Stories by Cory

Footwear News •

The 10 Best Asics Running Shoes of 2021, Tested by Experts

Back in the ’80s and ’90s, Asics was largely considered one of the undisputed leading running brands. The team at Asics was on a roll innovating and introducing award-winning running shoes one after another. I still very clearly remember every runner during that time seeking out running shoes with Asics Gel technology. However, starting in the 2000s, the tide started to change for Asics. Brands like Nike, Brooks and Hoka stepped in the limelight, leaving Asics — who still relied on the formula
Footwear News •

The 10 Best Adidas Running Shoes, According to Footwear Experts

Three angled stripes — so simple, yet so iconic in the world of sports. This is the Adidas logo, a logo seen on the feet of Olympic champions, world record holders and some of the best athletes the world has ever seen. Adidas’ role in the sport of running began well before Nike was even a thought. As the second largest sports shoe company in the world today (Nike is first), adidas makes some of the best sneakers you can buy. How it all started is an interesting story. Most sibling rivalries in
Footwear News •

The 11 Best Nike Running Shoes of 2021, According to Experts

To say Nike shoes have shaped the sport of running would be a gross understatement. The two are as intertwined as peanut butter and jelly. Watch any race, and you’re most certainly going to find the notorious “Swoosh” logo littered on the feet of professional and amateur runners alike. Nike’s strong presence in today’s running market is a direct result of its origin in the sport. It was a relationship between University of Oregon’s track coach Bill Bowerman and one of his athletes that kindled
Gear Patrol •

The Best Percussion Massage Guns of 2021

You know the feeling: the all-too-familiar post-workout aching muscle hobble. The kind of uncomfortable feeling that could leave you sidelined with soreness for days. Yet, day after day, we all bear the sometimes-debilitating pain like a badge of honor. It’s considered a sign your hard work and sweat paid off and that toned body you desire is just a few more workouts away. This painful, yet oddly rewarding, feeling in your muscles is something called delayed onset muscle syndrome, or DOMS, an
GearJunkie •

Scarpa Surprises With 'Ribelle Run' Record-Setting Trail Shoe: Review

Scarpa may not be at the top of the list for many when it comes to trail/mountain running shoes, but with the release of the Ribelle Run, it absolutely should be. I’ve always been a huge Scarpa fan. For over a decade, they’ve made some of the best mountaineering, skiing, climbing, and hiking shoes. But in terms of tried-and-true trail running shoes, the brand just hasn’t had the same popularity. Fellow European brands like Salomon and La Sportiva have largely taken the limelight. But that’s al
Gear Patrol •

The Best Adjustable Kettlebells of 2021

One the most rudimentary yet versatile pieces of fitness equipment is the kettlebell. With origins dating back to 18th-century Russia, the heavy ring-and-ball combo can be employed in a plethora of ways beyond to increase strength, power, endurance, coordination and flexibility. “The kettlebell is the most effective tool I’ve ever come across,” attests , elite kettlebell coach and founder of the . “It teaches all the different qualities we want to improve upon in terms of developing well-rounde
GearJunkie •

The 65 Special Running Workout: A Test of Speed and Endurance

As a runner, it’s important to test your fitness. While races serve as the best way to measure your fitness and the effectiveness of your training, a fun and less stressful way can be a staple test of fitness workout like the 65 Special. Every running coach I’ve worked with has had one iconic test of fitness workout. One that’s so hard, just completing it as prescribed is a rite of passage. Typically, these workouts followed a long period of hard training without races and were repeated year a
Gear Patrol •

The Best Rock Climbing Shoes of 2021

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. As your feet represent 50 percent of your contact with the cliff or wall and bear 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 . Nuances such as a st
Gear Patrol •

The 11 Best Camping Air Mattresses of 2021

Ah, the great outdoors — the fresh smell of pine trees, majestic mountain views, flowing rivers and meandering dirt paths through lush forests. Endless adventure awaits at every turn. Once darkness rolls in though, a fitful toss-and-turn kinda night can really kill the vibe. If you love camping, but dread camp sleeping, having the proper high-quality camp mattress can make a world of difference. Camping mattresses fall into three categories: foam pads, air-inflate pads and self-inflate pads. Fo
Gear Patrol •

