Once Inspired

Archive for the ‘Product Review’ Category

The new TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature. 100% 40 cell Yamamoto rubber.

“An incredibly innovative and forward looking design. No other wetsuit in the world has that.” – Chrissie Wellington

To read more please click here.

Limits will fall.

Polarization is not a simple concept but I will try keep it as simple and as relevant as possible.

Polarized lenses have a specific film applied to them which contains Dichroic Crystals. Dichroism has two specific meanings in optics. A dichroic material is either one which causes visible light to be split up into distinct beams of different wavelengths (more commonly known as colours; not to be confused with dispersion), or light rays having different polarizations are absorbed in different amounts. The latter is most applicable when talking eyewear and the former being more applicable to photography.

So yesterday I headed out to the 3000 ha of the Koeberg Nature Reserve on the Cape West Coast (Eskom Power Station) and had my first run in the Saucony ProGrid Peregrine. Sandy, grassy and loads of gravel, the Peregrine ate it all up.

Built on the same platform as the Kinvara, the Peregrine boasts a 4mm heel drop. Traditional running shoes or the type of shoe that most people run in or are familiar with have a 12mm heel drop. Trust me, the 8mm difference is epic and I am loving life in my flatter shoes. I only run in 4mm heel drop shoes or complete flats.

I have never really enjoyed running. I always experienced some form of discomfort. That was until I was given a pair of the Saucony Kinvara. Now Saucony have developed a trail shoe “built on the same foot form as the Kinvara”, the Peregrine features a 4mm heel drop and weighing in at only 257 grams this is a light yet still rugged fully capable trail shoe.

The Saucony ProGrid Peregrine received the prestigious Runner’s World Editor’s Choice award in their April, 2011 Trail Shoe Guide. This was ahead of the likes of the Asics Gel-Trail Attack 7, Brooks Cascadia 6, New Balance 915 and 5 others. To read more you can click on the previous link.

The Saucony Hattori is Saucony’s answer to the Vibram 5 Fingers. The Hattori is a super lightweight “barefoot” running shoe. I have just received a pair and will be reviewing these in the next week or so. Until then please enjoy the video.

Xtenex (indeXed-TENsioning-nEXus) is a worldwide patented elastic lace technology that produces adjustable tensioning between shoe eyelets. Xtenex laces have an elastic core and a series of knots along the entire length of the lace at consistent length intervals. Stretch the lace and the knots disappear, allowing you to thread the lace through the eyelets. Release the tension and the knots reappear. More knots between eyelets lessens the tension; fewer knots between eyelets increases tension.

Currently, most laces are not able to provide variable tension as laces are tied by creating a knot at the top end of a shoe. The problem with this way of lacing is that all of the tension sits around the ankle area and that results in a restriction of blood flow and circulation. The problem is compounded by people creating a double knot so as to avoid their laces coming undone.

The Saucony Type A4 is essentially the perfect triathlon running shoe. Super light at 189g, they are quite simply the best shoes I have ever run in.

Yes they are great looking shoes and very comfortable, but there’s little doubt that they were designed purely for speed. For more leisurely runs I use my Kinvaras (See my Kinvara review here).

The Saucony Type A4 is truly fast and although I may have mentioned that already it’s really no understatement.

I just got mine. I’ll be racing in them this weekend at 11 Global Cape Town. Here’s Running Warehouse’s short intro to the Saucony ProGrid Type A4

The legacy of Saucony and their amazing footwear stems back to the banks of the Saucony Creek in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, 1898. The name is native Indian and means “mouth of a creek or river”.

The Saucony logo design is based on their beautiful location. The swooping silhouette resembles that of the constant flow of the Saucony Creek, while the cut-outs represent three boulders lying in the middle of the creek.

It was four business men who founded Saucony and first made adult walking shoes and children’s sneakers. Running shoes were introduced only a few years later.

Here’s a quick video intro to the Saucony ProGrid Xodus 2.0. I will be getting mine next week.

Read more here