Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Stuff I'm SUPER Excited About in 2013! (Part 1)

Things are great for lovers of minimalist shoes right now. Really great, and they are only getting better! Here is the first in a series of posts that will display just a few bits of news that I have scavenged from across the web that really get my blood pumping.

I dig Skora's slogan.

The rowdy upstart company that goes by the name of Skora burst onto the scene in 2012 with two models of minimalist shoes targeted at zero-drop-demanding athletes and triathletes. The Form and Base, their flagship laced and tri-friendly velcro-strapped offerrings respectively, garnered a strong following with runners ranging from track junkies to the ultra crowd. I was lucky enough to get to review Skora's Base and write about here. Although the shoe was less than perfect (still haven't found one that is), it was an impressive first offering for the new company. (Click to read that review.) I have grown fonder or my Skoras since modifying the strap to allow me to snug them up a bit more, too. They see regular service in my shoe rotation - mostly during barefoot-unfriendly conditions. If they produced such a solid shoe in their first try, I can only imagine how great their follow-ups are going to be.

There are two new Skora models set for release in February:
The Phase is a lighter shoe with an upper made from synthetic mesh.


The Core is features a combination of goatskin and mesh upper.

Both new models feature a new outsole design fashioned from Injection Blown Rubber (IBR) which purportedly provides greater flexibility and comfort without sacrificing weight. Both models also feature asymmetrical lacing, which I totally dig. Skora is not resting on the apparent success of their first line of shoes and is pushing the limits of innovation and design. I am eager to see if these two new models fit my foot a bit better. If so, I'm definitely on board. Perhaps most importantly, price gets the axe on the Phase and Core: $110 and $155 respectively.

*See more about the Core and Phase at Minimalistrunningshoes.org, or head to Kyle Kranz's blog, Running on the White Line. Click either link to take you to the preview. While you'r at Kyle's blog, go ahead and check it out. He is an ultra runner who also works with/for Skora as a social media coordinator (I believe that is the official title). His blog is worth exploring, and I am certain he is more than willing to answer any and all questions you may have if you post up on there.

I forsee great things from Skora in the near future.

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the images and links Chad :)

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  2. Thanks, Kyle. I noticed that nothing new has been floated out there news or review wise with the Core or Phase (that I can find, at least). What are your thoughts so far?

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  3. Awesome... I would give anything to try out a pair of Skora's.. any model! The just look like the Lamborghini of minimalist running shoes!

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  4. They are really cool, Jeff. I love outside-the-box thinking in my footwear, and Skora really went out of their way to be unique. They are also extremely durable and well-made.

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