Instinct Trail Evolution 7L Running Vest Review

Article by Mike Postaski

Evolution 7L Vest ($140)

Introduction

Instinct Trail running vests are a staple in the European trail running scene, but I’ve never seen one state-side.  I have heard many good things though, and the RTR team raves reviews about their Reflex Belt here as well as their larger X-10 L vest  here . I got a full demo from founder Sean Van Court at the 2024 The Running Event - he was very excited to explain how every single feature and detail of the vests were designed with funct ionality in mind. 

The main focus of their vests are high capacity and accessible storage (especially up front) as well as comfortable and secure fit.  They have a wide variety of capacity options from super lightweight short race options, to typical ultra-focused designs, up through larger multi-day or expedition/fastpacking  type vest/packs.

I have been testing their Evolution 7L vest, which is in the middle of their range, and trail running and racing focused. I’d say for the distances that I focus on for training and racing, this 7L model is the most versatile option, offering range to go lighter and also enough capacity to handle longer stuff. The 10L model would also be suitable - it’s distinguished by a larger zipper pocket and capacity in the rear, likely better for colder races, where more layers are needed or other situations that require higher capacity.

Craft Kype Pro Initial Review

Article by Michael Ellenberger 

Craft Kype Pro ($300)

Craft has put forth a new entrant in the high-performance marathon racing scene with the Kype Pro, a shoe designed to deliver elite-level speed, responsiveness, and efficiency… at a price. Yes, with an eye-popping (though ultimately just-slightly-above-market) $300 price tag, this shoe is going to draw attention, though perhaps not to the same degree as the Adidas Evo 1 and its $500+ bill. 

Fortunately, this supershoe loads in basically every feature around - including a nitrogen-infused Pebax midsole and a skeletal additive molded carbon fiber plate engineered by Arris Composites  

Testbericht: On Running - Cloudsurfer 2. 7 Vergleiche (German)

Artikel von Markus Zinkl und Ingrid Zasa

ON Cloudsurfer 2 (170,00 €)

Einleitung

Markus:

Da die Meinung über den originalen Cloudsurfer im RTR Team überwiegend positiv war, war meine Neugier für den neuen ON Cloudsurfer 2 besonders groß. Ich wollte wissen, ob er den Ansprüchen eines regelmäßigen Läufers gerecht wird – sei es beim Tempo oder bei längeren Strecken. In den folgenden Kapiteln berichte ich detailliert aus meiner Perspektive über meine Erfahrungen mit diesem Schuh.

Ingrid: Nach meiner eher ernüchternden Erfahrung mit dem Cloudmonster 2 im letzten Jahr war ich besonders gespannt darauf, wie sich der Cloudsurfer 2 schlagen würde. Beide Modelle werden zwar als Daily Trainer beworben, richten sich jedoch an unterschiedliche Läufertypen. Umso mehr interessierte mich, ob der Cloudsurfer 2 meinen Anforderungen besser gerecht werden würde. Kleiner Spoiler: ja!

Speedberry Trainer Multi Tester Review: 7 Comparisons

Article by Ryan Eiler and Sam Winebaum

Speedberry Trainer ($150)

Introduction

Ryan: Old school with a modern hint of Brooklyn funkiness—that’s the Speedberry Trainer to my eye. From both an aesthetic and performance standpoint, this shoe harks back to simpler times while subtly integrating modern design elements. 

What stands out most, though, is the story behind it. Speedberry is a passion-driven, entrepreneurial effort, and regardless of how the shoe performs, you have to admire the courage it takes to plunge into the wildly complex and competitive world of performance footwear. What a daunting journey it must have been to arrive here and release this into the world.

The result? A lightweight, back-to-basics trainer that keeps things simple and focused on function. There are no unnecessary frills, just a breathable upper, a thoughtfully tuned supercritical foam midsole with a midfoot carbon shank, and a distinct personality. It’s the kind of shoe that feels effortless on foot and is in many ways a refreshing alternative to the max-stack, overly engineered trend that dominates the market today.

Testbericht: VJ Shoes Ultra 3 5 Vergleiche (German)

Artikel von Nico Wagner und Markus Zinkl

VJ Shoes Ultra 3 (189,00 €)

Einleitung

Markus:

Dies war mein erster VJ Laufschuh, den ich testen durfte, und die Vorfreude war riesig – vor allem, weil der VJ Ultra 2 vor zwei Jahren von meinen RTR-Kollegen schon so hoch gelobt wurde. Damals standen der super Grip, der hervorragende Lockdown und der großzügige Platz im Vorfuß im Vordergrund, die den Schuh zu einem vielseitigen Begleiter machten, auch in steinigem Gelände. Natürlich gab es auch ein paar kleinere Haken: Der Schuh war etwas schwerer als Version 1, fiel etwas klein aus und der Übergang unter dem Mittelfuß ließ beim Laufen nicht immer geschmeidig wirken. Ich war also gespannt, ob der Ultra 3 diese positiven Eigenschaften übernehmen und die kritischen Punkte verbessern konnte.

