Posts Tagged with: "KSwiss"

For us runners, we will run come hell or high water (okay, maybe not too high for flood water!) This would mean that many of us (this writer included) run despite heavy rains that slam on the roads.  As long as our safety isn’t compromised, a long run under the rain can turn you into a child again stomping on puddles and being free to roam and play.

To make your rainy run, fun and enjoyable, here are my top 10 running gear for rainy days:  (Warning to Men: These are all my personal run gear so sorry if most of the items are women-specific.)

1) Berghaus Jacket

FAVE FEATURES: I would use this during a run under a light drizzle. It has a unique zipper on the arm to hold an ipod/mp3 player. Material is lightweight. The look is stylish and feminine.

2) Nike Womens Cyclone Vapour Running Jacket

FAVE FEATURES: This Nike jacket is designed to move along with you while you run.  The textured dots inside aren’t just for aesthetics; they create space between the jacket and your skin to reduce cling. There’s an adjustable cord both at the hood and the lower hem should you run against wind.  It is lightweight and water resistant.  See the internal pocket on the left side?  You can fold the jacket in for easy storing.

3) Nike Epic Run Shorts and Nike 

FAVE FEATURES: While these aren’t necessarily rain-specific, I like wearing them most especially when it rains because the fit remains the same even when soaked in rain water unlike loose shorts that tend to cling when wet.  The Nike Epic Run shorts (black in the middle) has 2 internal drop-in pockets to carry gels, keys, mp3 player, or cash.  The other 2 shorts (grey and blue) fit very well and provide good comfort.

4) Otterbox Armor Series

FAVE FEATURES: It’s shockproof, dustproof, and waterproof! This keeps your phone safe even when it rains. Actually, even if you submerge it in water.

5) Garmin Forerunner 310XT

FAVE FEATURES: Garmin’s triathlon watch is water-resistant. It can be used for swimming so it’s obviously safe to use under the rain. Should it get dark out, tap it to turn on the backlight.

6) KSwiss K-Ruuz 1.5 Shoes

FAVE FEATURES: The K-Swiss K-Ruuz 1.5 is K-Swiss’ lightest racing flat. It uses K-Swiss’ unique ION-mask hydro-phobic technology which is designed to repel water. It also has drainage holes underneath the shoe to keep your feet dry. It has limited cushioning and a bit of support so I would use this only for short runs. The shoe below is the 2012 model for women.

– KSwiss K-Ruuz 1.5 2012 version for Women –

7) Otterbox Waterproof Series

FAVE FEATURES: This air tight container keeps its contents dry and protected. For the Otterbox 2000 Series seen below, you can fit your iphone, ipod, passport/license, cash, and more. There are other available sizes for these. You can also check out the Otterbox Pursuit Series which are updated versions of mine below.

8) Adidas Handheld Hydration Bottle

FAVE FEATURES: This handheld hydration bottle from adidas can’t possibly slip off your hands due to its design. It’s also lightweight and easy to drink from even while on the run.

9) 2XU Cap

FAVE FEATURES: The material of this cap is water resistant, lightweight, and breathable.

10) Petroleum Jelly

FAVE FEATURES: Keeps your skin chafe-free and blister-free. Apply this liberally on your chest area in the perimeters of your sports bra if you’re a woman, at the edges of your shorts, and even on your toes to avoid blisters from soaked socks and shoes. Never leave home without this!

My head was in a whirl before leaving for New York last week that I completely missed out on something that would’ve kept me dancing and prancing all day…or even the entire month.  Here’s the letter that came with the package I received but failed to take a 2nd look at before hopping on the plane:

Ooooh baby! If there’s one shoe I go googoo gaga over, it would be this: the KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light. I have two pairs -both of the same color, the yellow/black model.

I was a very loyal user until I got injured in May this year. After this, I tried a variety of other shoes, namely Asics Gel Kayano 17, On running shoes, Brooks Glycerin 7, New Balance 870, and Nike Lunar Glide+ 3.  I wasn’t fully recovering from injury for months. Needless to say, I was frustrated.  It wasn’t until exactly a month ago, during the Guam KoKo Race 21k to be exact, when I decided to try my Kwicky Blade Lights again that I completed a race with absolutely no pain or discomfort.  That’s when I knew the Kwicky Blade Light would be my marathon shoe for both the NYC Marathon in November and California International Marathon (CIM) in December.

Lucky me, Steve of KSwiss in Singapore sent me a little surprise: the note above and, of course, the brand new shoe below.  Just in time for break in before CIM! Woohoo!

Check it out:

– New color for KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light 2012, Womens –

– Side view –

– Love love love this shoe –

For my take on the KSwiss Kwicky Blade Light, click HERE.

