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What Running Retailers Say About Shoe Trends

Lots of comments about the decline of minimalism and the rise of the Hoka's.

This comment jumped out at me:

This contradicts the apologists who promote minimalism to justify the decline in minimalism. They blaming the retailer and the marketing of the "big bulky shoes". The above snippet suggest that this is not the case and it is indeed the runners who are voting with their feet.

 

The term "big bulky shoes" seems to be a another one of Blaise Dubois' made-up terms he routinely uses in order to continue charging customers hundreds of dollars for one of his weekend courses where he blindly promotes minimalist running shoes. As far as I'm concerned, people that use the term "big bulky shoes" are suspect from the time they use those words to describe shoes with midsoles with more midsole cushioning and aren't, according to them, "minimalist enough".

I think Blaise came up with the term "big bulky shoes" about the same time he came up with the term "proprioceptive heel strike", whatever that is. Pretty soon Blaise will need to find another bandwagon to jump on to since the minimalist bandwagon is fading rapidly into the oblivion that all fads descend into. Good riddance!

 

I agree. At my harriers club over about 3 years ago there were about a dozen runners who went down the minimal or barefoot pathway. The used to take digs at those runners that did not and predicted all sorts of injuries that were going to happen to those who did not do likewise. Now 3 years later none of them are still doing it. When I try to raise it with them, they are sheepish and shy about responding. Except for one in particular who feels as though he was defrauded by those trying to sell barefoot and is very vocal and outspoken about the con.

 

There was a discussion quite a while ago (on this forum) about the definition of "minimalism" (from memory, a universal acceptable answer was not decided). Have we (or running footwear industry) now officially defined the parameters of "minimalism" footwear yet? Putting aside the obvious candidates (i.e. Vibram 5 fingers) what other acceptable candidates does "minimalism" include (i.e. Nike Free: 5.0... 3.0... Hyperfeel??? Brooks Pure: Cadence... Flow... Connect???). It appear many (i.e. footwear industry, retailers, media) have varying views on the term... without knowing any official parameters, one might find the above "minimalism" term rather subjective/vague :confused:... & hence the above use of little meaning.

 

It's coming…
A Delphi study is running now… with all the experts across the world… some months and we will have a consensus on that question
For the moment you can use the TRC rating :)

 

Craig, be honest
you expose a N=1
What's about generality of retaillers?

Minimalist is just 10-15% of people in America… probably less than 5% in Europe (France, Spain, Swiss, Belgium)… it's more than 30% in Quebec city (just because prescription of health professionals and coaches)

I'm travelling everywhere around the world (Australia also) and I have the pleasure to go everywhere in shoe shop… ask some questions… looking what type of shoes they have…
SAME thing everywhere. Retailers don't believe on minimalism, they don't propose it (often they discourage you to try it), they don't want to sell it (for philosophical AND business purpose).

 

Looking at trends in my club (also a harrier) I see minimal shoes in the way of almost exclusively Inova8 talons for XC while more cushioning is applied for longer road runs. Few Newtons about but never seen a Vibrams of any description. I also run XC with the military and Inov8 talons also by far the most popular shoe. Which raises another question:- how important is shoe appearance to a runners choice? I think I've seen something on that subject on here before. The talons do have the X factor in the looks department certainly.

 

From Running Warehouse:
Running Footwear Predictions for 2014

Full story

 

6 months later, here are some more comments from retailers:
Running at retail: What trends are hot with consumers this spring