Cumulus Climalite Full Zip Jacket Review: LIght, Full Featured and Priced Right!

Article by Matt Kolat 

Cumulus Climalite Full Zip Jacket ($230/£179)

Introduction

Cumulus is a Polish brand specialising in ultralight hiking, mountaineering and trail running gear and clothing. The brand was first established in 1989 and its focus is on down products and making all their gear as light as possible. They have a strong focus on gear development and are a market leader in sleeping bags, hammocks, mattresses and many more items you might find interesting. Today I will be having a closer look at their synthetically insulated jacket - the Climalite. 

Diadora Gara Carbon 2 Multi Tester Review: Delightful Italian Speed, Comfort and Style! 3 Comparisons

Article by Courtney Kelly and Ben David

Diadora Gara Carbon 2 ($300)

Introduction

Courtney: Diadora a brand known for ultimate sports comfort, takes their Gara Carbon 2 marathon racer to new heights of comfort nd performance. With 39mm stack in the heel and 34mm in the forefoot for a 5mm total drop, the Carbon 2 boasts a geometry and fit that makes it a contender on race day and for long faster training runs.

Pros: 

• Soft foam and comfortable fit -Courtney/Ben/Sally

• Natural rolling ride-Courtney

• Very plush heel collar (especially for a race shoe)-Courtney/Ben/Sally

• Supercritical midsole is very bouncy, light and comfortable underfoot-Courtney/Sally

• Very grippy Duratech 5000 outsole!

Cons:

• Not a super snappy ride -Courtney/Ben/Sally

• Softer than I would normally choose for a racer. Perhaps better suited for longer miles training runs -Courtney/Ben/Sally

• Premium pricing -Courtney/Ben/Sally

• Less support for the overpronators, definitely a neutral shoe -Courtney

Road Runner Sports Korsa Run and Lounge Wear Review

Article by Jeff and Allison Valliere

Road Runner Sports Korsa Run and Lounge Wear for Men and Women

Introduction:  Korsa is an in-house brand at Road Runner Sports, offering a variety of apparel for the run, warmup or post run lounging.  We were able to test out some of their offerings and can attest that their clothing is comfortable, functional and well constructed.

Men’s Korsa Metropolitan Hoodie 2.0

Sizes SM-XXL

$99.99

Stellar Equipment Guide Shell Hybrid Jacket and Pants Review

Article by Nico Wagner

Stellar Equipment Guide Shell Hybrid Jacket and Pants

Test environment

Tested over two multi-day trips in the Silvretta and Gurgl regions, primarily for ski touring on glacier areas. Conditions included sunny and cloudy weather, mostly warm temperatures and strong winds. The kit saw around 30 hours of use and covered roughly 10,000 vertical meters, from hut approaches to glacier travel and the final climb to the peak.

Specs
Guide Shell Hybrid Jacket - 580 gr in Size Large - 399 EUR

Guide Shell Hybrid Pants - 650 g in Size Large - 299 EUR

Pros

• Smart design (tough and long-lasting materials) that provides waterproofing and breathability in key areas.

• Generous ventilation zippers on both the jacket and pants for temperature control.

• Tailored fit with a lot of stretch for a great feel and unrestricted movement.

• Two-way zipper (jacket) allows easy access to your harness

• RECCO reflector at brim of hood

Cons

• Lacks built-in gaiters on the pants, which may impact snow protection.

• Belt is a little bit too elastic

VJ Shoes Flow Multi Tester Review: 6 Comparisons

Article by Renee Krusemark, John Tribbia and Sam Winebaum

VJ Shoes Flow ($160/€169,00)

Introduction

Renee:The Flow is much different than my other VJ shoes: the MAXx2, Lightspeed, and Spark. Geared toward a variety of terrain, the Flow is less niche than those shoes. Meant for “every surface,” the Flow lists trails, gravel, and road under its terrain usage and features VJ trademark Butyl rubber outsole and an eTPU supercritical foam midsole as found in last year’s very well received MAXx2 (RTR Review) . 

One would think these hybrid-gravel shoes would be perfect for someone who runs mostly rural gravel roads, but this isn’t always the case. While I’m interested in the focus on “gravel” running shoes, I’m still hesitant to see their value as compared to road shoes. How does the Flow stack up? 

Puma Deviate NITRO Elite Trail Multi Tester Review: 8 Comparisons

Article by Jen Schmidt. Renee Krusemark, Jeff Valliere and Sam Winebaum

Puma Deviate Nitro Elite Trail ($230)

Introduction

The Deviate Nitro Elite Trail represents Puma entry into the carbon plated, supercritical foam cushioned trail super shoe race. At commendable weights of women’s 8.25 oz / 284g US 8, men’s 9.25 oz / 262g US9, with a substantial but not extreme 36mm heel / 30mm forefoot stack height it is powered by the same NITROFOAM Elite as Puma’s Elite 3 marathon shoe and is shod in always excellent PumaGrip rubber, here the ATR flavor with 3mm lugs.

