Newton trainers

Anyone tried them yet and got any feedback?

 I am a neutral runner and wiegh 17.5 stone, i run 5 miles to 10 miles 2 or 3 times a week. 

I usually use Asics Nimbus or Mizuno Wave Creation, which I am very happy with but need a new pair and tempted to try something new: keep reading about the Newton stuff and wondered if they are worth a try?

Comments

  • I bought some a couple of weeks ago and am trying to learn not to heel strike ! They seem to be fine, though I'm just starting to train for a marathon, so should be able to make a better judgement in a coulple of weeks. One thing I notice is that my feet can get rather hot in them. The big question is - do they justify the 50 quid extra, compared to me Sauconies ?

     Also - are there any other shoes like Newtons, which are designed to stop you heel-striking ?

  • I've had 3 pairs of Newtons, various styles too.

    1st - Newtons wont stop you heel striking.

    2nd - They're great shoes but not worth the money

    3rd- Any flat sole shoe will give you the same properties as Newtons - such as Addias Adios which I've just started using.

    So if you're flush, buy them, they're great. If not, then pick any lightweight shoe that has a flat sole - i.e. midfoot is level with the heel (which is all the lugs in Newtons are doing).

  • I bought them once and really liked them but couldn't really justify spending another £120 when they wore out.

    The only slight problem with them is in the first few weeks of using them my calves felt a little sore, however, once i'd worn them in this was no longer a problem and I used them for all speedwork and also on longer tempo efforts of 8-10 miles and had no problems.

  • Thanks to you both for your replies. Pretty much what I feel. I THINK I am beginning to notice  a difference (3 minutes off my usual 7 mile run this morning and with less effort), but that might just be because I was feeling good today. Let's see after 300 miles whether I can justify the extra £45 over a decent pair of normal shoes.

     And yes, 10ft Tall Man, I am defo going to try other flat sole shoes. Do you like the Adios ? Do you notice the lack of spring from no "lugs" ?

  • I hear the Newton Distance and Neutral Racer's are very good and trusted. Maybe try either of those out. Note: They are fairly expensive.
  • BKL - If you're happy with what you're running in at the moment why change (especially to something way more expensive)?
  • Im a big fan of newtons and really find that they helped with my running form, I find that I consistenly midfoot strike with them where as with other shoes it varys.
    I really like them, the lace eyelets are a bit poor quality though and elogate if you have a narrow foot.

    Iv'e also got a pair of Mizuno Wave which were purchased at the same time as the Newtons and I find that I have rejected them to gym duty.

  • Gym duty is where the bitch trainers go... image
  • I used the Newton Isaac guidance ones for the last 8 months (I'm now in Saucony Kinvaras) - they are good but I'm fortunate enough to be a midfoot/forefoot striker but I'm not light for my height and I'm not an elite runner so hopefully what I'm about to say may be of some help.

    They are very expensive and durability is not good if you are somebody who likes to change their trainers as the manufacturers recommend however they are good if you are seriously looking to change the way you run i.e. Chi or Pose etc.  I have had one pair which have lasted me perfectly well and I'm training for an ultra so like I say yes they do wear but to be fair they keep going past the recommended sell by date quite happily and actually the wear rate slows dramatically (food for thought!).

    However like most of the country money is tight in our household and I wanted to find something similar which was cheaper but had low heel/tow difference etc etc. and found the Saucony Kinvaras - bloody brilliant and much more comfortable, lighter and better return than the Newtons and like I say I'm not an elite athlete so when a trainer helps somebody like me go better then its worth noting. They are a more minimalist trainer but because I have concentrated on my form and with the help of the Newtons guidance the Sauconys are a great trainer for me.

    Thankfully Newtons are starting to get a bit of competition which might drive the price down but that said I wouldn't go back to them now the Saucony is out - Newtons are awful going round tight bends at speed etc a bit like being a shopping trolley and terrible grip in the wet (loads of complaints about that) but obviously you don't get that in the Sauconys. However the Newtons are great to get you going if you are struggling with form but once you have that sorted any pair of trainers designed to give a more natural foot strike would be ok.

    Sorry for rambling but I have trawled the internet for hours and hours searching for an alternative so I'm quite keen to share what I've found.

    Good luck with your running!

    Em image

  • Hey, Em 

    Brilliant forum post. I watched the Newton training videos very carefully on Thursday last week and realised that I had not been running "properly" in them. Consequently, after my usual 7 mile to work run on Friday, I have been sufferinig with calves as tight as a duck's chuff (as we say in Yorkshire). Good news is tht when I was running on Friday, I finally "got it" and I really feel that this is the way forward. Less good news is that I can't imagine I'll be ready to run the Trionium Greensand Marathon (Oct 17th) which I've entered. I had to get a sports massage yesterday an things are a bit better today. Just goes to show you what a heel-striker I am (was).

    Thanks very much for the pointer re Sauciony. I was wearing Omni 8s pre-Newton and will certainly try out the Kinvaras, as £110 - 130 is really rather too much four times a year !

    Also, not looking forward to using the Newtons in the wet. With those lugs being the main contact with the ground, grip is bound to be an issue.

     Overal, though, I feel the Newtons are going to improve my running and reduce injury from crashing my heel into the pavement.

    So thanks for the advice. Keep in touch and I'm off to check out the Kinvaras !

  • Has anyone seen the comment in this month's magazine from the Asics Expert Team ? The Podiatrist chap (can't remember his name and I don't have the mag in front of me) says you shouldn't change to forefoot striking, if you're a "Natural" heel striker. Trouble is, if you run with no shoes, everyone's a natural forefoot striker !!!

     So what is this guy on about ?

    I'm now feeling totally natural forefoot striking and even got within 50 sec of my 10K PB last week, one morning before work. Calf soreness is calming down and despite really ramping up the miles too quickly, for a marathon,  I am totally injury-free except for a very slight twinge in the left foot. No sign of my previous hurts when I heel struck..

     I'd appreciate anyone's feedback / opinion.

  • ha, glad someone else spotted that. it annoyed me enough that I trawled the forum for the original discussion to see if he'd been mis-represented, but it was actually worse than I'd thought. it's hard not to be cynical, especially when someone like that uses jargon for no good reason other than to present themselves as an expert, and my immediate assumption is that the last thing someone who makes a living out of runners getting injured wants is runners finding a safer way of running. the fact that he suggests you could try to change your shoes (as the cheap option) but that trying a different style is a bad idea does him no favours and the seeming obsession with different leg lengths being the cause of all the world's ills seems to warp his analysis (not least of the point that running with bent legs would make it easier to minimise the effect than running with straighter legs and fewer joints engaged. hmm, still quite annoyed. it made me wonder what the mag's editorial policy on midfoot is.
  • newtons are shite

    don't waste your money on gimmicks, like i did

    if you want to learn to run on your forefoot then buy some FiveFingers
  • Aren't Five Fingers also gimmicks ? Most importantly, do they come in nice colours ?image
  • Sleek Lemur wrote (see)

    Has anyone seen the comment in this month's magazine from the Asics Expert Team ? The Podiatrist chap (can't remember his name and I don't have the mag in front of me) says you shouldn't change to forefoot striking, if you're a "Natural" heel striker. Trouble is, if you run with no shoes, everyone's a natural forefoot striker !!!

     So what is this guy on about ?


    Aye, no one is a natural heel striker - go and watch kids running around. It's the shoes that make us heel strike.

     As for Newtons, they seem a bit gimmickly and expensive. Any neutral racing flat will do the same for less money. Picked up a pair of Brook's Green Silence for £55 yesterday for example (and you'll get them cheaper online)

Sign In or Register to comment.