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New Balance Minimus Outdoor 10 Review

By Tina Dubois ⋅ March 13, 2012 ⋅ 2 comments

Comfort is a primary feature of shoes for me; if it’s not comfortable and functional, I’m not going to wear them. The Outdoor 10 is not a shoe I consider comfortable and I don’t intend on wearing them again. If the shoe were wider from top to bottom and there wasn’t a constricting band across the top length-wise and width-wise, I think this shoe would be much more comfortable. If you have a narrow foot and you find the shoe comfortable, this might be a footwear option if you’re looking for a water-resistant transition shoe for light trail or road running. The Outdoor 10 was built on the same foundation as the Minimus Trail, and as a first foray into minimalist shoes, it could have used some improvement. Thankfully, New Balance listened to consumer feedback and made significant improvements in their Minimus Zero line of shoes. For more information about this and other models, take a look at the New Balance website.

New Balance Minimus Trail Zero Review

By Al Gauthier ⋅ March 13, 2012 ⋅ 4 comments

The Minimus Trail Zero is the best minimalist shoe NB has made to date and the best model so far of the big brand shoe companies’ forays into minimalist shoe design. I doubt this level of greatness could have been reached without the lessons learned from their original Minimus models released in previous seasons. The Minimus Trail Zero is beyond lightweight, exceptionally wide, fantastically flexible with great ground feel. The futuristic style and materials make for an eye-catching shoe. Although perhaps not well suited for extreme trail terrain, they work well on light trail and incredibly well on road. NB has reset the bar for minimalist running shoes and I can only hope the other big brand shoe companies take note and follow suit. Congratulations New Balance!

New Balance Minimus Road Zero Review

By Tina Dubois ⋅ March 13, 2012 ⋅ 3 comments

The Minimus Road Zero is far superior to its predecessor the Minimus Road but there is still some room for improvement in the width department. I would love to see this model offered in different widths as many New Balance models are and, if this becomes available in the future, I think this would be a very different review. If you have a narrow foot and are looking for a zero drop running shoe with a small amount of cushioning, compared to a conventional shoe, for those longer runs this may be the shoe for you. I don’t recommend them for those with wide feet.

New Balance 110 Trail Shoe Review (WT110) Review

By Tina Dubois ⋅ March 12, 2012 ⋅ Post a comment

Although not a true minimalist shoe, the NB 110 is a good transition trail running shoe, which can be used for those occasions where you might not want to feel all the rockiness of a rugged trail. They have a 4 mm heel rise for those not quite ready for a completely flat shoe. They are a little too inflexible and narrow in the midfoot for my liking but I can see how someone with a narrower foot needing a shoe for trail running might appreciate the design of the 110. They are definitely more stylish than your average running shoe and definitely built to last

Sneak Peek: New Balance 2012 Minimus Models

By Tina Dubois ⋅ December 5, 2011 ⋅ 4 comments

The holidays have come early at Living Barefoot! New Balance has sent a collection of shoes from their upcoming Minimus line for review and we are happy to report that the company listened to feedback provided by their customers and worked hard to make improvements to their existing Minimus models—and it paid off! Here is a sneak peek of our first impressions of the new models.

Review: New Balance Minimus Road

By Al Gauthier ⋅ October 18, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

It is very difficult to know where to place any shoe that falls into the transitional category. The New Balance Minimus is a high quality shoe that is on the right path towards a minimalist product but with key features missing all together. There is significant debate among manufacturers, researchers, and bloggers about the need or usefulness of a transitional product. Some feel they are an important step and may help to avoid injury; others believe they are a pointless product designed to pull more money out of the pockets of trend followers.

Review: New Balance Minimus Trail

By Al Gauthier ⋅ October 10, 2011 ⋅ 2 comments

The Minimus Trail is a good all-round shoe designed for light trail activity and everyday use. Designed for narrow to mid-width feet, the fit is snug yet the toes have ample room for natural movement. The strapping system desperately needs adjustment points for versatility, but so long as your foot feels snug and comfortable inside the Trail, these seem to be a good choice.

New Balance is Releasing a Zero Drop Minimalist Shoe – Finally!

By Al Gauthier ⋅ September 21, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

It will come as no surprise to all of you that New Balance is releasing a zero-drop version of the Minimus line of shoes called the Minimus Zero!. As New Balance says itself “Zero wouldn’t have been possible without the first round of NB Minimus product. “We definitely learned a lot in the process of [...]

New Interview: Katherine Petrecca from New Balance

By Al Gauthier ⋅ July 6, 2011 ⋅ Post a comment

Episode 33: We Interview Katherine Petrecca of New Balance This interview is an interesting inside look into the marketing and thought process behind the New Balance Minimus collection. Katherine lets the cat out of the bag about what’s to come in the Minimus collection. Find out why the [...]