New adidas shoe range *out mid-june*

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[digit]

I have to agree with Craggsy. Asics have been my shoe of choice for years and have never been let down.

[ragyrascal]

Sports World/ Sports Direct in the UK have an Adidas trail shoe in store at the moment, which has an excellent sole for turf play. But the best bit, it is only 35 quid!!
It is called Adidas ATS Trail Senior.
I can't find a picture of them on the web, but they are certainly a very cheap, very good alternative.

EDIT 16/7 - Have bought myself a pair, seemed to good to pass up the opportunity. Picture below:

[Dr_lol]

Ragy, you'll have to let us know how you get on with them. I've seen some pics of some Aus players wearing Asics trail running shoes similar to the ones that you've bought. Are they better suited for a water-based astro pitch?

[ragyrascal]

Roger that Dr Lol, they will be going for a trial run on a hybrid turf on Monday.

[okeefe]

...I've seen some pics of some Aus players wearing Asics trail running shoes similar to the ones that you've bought. Are they better suited for a water-based astro pitch?

The Asics trail running shoes that I’ve seen on some hockey equipment sites, like the Gel-Trabuco/Enduro’s and 2120’s and such are made of that stretchy mesh cloth material that, while being extremely breathable just isn’t able to stand up to the stresses put on a shoe on a hockey pitch.  As I’m sure you know, there is a huge amount of force placed on the foot when you sharply change direction.  (the faster you run/change direction = more force, blah- blah).
I’ve played with the Asics 2120’s and a pair of Nike trail shoes (can’t remember the name –decent though).  I bought them for the great fit and their light weight.  And having a less aggressive grip, I reckoned would be easier on the aching knees.
Even at 1/2 speed you can feel these shoes give way.  The last time I wore the Asics playing pick-up, at one point, I could actually feel the outside edge and toe of my right foot going completely over the edge of the shoe (and yes, they were laced properly).
I can’t comment on all trail shoes or even all the Asics trail shoes.  And I don’t have an answer for why some very good players would wear them.   My advice is though, if you see a pair that you like the look and feel of, put one hand inside, and grab the sole with the other.  Apply some opposing pressure.  If you feel it give way, you can probably guess what your foot is going to do.

[keely]

That's great insight okeefe, thanks.

[phil]

Interesting topic. Thought some of you may like to see this portion of a squad photo I have knocking about. Seems like adidas may have been making some rather good hockey shoes already. However I have only ever seen these shoes on sale in one shop, and only seen them worn by one squad, seems like they may be keeping it secret.

I wonder if Adidas have cottoned on?



P

[keely]

Uh.... what? 

[phil]

The photo shows 10 players in one hockey squad wearing the same pair of shoes. The 'Adidas Swoop' : A fell running shoe.

You may have seen them on your travels Keely. I am just wondering whether anyone else has seen these shoes being worn for hockey, and whether adidas realises how good they seem to be.

It seems strange that they are so popular in one squad/club and no others.

[ragyrascal]

Fell running shoes is no new idea - I think their is often a little too much rigidity in them for some people so they tended not to be favoured. It certainly wouldn't be the first time a trend has sprung across many members of the same team, from my experience it happens a fair bit - though rarely across all members.
I tried the Adidas trail shoes last night. They are very comfortable, not quite as snug fit as the Asics gel lethal elite IIs I have been using as they have the same width, but a little more space at the toes.
Grip-wise, I really cannot fault them, other than to say they are, perhaps, TOO grippy. There were a couple of times last night that I turned and my foot was well and truely planted. Sometimes a modicom of slide is probably a little healthier on the joints.
The laces were a bit of a pain, I guess from not being stretched in yet they came undone three times in the first half - the frustration such that I changed back to the Asics at half-time, but the laces will get better with time.
For 35 quid those shoes are a bargain, they have solid support, great cushioning and great grip. I would certainly recommend them to anyone looking for specialist shoes for wet weather/water-based turfs.

