Drew RobertsUltra runner with an ice cream addiction.
Today we are testing and reviewing the Naked T/r trail racing shoe from Naked Sports Innovations. For those familiar with Naked, you know they produce high quality belts and vests. The T/r shoe is their first foray into the crowded field of trail shoe manufacturers, but what a way to jump in! First, let’s address the elephant in the room and talk about the laceless technology. Several brands are venturing into the BOA lace system,…
In this review we’re checking out the revamped Altra Mont Blanc. For those that had a chance to run in the original offering with traditional laces (including yours truly), this latest version is definitely full of big changes. First, the unmistakable dual-dial BOA Fit System is the immediate eye catcher. For those not familiar with BOA, the fit system is not new, and has in fact been around for more than 20 years. More and…
Topo Athletic is back at it with the Pursuit, a cushioned all-around super star in a solid line up of offerings, from a company that keeps churning out quality shoes. Recently I received a pair of Pursuits in a men’s size 9.5, in the Olive/Clay color. Having worn several models from Topo, I was excited to test their first cushioned option in hopes of finding a new long range shoe. Topo has long been known…
Today we’re looking at the Altra Torin 6 road shoe, which is billed as Altra’s everyday runner. The test shoes are men’s 9.5 (US) in Mineral Blue. For the record, I run in Altra shoes almost exclusively and have been using the Torin 5 as my road shoe for about the last 9 months. See all our reviews of Altra here! The Torin 6 is a mid-weight (9.9 ounce as tested), zero drop, medium stack…
In the little mountain town of Westfir Oregon there are trails. Amazing mountain bike trails, to be exact. Elevated Trail Racing knows this and last year they created an awesome trail running experience called the Westfir 30K/50K, using those great trails. First is the 30K, which is an out and back with over 3,700 feet of gain. The gain is all in the first half as you climb to Windy Pass on the Alpine Trail,…
If you’ve run in McDonald Forest in Corvallis, you know the sweet single track trails that exist out there. The Condor 25K Trail Run uses a lot of the same trails as the Mac 50K, including all 4 new sections of Bonzai trail and the TnT trail, which will be in this year’s course. Back for its 9th year, the Condor 25K turns all proceeds back to trail building, which is quite evident in the…
Here in Oregon we have some of the very best race organizers, and one of the best is Alpine Running, who continues to put on well organized events in amazing places. One such event is the Old Cascadia 50 mile/20 mile trail race near Santiam Junction, high in the Willamette National Forest. The area is known for its amazing single track trails and steep climbs, as well as views for days. To get those views,…
Today in the RO Test Lab, we’re lacing up some cool looking trail shoes from Dynafit. Never heard of them? That’s OK, they were mostly foreign to us too, but they’re definitely not new. Dynafit is most well known in the ski and mountaineering worlds, where their brand is among the very best out there. A couple of years ago, they decided to push into the trail running scene as their mountaineering customers began demanding…
Ever since Laz put on the backyard ultra, several race organizers have jumped into the game. One such group is Go Beyond, who has successfully created an amazing event in Bend called Lastest Not Fastest. For those not familiar with backyard ultra events, often referred to as “last person standing” event, the goal is simple; don’t quit until everyone else does. Sounds easy right? For reference, last year’s winner (a good friend of mine) made…
Where is Echo, you might ask. Well let me tell you! Just outside of Hermiston is the cool little town of Echo, Oregon. Population 577, this little burg is home to the a couple of great wineries, a fun golf course, and the only fall trail race in Eastern Oregon – the Echo Sage Run! The Echo Sage Run, which started in 2015, donates all race proceeds to a scholarship fund for the Eastern Chapter…
