$275 for a trail running shoe !?
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ok, I really like Dylan Bowman. Elite athlete, race announcer, podcaster, and all around nice guy, BUT, his new signature trail shoe costs an eye watering $275….they look like Hokas, have a carbon plate like Hokas, but Hokas TectonX are $200. I get it that DBo’s shoes have BOA laces, but is that worth an extra $75? hmmm. before you write off expensive carbon shoes as being only for the elite, I remember reading a great quote about the TectonX, something like “these shoes might make the most elite set a new course record, they may also help a back of the packer finish before the cutoff”…word!
Brian,
I think this is similar to something that I’ve read a few years back about the Tour de France bikes. The person that was reviewing one of the winners bike said: “this bike is like a Ferrari, in the hands of a good driver its a very fast car, in the hands of the average Joe it’s just a car”. I’m sure carbon shoes will bring some improvements to anyone, but mostly the elites would see/feel those benefits better. I’m sure the 4% that Nike advertises on their shoes is for a sub 5min/mi pace not 10min/mi :).
Personally I think that smart and consistent training will bring a bigger return on investment than a pair of fancy shoes. You might not be as cool thought 🙂
Radu
An athlete I coach, Tom Evans was involved in testing the Addidas new trail shoe with a carbon plate. In the lab it was 12% more economical. That’s 12% less oxygen required for the same pace as a non-carbon shoe. Another athlete I coach, Luke Nelson got a pair of C=carbon plate shoes and sees 40 sec/mile improvement on his commute to work.
Technology does make a difference. Noone races on wooden skis any longer. When fiberglass racing XC skis came around in the late 70s it revolutionized the sport. The technique changes to account for the improved economy.
$275 is crazy money but so are $3000 carbon skimo boots and $15k carbon bikes.
Scott
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