Personal Footwear Recommendation Service

Skora Phase in action.

As a featured Optimal Runner and guest blogger for OptimalRun.com, they recently invited me to Personal Footwear Recommendation Service. This service, which can be found by clicking the title above, takes you to an easy to follow, easy to complete form in which they ask you a variety of questions about your status as a runner, your style of running, the shoes you wear, what you like about them, what you don’t, the events you are training for, etc. These questions, which will take you about five to ten minutes to complete (maybe less, I filled mine out on my phone), allow you to create the local running store experience from the comforts of your couch, car, office, boat, or in my case sitting on the beach.

try out their new

Yet, this form is far more complete than a local running store, where a few questions are asked, a treadmill is used, and an employee (typically a strong runner himself) quickly leads you into one or two models he prefers. Optimal Run takes this process a step farther—they examine your answers, pull from their stocks, and present you with a three minute video (in my case) that not only describes in detail the models they have pulled for you, but also why these models fit your profile. They matched my preferences (less shoe, built in tongue, wide toe box) with models that I had yet to try, but might fit me better, both of which seem interesting to me. What adds to the intrigue is that they know I am an Ambassador for Skora Running and thus, instead of taking the easy way out as often found in the local store, they searched for other options in order to expand my horizons.

Screenshot of the Video

Too often you walk into a store, say you wear Altra, and well are handed another pair of Altra. Not to

say Altra doesn’t make a great shoe, the One is in my rotation, just that sometimes these shoes aren’t working for you and an attentive salesman, in this case the form you provide, will find said information and lead you into a more preferable option. That said, Optimal Run often runs weekly coupon specials, posting them on twitter, and if available, they will give you a code with your recommendations. They have free shipping and no questions on returns for a total of 40 days. I have undergone the purchasing process, buying a pair of shoes for a friend, and also gone through the return process in order to understand the ins and outs. They ship priority in all directions, maintain a high level of communication and work to create a satisfied customer.

The Altra Zero Drop One Shoe Review

I have had my eye on Altra Zero Drop from the company’s beginning, but I have always been hesitant to pull the trigger on one of their models. As I’ve written about before, I have been a minimalist runner for a few years, seeking flexibility first, ground feel second, and concentrating on zero drop last due to the fact that I have been a forefoot lander my whole life. Unless I’m exhausted, heel strike has never been a thought or issue. For a few years I used a rotation between Nike Free Runs, Merrell Trail Gloves, and Vibram Five Fingers Bikila, but I’ve been searching for a full answer. Around November of 2012, I made the decision to dump the Nikes on eBay and work on going Zero Drop all the time. Today my primary shoe rotation includes the Skora Form, which gets the bulk of my miles, the Skora Core, which I use for speed work, and now the Altra One, which I use for road runs and recovery.

Why hadn’t I pulled the trigger? At first they were a hard shoe to nail down and put your foot in, plus they had a reputation for running small (the One fits true to size). Another part of the issue was vanity. Altra had yet to make a shoe that piqued my interest stylistically. I loved the idea of a wide toe box, could deal with the odd look it provided, but I wanted the rest of the shoe to have a dose of swag. Enter the One—this shoe looks the part, a bright lime green color composed of mesh that gives excellent breathability, a fact I actively seek out in Florida. Next I had apprehension over flexibility, especially after having a negative experience when I tried Newton Running out (the shoes were too rigid for my tastes).

Flexibility was the first feature I looked for when I left traditional shoes, and it allowed me to run primarily injury free once I acclimated. While the One doesn’t flex as easily as my Skora models or the Nike Frees, the shoe has a good amount of give, moving the way it should and bending as I go. The shoe does not move as one box, but in sections, just as a foot does. The lightweight, racing design (under 8 oz) adds to the shoe’s flex, for the shoe is Altra’s racing model. All this in mind, I ended up with a pair.

So how does the One perform? In terms of road running, I was very impressed. I use this shoe when my feet are sore and worn down. The padding, a stack height of 18mm, gives them a reprieve and a chance to aid my recovery. They are a shoe of choice for one run on days I run multiple times. The padding took some getting used to, and on my first run, I almost felt constrained by the lack of road feel—it is there, but not to the degree I was used to. Yet, my legs felt good, there was no random pain, no undue side effects, and all in all, the run went well. As I worked to incorporate the shoe in, I grew to enjoy a day of less feel, a day to get my feet back. At the same time, I loved putting my Skora’s back on, to feel the ground again. I can’t describe why the juxtaposition feels so good, it just does.

In terms of speed, I’ve used the One for multiple Tempo workouts, and a couple interval based treks. Impact wise, the shoe flexes, allowing my forefoot to land and my heel to the kiss the ground. The shoe has a bulkier feel than my other models, a fact that can be attributed to their build—they are a racing flat, not a foot glove—but you can still move in it. They feel fast, which is a darn good thing considering they are a racing model. I’m still reluctant to take it on the track, a surface where if I don’t use spikes, I want a shoe that hugs my foot like a glove, and with the numbed ground feel I would avoid the trails, but if you are a road runner, one who wants to run fast, try this shoe out.

