Stories by Cory

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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
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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
GearJunkie •

The Best Bone Conduction Headphones of 2022

Rock out to your favorite playlist while staying aware of your surroundings. These are the best bone conduction headphones of 2022. While bone conduction sounds both futuristic and a bit intimidating, it’s actually a realistic and comfortable alternative to earbuds or over-ear headphones. By moving the vibration of the sound into the cheekbones, bone conduction headphones leave your ears open and able to hear what’s going on around you. Now you can add a soundtrack to your life without drownin
Runner's World •

The Best Men’s Running Pants for Cold-Weather Runs and Workouts

It’s finally pants season! This time of year, all those hot, humid, sweat-drenched runs are past memories, and thanks to the crisp cool air, running magically begins to feel easier. No matter what camp you’re in—tights or pants—running pants can be worn for more than just running, these days. Whether you’re pumping out a few reps at the gym or heading out to run errands, today’s running pants offer better mobility and breathability and are all-around more comfortable. Like all running apparel,
Runner's World •

The 8 Best Nike Running Shoes For Men

Ask any runner to name three running brands, and undoubtedly Nike will be at the top of that list. The company’s impact on the sport of running as a whole is irrefutable, and Nike’s most significant contribution comes in the way of footwear. Nike running shoes have pushed the boundaries of innovation and elevated running to unimaginable levels. Not to take anything away from Eliud Kipchoge’s historical sub-two-hour marathon in 2019, but it begs the question: Without Nike’s help, would we still b
Gear Patrol •

The Best Performance Running Sunglasses for Every Face Shape

People who run with sunglasses tend to fall into one of two camps: you either want to be able to wear your sunnies all the time (outside of just logging miles), or you want something that performs at the elite level and looks can fall into your road dust. (We get it; you’re serious about your sport.) There's no right or wrong, but now, thanks to the work of sports brands — big and small — there exists a happy middle ground. Good running sunglasses are lightweight, scratch-resistant, have nose g
GearJunkie •

HOKA Bondi 8 Review: Big, Bold, Comfortable, and Cleaner Aesthetic

I’ll be perfectly blunt— of all the HOKA running shoes, the Bondi has historically been one of my least favorite. It’s not a bad shoe, or it wouldn’t be HOKA’s bestseller or one of the most popular models for marathoners. With the new 8 model comes a shift. I’ve just always found the large, oversized profile of the Bondi to feel clunky and cumbersome to carry through my gait. But after testing the Bondi 8, I retract my earlier comment. In the proper use case, I found the all-new Bondi 8 to be o
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