1. It must be functional. I mean like, whilst I am going to mostly wear it for casual use, I also want it to be able to withstand runs of 2-3 times per week, and use it for simple exercising. Maybe once in a few months I could be bringing it to rougher terrains, but that's not really a big thing for me.
So this kind of effectively rules out Nike Roshes. I love roshes, because they are so well-designed and made. But they just aren't functional enough for me.
Flyknits are also quite hard, not because they aren't functional, but because they are most likely going to break quite fast. So whatever that is knitted probably isn't going to be the best bang-for-the-buck thing for me.
2. It cannot be too expensive. Of course, this is entirely suggestive from person to person, and to me, it must really be below $200 for sure. Heck, I'll even settle for a good sub-$150 shoe if there was one. But as you will observe in my shortlist below, some are way above $150, and yet I'll still be willing to pay because it's just beautifully crafted and amazing.
3. And that brings me on to my third criteria: looks. It must look nice. I don't like big, bulky shoes with a lot of plastics or rubber sticking out. The design itself, though, cannot be too plain, either. I want there to be prints, sharp lines, but not large things that protrude (I'm talking about shoes only, nothing else.).
4. It could be relatively new. I don't like to buy shoes that have stopped in production, or are too far behind. Even if they have very nice designs, technology has moved on so much from then that I'd rather buy newer shoes that can make me more comfortable and run faster. So my cut-off are shoes from 2013. Anything older is a straight no.
5. It mustn't be too bulky. My feet are already huge enough at US 10-10.5. I cannot afford buying another Pegasus or AirZoom and make my feet look even more gigantic. So generally, as a rule of thumb, I go for more compact shoes, and thus consequently, also lighter shoes.
Okay then. So here are some of the shortlisted candidates for the 2015 Emmy's for Shoes for Pie. In a parallel universe sort-of thing. In no particular order.
1. Under Armour SpeedForm Apollo
DESIGNS:
Apollo Vent - $134.25
Apollo TWIST - $179
You see, I really love the last design. I'd buy it even if it was $179. Trouble is, it isn't available in Singapore. And if I ship it from amazon, it'll cost $220. Which means I'll basically have to donate my organs to buy it.
The black-blue vent is nice, too, but at this very moment the size that I am looking for is out of stock. As for the middle one - well, if it was lower than $179, I'd buy it. The colour just isn't as nice as the last one.
2. Nike Free 5.0
Free 5.0 Print - $152
This was the model I almost bought on Wednesday. It looks pretty decent, and it was on discount at Queensway. I really like the amount of detail put into it, especially those tiny, small and sharp blue lines to contrast with the navy blue. The only downside to these kicks is probably its size. It is a tiny wee bit big, but really, I'm not particularly disturbed by it.
3. Adidas Climachill Ride Boost
Ride Boost GFX - $120
Let's face it - Adidas is the equivalent of Audi. They both make boring looking things that are very much practical and useful. Adidas make really good running shoes, but they just seem to look ever so dated. This is one of the few graphically-exciting shoes I've managed to find. And I really dig their Boost technology - I think it'll really help make me run faster. And of course, adidas are really built to last; my old adidas has been around for 3-4 years, and I am changing not because they're broken, but because I've outgrown them.
4. The rest
I have a few other shoes that I've read really good reviews of, and seem to fit the bill, but fall short of a few things. So here goes the honourable mentions:
Nike Lunaracer 3
Lunaracer+ 3 - About $200 from overseas
I really like how light the Lunaracers are, at below 200g. And I've read tremendously great reviews about these kicks, so it's a huge shame it's not available below $200 anywhere. But then again, that's probably the price you'll have to pay for a good looking and amazing pair of kicks, isn't it?
Adidas Response Boost 2
Response Boost 2 - $149
There's only one word to describe this: yawns. It is one of the best adidas shoes available at below $150, and has received quite a lot of excellent reviews. The only problem with it is that it looks beyond dull. The technology itself is really advanced, but sadly, the design just isn't.
Do you have any suggestions for me? If yes, please tweet me or something. I need a new pair of kicks within the next 1 or 2 weeks so that I can start training for my IPPT properly.
Song of the day:
Shawn Mendes - Stitches
(The 2nd version of Justin Bieber that I actually like and find less annoying.)
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