On receiving the New Balance Vazee Rush I was firstly impressed with how they looked. The Black and Lime Green really stood out leaving me excited to try them out. Here’s a picture of the sole of New Balance Vazee Rush…

Secondly I was impressed with the fit and how light they are. Trying them on in the house it felt like I was wearing slippers, although designed for neutral runners they felt very supportive and stable.

The first run in the New Balance Vazee Rush was around my local nature reserve which is made up of chalk/stone paths and grassy trails. The trainers performed brilliantly! They felt really light, responsive and well cushioned. Normally I tend to go for a supportive running trainer due to do doing 20-30 miles per week and due to previous knee injuries. I felt no niggles or discomfort when wearing the Vazee Rush and no blisters, they stood up very well to the demands of long runs (10-15 miles) on different types of surfaces.

So far I love wearing these running trainers, they are an excellent choice for all round training whether it be running the roads, trails or grinding out the miles on a treadmill. Overall the New Balance Vazee Rush is a very good shoe and one that I would recommend to experienced or competitive neutral runners. So far they have held up excellent through almost 60 miles, I have had no issues quality and construction wise.

*Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with FYFO and I was given the trainers in order to give an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

I’m a natural sceptic and wondered whether the technology is worth the high price tag. Therefore, when offered the chance to review for free a pair of tights by SKINS, one of the market leaders in compression sportswear, I was happy to oblige.

SKINS definitely appeal to anyone’s inner geek. My pair of A400 Women’s Active Tights arrived in a smart dark box bearing the legend, ‘It’s equipment not clothing.’

Have a look on their website and it’s filled with the science behind the SKINS 400 series. They are so named because we apparently have 400 body touch points. Who knew? Me neither. But I’m willing to be educated.

SKINS claims the A400s are the only compression range designed by measuring the oxygen needs of active muscles in motion (rival brands only measure athletes standing still).

But would the very impressive blurb translate to an improved running experience?

Fit

I was immediately struck by how lightweight and seemingly insubstantial the tights were. Just how do they pack so much technology in?

Fit is crucial as extra muscle support is added to key areas including your ITB, TFL and knee to ensure maximum compression.

If like me, you’re pretty short, or alternatively pretty tall, you don’t want to find this support in the wrong place.

Online there’s plenty of information to help you to choose the correct size.

I chose medium, which did mean I had to readjust the tights over my knees a few times while running. Next time, I’d probably want to try both small and medium to check I’d make the right choice.

The fabric is super stretchy so despite fitting like a second ‘skin’, they are incredibly easy to get on. And once worn and after washing, they return nicely to their original shape. They look like they’ll wear well.

I was impressed by the fit and feel. They are incredibly sheer, but those of us with a few lumps and bumps would be pleased about how flattering they are to any shape.

The wider waist band is comfortable and sits (and remains!) nicely at the waist.

Performance

So the tights look and feel good, but how would they perform?

Compression tights are designed to improve blood flow, so delivering more oxygen to your muscles and preventing the build-up of lactic acid. They also minimise muscle vibration and reduce the risk of damage during times of fatigue. Therefore, they’re particularly good for endurance runners.

I wanted to make sure I gave them a proper road test, so totally selflessly decided to run the Windermere Marathon just for this review. (Well, ok, I was already signed up!).

I have to admit that these tights totally rock from a sheer comfort perspective.

As they’re so sleek with almost hidden seams, there’s reduced friction. I suffered no chaffing, feeling really good the whole way round. The ADAPTIVE Technology did regulate my temperature and the material wicked well.

I’d pretty confidently say the tights did provide additional support and stability to my muscles during the race, compared to standard tights. (I’ve never tried a rival brand so I can’t comment on how they compare with alternatives).

I didn’t have any niggles during the race and although my legs certainly suffered from the constant up and down-hill of the course, I had no cramp, muscle pain or excessive fatigue.

I was particularly interested to see whether the tights also reduced what is termed ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ (i.e. the feeling that you can’t move a muscle a day or two after a long run).

I was not leaving this part of the research to chance – I continued to wear the tights for the journey home and (don’t laugh) I put them back on for my seven hours of sleep. (No honestly, other people do it too.) Now if the thought of wearing technical clothing to bed makes you grimace, you should have seen my husband’s face!

Although I did ache quite a bit the following day, by 48 hours after the race I had very low levels of muscle soreness. This could be due to a number of factors, including my tights, my excellent physiology (of course!) and the few miles of walking I built into my routine the day after my race.

But even if the tights contributed a small amount to this overall recovery time, I feel they would probably be worth the investment.

Conclusion

Now, I don’t have a twin who could run the same race on the same day at the same speed with normal tights, so there’s no control here. I’ll leave the science bit to the SKINS website.

However, I would say that anyone who covers plenty of miles and has the cash to spare should give the SKINS 400 Series serious consideration. The tights have definitively made me think that this is one technology that lives up to the blurb on the box.

*Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with Skins and I was given the running tights in order to give an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

The first noticeable aspect of the Orb as it emerges from the packaging is how small and light it is. It’s very unobtrusive when worn. The device is very simple and intuitive to use, with only a single button plus a light display to indicate the Orb’s current mode. The three-axis accelerometer measures all movement and the resultant data is accurately recorded.

