Unusual footwear

This footwear sure is eye-catching!

This man was waiting to board the commuter train. Take a look at the lion paw flip-flops he's wearing. I suppose it's one way to prevent your toes from getting stepped on in a crowded carriage.

Midsole dropped off

The entire midsole of somebody's running shoe fell off and was left by the road. I cannot tell which make of running shoe it is. It's always a good idea to inspect one's sports shoes regularly to avoid situations like this.

Tennis dress code causes an upset

Tennis superstar Roger Federer found himself in a spot when he did not wear all-white shoes at Wimbledon.

Source:
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Sports/Story/A1Story20130626-432610.html

Quick review of Adidas LK Trainer 5

The "Adidas LK Trainer 5". Those are the shoes that my toddler currently wears on a daily basis. As a parent, I am very satisfied with how these shoes perform on a very active toddler who runs, hops and jumps about during playtime.

Adidas LK Trainer 5

I have observed that the LK Trainer 5 is good for toddlers mainly because of the following:

• Court training shoe for lateral movement (and not a running shoe, which is for forward movement )
• Low midsole height (prevents injury to growing and active feet)
• Upper is lightweight, flexible, yet with all-over support
• Soft textile heel collar
• Adifit system for shoe-fitting
• Removable Ortholite insole for washing
• Forefoot flex grooves allow the toddler's foot to flex naturally
• Out-sole provides excellent traction on all kinds of surfaces
• Out-sole is made of non-marking rubber

My toddler likes to drag the front of the shoes on the ground in order to control the speed when he's riding his little bike. This means that the front areas of the uppers of the shoes wear out quickly. However, I used Shoe-Goo to mend and protect these high-wear areas.

Insole

Many shoes come with removable insoles. Insoles are also known an sockliners. They are made of a variety of materials and serve as the platforms on which the feet rest when the shoes are worn. 

Insoles are usually made of foam and also have a textile layer as the top surface.

One such foam is OrthoLite. This foam is used to make the insoles of many athletic shoes. It is an open-cell foam and this allows air to circulate around the feet when the shoes are worn. This foam also does not "bottom out" (compress and flatten) too easily and retains its cushioning effect over the lifespan of the shoes. OrthoLite insoles are also machine-washable. 

The insole shown here is from the Adidas LK Trainer 5, a court sports shoe for toddlers. To find out what the black markings on the blue insole are for, view this other post.

How to determine the best shoe fit for toddlers

Here is a visual method to fit toddlers' feet into shoes of the right size. It sure is an easy method!

Simply remove the shoe insole and, with the markings printed on the insole as a reference, position the toddler's foot onto the insole. Observe where the toddler's toes lie on the insole and compare with what is shown in the chart (see photo).

The Adidas and Puma brands of toddler shoes use this method. The chart is printed on the back of the shoe box.

Best for shoe repair

This is it - Shoe Goo.

It's simply the best solution for Do It Yourself repair of shoes. Use it to mend shoe uppers and also to build up worn areas including worn outsoles.

 

  Read an application about Shoe Goo here.

Adidas Adilette sandals

This is a good pair of post-exercise and shower sandals. In fact, it's my second pair. I wore the first pair till the heels were worn beyond the thickness of the outsole.

There are many good things I like about this simply styled pair of sandals.

1. The decent construction. The molded midsole and upper foot strap are assembled well.

2. The toe ridge and arch contours on the footbed should fit many foot types. I find the arch contours to be excellent for this type of sandals. I don't experience too much foot fatigue even after having worn them for a couple of hours (including walking and standing in them.) They aren't exactly cushioned, but the footbed has contours such that the fit feels good at many locations.

3. The sandals don't stay wet for very long. So they are great for wearing after a swim or when using the gym shower.

4. The outsole provides good traction and is reliable over wet floors. Of course, the toe ridge on the footbed helps the toes to grip the sandals when stepping carefully onto wet floors.

5. Made in Italy. Nice to know that about the Adilette. I wonder if the style of the Adilette has its origin in Italy.

The Adidas Adilette is probably no longer in production. I bought this particular pair at a sale of closeout sportswear today.

Flashvibe - Reebok Vibetech trainer

This is my current training shoe. It's actually my first Reebok shoe after many years of using shoes by Nike, Asics, New Balance and other brands.

This Reebok shoe is surprisingly comfortable and stable. Just what I need in a workout and practice shoe. I didn't think it would suit my flat feet but the shoe last is straight enough with additional support coming from the Vibetech midsole and plastic foot cradle. This foot cradle extends from the arch area to the heel and is a good feature indeed. Moreover, the hidden heel counter is decently rigid. I have inserted Biomechanics arch inserts into these shoes and everything works fairly well to give me lightweight stability and support.

The cushioning of the shoe intrigues me. It's not too soft and seems to have a slight bounce to it. I hope this midsole foam is resilient and doesn't bottom out too quickly. Speaking of durability, I also hope the upper stays on securely as the glued seam at the front of the toe box doesn't look like it's neatly done. Time, and usage, will certainly reveal more to me about the shoe quality.

Overall, the shoe feels light on the feet. Lace them up snugly and they work well to provide good cushioning and support for workout sessions requiring changes in tempo and different movements.

New soccer boot wins design award

The Pele Sports Trinity 3E soccer boot by the Pele Sports Innovation Team has won a design award.

The shoes can be viewed at Changi City Point mall in Singapore where they are on display for a limited time at a design exhibition in the basement atrium.