people out there that pronounce it wrong that they have to spell it out for us.Ok. On to the gear review. Here’s what we’re going to look at:

• What is the TevaSphere?
• What I like about the TevaSphere’s
• What I don’t like about them, and
• Wrap-up: Who should try the new TevaSphere line

What is TevaSphere?

If you haven’t already caught on, TevaSphere is a new line of shoes from Teva. You’ve probably worn their sandals at one point in your life. I think everyone has had a pair at one point or another. They’re branching out now and they have some radical new running shoes. And I mean radical in the proper meaning of the word, not just, “It’s rad, d00d.” I got to review the new TevaSphere Speeds.  The “Sphere” in the name is all about the spherical heel they have. Most shoes have quite a sharp angle where the back of the heel comes down to meet the sole. When you put your foot down, the first part of the shoe to hit the ground is that point. According to Teva there are a couple issues with this. First, that point is too far away from your heel to be stable. The closer the ground your foot is the better. The second issue is that sharp angle forces your foot down onto the ground quickly instead of smoothly rolling onto it.

The Pods

The second big innovation in these shoes are the “pods” on either side of the arch. They’re the first thing you notice with these shoes and they make them look a bit odd. The practical point of the pair of pods (too many p’s?) is to stabilize the shoe. They stick out farther from either side of shoe than the front or back of the sole, making them the widest part. This makes the shoes extremely stable.The whole idea is having the rounded heel roll the foot into the stride, then the pods take over and balance side to side, gripping the ground, and giving you a more stable platform for your next push.

What I like about the TevaSphere shoes

TevaSphere Five Fingers

The Pods

Testing the TevaSphere’s I hiked the 42km Baden Powell trail over 2 days. It was a slow hiking pace so it took my buddy and I nearly all of both days. We went up and over several mountains. The trail was extremely rough in parts then easy double track in others. It was never flat. I thought it a perfect place to test out the stability of the TevaSphere’s.

One section was a massive rock field on an 35 degree slope. Not one of the boulders were small enough to pick up. Many were bigger than my car. There was not a flat, even surface to in sight.

The sharp edges of all the boulders and the incline slowed us down considerably. I noticed standing on the rock edges the pods were providing a lot of stability, much more than a normal shoe. Standing on the edge of a rock on the arch of a shoe would normally be pretty uncomfortable. The rock would dig into your arch and the throw you off balancing on the thinnest part of the shoe that has no tread. But it was quite the opposite with the TevaSphere’s. They were more than comfortable in that position. The nylon shank in the midsole offers good support in this situation as well.

Neutral foot position

No matter how you normally step, the rounded heel and pods on the TevaSphere will roll your foot into the right position. There is no other place for your foot to go.

Breathable uppers

The upper on the TevaSphere is all very breathable fabrics (unless you get the waterproof one). This lets them drain quickly after you’ve been tromping through puddles and streams. They are no sandal though. The shoes were a little squishy for a time after.

Grippy Spider365 rubber

The Spider365 rubber on the bottom sole is impressively grippy. On those rocks on the Baden Powell trail I  never noticed that I was losing grip, even at high angles. I haven’t had a problem with other trail running on slick rock and trails.

4mm Drop

From the front to the back of the shoe, they have a 4mm drop. That means the heel is 4mm higher than the toe. A lot of running shoes are transitioning to a lower drop in their shoes with some going right to a 0 mm drop, essential a flat shoe. That doesn’t mean the shoe doesn’t have support, it just means the heel and the toe are at the same height. The Vibram Five Fingers don’t have any drop to them (they hardly have any sole either!)

What I don’t like about the TevaSphere shoes

They aren’t very minimal

There was some talk online about how the TevaSphere’s are minimal shoes. I don’t think I’d call them that. They are lighter than other runners I’ve had in the past but when you are comparing them to Vibram Five Fingers, they don’t even come close. They are lighter than many runners though so if you are looking for something to transfer into from your heavy running shoes, these might be for you. The nylon shank adds to the weight, as do the pods. On the other hand, I’d imagine the rounded heel saves a bit of weight.

Forced neutral foot position

This one is a bit of a double edged sword. If your foot rolls in or out much when you step, it’s going to take a bit to get used to these shoes. You can’t roll them much with the pods. They keep you in place and stable while on the trail but if you have never run like that in your life, it might be  be hard to stop cold turkey tomorrow. I pronate a bit with my right foot and I had no problem with running with them on the first day but I did notice the correction. 

Who should have the TevaSphere shoes?

Hikers looking for a stable, lightweight shoe should definitely check these out. The stability and lightweight stiffness they have are a great option for hiking. There isn’t much thickness to the midsole though if you like thick-soled shoes.If you’re a runner looking for a new shoe you’ll have to test these out a bit. The rounded heel and support pods aren’t for everyone. If they do fit with your running style, awesome, you’ve found yourself a solid pair of trail runners. If you roll your foot a lot in your step when running and won’t be changing that style, then I don’t think these are for you. My step is quite neutral so they worked well for me.

Also if you’re looking to transition into thinner soled, lighter weight shoes but don’t want to make the leap yet, the TevaSphere’s are a good stepping stone. They have a thinner sole than many shoes and a 4mm drop from heel to toe. They still have a good sole on them and a nylon shank for stiffness so don’t expect to be feeling every single rock on the trail yet. But maybe that’s what you’re looking for. 

Wrap-up

That’s it for this review. What do you think? Would you run with the Teva’s? Are they amazing? Do they have some work to do? Let us know on the Facebook Page.

A huge thanks to Teva Canada for supplying the shoes to review. 

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Adventure on,

Ross  

The post TevaSphere Shoe Review first appeared on Pack & Trail.