RUNNING SHOES WITH MOTION CONTROL

These shoes are designed with two things in mind, cushioning and flexibility. This keeps these shoes very light-weight, ideal for biomechanically efficient runners and under-pronators. These shoes are also good for competition use and speed workouts.

RUNNING SHOES WITH CUSHIONING AND STABILITY

Shoes in this category have a blend of features from the Motion Control and Flexibility categories. The more Motion Control features a shoes contains, the less Flexible and Cushioned it is. These shoes are good for neutral to mild pronators.

RACING FLATS/SPECIALTY

These shoes are designed to be event specific. Most offer features that are particular to the nature of the sport being competed in. Most are extremely light and flexible, but cushioning varies. For the most part, these shoes are designed for competition use only, reason being; the lightweight construction is designed only for limited use.

WALKING SHOES

These shoes tend to have full leather uppers in solid colours. The midsole has less cushioning then most running shoes, but is designed for increased stability.

CROSS-TRAINING SHOES

As the saying goes:"These shoes are designed for a little bit of everything, but not a lot of one thing." These shoes are extremely popular with people who like to play a little bit of everything (ie. basketball, weight training, baseball, etc.) However, these shoes are not recommended for those who do any type of regular running. For the most part, cross-trainers are designed to give lateral support, not the overall flexibilty and cushioning required in a running shoe.

TOTAL CONDITIONING SHOES

These shoes are designed for women who like to experience everything that a fitness club has to offer. They are excellent for aerobics, weight-training & the various fitness machines. They have plenty of cushioning & flexibility as well as an indoor specific sole.

SANDALS

ABZORB
- A polyurethane based material, embedded in the midsole that disperses shock like a liquid. Upon impact, the shock waves travel horizontally instead of vertically back into the lower limb.

ALPHA GEL
- A semi-solid silicone based gel (permanently encapsulated in polyurethane) which provides shock absorption.

C-CAP
- A cushioning material made of Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA), molded under pressure to create a light durable midsole.

DUOMAX
- A patented ASICS system that consists of two or more different density midsole materials, placed in the heel area of the sole to help address the degree and velocity of pronation.

DUOSOLE
- Asics innovative outsole technology that provides enhanced flexibility, durability and traction with a uniquely designed and colorful outsole.

ENCAP
- A cushioning core of EVA is encapsulated within a shell of polyurethane which adds stability and disperses shock.

EVA
- (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) Midsole material that provides lightweight cushioning, stability and resilience.

FLEXTENDED SADDLE
- A material overlay on the shoe's midfoot that wraps the instep to stabilize and support the arch throughout the gait cycle. A flexnotch in the saddle provides additional freedom of movement and a more precise, individual fit.

FOOTBRIDGE
- A Nike stability device, biomechanically positioned in the medial area of the foot's forward motion for excessive pronation control.

GAIT
- The biomechanical movement of the foot (muscles/ligaments/ bones) through a walking or running motion. The gait is analyzed to find functional biomechanics and how it might be approved upon or corrected.

GRAPHITE ROLLBAR
- A lightweight flat or molded piece of graphite material biochemically positioned in the midsole which maximizes rearfoot stability.

3D GRID SYSTEM
- Saucony's premiere midsole technology wraps soft-grade Hytrel filaments over the midsole to form a flexible web for cushioning and absorbing shock. Reinforced midsole sidewalls counteract the forces of pronation for stability and motion control.

GRID CASSETTE SYSTEM
- Composite Hytrel filaments molded in an interlocking configuration. Designed to absorb shock without sacrificing stability.

HEX GEL
- A semi-solid silicone based gel (permanently encapsulated in polyurethane) which provides shock absorption.

HYDROFLOW FOREFOOT
- The reconfigured kidney-shaped pad is designed to cushion the metatarsal heads - the tips of the bones in your mid-foot - where most of the heavy loading takes place.

HYDROFLOW REARFOOT
- The Hydroflow heel pad functions like a hydraulic shock absorber, cushioning the blow between your body and the ground.

HYDROFLOW ST
- Based on Brooks patented "fluid flow" principle, this latest version of Hydroflow not only cushions, but helps stabilize your foot. At impact, cushioning fluid is forced from the center of the Hydroflow ST pad and into the external stabilizing chamber, in turn, cups and stabilizes the rearfoot. The net result is a serious blend of cushioning and support.

HYTREL
- High preformance plastic elastomer used in the GRID Cassette and Instep Support Device.

LAST
- Device shaped to resemble a foot which the shoe upper is assembled or shaped around. The last determines the fit of a shoe.

LAST CONSTRUCTION
- A shoe's last construction has a major impact on its preformance characteristics. There are three popular types of last construction that deliver the optimal blend of stability and flexibility.

MEDIAL POST
- A medial wedge of higher than normal density C-Cap midsole material extending from the heel to the first met head which provides pronation control.

METATARSAL PAD
- A softer durometer EVA under the ball of the foot provides added cushioning.

MIDSOLE
- The portion of the shoe between the upper and the outsole which provides cushioning and support.

ORTHOTIC
- A corrective device which can be inserted in the shoe to guide the foot into a functionally neutral position during running or walking.

P-GEL
- A silicone based porous gel foam placed in the forefoot of the midsole for enhanced shock absorption.

POLYURETHANE
- Provides excellent durability, stability, and resistance to compression set.

RADIAL DECELERATOR
- Curvature of the outer (lateral) midsole and outside heel. Reduces pronation rate and increases stability by easing the foot into the natural gait cycle. Also increases the size of the landing surface to further improve cushioning.

ROLLBAR STABILITY SYSTEM
- A firm, grid-like structure in the midsole that provides superior lateral stability and motion control.

SL-1 FIT
- A straight last used in many of NEW BALANCE shoes. Built for people with a typical forefoot and toebox depth, it provides a comfortable and snug fit through the instep and heel area.

SL-2 FIT
- A straight running last for people with a high arch foot type. It provides a roomy toe box to prevent toe bruising, and a slightly wider forefoot than the SL-1 last. It accomodates orthotics and has a unique design and superior fit.

T-GEL
- A molded silicone based gel placed in the rearfoot for shock absorption.

TRUSSTIC SYSTEM
- Asics unique Trusstic System reduces the overall weight of the sole unit while helping to retain the stability of the shoe.