Novablast 5 & Neo Zen. I like flexible & soft shoes for long runs.
Been using Megablast lately, but the stiffness makes my legs have to work harder in them. Also my glute hurts in them towards the end. Just bought Altra Flow 2 & wore them for 1 run, but will likely use them to replace Megablast. They feel fantastic.
I'm at 450 miles & I've tried using them for everything but struggle to find a use for them. At first they were my speed workout shoes but I struggled getting them going at anything faster than 1/2 marathon pace. They feel clunky, & are loud (better now that it's warmed up though.). Then they started giving me major glute & upper hamstring tightness to the point I can't wear them for any speed stuff.
Switched to using them for long runs, but lately I can't go longer than 50-60 min in them before the tightness settles in. I have to head back home & switch to my Altra Flow 2s to finish my run. Soon as I put the Altra's on the tightness goes away. I don't know if it's the lower drop or lower stack height or more flexible foam vs the MB massive stack & stiff foam. Occasionally I'll use them for easy runs of 45-50 min but feels like using a Ferrari to do a grocery run when I could just use my $12k Camry errr $90 Altras
I do like the sponginess of the foam & I haven't made a dent in the lifespan, so I wish they'd work for me. I get 25% off Asics through healthcare discount but the only ASICs that interest me now are the Noosa Tri & maybe the new Novablast, since I really liked the NB5. Novablast 5 is the best shoe in the Blast series. I'll see myself out now, lol.
I love the Kinvara! I recently tried on the Altra Experience Flow 2, have you tried that? I ask because that shoe has 4mm drop, is lightweight like the Kinvara, but the midsole is significantly softer which gives the shoe a bit more protection for long runs imo than the Kinvara.
The second version is way softer. The first version is fairly firm and has a pronounced forefoot rocker. The second feels much more plush and slightly more flexible on my foot.
I have wide feet (10.7cm wide, 26cm length, 25.7cm girth). I just tried Altra FWD Via 2 and Experience Flow 2 in US 9 this morning, as well as Topo Phantom 4 in US 9, which felt better for me. But honestly they were pretty comparable and I think I'd be happy with either Altra or Topo. I think I liked the Phantom 4 better because it felt like it cushioned my feet more? I have very high volume and high arches. I definitely need it in Wide, though—as my feet swell on long runs, my feet will appreciate the extra room that the Wide offers.
Since the FWD Via 2 and Phantom 4 felt similar for me, I'm curious if you have any thoughts, insights, comparisons between FWD Via vs. R1?
abr797
