Most runners/triathletes around these parts get sold on a particular brand of shoe. Some are the more popular brands, like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, or Asics. There are also some lesser known brands that have a strong following, like Mizuno, Puma, Brooks, Zoot, and Saucony. Most athletes will find a shoe that works for them and they like, and will stick with the brand. In some cases, many people buy 6 pairs of the shoe when they find it on sale.
I don't really have an allegiance to a particular shoe or brand. In fact, I mainly base my shoe buying decisions on the amount of ca$h money I have to hand over. I tend to look for deals online, check out some photos and brief customer reviews on durability, and usually choose my shoe based on price. I purchased my pair of
K-Swiss Blade Light Runs back in late August/September, in preparation for my first half marathon. I have worn them for 2 races,
the Cerner 15k, and the
KC Half Marathon. To date, I have logged just under 200 miles in them, and feel like I have a good feel for the shoe.
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| Unboxing |
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| Immediately trying them on! |
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| First race in them! |
Purchasing: I originally became interested in the shoes for a few reasons. They were triathlon-specific, meaning they were equipped with loops to help slip them on, had holes in the soles to help with water drainage, and had plenty of vents and mesh to keep my feet cool. I also liked the look of the shoes, which is kinda important to all of the fashionistos running around town....
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| Drainage holes inside the shoe |
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| Larger holes on the bottom of the soles |
I also wanted to try out a K-Swiss product. Many of my favorite professional triathletes are sponsored by K-Swiss (Lietos and Raelerts), and I feel like the company is dedicated to the advancement and promotion of the sport. I wanted to support them, and try out a pair of their shoes! Lastly, I got a hell of a deal on the shoes online, something like $40 off the original price! Can't pass that up!
Feel: Although my experience with running shoes is VERY limited, these shoes just feel different when compared to other running shoes. Maybe it's the sock liner made for sockless runs during triathlons, maybe it's the cushioning. Something is different. When I wear these, I feel like my foot is completely secure in the shoe, as if my foot and shoe are one solid unit. I have virtually zero foot slippage inside the shoe, which has led to a decrease in blisters for me! Yeah!
The only problem with the feel of the shoe for me is the plastic support that wraps around the midfoot. The lateral aspect of the support tends to rub against the base of my pinkie toe on both feet. I've found a solution, though. I basically just skip the first row of lace loops, which allows a little more freedom in the toebox of the shoe.
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| An "aerial view" of the kickzzzz |
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| My Genius lacing solution |
The shoes are incredibly lightweight (8.8 ounces for a size 10, so maybe 9.5 ounces for my size 12s), and I use the shoes for any type of run. Long runs, short runs, recovery runs, walk/runs. You name it. Like I mentioned, I've used the shoes for the KC Half Marathon in October, and frequently use them for speedwork at the track. They are very versatile, and I hope to break them out in a triathlon this summer.
The only problem I might foresee for people considering purchasing this shoe would involve running mechanics and foot striking. While I won't get into the details here, I had some issues wearing these shoes late last year, when I was prone to heel striking. See below:
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| Yup, right on the heel... |
I actually dislocated a bone in my right foot after the KC HM, and I mistakenly attributed the dislocation to the shoes. I didn't wear the shoes again for a few months. In the between time, I worked pretty hard on improving my running mechanics and cadence, which has almost eliminated my heel strike. Now, as a mid foot striker (well, mostly...), I've gone back to using the shoes with great success!
Durability: The shoes have held up great. After almost 200 miles, I can't see any noticeable changes in the cushioning, sock liner, supports, or mesh around the shoe. In fact, they feel even better! I really can't tell as of now how long they will last, but I'm hoping to get at least 400 miles in them before they are retired to my "hospital shoes" rotation. FYI that's one step ahead of yardwork shoes...
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| 200 miles in and still looking fra fra fra FRESHHHH(ish)... |
All in all, I really have loved these shoes, and would recommend them to any midfoot strikers that are looking for a solid lightweight training shoe, or a triathlon racing shoe that offers a good, supportive feel. I hope to try out other K-Swiss products and shoes in the future, and believe and love their company commitment to triathlon!
Any questions about these shoes, leave a comment!
Thanks for reading!
