OK, I have to be honest: I hate wearing or carrying things while running. The longer the distance, the more it bugs me. The first time I tried carrying hand-bottles I wanted to throw them in the woods after 5 miles. I tried my old Camelbak and it felt like I was giving a piggy-back ride to a fidgety 5-year-old child that had filled up on Slurpees. I put up with a waist-belt on long runs because it seems like the lesser of a few evils. However, prompted by a solo 30-mile run I was planning for last weekend, I finally broke down and blew $80 on a Nathan HPL #020 hydration vest. I have to say that this little pack has changed my mind about hydration packs.  First and foremost, this thing is darn comfortable. Even when the bladder is full (2 liters) and the pack is crammed with PowerBars, the suspension system makes the load almost unnoticeable. Honestly. I didn't believe it either, until the end of the 30-miler when I realized that I had absolutely no chafing or discomfort from this pack. One major reason for this is that the straps are highly adjustable for the perfect fit. Also, the chest strap has just enough elastic built in such that the strap expands with your breathing. You don't feel confined or "strapped in."  Now here's the really cool part. The front of the pack is a full-fledged Nathan running vest. It has very useful pockets and pouches that are easily accessible while running. Although the little pockets look small, I was easily able to fit the following: 1 Blackberry smartphone, 3 GU's, and 2 PowerBars. (This is in addition to the storage in the rear pack.) Also, the drinking tube clips in to the chest strap when not in use so you don't have to deal with the mouthpiece banging against your chest the entire run. Speaking of the drinking tube, another nice feature is that you can route the tube over either shoulder, in order to customize the pack for your liking. One thing I should note: There is not that much storage capacity in this pack. If you want to carry along a change of clothes, extra pair of shoes, and a Subway footlong, this pack is not for you. However, Nathan now has a complete line of packs, from tiny minimal packs to larger daypacks. Overall I highly recommend this pack if you are looking for a new accessory to extend your runs. For more information, visit: www.nathansports.com. Add Comment Two words: "IMPULSE BUY". I hadn't planned on picking up a new pair of trail shoes, but they just looked so shiny and so downright, um, dare I say *sexy* sitting there at Sports Basement. And once I tried them on I knew I had to take them home.  Since I'm a dedicated Asics guy, I can't compare these shoes to any other previous Brooks models. But, once I tried them on, I made a few immediate observations: 
But the real question is, how do they perform on the trail? Well, I've put about 84 miles on these shoes (according to the trusty training log) including one 20-miler. Here are my observations: PROS:
 CONS:
The verdict? Overall, despite the negatives, I still love this shoe. It may not be the best shoe for the super long-distance ultra-runner, but it's a great shoe if you are looking for a more minimal, great-fitting shoe for 10-20 mile trail runs. And, it really looks cool... :) -c  Today on the run I learned about a new minimalist running shoe: the RunAmoc from Soft Star Shoes. This running moccasin is designed and handmade in Oregon, and comes in a road and trail version. Watch out Five-Fingers, the RunAmoc could be the next best thing since sliced bread! RunAmoc's can be ordered directly from Soft Star Shoes or from a local store. See the website for details.  Now that I have your attention, it's time for another gear review! Last week, I headed into ZombieRunner in Palo Alto to see if I could do better than my good ol' Asics 2140's for trail running. While the 2140's are a good shoe, I was looking for something a little lower to the ground with some better traction. (As an added bonus, I was hoping to acquire a shoe that would not remove the epidermis from the back of my heel like the 2140's after a long run...) Apparently, this "lower to the ground" thing is a real fad right now - just type "minimalist trail running shoe" into Google and see how much stuff you find. Anyway, after trying on about half a dozen different shoes, I settled on the La Sportiva Crosslite. I was immediately amazed how comfortable they were right out of the box. Also, it's like they were made for my feet (which is amazing since I'm a size 13B - luckily this shoe seems to run narrow). Not only is this shoe lower to the ground than any other running shoe I've had, it has aggressive tread for great traction on the dirt. And the coolest feature is the elastic mesh that covers the laces - after tying the laces you can tuck the ends under the mesh so you don't have to worry about the laces catching on anything while running!  