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24 | InsideOutdoor | Summer 2011
Running’s
Revival
Running footweaR’s second
Renaissance continues its Run
on cool new technology
by Ernest Shiwanov
The running footwear awakening continues.
As traditional running shoe designs are
being poked and prodded, altered and reinvented,
foot function and its working environment
is getting more eye and less lip.
The flood of imagination and technology
brought about by this creative stirring has
emboldened many to challenge the established
running shoe paradigms. To wit, what was
once a fringe movement, midfoot and barefoot
running has firmly established itself in
the running landscape. Runner/engineer/
agitators motivated by injuries or by specific
ideas for a better running shoe continue
to fuel the new running order. Those with
entrepreneurial tendencies have gone on to
spawn new companies. In the meantime, most
of the athletic shoe manufacturers with running
product are trying to catch up or establish
credence among the runnoscenti.
For those of us who have suffered through many
years of the running product doldrums, this is an exciting
time. After years of hype surrounding technology
that consisted of new color palettes and the same
old EVA midsoles, the new ideas are being embraced

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like Justin Beiber at an all-girls middle
school. What follows are three companies
that have taken that bold trajectory
and what they have done to contribute
to the “Running Spring.”
TECNICa TrS
Tecnica’s outdoor running category
demonstrates the diversity
found throughout this running product
intifada. While all the other shoe companies
are running to find their place at
the barefoot altar, Tecnica has made an
about-face. Instead of falling in line with
the minimal or unshod footwear concepts,
Tecnica has gone supersized. Part
of the reason is simple: performance.
Oversized gear has found its way into
all categories of sports equipment, many
with game-changing consequences. The
oversized tennis racquet, golf club heads
and all manner of fat snow skis have
played important roles in shaping their
perspective disciplines.
The Tecnica Group, no strangers
to the oversize ski revolution and the
bio-mechanics of the lower leg and foot,
has parlayed that knowledge into a
midsole/outsole platform with at least
30 percent more surface area than a
conventional running shoe.
Helped by the CeBiSM (Research
Center for Bioengineering and Motor
Sciences), preliminary results indicate
that by changing midsole geometry and
surface area, as Tecnica has done, runners
can experience a 7 percent reduction in
impact force and a 13 percent decrease
in energy consumption. Any decrease
in impact force and energy expenditure
suggests more efficiency and theoretically
more resources for the runner to increase
the intensity of his or her run (speed,
distance or both).
Other benefits of the oversized midsole/outsole
are trail stability. On uphills,
downhills or traverses, the larger
surface area provides more grip from
additional lugs and a sense of stability
afforded by Tecnica’s unique bathtublike
midsole design.
An integral part of the oversized
midsole platform is its TRS profile.
The design of the rocker is such that it
uniformly transitions the foot through
the entire gait cycle. The rocker platform
is specifically designed to affect the
26 | InsideOutdoor | Summer 2011
rearfoot, midfoot
and forefoot
areas with targeted
functionality. For
example, regardless
of the uphill or
downhill grades you encounter, uphill
you roll up and ramp off your toes,
while the downhill rocker aggressively
dissipates rear and midfoot shock forces.
The TRS profile also creates a high
clearance between the toe or heel’s sole
to the surface directly under it. Tecnica
claims up to 56 percent more clearance
or toe height than traditional running
footwear. With that kind of clearance,
the chances of tripping over something
on the trail lessen significantly. This
valuable feature is reassuring on runs
where a fatigued-induced stumble could
result in a face plant.
TEST rIDE:
THE DIaBLO max
Running downhill is where the TRS
design really shows its stuff. Recklessly
plunging down trails has never
felt so secure (and fun). After doing so
much running in low-profile or minimalist
footwear, I must admit I had a
guilty pleasure from running in this
all-terrain shoe. Every time I stepped
out on the trail, the shoes felt like I was
running on a carpet of soft moss. But
running midfoot was not a problem
despite the amount of material under
your feet. Yes, the shoes do not flex
like most of the minimalist footwear,
but the rocker profile launches you
into your toe-off, partially compensating
for the loss of flexibility.
