Three years ago, I put on my first pair of Newton sneakers, and I’ve never worn a different brand of sneakers since. I’ve gone through countless pairs of the Gravity trainers, and added the Terrus Momentus to my lineup for trail running. Suffice to say, I’m a Newton Girl.
Recently, I was offered the opportunity to review their new race flats – the MV2 speed racers. Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity.
From the moment I took them out of the box, one thing was very clear about the MV2‘s: They are light. The box they came in weighed more than the pair. Each shoe weighs a mere 5.2 ounces (women’s, size 8). I think I have flip flops that weigh more than these kicks.
Second thing I noticed as soon as I put them on: they are a zero-drop shoe, which means there is no difference in height between the forefoot and the heel. I could immediately feel how this added extra load to my lower leg – and this is coming from someone who walks around barefoot most of the time. The shoes come with a 3mm heel insert, which the company recommends using as part of the transitioning process.
Make no mistake, even if you already wear Newtons, these sneakers demand a careful and gradual transition process. Without this process, you are going to place way too much stress on the muscles and tendons of your lower legs and end up with a problem.
Since I wasn’t willing to deal with a case of achilles tendonitis (or worse), I was super cautious in my adaptation. The first thing I did was visit Newton’s FAQ for the MV2 sneaks, where they have a series of informational videos about the sneakers, with plenty of useful tips for adapting to the shoes and training in them. (They have similar sites for their other types of shoes.)
As recommended by the site, I walked around in the shoes for about a week before I attempted my first run. Regardless of what they can do for my running, they are very comfortable shoes – I feel like I’m wearing slippers. And, they are pretty jazzy looking too. 😉
The first test run was a 15 minute transition run, after a short bike ride. From the first footfall, I could feel how responsive these sneakers were. It felt *almost* as if I were running barefoot. The shoes are so light, so airy, you might forget you have them on. One thing that reminded me they were indeed on my feet were the lugs on the sole of the shoe.
By way of comparison, for those of you who already wear Newtons, I think the lugs on the MV2 are a little more noticeable on the first few wears than on the first few runs with the Gravity trainers. I believe this is due to the fact that the soles of the MV2 are not made of the traditional foam, hence making the lugs more noticeable. On the positive side, the lighter material allows you to feel the ground more, which I find useful for maintaining efficient form.
The good news: after about 3-4 uses, these lugs become barely noticeable. And, after 6 weeks of running in them, I don’t feel them at all now.
I’ve run in the the MV2‘s on many of my shorter runs over the past few weeks, and I like the enhanced feel of the road I get from them the most. I think this “feel” also makes them an excellent option for doing drill work, and functional strength training designed to enhance balance, stability and proprioception.
Despite these uses, I believe this shoe excels for one purpose: racing fast. If you are looking for a lightweight, responsive racing sneaker that works well for people with a neutral, natural running form, this is the shoe for you.
This is an ideal racing shoe for shorter distances–up to the half-marathon distance. If you have an extremely efficient form, and you are accustomed to racing in flats, this shoe could work for marathon running. I would not recommend it for ultramarathons, especially since most of those are run on rugged terrain.
While I think the MV2 could hold up on light trails, I would prefer to use my Terrus Momentus for trail running, as they are more durable and have a longer life to them. Newton is clear about the practical life of these shoes, capping it at about 300 miles, with an average life span of 150-250 miles.As such, these are not ideal for an everyday training shoe.
In terms of sizing, these shoes will fit snugly if you get them at your usual size. If you want a bit more room, Newton recommends going up a half size. I did go up the half size, but I wish I didn’t. Apparently, I prefer a snug fit.
So, what’s the takeaway, here? The MV2‘s have several specific purposes that they achieve well:
- a comfortable and efficient racing shoe
- a useful shoe for drill work and short runs emphasizing natural running form
- a useful shoe for functional strength training that emphasizes balance, stability and proprioception
I believe their key strength, however, is for going fast. Go, speed racer, go!
Have you tried the MV2‘s? Do you race in flats? What are your thoughts about a zero-drop shoe?
