Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.” So, in 2009 when Christopher McDougall published his New York Times best-selling book, Born to Run, in which he told the story of an ancient running tribe called the Tarahumara and suggested that running shoes were the root cause of many running-related injuries, it was impossible to foresee the ripple effect he would have on redefining modern footwear. In the book, McDougall referenc

Most people fall into one of two camps when it comes to hiking footwear. You either prefer the support and protection of a full-on hiking boot or the comfort and flexibility of a trail runner. However, somewhere in the middle sits a class of technical mountain shoes only a few people outside the climbing world appreciate – the approach shoe. Perhaps the most versatile class of mountain footwear, the approach shoe is a tough-as-nails, below-the-ankle blend of hiking boot, trail runner and climbi

First introduced in 2013, the Adidas’s Boost foam marked a groundbreaking shift in how running shoe midsoles were made. Prior to Boost, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) was the industry standard foam. Adidas broke the mold when its innovation team collaborated with chemists at German chemical company BASF to explore how they could give running shoes a softer, more comfortable underfoot feeling while maintaining a high level of responsiveness. The result? A material called expanded thermoplastic pol

Peel Out. Six pairs of pavement gluttons.

Carbon-fiber-plated running shoes from Nike may grab all the headlines. But Hoka's more-inclusive take on the technology is the one most people should buy.

What do a car, boat and plane have in common? If you’re thinking an engine, you’re right. However, despite having a common denominator, you wouldn’t use a car to fly or a boat on the roads; their use cases are very specifically built. Carbon fiber plated running shoes are similar. While not as obvious as the preceding example, each carbon fiber shoe is designed for a certain type of runner. Believe it or not, the first carbon fiber running shoe debuted over 15 years ago when Adidas experimented

Our expert advice and complete buyer’s guide will help you find the best treadmill for home. Whether looking for a budget pick or an interactive powerhouse, we’ve got you covered. Buying a treadmill is not an easy task. For starters, all treadmills look virtually the same — dark-colored, oversized, mechanical conveyor belts. Trying to decipher between makes and models is all but impossible for most. Digging into some of the specs requires nothing short of a degree in mechanical engineering. To

Winter poses enough challenges for runners. Between the frigid temps, variable weather and short days, just mustering up the will to step foot outdoors can cause even the most motivated runner to think twice — or retreat to the hamster wheel know as the treadmill. At the same time there’s also a refreshing lively feeling one gets when forgoing climate control in favor of braving the elements. The sense of pride and knowing nod from each runner you pass solidifies the notion: I’m a real runner.

Outdoor enthusiasts know Gore-Tex has long been the leader in foul-weather protection — and Gore-Tex Pro is the brand’s highest-performing fabric. Targeted at the extreme end user and the outdoor professional, garments with this ingredient offer unparalleled protection, durability and breathability. And next year the material is going to be even better. We journeyed to Banff, Alberta, Canada for Gore-Tex’s global announcement of the next generation of Gore-Tex Pro fabric. Three new advancements

Your GPS watch will lose its signal during the New York City Marathon. Here’s how to bypass it and know your true pace. Picture this: It’s race day in New York, and you’re just coming off the Verrazzano Bridge. As you pass the second mile marker you hear the beep of your GPS watch and glance down to find you’re right on pace. Perfect. You’re feeling good. As you start to approach the third mile marker, beep, your GPS notifies you just hit three miles, still pacing perfectly. Five seconds later

The La Sportiva TX Guide is at home on both flat terrain and near-vertical crags. It’s a great choice for fast-and-light hikers on technical terrain. As the horizontal world of running and the vertical world of climbing start to blend, there is a gap in technical footwear suitable for these hybrid adventures. You either lean toward a trail-running shoe that runs better but lags in climbing ability, or you go with an approach shoe that climbs well but offers a less-than-desirable ride while runn

In a sport where gravity is your foe and friction is your friend, no single piece of gear aids you more than a pair of quality rock climbing shoes. With your feet making 50 percent of your contact with the cliff or wall, and bearing the majority of your weight, finding the right pair for your ability level and type of climbing can mean the difference between getting to that next hold and falling off. However, zeroing in on your perfect pair is no easy task. REI alone sells 58 varieties of climb

Let the carbon-fiber running-shoe craze begin. Not long after Nike successfully incorporated the superlight material into its trainers, Hoka and New Balance jumped into the ring, too. Round one went to the 2018 Gear of the Year–winning Nike Zoom Fly. Round two belongs to Hoka’s Carbon X. Whereas the Zoom Fly is better suited to forefoot-striking elite athletes, the Carbon X is the everyday runner’s superhero cape. Hoka’s rocking-chair-like outsole propels heel and midfoot strikers onto their toe

I’m not a tech geek, I’m a runner. I like technology and recognize it can make certain tasks easier, but when it comes to running, distraction-free simplicity rules all for me. I want a GPS watch that gets a reliable signal, is easy to read while running and is intuitive to navigate through the settings. Over the past 10 years, my trusty Garmin 235 has filled that job perfectly, so when Garmin recently announced a new line of Forerunner GPS watches, I was intrigued- could the new, $50 cheaper Ga

Come race day, the right mindset will make or break your race. Like the famous proverb says, “Running is 90% mental and 10% physical.” One of the easiest ways to get into a positive mindset on race morning is having a dedicated race day kit. One that looks good and will elevate your confidence once you put it on – like your finest suit you only reserve for special occasions. I still very clearly remember the day I first received my college race day kit – a simple white jersey tank top that read

Do the dog days of summer have you feeling worn down and yearning for cooler temps? I hear you. Unfortunately, there are still weeks of sweating it out before it’s time to break out your warmer running clothes. On the upside, late summer and early fall are the best times to stock up on fresh running gear. Besides the possibility of cashing in on late-season sales, buying new digs can inject some newfound motivation to get out the door and suffer through another steamy run. Over the past three mo

Most people fall into one of two camps when it comes to hiking footwear. You either prefer the support and protection of a full-on hiking boot or the comfort and nimbleness of a trail runner. However, somewhere in the middle sits a class of technical mountain shoes only a few people outside the climbing world know about – the approach shoe. Perhaps the most versatile class of mountain footwear, the approach shoe is a tough-as-nails, below the ankle blend between a hiking boot, trail runner and c

Over the course of one mile, running shoes bear the brunt of over 1,400 steps and endure forces three times your bodyweight. No other piece of running gear is subject to that level of abuse — and more critical to your performance. They are literally where the rubber meets the road, yet as a running coach who helps over 150 runners per year, I keep seeing the same mistakes over and over when it comes to buying running shoes. Here are three of the most common mistakes I see and how you can to avoi

When Nike launched the Zoom Vaporfly 4%, it was groundbreaking. Thanks to a combo of the shoe’s researched-confirmed efficiency benefits and the broad-reaching publicity it received, everyone wanted a pair. And competitors wanted to respond. Since Nike’s launch, Hoka and Skechers have both produced carbon-fiber running shoes. Earlier this month, in a staged event to launch Hoka’s second carbon-fiber shoe, Jim Walmsley broke the 50-mile world record (pending verification), running 4:50:08 in the