Today I took the shoes on their inaugural run. In doing so, I violated the first rule of new shoes: BREAK THEM IN SLOWLY!! But, they felt so comfortable I figured that they couldn't be any more painful than my 2140's. So, I took them out on a ~20-mile loop with about 3000 feet of climbing. Since it just rained, the ground was wet and there was debris on the trails. But wow was I blown away!! The increase in traction was apparent right away, and I finished the entire run with no blisters or sore spots! I could not believe how comfortable these things were. The lower profile gave a noticeable increase in control and ground feel. Also, strangely enough, the Crosslites feel lighter than my 2140's, even though they are spec'ed as 1 oz heavier. Bottom line: I am impressed! I am in love with a shoe!!  Get your very own pair of Minimalist Huarache Running Sandals, made by you or custom-made by Barefoot Ted! "I believe that there are a growing number of runners and outdoor enthusiasts who are looking for time-tested solutions to the challenge of traveling on foot over rugged terrain. The huarache is a viable alternative, an alternative with a long history, and it is an alternative that you can learn how to make yourself." - Barefoot Ted Click here for more info...  It's finally happened. The barefoot running trend has made it to the pages of Time Magazine! The article mentions Born to Run, Vibram Five-Fingers, and some studies done on barefoot running. Read the full article and watch the video here!  Now that it's January, it's only fitting to talk about my favorite cold-weather running shirt. The Saucony Transit Long Sleeve running shirt is my favorite because:
-c  Thorlos Trail Running Socks I thought that it was time to give a shout-out to my favorite trail running socks. Thorlos Trail Running Socks are just amazing, as far as I am concerned. Here's why:
-c  Vaseline: A gooey mess? If you've ever run for more than an hour, you've probably experienced the phenomenon known as "chafing." It's amazing: even the silkiest of running shirt can turn into 60-grit sandpaper on a long enough run. If this is you, then you've probably also tried various methods to prevent the chafing, such as the application of some sort of lubricant/protectant to especially, um, "sensitive" areas. On a recent long run, I got into a discussion about which anti-chafing solution was preferred: Vaseline or Body Glide. (Only when running is it considered socially acceptable for two men to discuss which lubricant they prefer.) In any case, the discussion made me interested whether one or the other was technically "better." It seems that many people have a preference, for example:  Body Glide: Just too stinky? But, I just couldn't find any studies that compare the effectiveness of the two. From the opinions, it seems that most people feel that the Body Glide lasts longer and is less messy. The Vaseline, on the other hand, can be applied more liberally and is more generally available at stores and races. Since we at TrailStompers.com are into the hard sciences, we'd like to hear your opinions! Leave a comment and let us know why you prefer one or the other. Or, tell us your favorite or most embarrassing lubricant story. We'd love to hear from you! -c  The best protective gear? Why is Dawn Dishwashing Liquid listed in the "Gear" section? Well, my friends, it's because this handy bottle may be some of the best protective gear that you will ever own. Why? Read on... I used to get poison oak really badly. REALLY badly. For example, one time after a hike at Point Reyes I awoke to find my eyes swollen shut. I wound up in the emergency room, and was prescribed heavy steroids. It soon became apparent that I had somehow gotten the offending oil on my hands, and had then proceeded to rub my face and eyes, touch my chest and arms, and even, uh, let's say "used the bathroom"... It took months for the scars on my face to fade away. After this I was paranoid to even venture into the woods. But then, a friend of mine suggested that "all you really need to do is remove the oils from your skin - why don't you try Dawn??". This, my friends, was a breakthrough moment in my life. Because of Dawn, I have been able to venture out into the woods, without fear of oozing swollen eyes and private parts. Over the last 6 years or so, I have accidentally touched poison oak, fallen off of my bike into a bush of poison oak... you get the picture. But, as long as I wash thoroughly with Dawn within a few hours, I've been safe. I'll occasionally still get a few small itchy bumps, but nothing like the rashes that I used to regularly get before Dawn. So, my suggestion is to forget the fancy Technu cream, and instead use the Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Perhaps this could be a new marketing ploy?? -c | AuthorsCarl ArchivesJuly 2011 CategoriesAll |
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