Thank you Steve! Hoping this gets me to run as fast as you do at CIM!

I got my first pair of Kwicky Blade Light in January 19, 2011.  I loved it so much I used it for track, tempo, races, and long runs.  It was the ever so dependable multi-tasking shoe. (Read my shoe review HERE)

A couple of weeks ago, my friends started making fun of me for using such decrepit looking shoes.  I gazed down at my feet and realized only then that the shoes did look old, and stinky, and pathetic!  I didn’t realize that I had used them for almost 6 months and I had logged in over 750 kilometers in them.

Last week, as I was getting dressed for a run, I couldn’t find them in my pile of shoes.  I asked our househelp to look for them and she plainly pointed at the pair right in front of my face. I had completely missed them!  I was looking for yellow shoes when, in fact, this pair was already black!  Oookay, I knew then that it was time to get my new pair of Kwicky Blade Lights.

Unfortunately, this model is doing so well that my size is sold out in Manila. KSwiss was kind enough to source it for me in other Asian countries, but my size is sold out there too.  Crap.  Their advice: Use the Men’s smaller size which should be exactly the same.  Since I desperately need to break in my new pair in preparation for Phuket Marathon, I said: Yes!  I’ll try that Men’s pair (even if the Women’s yellow is way cooler!)

Looking forward to my last longest run this weekend with this fresh-out-of-the-box pair!

– Out with the old and dirty. In with the brand new pair –

I’ve been on a mad hunt for a new pair of running shoes. With my favorite Nike Lunar Glides upgraded to the Nike Lunar Glide 2 which my feet disagreed with, I was like an orphan jumping from home to home. I would test a new shoe almost every weekend and I would end up with blisters, dead toe nails (four to be exact), or worse, a minor injury. It was completely frustrating and tiring. Well, I am pleased to report that the search is over.  Finally, I’ve found a pair that fits me to a tee. A bonus: it looks great, too.

KSWISS KWICKY BLADE LIGHT

The Kwicky Blade-Light is K-Swiss’ top-of-the-range super-light, super-cushioned, training shoe and, need I say, it’s one of my favorite shoes now!  Yes, it’s super-light. Yes, it’s super-cushioned. And, yes, it’s a training shoe that feels as light as racing flats. How KSwiss managed to pull off a multi-tasking shoe as good as this one amazes me.

Since I received my Kwicky Blade-Light more than a month ago—shipped straight from KSwiss Singapore (thanks Steve!)—I haven’t used any other shoe for any of my runs.  I’ve racked up close to 100km in them, plus a handful of oohs and aahs from running friends. Aack, I am in love—and it’s not even Valentine’s yet.

TBR REVIEW

The name alone says it all: It’s quick and super light. The men’s shoe weighs in at 9 oz. It actually reminded me of my Mizuno Wave Precision, Asics Gel Trainer, or New Balance 801 which I reserve for only short runs, but I took a risk with the Kwicky Blade-Light and used it for runs from 5k to 21k, including my recent Condura Skyway Half Marathon.

The shoe provides superb stability and ample cushioning. Remember that I’m a flat footed overpronator so my feet are very choosy with shoes. This shoe felt close to the ground while keeping my feet extremely comfortable. I can imagine some runners being unhappy with how soft it is, but this is exactly how soft I like my shoes.

The toe box fit perfectly: not too tight nor too lose. The heel tab hugged my foot comfortably even if I was wearing low-cut socks; I had none of those painful blisters that come from ill-fitting shoes.

On the first day of use, it was pure luck for me that it rained. I got to test the ion-mask technology that was applied to this shoe. KSwiss put an invisible protective polymer layer to make the shoe practically water proof and almost dirt proof. Yup, my socks sure didn’t get wet, but I did feel terrible about seeing my brand spankin’ new shoes littered with dark spots all over.

Two little features that I loved that simply cannot go unnoticed were the 1) slip-free laces and 2) the heel grip, tongue at the heel that you can tug on for easy wearing. (Robocop triathlete Javy said its for easy transitions for triathletes. Well, this runner didn’t figure that out!)

– Laces that don’t slip and slide –

– Heel grip is a nice little feature –

The bonus: I love the color! I never pick out shoes because of aesthetics, but when you do find a shoe that fits perfectly well and looks great too, it’s almost like meeting your soulmate! (I know, strike 2 for cheezy Valentine’s line. Forgive me.) For men, the shoe is predominantly in gray and yellow. See HERE.

SUMMARY

Pros
– super light
– very stable
– ample cushioning
– water proof
– extremely comfortable
– slip-free shoelaces
– attractive colors

Cons
– ion-mask technology didn’t guard against stains

Price: P6,995
Available in Manila by first week of March in KSwiss Glorietta, Planet Sports, Runnr & Secondwind