Merrell M-Connect Review: The Road Glove 2

The Road Glove II is the fourth shoe in Merrell’s M-Connect lineup I’ve reviewed. This shoe is an update for the original Road Glove (read that review here.)

Merrell’s idea behind the M-Connect lineup is to produce a line of shoes that meets the needs of as wide of an audience as possible while still maintaining the basic principles of minimalism. The result is an increase in specialization of specific models from one generation to the next. The Read More...

Merrell M-Connect Lineup- The Vapor Glove

Innovation in the shoe marketplace doesn’t happen very often. I’ve been reviewing minimalist shoes for somewhere around seven years. During those seven years, precious few shoes have stood out as being truly innovative game-changers.

The original Vibram KSO- it was the first minimalist shoe that actually fit the shape of the foot.
The Terra Plana Vivobarefoot EVO- it was the first good minimalist shoe without separated toes that was designed for running.
The New Balance MT10- it was Read More...

Merrell M-Connect Lineup: The Mix Master Move

The Mix Master Move (M3… my special code for the shoe) is the second of my Merrell M-Connect reviews. The idea behind the lineup is to produce a line of shoes that meet the needs of every aspect of the minimalist market. The last shoe I reviewed, the Proterra, is a lightweight hiking shoe. By contrast, the M3 is a road shoe. Specifically, I would classify it as a “transition” shoe that would Read More...

Merrell M-Connect Proterra: Hiker? How About Trail Runner.

The first shoe I’ll review in the 2013 Merrell M-Connect lineup is the Proterra. It’s a shoe designed for hiking. My hiker friends tell me the minimalist movement has trickled down to the hiking world. Lightweight boots and shoes are replacing the thick, heavy boots that were once synonymous with hiking. Features like 12″ of ankle support, 4″ lugs, and 24 ounce weight are being replaced by light, fast designs. Just like the running Read More...

Merrell M-Connect: Running Shoes Evolved

A few days ago I had a conversation with friends about the running shoe industry. Several people had been expressing frustration about the ever-changing landscape of shoes. Some people had their favorite models discontinued by a particular manufacturer. The “update” made the shoe significantly worse. The motivation for a new model clearly wasn’t to make a better product; the motivation was to get a different product to the market. It’s an all-too-common strategy among many shoe manufacturers.

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Run Commuting: Save Gas, Lose Weight, Get to Know Your Neighborhood

Today’s post is Kevin LaFleur’s first guest post here at BRU. This article is of particular interest to Shelly and I as we’ve been doing quite a bit of run commuting lately. I regularly walk to work and run to our gym, and can attest to the benefits Kevin discusses. Please share your run commuting experiences in the comments!

My love for commuting by my own power began in the 2nd grade. Per the Vermont norm, a wicked snow Read More...

What’s the Deal with Ragnar?

Yesterday, a friend forwarded me a link to a blog post from a race director complaining about the Ragnar relay series. Apparently they’ve begun expanding their series by using well-known courses and scheduling them immediately before, during, or after established races.

At first I assumed this was simply one race director that was pissed about a coincidental scheduling snafu… until I started hearing from more and more well-respected race directors. The situation seems a little bit Read More...