The TRS profile also could lead one
to assume if the midsole is that big, it
must weigh a lot. That was not the case.
A proprietary EVA compound used by
The Tecnica
Diablo Max, SRP $130
Tecnica reduces the overall weight of the
shoe, bringing it in line with traditional
shoes despite having a considerably
larger footprint.
The TRS MAX is truly an egalitarian
shoe line. No need to show your
barefoot credentials at the door or take
classes on how to relearn running. Anyone
at any level can run in it regardless
if they are a newbie, weekend warrior or
midfoot maven. For the experienced trail
runner, this could be the specialty tool
where extra protection on rough undulating
trails would be appreciated. Just
be mindful of your downhill speed.
ON rUNNING
On Running’s presentation hits you
like a visual arts project. The exterior
of the box is a clean flat black, puffy
cloud graphics line the interior and
then there are the shoes. Like a lavish
main course served in a lacquered
bento box, the shoes are striking. Getting
them to this point, however, was a
long arduous journey.
A Swiss engineer and a world class
triathlete/duathlete, both suffering
from running-aggravated problems,
collaborated on a design concept. After
multiple iterations and lots of athlete
input, the results evolved into On Running’s
Cloudtec.
Cloudtec has several functions, shock
adsorption being one of them. As the
foot initiates the heel/midfoot strike,
the Cloudtec units compress more or
less vertically, helping to mitigate some
of the primary impact. However, the

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Close-up of CloudTec shock absorbing units in the forefoot; photo by E. Shiwanov
engineer of the duo noticed a horizontal
shock component most cushioning
systems fail to address. So CloudTec’s
design continues to dissipate shock carried
by horizontal momentum just after
ground contact.
With all that shock absorption going
on, you would think you would lose a
substantial portion of your energy at toeoff
– like springing off Jell-O. CloudTec
has a solution for that too. As the Cloud-
Tec units compress, locking elements
within engage each other, effectively creating
a firm surface from which to propel.
Just before that happens, another
feature of CloudTec kicks in. A momentary
instability forces your lower body’s
stabilizer muscles to fire.
“On activates the postural musculature
through a controlled instability
that is experienced in the split-second
when the 13 CloudTec elements close on
impact,” explains David Allemann, cofounder
and CEO of On Running. “On
is offering activation combined with
intelligent cushioning that is superior to
traditional running shoes.”
A just released study conducted
by the Institute of Human Movement
Sciences and Sport at the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (ETH) confirms
what On Running athletes surmise. Lead
researchers Urs Boutellier and Claudia
Knöpfli-Lenzin found statistically significant
lower heart rates and lactic acid
levels from 40 fit athletes using On Running
shoes versus their favorite trainers.
28 | InsideOutdoor | Summer 2011
“The physiological benefits of the
On compared to conventional running
shoes seem to increase at higher
speeds,” remarks Boutellier. “It will be
exciting to see how this translates into
competition results.”
Basically, their findings imply you
can run faster expending the same
amount of energy you are now.
TEST rIDE:
CLOUDSUrFEr
For those wanting to take the leap
into the midfoot striking world but up
to now have been undecided, this is the
vehicle to do it in. Even though On’s
midsole platform is lower than conventional
running product, the CloudTec
units in the heel easily will absorb any
momentary lapses back to heel striking.
“On is offering the advantages of
barefoot running without its downsides,”
says Allemann. “You might agree
that barefoot is not a realistic option for
most people, except for short training
sessions on forgiving surfaces. We
On-Running Cloudsurfer, catching
the wave of performance art,
MSRP $159
therefore do see On as going into the
same not the opposite direction of natural
running shoes. In short, On provides
superior cushioning and the activation
of a natural running shoe.”
There is no question about it, the
shoes have scads of shock absorption.
