by Larry Eder
Whatever you call it, Minimalism, lightweight, trainer-racer, bare-foot, the last couple years have shaken running footwear up. Cregg Weinmann, the Running Network footwear editor, notes that we have had minimalist shoes forever-they are called track spikes and racing flats! In the back of old Track & Field News in the early seventies and in Runners World from 71-74, one will see the EB racing flat of 4.5 ounces. Reebok had one similar about 1975.
What is fascinating about the Brooks Pure Project is that they have come up with a collection of running footwear that are lightweight, performance based and answer the needs of many, noted Cregg Weinmann, the footwear review editor for the Running Network. Weinmann noted that the Pure Project is a “Good idea – (it) shows that Brooks wasn’t caught flatfooted, and that there is continuity to the PureProject
range. The strength of a trio (plus one) is that it hits the
“Goldilocks” phenomenon and one of the three will be “just right” for
somebody.“
RN’s Cregg Weinmann called it the “Goldilocks” concept-create three or more products in a category, and the product will answer the needs of many. The Brooks Pure Project hopes to have an answer for many who are looking for lightweight, dialed in, performance running footwear.
Brooks is very careful not to call their Pure Project minimalist or barefoot-they are lightweight, and they are trying to answer the needs that Brooks saw in speaking to consumers around the country.
The challenge for Brooks is that their shoes will be available in several months, whereas many of their competitors have lightweight product out or, are about to launch new products. What all of this discussion has done, from the Vibram product to Newton to Nike Free and the LunarGlide, from the Kinvara to the Hattori at Saucony, to the NB 890, to the ASICS 33 and the adidas adizone, and now the Brooks Pure Project, is that runners are getting their questions and curiousities answered–the response from the consumer, which will be seen in run specialty, is which of the shoes will resonate with the consumer.
In the meantime, watch our posts on Brooks, ASICS, (we have written on Nike, adidas, NB, K-SWISS, PUMA, and others as well) and Saucony coming up!
Brooks®
Sports Announces Groundbreaking Brooks PureProjectâ„¢ Collection
New Lightweight Footwear Promotes
Natural Ride and Market-Leading
Biomechanical Innovations
Bothell,
WA (April 1, 2011) – Leading running company Brooks Sports, Inc. today announced a new line of footwear that promotes natural ride, an
aligned footstrike, and a unique running experience in a lightweight package.
Available for purchase at select retailers and brooksrunning.com Oct. 1, 2011,
the Brooks PureProject collection is rooted in biomechanical performance, yet
lightweight and intuitively designed to promote a
natural footstrike, allowing runners to more completely connect to their runs.
Brooks Pure Connect, Women’s version
“Our
dedication to delivering the ‘perfect ride for every stride’ with our core
running shoes is how Brooks became the No. 1 footwear brand at specialty retail
earlier this year,” said Jim Weber, Brooks president and CEO. “Now, with the
Brooks PureProject collection, we are giving runners the biomechanical
excellence they expect from Brooks in a lightweight package-letting runners
experience more with less.”
Brooks Pure Flow, Men’s model
After years
of research and development, the Brooks PureProject styles proactively promote
an individual’s ideal biomechanical alignment as he or she runs through the
gait cycle, delivering a more efficient, natural stride. Each of the four
Brooks PureProject styles-PureConnectâ„¢, PureFlowâ„¢, PureCadenceâ„¢, and PureGritâ„¢-includes
five distinct, market-leading innovations:
·
Ideal
Heel: Our signature
inverted heel promotes a natural foot strike by landing in a more forward
position on the foot. This aligns the runner’s center of gravity with resulting
force vectors and reduces harmful lever arms;
·
Toe
Flex: A toe box
split allows the big toe to function independently and engage the runner’s
natural balance. Pliable materials empower a more efficient push-off during the
propulsion phase and enhanced flexibility;
·
Nav
Band: This flexible
band wraps over the instep to comfortably secure the foot in place. The dynamic
stretch provides just the right amount of reinforcement and conforms to
individual foot shape and size;
·
BioMoGo
DNA: BioMoGo, our
earth-friendly midsole technology, is blended with patent-pending Brooks®
DNA adaptable
cushioning to create a springy return and custom comfort. This also reduces material
waste by eliminating drop-ins allows for a thinner midsole;
·
Anatomical
Last: Designed from
the anatomical shape of a runner’s foot, the shoe’s shape contours the foot for
a glove-like fit and feel and provides support for every part of the foot.
Brooks Pure Cadence, Men’s model
Brooks offers
the best biomechanically-based footwear for all runners-whether it’s the Brooks
Adrenaline™ GTS for more support or the Glycerin® for neutral
runners. Now, with the addition of the PureProject collection to Brooks’ core
line of shoes, Brooks will turn the traditional footwear continuum and silos on
end by giving runners the opportunity to also choose their desired running experience
on any given day.
Brooks Pure Grit, Women’s model
“We believe that runners want to choose how they experience
their run-to either feel and connect with the surface underneath on some days
or to cruise on autopilot through the run on other days. Giving runners this
choice and preference is just as important to us as delivering innovative
biomechanics that enable those experiences,” said Andre
Kriwet, director of footwear product management for Brooks. “The addition of
Brooks PureProject to our entire footwear collection allows runners to switch
their experience-to ‘feel’ or to ‘float’-from day to day.”
“Feel”
and “Float” anchor Brooks’ unique philosophy around an emerging trend in
running. Some runners want to connect with and “feel” the road, sense the
surface underneath. “Feel” promotes a more natural, proactive stride. Others
would rather cruise-or “float”–through their run from first to final step. “Float”
requires necessary cushion and support based on the runner’s biomechanical
needs.
Brooks
believes in giving runners the power to choose whether they “float” with its
core footwear or “feel” with the Brooks PureProject collection-always with the
confidence that every Brooks shoe is designed to enhance your run. The new Brooks PureProject
collection, consisting of four styles each for men and women ranging in price
from $90 to $120, will join the core Brooks footwear line in select stores and
brooksrunning.com Oct. 1, 2011.
Additionally,
the new Brooks PureProject collection furthers Brooks’ ongoing commitment to
sustainable design and practices. Similar to many of the brand’s core footwear,
the Brooks PureProject styles are constructed with recycled components,
water-based adhesives, and more eco-friendly materials. For example, the
BioMoGo DNA midsole, made from a blend of BioMoGo and patent-pending Brooks®
DNA, will biodegrade in an active, enclosed landfill 50 times faster than a
traditional EVA midsole. In addition, because the shoes are constructed with
fewer parts, they require less materials, labor, and energy to produce.
For more
information on Brooks’ PureProject collection, visit www.brooksrunning.com/PureProject. For more information about Brooks’
other performance running footwear, apparel, and accessories, please visit www.brooksrunning.com.
About
Brooks
Brooks Sports, Inc. is a leading running company that designs and markets a
line of performance footwear, apparel, and accessories in more than 60
countries worldwide. A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Brooks was
founded in 1914 and is headquartered in Bothell, Wash., near Seattle. The
company’s mission is to inspire everyone to run and be active by creating
innovative gear that keeps them running longer, farther, and faster. Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information, and follow
frequent brand updates on Twitter (@brooksrunning) and Facebook (Brooks
Sports).
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