New Balance Minimus is adding their version of Zero Drop shoe. From Jason's Robillard's Site
New Balance joined the club by eliminating the heel drop on the 2012 Minimus line. Finally!
I like to imagine there’s a faction within New Balance that is adamantly fighting to make their entire
product line zero drop. I can see the “new guard” quoting Lieberman,
teaching good running form, and telling stories of seemingly amazing
recoveries of oft-injured runners finding new life in zero drop shoes.
They’re constantly at odds with the “old guard” that puffs on their
cigarettes and talks about the good ‘ole days when slapping 2” of
cushioning in a heel was marketing gold. Sure, it’s unlikely, but
that’s how my mind works.
I managed to wrangle up some critical details about the new Minimus
Zero Trails and Minimus Zero Roads. Here are the juicy details:
- Both are zero drop
- Both are exceptionally light… perhaps less than 6 ounces
- The sole of both is somewhat similar to the soles of the original Minimus Trails (think pods)
- The location and size of the pods were developed based on data from wear testing- they put material where it was needed most
- For the Trails, other material was eliminated, which explains the feather-like weight
- The eliminated material should increase flexibility and ground feel (note- I have handled a pair… they are incredibly light and flexible)
- Both utilize Vibram soles, which has become the gold standard for minimalist shoe sole material.
- These shoes should be quite different from anything else on the market, which adds more potential tools to our toolbox.