Pros:

• Quick energy rebound is superior to other trail supershoes - Jen/Renee/Jeff/Sam
• Very lightweight for substance - Jen/Jeff/Sam
• Midsole is well-cushioned but energetic, not over soft - Jen/Renee/Jeff/Sam
• Great stability despite the high 36 mm stack - Jen/Renee/Jeff
• Outsole is grippy even on muddy singletrack and wet rock - Jen
• Handles surprisingly well on moderately technical trails - Jen/Renee/Jeff
• Somewhat flexible carbon plate is key to its stability, climbing ability for a carbon shoe and speed: Sam
• An excellent door to trail/crossover to road versatile trainer - Jeff

Cons:

• Heel collar may take some breaking in or cause rubbing for some - Jen/Jeff
• Extra long laces don’t always stay put - Jen
• Pointy heel cup and toe box shapes - Renee
• Yet more carbon plate flex please: Sam

H2O Audio RIPT Ultra and Lite Sport Headphones Reviews: Offerings at both ends of the spectrum!

Article by Jeremy Marie

RIPT Ultra (249.99$/235€) RIPT Lite (99.99$/94€)

Available now

Pros

• Huge battery life (RIPT Ultra)

• Comfortable for hours

• Choice of ear cushion (Sweatproof silicon for sports and soft faux-leather for daily usage) (RIPT Ultra)

• 100% sweatproof

• Very good sound, clear, no exaggerated bass (RIPT Ultra)

• Tiny, solid and useful charging case, shows battery left  (RIPT Lite)

• Touch controls need a little practice but works well (RIPT Lite)

• Killer prices for the features/performances (RIPT Lite especially)

Cons

• RIPT Lite, as do other earbuds, might have lesser hold depending on your ears

• RIPT Lite ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) is a bit diminished by the open earbud design

• Touch controls work nicely, but be careful when repositioning the earbuds…

• RIPT Ultra is a bit heavy for very dynamic sports

• Voice prompts are too loud.

Introduction

H2O Audio is upping its game recently, with the release of the updated Tri 2 bone conduction headphones (RTR Review) and also releasing at the same time the RIPT Ultra over-ear headphones and the RIPT Lite earbuds, covering both ends of the spectrum. 

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27 Multi Tester Review: The Essentials Done Right! 4 Comparisons

Article by Courtney Kelly and Sam Winebaum

ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27 ($140)

Introduction

Sam: The Cumulus, of all recent ASICS run shoes, has stayed truest to its roots: a more traditional, higher drop, moderate stack neutral daily trainer with, in the last few versions updates to somewhat more modern foams and increasingly refined and more comfortable uppers. Don’t come to the Cumulus looking for a jazzy ride or huge stack height but a versatile, reliable day in day out training partner.

Courtney: The ASICS GEL-Cumulus 27 maintains the successes of this tried and true daily trainer with a few updates that elevate it to the next level. With a new heel pull tab, engineered jacquard mesh upper, and thicker rubberized foam outsole, perhaps the key is don’t fix what is already great. Let’s find out if this is true with Cumulus.

Testbericht: Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2 (German)

Artikel von Markus Zinkl

Puma - ForeverRun Nitro 2 (159,95 €)

Einleitung

Ich hatte das Glück, dass Puma mir den Puma ForeverRun Nitro 2 zum Test zur Verfügung gestellt hat – mein erster Schuh aus der neuen Foreverrun-Linie. Da ich bislang noch keinen Vorgänger, den ForeverRun 1, ausprobieren konnte, war meine Vorfreude natürlich groß. Meine Kollegen haben bereits den ForeverRun 1 getestet. Sie waren fasziniert von dem innovativen Ansatz: Die Verwendung eines fortschrittlichen Nitro-Schaums und das moderne Knit-Obermaterial sorgten für ein neuartiges Dämpfungs- und Passformkonzept, das dem Schuh einen frischen, dynamischen Charakter verlieh. Allerdings wurde auch angemerkt, dass es im Bereich der Fersenstabilität und im Mittelfuß noch Verbesserungspotenzial gibt. Diese ehrliche Einschätzung und der Vergleich mit der ersten Generation haben meine Erwartungen an den ForeverRun Nitro 2 noch weiter gesteigert – ich war gespannt, wie Puma diese Ansätze weiterentwickelt und optimiert hat.

Tracksmith Eliot Racer Multi Tester 50 Mile Review: 5 Comparisons

Article by Michael Ellenberger, Sally Reiley and Ryan Eiler

Tracksmith Eliot Racer ($280)

Pros:  

• Lockdown (Michael, Sally)
• Aesthetics (when new!) (Michael, Sally)
• Elegant and classy, true to Tracksmith image (Sally) 

Cons:  

• Midsole composition (Michael)
• Squeaky! (Michael) 
• Lack of pop/energy return (Michael, Sally)

Tester Profiles (full run bios at the end of the review)

Ryan: 2:13 marathon PR (2024)

Michael: 2;20 marathon PR (2024)

Sally: 3:24 marathon PR (2023, age 63)