Down to the Pinkie

I am, for all practical purposes, a purist. If a person comes up with an original idea, sometimes it makes me think "oh what a copy cat" about all those who take that original idea and tweak it.

Some do it pretty well. Take the Androids and Steve Jobs' iPhone. Jobs opened a world to cell phones and connectivity that has set the ground rules for the way we communicate in modern day. The Android and it's fun platforms (Gingerbread, Froyo, Ice Cream Sandwich) as well as Google's apps have taken Jobs ideas to a new level.

But there are others I have to wonder about.

Take the Vibram Five Fingers. That weird sock shoe that, were it not for the lively colors, you would think the person wearing them was barefoot. Well, Adidas decided to do their own version of the barefoot running shoe.

Enter the adiPURE Trainer.

This is a shoe that is coming off the heels of (pun intended) a lawsuit that Fila is subject to for infringement of three patents that Vibram has.

No word yet on whether they are going after Adidas as well.

I like looking to see what the quality is like on an item like this. First thing that strikes me is that it looks "soft". Especially over the foot where the stripes are. That to me, is not a good sign.

I'm rough with my shoes and when I go running, they take a beating. The soles look sturdy but I'd be worried that I'd one day rip the top off when I got to pull them on. The area where the toes are look like they've been double-lined but since that is where the toes bend and lift, I'm wondering how long you can go in these without digging a hole with your nail from your big toe?

These are the infamous shoes of the Vibram lawsuit: the Fila Skele-Toes. They are four-toed, combining the last two toes on your foot into one socket.

They are made of a two-ply nylon on the top with two bungee cords to tighten and a velcro strap.

I will have to admit, in terms of how they look, quality wise as well as style, I would choose the Fila Skele-Toes over the Adidas adiPUREs. They just don't seem to look sturdy enough.

 Plus, I like the sole detail of the Skele-Toes.

Whoever wins the lawsuit, I still think it's interesting to see these different types of shoes and each company's take on this idea.

Feet That Fly

Running was the first of the three disciplines I started training when I decided to do a triathlon.

It is also the one that weighed most upon me. Literally. Getting off the bike and running was like asking me go and happily peel off every finger and toe nail with a pair of pliers.

Not going to happen.

But shoes are an amazing thing. And here are a selection of the more specialized running shoes, with a particular emphasis on triathlons:

Zoot Women's Ultra Tempo 4.0

I've been a Zoot wearer for a long time and these are the choice for the stability runner (like me):

Love the pop of color against the silver and black. This also comes in pink.

Ecco has been known for making a very comfortable shoe and it's one I always associate with my dad, who is crazy about this brand. It has never struck me as a contemporary look but their Biom line is something I rather liked. The color is definitely sporty and it's a very attractive shoe.

Ecco Biom

Now, there is one shoe that I've always been curious to try but have always been a little iffy, seeing as that I have a very wide foot.

That shoe is the Vibram Five Fingers. It's truly a sock-shoe, taking the Japanese tabi socks to new heights by actually having each and every individual toe in a separate aperture. It's an odd "shoe" and I kind of feel like telling the person who's wearing them to put on some socks. Apparently, it's great for an injury-free run.

Vibram Five Fingers 2011

This shoe is not for everyone but you do have the occasional person running an Ironman in these.

You've also got your staple triathlon shoe in Newton. Lots of pros have been known to promote this brand and with due reason. Their racers are traditionally as light as socks. And there is no missing out because they are always noticeable in their red lettering against a bright yellow background.

Craig Alexander wearing
Newton's Stability Shoes
in yellow

So there it is. Shoes seem to be looking good this year.

I think I'll be asking Santa for some early Christmas presents.