To avoid the hassle of recharging, the Orb uses a lithium battery, with a projected life of up to six months. The Orb is display-free, but user activity can be quickly and easily accessed via the Fitbug app, which is Android and iPhone compatible. Setting up a Fitbug account is a simple matter of registering and completing a straightforward health assessment questionnaire with basic information such as water and alcohol consumption and diet.

The level of encouragement and incentive supplied by the Fitbug account is superlative. After a week of using the Orb, the user is provided with a personal target for such elements as total steps, aerobic steps (those taken after an initial ten minutes of walking) and calorific intake. Colour coding is used to indicate progress. Grey suggests that the user should keep trying, and magenta means that the target has been exceeded.

Additionally, with the aid of a monthly calendar the app allows users to check activity history, so that patterns and trends can be quickly and easily discerned. Further encouragement is supplied by a first week of daily emails explaining the programme’s features, followed by weekly email progress reports. It all helps to maintain an ongoing level of personal commitment.

There are three ways to send statistical information. A press and send on demand option; a Beacon feature which automatically transmits data at pre-set intervals; and data streaming, which enables real time progress monitoring.

Another major advantage of the Orb is its sleep tracker facility. This records how long it takes the user to fall asleep, the duration of the sleep and whether there was any wakefulness during the night.

Unlike similar devices, the Orb offers a wide variety of wearing options. It can be worn around the wrist like a watch, attached to a belt, or it can be worn around the neck on a lanyard. It can even be slipped into a pocket. It’s also splash proof. The Fitbug Orb offers the ideal way into a healthier lifestyle.

*Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with Fitbug and I was given the Orb in order to give an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.

I often feel a little bamboozled in sports and running shops about which brand of trainer to try and which style will best suit my feet/gait/running colour preference and have felt in the past that I’ve been given a lot of conflicting advice. Also, the expense of trainers has always made me feel weary of trying anything new. Preferring a “Well, they might not be perfect but I know them” style attitude then spending money on a pair of trainers that I would struggle to run in.

SO when the opportunity came to try a pair of shoes from a brand other than the one I always wore, I grabbed it. If I’m honest my technical understanding of running shoes is very limited, so although I will add technical bits at the end, this review will concentrate on my opinions of the grip, design and how they responded to water and muck!

To say I was excited when I received the parcel was an understatement. The grey and purple colouring was something I probably would have chosen myself and I was really impressed with how light they were. During the obligatory “breaking in around the house” session, the trainer felt supportive, my toes suitably held in place and very light. I couldn’t wait to get outdoors and run. At this point, a slight word of warning in that these trainers are slightly small. I usually wear a 7.5 for running trainers but feel that an 8 would have been more appropriate.

The big day dawned, bright, crisp and rather slippy under foot. I wasn’t one to let adverse weather conditions prevent me from running (hottest day of the year, 10 mile run anyone??) but even I questioned whether a run was a sensible idea.

Having been used to running with heavy quite bulky trainers, I was absolutely delighted with the effect of the lighter shoe. One thing that I was concerned about was the apparent lack of grip during the run. As I mentioned earlier, it was icy but even running on grass I didn’t feel entirely in control when placing my foot. It did make me wonder if some of the reduced weight had been as a result of a reduced grip. However, on subsequent dryer and warmer runs, I found that this initial lack of grip wasn’t an issue. I also found that despite not being at peak fitness, my pace was faster and running felt more comfortable.

In summary, these trainers are comfortable, supportive and great to run in. I found them to be great on short to medium length runs, providing a good level of comfort and feel for the road.

Update

It was with some mourning of my previous life that I packed my new New Balance trainers into my suitcase the night before heading off on a hen-do to Marbella. Yet I battled through and, even though I was the person frantically stuffing clothing into my hand luggage at check in, I arrived at our destination complete with trainers and running gear.

Having previously trialled the shoes in icy February weather, I was interested to find out how they would compare in much more pleasant climes. The perfect opportunity arose the second morning to get out and run – the early morning weather was warm but breezy, while the hangover was persistent but relatively mild.

It was with some trepidation that I set off. Having run while hungover/feeling delicate before, I was expecting my legs to feel heavy and my feet to feel like I was running through treacle. It was therefore instantly noticeable when this was not the case. The trainers felt light and supportive on my feet. In fact, it was only because I was aware of writing a review that I noticed them at all. Although the run involved different surfaces including tarmac, cobbles and sand, I felt that the shoes were supportive but not restrictive. I also found that their lightweight nature meant my feet stayed cool and comfortable and the breathable fabric really was just so.

Overall, I’m not going to make claims that these trainers cured my hangover but they did help make a run the morning after the night before a lot easier.

Having worn them for many runs over the past few months, I am well and truly converted. This isn’t just coming off the results of a 10k race at the weekend (new personal best anyone), I really have been impressed by how supportive such a lightweight shoe has been.

As someone who has a tendency to fuss over their shoes, laces having to be just so etc, and who is usually very aware of wearing trainers while running I have been pleasantly surprised. I will be really interested to see how these trainers compare with my previous ones as I start to increase the miles in preparation for the Great North Run.

*Disclaimer: This was a collaborative post with New Balance and I was given the trainers in order to give an honest review. All words and opinions are my own.