[Andyface]

I didn't even realise that those adidas shoes weren't for hockey!
There were three guys at my old club who used to wear them.
One of whom is a current england u21 player.
And i'm thinking, if they are good enough for him then they must be a pretty decent shoe to play in, because ill be honest, in my eyes they dont have anything going for them in the looks department! 

[keely]

For anyone else outside the UK and wondering what "fell running" is, this store featuring shoes for that sport nicely explains it.

I've never seen them before.

[Awe_Kid]

...I've seen some pics of some Aus players wearing Asics trail running shoes similar to the ones that you've bought. Are they better suited for a water-based astro pitch?

The Asics trail running shoes that I’ve seen on some hockey equipment sites, like the Gel-Trabuco/Enduro’s and 2120’s and such are made of that stretchy mesh cloth material that, while being extremely breathable just isn’t able to stand up to the stresses put on a shoe on a hockey pitch.  As I’m sure you know, there is a huge amount of force placed on the foot when you sharply change direction.  (the faster you run/change direction = more force, blah- blah).
I’ve played with the Asics 2120’s and a pair of Nike trail shoes (can’t remember the name –decent though).  I bought them for the great fit and their light weight.  And having a less aggressive grip, I reckoned would be easier on the aching knees.
Even at 1/2 speed you can feel these shoes give way.  The last time I wore the Asics playing pick-up, at one point, I could actually feel the outside edge and toe of my right foot going completely over the edge of the shoe (and yes, they were laced properly).
I can’t comment on all trail shoes or even all the Asics trail shoes.  And I don’t have an answer for why some very good players would wear them.   My advice is though, if you see a pair that you like the look and feel of, put one hand inside, and grab the sole with the other.  Apply some opposing pressure.  If you feel it give way, you can probably guess what your foot is going to do.

There's a good reason why you were falling out of the sides of your trail shoes, even more the 2120's. They're designed to go forward, not sideways. Even trail shoes which have the little extra sideways action (roling due to uneven ground) wont hold full on sideways movement. 2120's aren't gonna help at all either because they are "structured" running shoes. They are built for people who role inwards on their ankles (which effects the knees and hips) and counter act the roling by, in the asics example, having a harder section on the inside of the shoe. It also only works if you're going forward only so the only effect it will have with your hockey is pushing you even further out and over your ankle.

Sorry if I sound a little annoyed with this but this is exactly what I hate from normal sports shops. Its like if JJB had TK, gryphon, grays and mercian hockey sticks. They would just chuck the most expensive stick they thought you would buy and say it'll solve all your problems. I worked in a sports shop which did everything from rugby to running to tennis to hockey (NO FOOTBALL except the odd shoe for the rugby backs) for almost 2 years and had far too many people come in saying they saw a Asics shoe in a mag and it had 5 stars so they had to have it only for it to turn out that it wouldn't just be useless for them, but most of the time just make their aches and pains worse.

I can only think that the pro's are using trails because they're good enough to continuesly manouver their body so they're going forward. Maybe they got those shoes that have a much higher tollerance to uneven ground. Either of those or they get given the ones that are too tight for them at the front. (I was told by the Mizuno guy a couple of years ago that most of the Ireland mens squad were using one of their trial shoes).

My personal oppinion is that if you search around you'll find some very light hockey shoes (asics are almost as light as some of their trail shoes) which will be designed for the constant turning and leaning that goes on in hockey. Use them for hockey and the running shoes for on the tredmill.

Oh and go to the shops that know about the shoes they're selling.   If you've managed to get this far then I congradulate you and hope that this was helpful  

[phil]

Keely I am amazed! Do you not recognise the colour of the socks in the photo?!?


P.S. If the shoe shop is selling Asics and doesn't recommend or know what powerlooping is then I go to another shop.

[keely]

No, the picture is small and I have difficulty sorting blacks from other similar colours like navy and purple. But that's me, I never cease to amaze.