4mm drop running shoes. Brooks Pure discontinued

[MC Bodge]

I like a light, low drop, 0-4mm, shoe with toe box room and without massive cushioning. These shoes were more available a few years ago. Thick soles and high heels seem to have become the fashion again now - presumably few people conditioned themselves to a good midfoot running style.

I do a bit of running in barefoot style shoes too.

I am a fan of Brooks Pure Flow 6 (although, strangely, they changed the fit over the various version no.'s) and Grit 3 & 6 trail shoes. The Pure Flow and others appear to have been discontinued.

I am also a fan of Puma Faas 300S (I have had a few pairs and found a pair of old stock a while ago), also discontinued....

I liked my Saucony Kinvara shoes in the past, but the Kinvara 10 I currently have feel stiff like clogs and sluggish compared with older versions.

Any suggestions for shoes?

[anonymous-user]

Was going to suggest the kinvara but then saw you’d given them a go.

I’m the same, struggling to find 4mm drop shoes. Seems like it’s all going the other way. I think hoka might do some? I’d also been looking at the brooks pure.

My toes are now showing on my old saucony virratas and I was thinking about a kinvara myself as a replacement.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 12th June 13:46

[anonymous-user]

Newtons. The sole can take some getting used to if you’re not a mid foot runner, but once you’re used to it they are brilliant. Light, low drop (0-6mm depending on the shoe - Motion 10, Distance 10 and Gravity 10 are 2-3mm). I used them for all my training running and up to HM distance.

[MC Bodge]

Thanks. I'll have a look at the Newtons. I am a mid foot runner.

I'm not sure why the Kinvara 10 felt different to older versions, but I have noticed that other "minimal" shoes have become less minimal in recent years.

[MC Bodge]

It appears that the Gravity may be the ones I would need. The Newtons are not very widely available, though.


It is interesting that shoes appear to be getting squashier and higher than they were going a few years ago. Personally, the light, low drop, low cushioned shoes feel much better, running lightly on my fore/midfoot (and, along with doing more strength and movement training) I have far fewer injuries and niggles in my 40s than I did in my 20s.

[anonymous-user]

MC Bodge said:

Thanks. I'll have a look at the Newtons. I am a mid foot runner.

I'm not sure why the Kinvara 10 felt different to older versions, but I have noticed that other "minimal" shoes have become less minimal in recent years.

I think lots of people just started running in barefoot shoes without a careful transition and injured themselves, so they’ve got a bad reputation now.

[anonymous-user]

Try here: https://newton-running.co.uk/men-s-shoes/all-shoes...

(Apologies if you already have)

[MC Bodge]

BlackWidow13 said:

Newtons. The sole can take some getting used to if you’re not a mid foot runner, but once you’re used to it they are brilliant. Light, low drop (0-6mm depending on the shoe - Motion 10, Distance 10 and Gravity 10 are 2-3mm). I used them for all my training running and up to HM distance.

I found a pair of immaculate, used-once, Newton Gravitas on Ebay.

I went for a 5K test run earlier.

I am a mid-foot runner and found them instantly comfortable at a tempo pace -much more so than the Kinvara 10.

Thanks for the suggestion.

It seems crazy that shoes like this are disappearing....

Edited by MC Bodge on Monday 8th November 15:16