I’m not one to often rave about kit, but once in a blue moon, something is developed that is so ground breaking and innovative that it should be shared. The photo is of me running in the Zermatt marathon at the weekend, actually in the last few hundred metres of the race. Where is the tiredness visible in the legs? It isn’t! I wore shoes made by Hoka (the Mafate). They use soft EVA for the soles that is 2.5 times the volume of a normal trail shoe, so absorbing 80% of any impact. Great news for those with sore knees. The sole has a built in rocker for a good forward roll, and the sole is 50% greater surface area than any reference shoe. The net effect is that you run more efficiently, gliding over rough ground, accelerating on the descents, and never feeling pain on the knees. Some may not like these shoes due to their bulk / volume, but they are 15% lighter than comparable shoes, which makes the difference on a long day in the hills. Hoka have now released walking boots. As their strap line says “it’s time to fly”! For more details visit; http://www.hokaoneone.com/