Marathon News - CONSUMER MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS AGAINST HIGH TECH SHOE

Aug-19-2005

CONSUMER MAGAZINE RECOMMENDS AGAINST HIGH TECH SHOE
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

Consumer Reports, the magazine of the not-for-profit Consumers Union, gave a
thumbs down to the adidas 1, a $250 running shoe which uses a microprocesser
to control midsole firmness.

The 1 is markted as the "world's first intelligent shoe" and uses a 3 volt
battery, computer chip, electric motor and a cable to adust the level of
cushioning of the shoe. The publication had three staff members run in the
1 and the conventional IQ Supernova ($85) which is built on the same last.
Runners ran eight, four to five-mile runs over various terrain then scored
each shoe. The shoes were also lab-tested on a treadmill to measure
cushioning.

"The adidas 1 has above-average cushioning, flexibility and stability, but
so does its regular cousin," the editors wrote in the September, 2005
issue." They said that the shoe was heavy at 15.3 oz. (about 430 grams) vs.
9.3 oz. for the Supernova, it lacked relfective trim, only comes in one
width and only in a men's version (a women's version is due out).

"Be smart," the editors concluded, "Buy a dumber shoe. You'll save more
than $150."