Our Score: 5 out of 5 
Price: £90 

Review by Steve Wallis

PROS

CONS

DETAILS & FEATURES

• A neutral shoe aimed to help make the transition to minimalist shoes.

• Weighs just 220g/7.7oz

• Super light and flexible midsole is made from durable foam to cushion the foot.

• EVA sockliner adds to the overall comfort.

• 4mm heel-to-toe offset guarantees a close-to-the road feel.

• Light and breathable, the upper is made from mono-filament mesh that provides a comfortable, sock-like fit and feel.

• Heel ProGrid Lite offers minimal mass, maximum cushioning.

• Midfoot Archlock gives secure foot control.

• Hydrator breathable, wicking fabric in the collar and tongue.

• The Kinvara 2 is said to provide as much cushioning as the ProGrid Triumph – but it weighs in at 100g lighter! 

• Energy is returned using a "piston" effect through the triangular lugs of the outsole giving a cushioned but lightweight ride.

User Review by Steve Wallis

I loved the feel of this shoe. It’s an incredible fit and (as you’d expect from a shoe that weighs just over 200g) and is hardly noticeable when you run. I’m a minimalist fan and found them to be incredibly responsive.

These shoes which have proven to be very popular amongst runners since their launch, are designed to help those who want to try out barefoot running but aren’t quite ready to leave the support of their normal trainers, which for me made them perfect for training; in other words they’re just like what I’d known before to be ‘racer trainers’.

They’ve got great midsole cushioning and the heel drop at 4mm is great for those wanting some support. It took a while to get used to them on the longer runs and I did suffer the inevitable sore calf muscles, but the more I ran in them the easier this got. As I’m trying to make a transition to minimalism I also added in some lower limb work, strides, hops etc, and wore Vibram Five Fingers too, and I feel like the whole process has seen me running faster and I now naturally run more on the forefoot.

I have worn my Kinvara’s for 5k time trials, but I prefer flats on shorter speed interval training as I find them a bit too ‘springy’ when training on the track or doing shorter springs. I do however love these for longer races. Now I wear them for half marathons and will continue to use them for my marathon training and hope to run my Spring marathon in them (I need a bit of extra cushioning for 26.2 miles).

I’m not sure how durable they will be as the upper made from a very thin material looked a little flimsy, but so far (two months in) so good.

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