Stories by Cory

Outside Online •

How Menthol-Infused KT Tape Pro Ice Converted a Kinesiology Tape Skeptic

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . For years, I’ve viewed kinesiology tape—those brightly colored stripes you see on the legs and shoulders of athletes—as nothing more than snake oil, something people used for show without any real benefits. All my experiences with athletic tape involved protecting an injured joint by tightly wrapping and immobilizing it. I was skeptical that a few strips of tape on the skin co
RUN | Powered by Outside •

This Teva Sandal Is Designed for Trail Running. But Can It Handle Rough Terrain?

When it comes to trail running shoes, protection, stability, and a secure fit are absolutely crucial. However, these qualities are not typically the strong points of sandals, which, by nature, prioritize breathability and lightness over support and protection. So when I found out I’d be testing a new pair of sandals designed specifically for trail running, I was intrigued but skeptical. In a move to reconnect with their outdoor adventure roots, Teva quietly launched a new pair of trail running
Runner's World •

These Stability Running Shoes Add Support and Comfort to Your Runs

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Why Trust Us? Long gone are the days of clunky, rigid, stability running shoes. With new designs and cushioning materials, supportive running shoes for overpronators and runners with flat feet or low arches can help you feel more comfortable as you run, while reducing the chance of an injury. The Runner’s World test team and its wear test cohort have sifted through many, many pairs of shoes to find the best stabilit
Outside Online •

The Best Running Shoes for Training and Racing

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . It is a great time to be a runner. Today’s smart shoe designers are using advanced materials, new geometries, and creative combinations of foams, plates, fabrics, and soles to create models that are faster and more comfortable than ever before. Many shoes in this roundup are franchise models, in their second, fourth, 17th, or 21st(!) iterations, representing the best of what t
RUN | Powered by Outside •

We Ran in Adidas’s $500 Super Shoe Until It Gave Out. Here’s How Far We Got.

Designing shoes to improve running speed isn’t a novel concept. Long before the advent of plated super shoes, ultralight, minimalist footwear helped runners achieve faster race times. These lightweight shoes represented a form of performance-enhancing super shoe, as research extensively shows that a shoe’s weight significantly influences running performance. The lighter the shoe, the faster you can run. One study revealed that for every 100-gram (3.5 oz) addition in shoe weight, a 1.11 percent d
RUN | Powered by Outside •

The Best Track Spikes of 2024, Reviewed

Whether you’re getting ready for a race or a hard workout, the process of spiking up stirs a familiar excitement and anxiety for what’s to come: your body instinctively knows it’s time to perform. If you want to compete at your best in track and field, spikes are essential—and today’s are better than ever. Here are our top picks from this spring’s options, what you need to know about choosing a track spike, and the technology behind today’s superspikes. • Best Value: Under Armour Kick Sprint 4
Outside Online •

We Found the Best Trail Running Shoes for Every Terrain

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . It is a great time to be a trail runner. Today’s smart shoe designers are using advanced materials, new geometries, and creative combinations of foams, plates, fabrics, outsole rubber, and lug depths to create models that are more capable on a variety of terrain than ever before. We’re wildly impressed with the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra, our Editors’ Choice, for its r
Outside Online •

This Adidas Is the Best Trail Supershoe We’ve Tested

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . Ever since Nike introduced the Vaporfly 4% in 2017, brands have competed fiercly to craft the ultimate road racing shoe. Commonly referred to as “supershoes,” this innovative footwear employs high-rebound foams and curved, rigid plates to enhance running efficiency while minimizing muscle damage. Simply put, these high-performance shoes are engineered to make you run faster w
Outside Online •

The Nike Alphafly 3 Review Verdict: The Best Marathon Shoe to Date

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . The world was introduced to the ground-breaking, futuristic-looking Alphafly on the feet of Eliud Kipchoge when he broke the two-hour marathon barrier in October 2019. Overnight, every marathon runner wanted a pair, and they finally had the chance to buy their own in June 2020. Two years later, Nike released its second iteration of the popular Alphafly. Seeking to fix some st
Outside Online •

Can This $225 Graphene-Printed Racing Singlet Help You Run Faster?

