The marketing and hype flying around the award-gobbling Newton shoes has so far left me – unlike thousands of others – feeling somewhat lukewarm, but I felt I needed to give this new model the impartial once over to see what the fuss was about. The Isaacs are aimed at runners who want to move […]
The Nike Sock Racer and the Newton Gravity are just two of the innovative run-related products to split the running community in recent times. And, with both a groundswell of support from the barefoot running community (including Born to Run author Chris McDougall) and the naysayers repulsed by that aesthetic assault, the Vibrams have joined […]
The Avia 2053 is an intriguing shoe: off the shelf you’d tell yourself they’re rigid and heavy just because of the way they look. But on your feet, you’re going to find that they’re amazingly light and rather spacious. Okay, they’re a little stiffer than some shoes on test but that’s because they’re unquestionably a […]
2009 winners of the 220 Award for Innovative Product of the Year, Newton Shoes are taking the world of triathlon by storm. Basically, their shoes encourage you to run up on your toes, working to the theory that runners who do so run more quickly. Of course, such bold thinking creates plenty of argument, but […]
The first thing we noticed with the Paramount 2s was the amount of support around the middle of the foot. Sadly, this was counteracted with the rigid ride underneath the heel, which we’ve never experienced with Saucony before. The end result is a well-cushioned, flexible shoe up front that offers some decent support, coupled with […]
Triathletes who have run in Puma shoes in the last half a decade will know that they tend to provide a hard ride. There are fans of this style, but our testing team know that such a ride is, more often than not, unpopular. It appears Puma has concluded exactly that with this shoe. The […]
This is a light training shoe built on a narrower last, which means a couple of things: it lends itself to pacier workouts and the shoe encourages you to get up on your toes. In terms of support the Wave Precision is well cushioned in the forefoot, but they do feel significantly harder under the […]
These are without doubt among the lightest training shoes on the market. But, importantly, the weight-saving doesn’t appear to be at the loss of any cushioning or too much support. Nike tends to come up with softer shoes (see the Nike Free) and these are no exception, although there’s a hard feel underneath the instep. […]
Likely to appeal to neutral runners who tend to run on their toes, the Stratus 3 is the kind of shoe that you can put on straight out of the box and hit the tarmac. They provide good cushioning, a snug fit and acceptable flexibility. They don’t shout and wave; they just, in an understated […]
Cushioned, responsive and supportive, these shoes are for triathletes with mild to moderate pronation. Running in that category has, until recently, meant enduring a stiffer, non-responsive shoe. But, thankfully – excuse the pun – change is afoot, with the Trance 9 a top-of-the-range option. Key areas such as breathability and grip are both acceptable, making […]
Straight out of the box you know that these are a stable, robust shoe that are designed for high mileage. When you put them on, what you’ve got is a solid but not restrictive feel that does a great job of soaking up the miles. Designed for runners who require moderate stability, there’s plenty of […]
Thanks to the great man Dave’s history in Hawaii and the heritage of this fabled US brand, the name Scott has long been synonymous with triathlon. In terms of performance, these provide a solid, hard ride. While there are softer shoes about not everybody enjoys such a cushioned feel. We’d argue that they’re a touch […]
This recreational heart rate monitor from Polar, the forefathers of this type of technology, is solid, lightweight and a good all-round performer. This package includes the G1 GPS unit, like the Polar RS800CX, but we do wonder why anyone but the most data-hungry would stump up the difference. This watch supplies a wide range of […]
From the packaging through to the watch and dock design, the GT5 looks like old stock from the 1990s! But no, this is the pinnacle heart rate monitor from Cardiosport with a comparatively low profile and simple design. The coded heart rate strap is the same as you’ll find in the Sigma Onyx and the […]
Very rarely do we come across a piece of technology that can perform to our highest expectations. With the XT310, Garmin has exceeded them. This is a truly multifunctional device with a simple and completely reconfigurable interface. The extensive levels of functionality even allow a relative technophobe to be up and running (quite literally!) in […]
The name suggests that this Timex kit might include a wealth of goodies. The end result, however, was somewhat disappointing. The bundle includes a USB stick for wireless downloading of data and a fairly standard heart rate belt. The USB device is a welcome addition but doesn’t provide the live functionality of Suunto, nor the […]
Polar demands respect when it comes to performance, but as the RS800CX is one of the most expensive monitors we’ve tested, it needs to prove its worth. Specification-wise, everything is covered, and when combined with the improved Polar Pro 5 software, this really is a device that can help you guide, improve and plan your […]
The Ciclosport definitely lives up to its name size-wise but how does it compare to Goliaths such as the Garmin XT310? Well, after reading the functions list and spotting the ‘pod’ design that allows you to attach the monitor to the bike without the strap, you’ll soon understand: Titan by name, Titan by nature it […]
Suunto has recently been encroaching on Polar’s monopoly at the higher-end of the heart rate monitor market, and their new T6c is a great example as to why. This watch looks great, and has a solid feel and a good-sized screen. The UI has been altered slightly from the original T6 and is easier to […]
Sigma’s Onyx Pro is one of the cheapest HR monitors available, but the company with a strong track record cycling computers hasn’t skimped on the details. While the Onyx Pro may not be the sexiest object, it feels well built, with some quality materials and simple design. As soon as you get your fingers on […]
One of our favourite phrases is ‘keep it simple’ and the FR60 does just that: it’s simple to set up, simple to use and simple to look at. If all you’re after is reliability, a high specification and a solid database for recording all of your training efforts, then you’ll really struggle to find a […]
Shoe technology has progressed rapidly in the last few years, particularly for runners who require support when their foot rolls inwards. It used to be the rigid anti-rollbar that did just that, but, while perfect for pronators, this made the shoe feel solid and unresponsive. Fast-forward to 2009 and a supportive shoe like the Omni […]
A psychologist rather than our seasoned testers may have been better qualified for comment given the psychedelic upper patterns on display here. After all, surely there must be some advanced thinking behind the mix of colours? Fans of this model in its previous and equally daring incarnations will be fully acquainted with the comfort and […]
Although most of us roll our feet inwards (pronate) when we run longer races, super-light racing shoes frequently come without any stability. But the Advantage supply just that: enough stability to make you feel the shoes are doing the job they’re supposed to do. From a tri point of view these are difficult to fault. […]
220 Triathlon magazine is the first step towards reaching your goal, whether it's your first triathlon, you're chasing that elusive PB or you're taking on the elite.
