Say Hello To My Little Friends!

When it comes to gear and equipment for any sport, I've never put much emphasis on it's importance to the overall sporting experience. Whether it be latest and greatest skis, the shiniest new bike, or a new way of sharpening hockey skates. Not really my thing. I tend to see greater potential for performance improvement in the person operating the equipment equipment, rather than the equipment itself.

With that being said, I would be remiss if I didn't share my love for the new line of minimalist running shoes recently released by Merrell. Of the 3 men's shoes; the Trail Glove, the True Glove, and the Tough Glove (all of which are designed to mimic a similar barefoot experience), I've purchased the True Glove. Although I'm a big fan of the classic Vibram Five Fingers because of the ultimate barefoot experience they provide, I've found that the True Glove provides a similar barefoot experience with the addition of a more rugged sole that affords greater traction on loose, slippery, steep conditions often encountered when trail running. Couple that with the very precise lacing system that provides a super snug fit and I have reason to believe I am in for a long-lasting and meaningful relationship with my new footwear.

The basic concept of barefoot running is to allow the foot, leg, and entire body for that matter,to move naturally while running, which has the potential to lead to an improved running experience for multiple reasons (none of which are discussed in this post). While traditionally running shoes are engineered with complex technology which alters running gait, minimalist running shoes are designed to provide as "minimal" an impact on the runner as possible in order to recreate this shoeless or barefoot experience. So in a way, minimalist footwear could be considered "anti-equipment"....and I can feel less guilty about singing their praises!

If you'd like a read a full review of the shoe, check out this one I found on BarefootRunningUniversity.com:
http://barefootrunninguniversity.com/2011/01/04/merrell-trail-glove-review/