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REVIEWS
YOUTH RUNNING SHOES Winter 2011
by Cregg Weinmann
The national focus on childhood obesity has prompted a grassroots response by parents, coaches, and educators to start where kids are physically and gradually reverse the trend. Many of the athletic shoe companies—at least eight—are supporting these efforts by broadening their offerings of technical footwear products to equip kids who are adopting new exercise habits. Certainly, the shoemakers benefit from the sales of these additional footwear styles, but the products do promote a healthy activity while reducing or preventing injury during running. Here we give a look across the board at running shoes for kids to train in.
adidas Supernova Glide 3
ASICS Kayano 17 GS
The Supernova Glide is the workhorse of the neutral running shoe line from adidas. Its strengths are great cushioning and fit, both in the adult and child versions. The uppers resemble each other with open mesh and synthetic overlays; the ankle collar bears the strongest resemblance. In the child’s version, some of the midsole materials have been substituted to reduce cost. The midsole is a generous slab of EVA, but the adiPrene crashpad has been pared back and the forefoot lacks the extra insert of adiPrene+. The outersole is much the same, but relies on full-length carbon rubber for durability, providing much the same ride as the adult version but scaled for the needs of children, i.e., durability and more flexibility.
The Kayano is the latest of the quality ASICS shoes to be made available for children. The adult version features great cushioning, fit, and stability, and those attributes are mirrored in the kid’s shoe. The uppers are similar— open mesh and asymmetrical lacing—but the youth version scales down the size of the stretchy Bio-Morphic Fit panels on either side of the eyestay. The midsole has the same healthy chunk of Gel cushioning and the stable contouring that the Kayano is known for, which is great for high-mileage training.
$70 ($110 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–6 (M width)
$90 ($140 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with mild to moderate overpronation Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Solyte Strobel board (heel) Sizes: youth 1–7 (M width)
Brooks Kid’s Ghost
New Balance 860
With its balance between high-mileage cushioning and responsiveness, the Ghost has become one of Brooks’ best neutral shoes. The upper of the Kid’s Ghost is a bit tougher than the open mesh of the adult version: closed mesh with supportive overlays. The midsole features the same Hydroflow cushioning, but the foam has fewer pieces and so is a bit less responsive; however, because of the reduced forces exerted by children’s lighter weight, there’s no compromise in performance. The outersole is the typical carbon rubber, including the support in the shank, which is perfectly serviceable. The result is a shoe that works well for kids, thanks to its similarity to the adult version.
The 860 has been one of the bestperforming stability shoes in the New Balance running shoe line. The KJ860 for children features the same open mesh upper (for its breathability and comfortable fit), with a few materials substitutions to improve durability. The midsole employs the same shaping and geometry as the adult version for stability and cushioning, but features a two-density midsole without the rubbery N-ERGY inserts, which would be little used by the much lighter child-sized runners. The outersole uses a more durable rubber compound over much of the sole, with fewer flex grooves and some extra stitching in the toe cap to extend the life of the shoe. Overall, the performance has been replicated for younger runners to enjoy.
$65 ($100 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–7 (D width)
$60 ($100 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with mild to moderate overpronation Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–7 (M, W widths)
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REVIEWS
YOUTH RUNNING SHOES Winter 2011 continued Nike LunarGlide+ 3
The overall success of the LunarGlide franchise, both in sales and performance, has made it among Nike’s most broadly available products: from toddler’s 2C to men’s size 15. The adult version features a well-cushioned and stable ride, and the children’s version has been adapted to provide the same. The uppers are the same—closed mesh with synthetic suede overlays and a supportive thermoplastic heel clip that improves the heel fit and support—except where adapted to the smallest sizes. The midsole is the same Dynamic Support throughout the size range: Lunarlon foam in a Phylite foam carrier that’s shaped for stability and lasting cushioning. $55 Child/$82 Youth ($100 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics to moderate overpronation Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–6.5 (M width)
Puma Cell Ikonis Jr. The Ikonis doesn’t align directly to a Puma shoe for adults that’s sold in the U.S., but it’s strongly connected to the Complete running line. The upper will look familiar to those acquainted with other Puma running shoes, like the Complete Velosis. The upper is open airmesh supported by synthetic overlays at heel, toe, and eyestay, with additional support from the Puma form-stripe. The midsole is a generous slab of EVA cushioning—simple, but effective. The outersole is fulllength carbon rubber, proven for its durability. The performance is a consistent blend of reliable durability and cushioning, which is particularly useful for active children. $45 Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 11–13; youth 1–7 (M width)
Reebok Zig Sonic
Saucony Kinvara 2
The Zig technology has been an effective cushioning technology for Reebok, and has worked well for sizes all the way from a toddler 4 to a men’s 15. Both the adults’ and children’s versions feature cushioning and fit, a testament to Reebok’s experience making shoes. The uppers are as close to the same as possible: closed mesh, vented through the saddle with minimal overlays and a smooth interior. The midsole is the same corrugated ribbon of EVA that provides its well-cushioned ride, with small patches of carbon rubber in the high-wear areas of the outersole to keep the weight down where possible.
The Kinvara 2 opens the door to minimalism for children in the same way it was brought to its adult line: by offering cushioning and a great fit without anything extra. The upper is stripped down without giving up the touches of comfort where needed. The airmesh and minimal overlays make these shoes light and all the better for running fast. The midsole is responsive and durable ProGrid Lite EVA, proven for its great cushioning, with a slight drop from heel to forefoot of only 4 millimeters. The outersole is arranged in triangle-shaped lugs for traction with carbon rubber only in the high-wear areas to keep the weight down. The combination of light weight, excellent cushioning, and responsiveness earned the Kinvara 2 honors as our Best Youth Running Shoe.
$75 ($100 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Sizes: children 4–13.5; youth 1–7 (M width)
$55 ($90 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13; youth 1–7 (M width)
CREGG WEINMANN is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net. Copyright © 2011 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.