One of the most buzz worthy new shoes has been The New Balance Zante, the go-fast lightweight trainer with a twist. The greatest thing about the Zante is how multi-functional of a shoe it is.
I am a passionate lightweight running shoe afficionado. When I first received a pair of these shoes to test wear back in December, I was skeptical because they looked too cool to actually be a functional running shoe. However, I threw them on my feet and went for for an 8 mile jaunt, and to my surprise I was naturally running about 35 seconds faster per mile, without feeling it in my leg turnover or my lungs.
These shoes are just designed for you to go fast. They give your foot the profile of a racing flat, with the comfort and the structure of a regular lightweight trainer. The fresh foam is wonderful for energy return and keeping my legs feeling light and bouncy several hours into a long run. And the upper utilizes great new technology to make an airy, seamless mesh–which means zero chafing, and my feet are able to breathe. The mesh stretches with your foot, allowing for natural motion while keeping my foot locked in place.
I use this shoe for my tempo road runs, speedwork and on days that I want to feel fast! But I have also used it on several 20 mile runs, and with just enough cushioning for higher mileage training, had fresh feet at the end. I can’t say enough how much I love this shoe and for $100, it is an awesome deal!