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . If there were a kryptonite for runners, it would undoubtedly be heat. Even the slightest sign of warm conditions impairs running performance. One study analyzed runners competing in seven marathons over multiple years and found performance declined by .9 percent for every 9 degrees Fahrenheit above 50 for the top three finishers. As marathon finishing times got slower, the eff
Outside Online •

We Put REI’s Algae-Powered, Recycled-Material Trail-Running Shoe to the Test

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . It’s an absolutely thrilling time to be a runner, if I may say so without sounding too much like a complete shoe geek. We are in a golden era of running shoes. Besides exciting advancements in the foams and carbon-fiber plates of supershoes, there’s been an insurgence of brands entering the trail shoe market. Companies such as NNormal, Speedland, Norda, LOWA, Tecnica, Hel
Runner's World •

The Best Rain Jackets Will Keep You Dry, Cool, and Ready to Perform

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Why Trust Us? Renowned Oregon University track coach and Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman once said, "There's no such thing as bad weather, just soft people." We aren't sure we agree, but you don’t have to run on a treadmill just because the weather isn’t perfect. Whether it's an unexpected downpour or a misty drizzle, having a rain jacket that’s breathable, but water-resistant can make it a lot easier to feel comforta
Outside Online •

The Best Track Spikes of 2023

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . Whether you’re getting ready for a race or a hard workout, the process of spiking up stirs a familiar excitement and anxiety for what’s to come: your body instinctively knows it’s time to perform. If you want to compete at your best in track and field, spikes are essential—and today’s are better than ever. Here’s what you need to know about choosing a track spike, our to
Outside Online •

Still the King: Nike Vaporfly 3

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app . MSRP: $250 Weight: 5.8 ounces (women’s 8), 7.0 ounces (men’s 10) Stack Height: Not yet revealed, but less than 40 millimeters heel Heel-toe Drop: 8 millimeters) If running shoes had a king, the Nike Vaporfly would wear the crown. When it debuted in 2016, it created a new class of racer, the supershoe, which quickly made all other racing shoes obsolete. Supershoes’
Outside Online •

Hoka Finally Makes a Competitive Supershoe

When I’m not actively testing shoes for Outside Buyer’s Guides, Hoka is the brand I reach for most often. My regular Hoka rotation includes the Clifton 9 for leisurely days, the Mach 5 or Rincon 3 for moderate days, and the Tecton X for trail running. When it comes to tempo runs, speed workouts, or races, however, Hoka hasn’t been on my radar. Since they jumped into the supershoe competition three years ago, Hoka’s premier go-fast carbon fiber racing shoe has been the Rocket X, which, for my st
GearJunkie •

Low-Profile Shoe That's Got Lots More Than Looks: Tracksmith Eliot Runner Review

We wanted to see if the Eliot Runner is just another running shoe in an already-saturated field, or if it’s something more. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a flood of new brands enter into running footwear — Speedland, Allbirds, Naked, Vimazi, Hilma, and No Bull, to name a few. Now, one of our favorite running apparel brands, Tracksmith, is throwing its hat in the ring with the debut of the Eliot Runner. In short: For its first shoe, Tracksmith did a fantastic job. It’s a low-profile, not
Runner's World •

The Best Massage Guns For Post-Workout Recovery

If you’re a runner, I know you know it–that debilitating post-workout muscle soreness that leaves you gingerly hobbling up and down steps after a long run. When you get done with a long or difficult run, excess metabolic waste pools in your leg muscles, causing inflammation and soreness. This painful yet oddly rewarding feeling in your muscles is delayed onset muscle syndrome, or DOMS. DOMS is an unavoidable side effect of training and pushing your limits, but using a massage gun can help you r
Runner's World •

How to Run With Poles, According to a Pro Mountain Runner

Watch any European trail race or ultramarathon and odds are you’ll find runners huffing and puffing up insanely steep climbs or tip-toeing atop razor-thin mountain ridges with poles in their hands. Running and racing with poles is common practice in Europe. Yet, here in the United States, there seems to be a stigma that running with poles is a sign of weakness. “I’ve had people tell me that I’m ‘cheating’ using poles when I pass them because they allow me to push with both my legs and my arms a
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