Newton Running Shoes

Normally I would give a review on my first run but the Newton running shoes are different. Eccentric. I love the shoes so far and now I have my conclusion for this shoe.

Went to Road Runner Sports in San Carlos,CA . I’m a big fan of New Balance and I had no intention of getting Newton Running Shoes. I heard of them before my purchase but I never even thought about them. The salesperson, recommended them to me since I was interested in getting into minimal running.

I knew that Road Runner Sports had a great exchange policy where you can try the shoes on for 90 days (if VIP). The membership is great and I’ll go over it on a later blog post, but in the meantime I had nothing to lose.

I rarely just “wing” it with shoes without proper research but instead I trust Roadrunner’s Policy and would love to try the Newton’s.

I got them for $119.06 because I had a coupon which knocked off $29.89

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What’s this Netwon Running shoe about?

The shoes are all about Natural Running / Run Barefoot. Makes you run on your midfoot/forefoot. They are the only shoes on the market that I know who has this unique design. The particular model I got was the Sir Isaac.

They do a very good job of explanation here:

http://www.newtonrunning.com/run-better/optimal-running-form

It’s the “Action/Reaction Technology” which is broken down by

1) Land 2) Lever 3) Lift

I hope they don’t mind me stealing their picture 🙂 but this shows where your foot would align with the shoe

Check out Newton’s video about it here by Danny Abshire (co-founder) :

Utilizing the part of the shoe that sticks out in the forefoot area.

First Run

They fit perfectly and I had no problems with sizes since I have wide feet. The salesperson told me to only run very short distances like a mile so my legs will get used to the proper running form. I run about an average of 25mpw and you’re going to tell me to run only a mile?

>> REGRET! So I’m on mile 2 running on my forefoot and my calves could not take it anymore. I literally had to walk back home since it was painful due to lack of training on those muscles. My advice is to please listen and only do short strides and short distances.

Second Run

I had to take a break from running since the new form of running made my legs very sore and considering I did a 6.3 mile hike after the first run. I started to understand exactly how to run using their youtube channel. This run was easier than the first one but I was still having trouble coordinating my brain with my stride.

Third Run

My calves stopped being sore and I already know everything about the shoe and how far my strides should be. But let me caution you that, you cannot simply go from 0-6 miles in the beginning. So my plan is to increase mileage overtime until I get to where I am with heel striking.

SIZE:

Normally I wear wides since I have a wide foot. This is where New Balance comes in because they have wide size that fits me perfectly. But I’m surprised that the Sir Isaac’s actually fit my foot pretty well! It’s comfortable so far and I have no issues, however it wouldn’t be fair to say if it’s comfortable at Mile 10, since I haven’t hit that milestone with these pair.

Reliability:

At the moment, I don’t have any idea on how long these pair will last. Usually running shoes have an average of 200-500 Miles depending on the shoe. I’m thinking if the front starts to fade then the shoe becomes a regular neutral pair? I hope to get at least 300 Miles on these considering the normal retail price.

The pros:

• Easier transition for a natural running form.
• It’s impossible to heel strike.
  
• Gives you sexier calves due to the form 🙂
• Makes you a faster runner (debatable)
• Colors are nice!
• Uses different sets of muscles
  
• Great Fit
  
• The material looks tough and the sole looks sturdy.

The Cons:

• You have to train yourself to use its full potential
• Pricing: $100+ USD
  
• Colors if it’s not your thing. ( I love mine)
• Requires patience.
• Lacing is a bit short, but that can be fixed.

 

Overall from RunningMileCom (Jason)

This shoe is a great way to transition from heel striking to forefoot. The shoe will help you develop your leg muscles and prepare you for using a natural form of running. I have no issues but I would recommend buying this BEFORE your current pair wear out because you can’t run 5 miles out of the box with these.

You will have trouble if you don’t have an extra pair to rotate them with!!

If you’re a hardcore heel striker and do not want to switch over, then it’s not for you. There’s a whole debate between the forms of running and I will NOT get into it since no one has a perfect answer. I like being a little different so this is a pair for me.

Shop Newton Running Shoes

Star Rating: 8.5

I’d buy again from the brand and have no trouble giving it a high rating, but I’m saving the last star for reliability and further testing.