The 10 Best Camping Cots of 2021

Tossing and turning in your tent? Get off the ground and upgrade your camp bedding, figuratively and literally, with a quality camping cot. A camping cot supports you more like an actual bed, which can make a huge difference in sleep quality. It’s also a heck of a lot easier to get in and out of than something close to the ground – a welcome feature for older or stiff-muscled campers. Cots also help to regulate body temperature. In chilly weather, a cot keeps you off the cold ground. In the
Gear Patrol •

The Best Ab Machines of 2021

Remember the famous ? The classic mid-nineties VHS workout tape featured three spandex-wearing fitness pros on the grass, sculpting their six-packs in just eight minutes a day. Believe it or not, the concept was highly successful, to the tune of $20 million in less than two years. While you’ll still need a healthy diet to reveal a ripped midsection and toned obliques, don’t dismiss what eight minutes of hard work done regularly can do for your core. If consistent, you’ll notice a tighter, stron
GearJunkie •

Burrito-Style Hiking Pack: Patagonia Altvia Backpack Review

Patagonia quietly released a new line of four eco-friendly day and light overnight hiking packs. We hit the trails in the largest-capacity pack, the Altvia 36L, to put this lightweight pack through the wringer. If you did a quick browse of Patagonia’s technical pack selection before spring 2021, you’d be hard-pressed to find any technical hiking-specific pack over 30L. A search would have yielded only four packs over 30L capacity: the Cragsmith 32L and 45L and Ascensionist 35L and 55L, all pack
Gear Patrol •

The Best Home Gym Machines of 2021

Home gym equipment used to be consigned to the dark, unused corners of basements. Spaces that required uncommon motivation simply to get there to actually attempt a workout. But in 2021, accelerated by the pandemic, home gym equipment is anything but dingy and boring. These days, it falls into two categories: traditional and connected/smart fitness machines. Traditional includes the good old-fashioned, suns-out-guns-out, iron pumping machines like dumbbells, squat racks and cable machines. Thes
GearJunkie •

ASICS Challenges Nike Super Shoe With 'MetaSpeed Sky': Review

With ASICS’s latest running shoe, Nike can no longer claim dominance as the fastest shoe on the market. We put the MetaSpeed Sky to the test to see how it stacks up to the vaunted Vaporfly. I’ve tested every carbon fiber running shoe on the market. The Nike ZoomX Vaporfly NEXT% is hands down the best carbon fiber running shoe for competitive runners. It was the super shoe that helped break the 2-hour marathon barrier, and lab tests confirmed it markedly improved running efficiency. It’s the un
Gear Patrol •

The Best Pull-Up Bars of 2021

Despite its simplicity, a horizontal bar is probably the single best piece of strength equipment you can have. Dollar for dollar, you can squeeze out more exercises and hit more muscle groups than with any other piece of home fitness equipment. Want a V-shaped back? No problem – do wide and short grip pull-ups. Bulging biceps? – bust out some chin-ups. Six-pack abs? – leg raises and windshield wipers are your ticket to that coveted chiseled torso. I’ve spent my fair share of time on a pull-up
GearJunkie •

The Best Fitness Watches of 2021

A good fitness watch assures your workout is tracked and logged in addition to providing data to get you in better shape. We tested the leading fitness trackers and GPS watches to find the best. Fitness encompasses a host of activities from walking to running to golfing, all with different metrics to track. The best fitness watch or fitness tracker is one that fits your workout regime, tracks the data, and fits with your lifestyle. Beyond my own testing, I reached out to the clients I coach an
Run Your Personal Best •

Brooks Hyperion Elite 2 Review: First Run Impressions

Immediately two things struck me about the Hyperion Elite 2; despite sharing the same name as the original Hyperion Elite they are nothing alike and these are the closest shoes I’ve tested to the Nike Vaporfly 4%. I’m hesitant to say the Vaporfly 4%, but that’s now the measuring stick for all carbon fiber plated racing shoes these days. Head-to-head test I would still pick the Vaporfly 4%, but Brooks has produced what I would say is the only shoe worthy of a performance level comparison. Right
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