On the downhills, trails or hard surfaces,
I found the impact protection very obvious.
Still, the minimalist feel was right
there with plenty of feedback during
midstance (weight on your midfoot)
through toe-off. The midsole flex has
a definite forefoot hinge due to the
CloudTec element’s forefoot placement,
but that was not a problem. I wondered
if I would feel the individual CloudTec
units through the midsole when I was
up on my toes during long steep uphills.
That proved not to be the case.
While not inexpensive at about $160,
the prospect of better competitions,
training, injury recovery or longer-lasting
shock absorption could well justify
the price of admission. On Running
North American distribution will be
limited to specialty running shops and
select Footlockers close to major running
communities.
aLTra SpOrTS
Jeremy Howlett, co-founder,
cousin and vice president of marketing,
confirms the story. South of Salt
Lake City, in Orem, Utah to be exact,
Runner’s Corner, a family owned and
operated specialty running store, is
where it all started.
It was fertile ground for co-founder
Golden Harper to sharpen his ideas
on what running footwear should be.
His mom and dad, both accomplished
competitive marathoners (his mom
Cheryl being a five time Olympic
Marathon trials qualifier) became the
sole owners of Runner’s Corner in 1995.
Harper started working in the store at
age 9, getting the opportunity to see
the product and hear the customer
feedback, which would later influence
his ideas. Part of that process included
the Runner’s Corner staff and local
runners who began altering their shoes.
Customers saw the staff doing this and
how the alterations could address some
of their own running problems. Under
the guidance of the store staff, 2,000-

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plus customers would have their shoes
modified paying upward of $60 to have
it done. To follow-up on the efficacy
of the changes, the store had customers
voluntarily fill out questionnaires
regarding the customization. In doing
so, the store created a database on what
worked and what didn’t.
Howlett assured Harper a running
shoe niche was staring them in the face,
and it was time to make their move to
start a company. Having been unsuccessful
pitching his shoe designs to the
major running shoe labels but reluctant
to start a new shoe company, a frustrated
Harper, pushed by his doggedly
insistent cousin, finally caved. Thus,
the name Altra Sports, a nod to the
alterations and the ultra-marathons
that Howlett and Harper train for and
compete in, punctuates this quest for a
natural, foot-like running shoe.
Harper bases Altra shoes on three
main design principles: foot-like shape,
gender specificity and no midsole height
differential. Let’s look at foot shape and
gender-specific features à la Altra Sports.
FOOT-SHapED SHOES
It’s pretty obvious when you look
down, most of us have similarly shaped
feet. However, over the years, shoe marketers
have exerted their influence over
the shape of shoes to drive sales. The human
body, being what it is, has adapted
to all manner of unnaturally shaped
footwear. Stiletto heels and pointed toe
cowboy boots, whose popularity today is
as strong as ever, are two such examples.
By the mid 1970s when athletic shoe
companies started to exploit the growing
ranks of fitness enthusiasts, most manufacturers
adapted their shoe shapes from
street shoes. As more athletes, bio-mechanists
and exercise science professionals
got involved in shoe design, the focus
turned to the upper materials and the
midsole’s shock-absorbing properties.
A few companies and individuals
dared to build shoes shaped like the
human foot. Rick Vandertie and Carl
Brandt of Movin’ Shoes, today one of
the top 50 specialty running retailers in
the U.S., were fed up with the running
footwear de jour. In the mid-1980s,
they shopped their Tara minimalist
foot-shaped shoe design to most any
30 | InsideOutdoor | Summer 2011
manufacturer that would listen. The
companies wouldn’t listen to Vandertie
and Brandt, and 25-plus years later, as
Harper can attests, their hearing hasn’t
improved much.
“Healthy feet are shaped like our
shoes,” says Harper. “Other shoes are
not shaped like healthy feet and actually
deform the shape of the foot and kill
The Tara, circa mid 1980s, was
minimal, basic, low-profile, footshaped,
limited in production and
before its time; photo by Carl Brandt
balance, power and agility, as well as
create many foot problems (bunions,
neuromas, forefoot pain, etc.), the vast
majority of which do not exist at all in
unshod populations.”