Pros:

1. The patented Altra Zero Drop toe box. They make a toe box that is wide, spacey, and foot shaped. Your toes are not to touch, are not to crammed together, and I often use one of their graphics, one showing the x-ray of a foot in Altra shoes and one without to illustrate the differences in conventional versus minimal, realistically shaped toe boxes.
2. A great zero drop shoe for those who want to have some padding under their feet. Typically I run in shoes with a lot ground feel—these are not those shoes. They are made for road running, have solid flexibility, but they do not push every pebble, stick, or bump into your foot. If you want a soft ride with a zero drop experience, this model is for you.
3. At $99, this shoe is very affordable. I am unsure on total durability, and typically shoes with this style of padding tend to fade away around 400-500 miles.

Cons:

1. The tongue drives me nuts. It is composed of a thin fabric and pulling on or adjusting it seems to have an adverse effect on the cloth at the toe of the shoe, pulling it a bit taunt. 
2.   In with the tongue, it took a few runs before the lacing felt comfortable. I like a tight shoe, but this shoe doesn’t conform to foot easily, thus I often felt that I laced them too tightly and would have to spend time adjusting the lacing system. On one run I had to stop and loosen them completely do to pain on the top of the foot. A longer run in them resulted in a small bruising of the top of my foot.
3. Lack of ground feel. You have very little, thus keep this shoe on the road and off the trails. I know I listed this as both a positive and negative, but it is. 
4. Rain. In a few recent rain runs, the shoe slipped a lot, you could hear it not holding on the way it should and my stride felt off.
5. The turn my feet green, as in the dye leaks off of them into my skin. That cannot be good.

The Skora Form: 350 Miles In

Forms and Age Group Champ Hat

            The Skora Form represents an aptly named, form fitting shoe put out by Skora Running and the second model I have worn from the fledgling company. I received mine on a Friday night, and threw them on for a ten mile trail run the next morning. In order to love a shoe, I have to able to feel the trail, my foot must be able to bend but not break—a rock or root should not create a sprained ankle, just another moment of increased proprioception. Heading into a trail that is pretty much rocky pine swamp, roots aplenty, rocks here or there, sand pits and the like, I knew my inaugural run would give the shoes a full test. That day, they went through stream, dirt, sand, and a controlled burn (not a big fan of the last one) with ease. After a ten mile jaunt, admittedly a bit too long for a break in run, they still appeared fresh. I had developed small blisters on top of my pinkie toes, but the form is initially a tight fitting shoe.

Forms on left, Bases on the Right

 Composed of goat leather, the shoe molds to your foot, mimicking it, fitting almost like a glove, a process I began to notice after just a few runs. So on runs one and two, the shoes had yet to stretch and contort to the shape and feel of my foot. Since I have wide feet, I would say they stretched out to optimal width after about a week, no longer putting stress on the pinkie toes or any other sections of the foot. Since I had worn Skora Bases a little bit in the past, I knew that I would expect a zero drop shoe with a low stack (13mm in this case). The shoe had the same spongy (yet durable) outsole, of the base, a platform that grasps the ground, holds up in the rain, and slides over trail hazards. At the same time, I like a tight fitting shoe, and while the Base is a comfortable model, the Form fits my wants and needs. Such tightness is achieved with ease—you do not have to pull the laces layer-by-layer, level-by-level. Instead, the offset lacing and absence of a tongue, allow you to pull from the top and find optimal tightness from the get go.

A new pair of Forms on my friend's feet

That said, there will be other questions, especially on the leather itself. Outside of soccer players like myself, many people have never worn a leather athletic shoe. Living in Florida, a place where 80 degrees and high humidity is not uncommon, even in the winter months, the shoe has shown remarkable breathability. My feet do not perspire anymore (or less) than in other brands. The insole, which if you search you might find than many have removed it for a closer to the ground feel, gives adequate cushioning for a minimalist shoe, but if you want to run on a pillow—the Form and the Base for the matter, are not for you.

Only slight wear thus far.

The shoe is of the minimalist vein, if you are new to the shoe type or style, you will want to take it slow. Your calf muscles will feel extra stress until they strengthen, and going gung ho into minimalist running has been shown to increase injuries for some. Work into these shoes, take a few weeks, wearing them over shorter distances to make them your primary shoe (I have been minimalist in style for over three years now). The outsole feels soft, yet Skora’s blog and social media reveals that the Form model has been worn for a thousand miles or more and shows minimal wear. These shoes will last (as a side note, they smell like leather after over 350 miles, there is no other odor).

The sticking point could be price: $185 (some models are on-sale for $129). While this pricing point is controversial, remember that the shoe lasts twice as long as a standard shoe. Two $90 pairs of Nikes may take you only 800 miles or less before they become eBay fodder, thus paying a bit more for a higher quality product is warranted, especially if you can go over a 1000 miles in a single purchase. If you do make the purchase consider ordering a size smaller, Skora shoes run big. I wear 11.5 in Nike/Newton/Merrell but go with 11 in Skora. Lastly, I know I mentioned trail running above, but I have used the shoe on all surfaces—road, rock, grass, trail, and track and for lengths of 0-12 miles, for speed work, racing, and training.



Pros:
1. Great feel, light weight, and the epitome of a minimalist shoe that forms and fits to your foot.
2. Durability: The shoe will last forever, some users report over a 1000 miles on the soles
3. No odor, even after intense use. This is not a lie.

Cons:
1. Toe box: for a minimalist shoe the toe box is a bit narrow for a minimalist shoe. The new season of Skora models has dealt with this issue.
2. Price: $185. Yet they last 2-3 times longer than a $100 shoe, so you do the math.
3. Heel Strap: why is there and what purpose does it serve?