We are very excited, in recent past we feel that New Balance had struggled to keep pace in the every changing highly competitive running shoe market. Released in 2014 their Fresh Foam Midsole has allowed them to become a player in the running shoe category once again. Today we will be taking a look at the new Fresh Foam Zante, a light weight 7.5oz neutral catagory shoe. New Balance has stepped up this new model with many features you will find in other popular brands today such as a 6mm heel to toe drop allowing the foot to land more naturally. A very comfortable breathable no sew upper that almost has a stretchy feel to it alowing it to give with different pressure points on the foot. The Zante's interior is one piece with no sewing verses the older style of using 3 pieces sewn together which could cause discomfort for some runners.

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If you happen to be someone that has problems finding a shoe that doesn't rub your ankles the Zante has a low cut around the ankle area that shouldn't allow any irritating rubbing for you. Being a neutral shoe a higher arch is generally a welcome feel and the Zante has nice arch support and a bit wider toe box than past New Balance models. The high light of the shoe is it's Fresh Foam midsole, manufactures find it hard to make a soft midsole stable but this single piece construction with no gel uses convex and concave shapes modeled into it that allow it to be soft but not sloppy with a nice transition from heel to toe that also gives your toe off that springy feel. Able to handle 5ks to Marathons in comfort and style and surprisingly priced at $100 you should give this one a try if you are in the market for a new light weight trainer / racer.

Have a fun run,

Ultimate Fit

Brooks Pure Series Shoe from Ultimate Fit

Light, cushioned and quick sums up the latest versions of the Brooks Pure series of shoes. Today we are taking a quick look at one of our most popular lightweight stability shoes for the medium arch runner the Brooks Cadence 4. At 7.6oz for the womens sz8 model these are light weight but not fly weight shoes that we believe you get the best of both worlds because it is light enough but still offers plenty of cushion. Brooks uses DNA gel blended into their BioMoGo midsole that adapts to every runner of every size to offer custom cushioning. Brooks incorporates their ideal heel ( rounded heel ) in this model along with a 4mm heel to toe drop that helps to move the point of contact forward encouraging the runner to strike more midfoot. The upper of the 4 series is completely seamless with all of the overlays 3D welded on to reduce any pressure points. The interior is a seamless one piece construction and features a stretch nav-band that fits securely over your instep and offers a nice comfortable fitted feel. Since the Cadence 4 model falls under the light weight category you can expect  mileage to be 250-300 ( your mileage may vary ) in these which is a tad less than a traditional trainer.  If you have a neutual gait Brooks offers this series in the Pure Flow 4 model it has all of the same features as the Cadence 4 but is made for the medium to high arch person that doesn't need a stability shoe. I have ran in the Cadence model on and off for the last few years and feel for a lighter shoe the fit and cushioning are amazing. Stop by and test the Brooks Pure series and see if you agree.

Have a fun run,

Curt Jones

Ultimate Fit