GENDEr-SpECIFIC
DESIGNS
With the help of a former Nike biomechanist
and head of the Advanced
Projects team, Altra Sports has taken
a hard look at the differences between
men’s and women’s feet. Again, Harper
says the evidence is clear.
“On average, women have longer
arches, higher insteps, a slightly different
ball of foot angle (metatarsal
positioning), narrower heels and wider
forefeet than men,” he
says. In short women
Altra Sports Zero Drop model
generally are more V shape, and men
more rectangular.
Harper goes on to say his 20 years
of retail floor sales mirror those findings.
Armed with that data, Altra
has developed at least four different
gender-specific lasts (lasts are the plastic,
foot-shaped forms on which footwear is
constructed) tailored to accommodate
pavement, trail or barefoot utility.
ZErO DrOp
Completing Altra’s design triumvirate,
Zero Drop is where the rubber literally
meets the road. To understand Zero
Drop, let us look at midsoles in running
shoe designs.
As a standalone component, traditional
midsoles have a 50 percent higher
heel to forefoot height. So a typical
wedge-shaped midsole measures approximately
26mm of platform under
the heel tapering down to 13mm under
the ball of the foot. Zero Drop simply
means Altra’s shoes have a uniform
midsole height from the heel to the ball
of the foot or a zero percent midsole
height differential.
The idea here is to provide protection
from real-world running surfaces
yet foster a barefoot stride experience.
Harper likens Zero Drop to “OEM for
humans,” you were born barefoot so the
shoe should accommodate our barefoot
initial state.
He also says independent biomechanical
studies show zero midsole
height differentials “allow for full
Achilles loading, which means a more
powerful, natural push off, which results
in more speed and efficiency.” Harper
also points to the other benefits most
minimalist shoe manufacturers or
barefoot runners claim: less
injury, better running form
and decreased initial
impact forces.

Altra Sports Instinct
and Intuition women’s
models
TEST rIDE:
aLTra INSTINCT
The feature I noticed right away
was the even flex of the shoe – there is
no noticeable hinge at the metatarsal
heads. The foot-shaped last and upper
was supportive, not at all sloppy, but
with extra space for your toes to splay
during toe-off. The Instinct has three
wear options: without a sockliner (i.e.
insole, footbed, etc.), with the 3mm
thick Strengthen Footbed or the 5mm
Support Footbed. I used the Support
Footbed, a typical-looking contoured
sockliner you see in all footwear.
The midsole is a bi-component laminate
consisting of EVA and A-Bound,
Altra’s proprietary shock mitigating
layer. Between the two, you get a very
smooth, predictable, yet low-impact
ride. The rounded outsole heel design
accommodates various terrains,
and I found it able on downhill trails.
Overall, the Instinct is smart, practical
and appropriate for practitioners of
the minimalist running form, yet not
so specialized where less experienced
midfoot runners would be ill-advised
to try. This versatility and great value at
$100 makes choosing this shoe for your
running quiver a no-brainer.
With no sign of this running shoe creative
burst abating, it will be interesting
to see what tomorrow brings. Perhaps
the major athletic shoe companies will
be goaded into taking their considerable
resources and getting more involved
in this inspired happening. As a group,
they seem to be conspicuously absent
from the hubbub.
Materials have improved tremendously
and are within the reach of the
major athletic shoe manufacturer’s
research and development teams. Even resurrecting old ideas
previously not achievable due to technical limitations might be
conceivable with today’s new processes and materials.
Nevertheless, for runners, this is a great period
in running shoe technological advancement,
made all the sweeter
by its grassroots feel. The knowing-doing
running shoe design
barrier has been breached, and
there seems to be no stopping it.
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Summer 2011 | InsideOutdoor | 31