Mar 24, 2021
Activity Tracker and Watches
Coros Apex Pro
Garmin Fenix 3 HR (Sapphire)
12/2016: Purchased04/2020: Bulkier than anything I had owned before, feature rich and the sapphire face means its gone without a visible scratch. Battery life started to really suffer about a year into using it pretty much daily. And yes, I wore it as a daily activity tracker, with HR on all the time. With my normal runs, and daily use, I was topping off its battery every 4-5 days. Its now collecting dust in a corner as a hypothetical ultra distance backup watch. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever pull it out of the quiver again.
Garmin Fenix 5X
05/2018: Purchased04/2020: Still running strong. Its even bigger and a tad bulkier than the Fenix 3, but I wanted the big-bad boy version with maps and tons of memory. Battery has been a bit better. I’ve owned mine for a bit under two years thus far, and battery needs topping off every week or so. It slightly edges its earlier iteration by a couple of days.
Garmin Forerunner 225
12/2015: Purchased06/2015: Wrist heart rate sensor, Garmin Connect, clunky charger. It served its purpose.
Garmin Forerunner 735XT
11/2016: Purchased01/2021: Sold!
TomTom MultiSport
TomTom Runner
Running Shoes
Altra Escalante 1.0
10/2017: Purchased03/2018: Wonderful as long as you are going straight and on even surfaces. The upper and heel-counter offer zero lock in for your feet. They’ve been relegated to casualwear.02/2021: Donated
Altra Escalante 1.5
12/2018: Purchased05/2019: I had hoped the lack of foot / ankle lock in would be solved. Sorry to say, they were not. Another promising shoe destined for casualwear only. I look really sporty at the office though!
Altra Lone Peak 2.0
12/2015: Purchased07/2017: Best trail Altra shoes I’ve tried to far. Immensly better fit (for me) than both the Lone Peak and Superior 3.5’s. They took a beating in Sedona and Grand Canyon during summertime and came out on top. Love(d) them. They are still in my quiver…just in case.02/2021: Donated
Altra Lone Peak 3.5
08/2017: Purchased07/2019: Yes, these sat in a box for a long while. Sad to report, sizing is all over the place; I am normally a size 12US on just about all shoe manufacturer lasts (including Altra). I had to order a 13.5 on the Lone Peak’s. And then, when I finally took them for a serious spin, they brokein and loosened up in less than 5 miles of trail. My feet were all over the place. And by place I mean inside the shoes. Big fiasco.02/2021: Donated; overall a very dissappointing shoe.
Altra Solstice
Altra Superior 3.5
Altra Torin 3.0
08/2017: Purchased10/2017: I returned this first pair out to Running Warehouse after they developed the most annoying squeak I have ever heard on a pair of shoes. The problem started right after a couple of sweaty long runs. Seems water seeped in between the midsole and outsole.10/2017: Purchased11/2017: They were so darn good that I decided to give them another try. Besides between Altra’s no fuzz guarantee and Runing Warehouse’s customer service, I could afford to take another chance. This time, I was ready with lots of newspapers to dry them out after sweaty runs :-)02/2018: Purchased09/2018: Purchased04/2020: I loved these shoes, as evidenced by the fact that I’ve purchased more pairs of this particular version than of any other brand/model ever. Why? Wide toebox, cushioned and just plain comfortable. Their pitfall? Seems the outter sole flattens very quickly. So you really don’t get more than 100 miles out of these with that new shoe feel. Its a shame because otherwise, these fit me perfectly. I am down to my last pair of relatively low mileage 3.0’s. After these are gone, the model’s dead to me.
Altra Torin 3.5
07/2018: Purchased12/2019: Heavier, bulkier, sloppier.02/2021: Donated
Altra Torin 4.0
06/2019: Purchased12/2019: Better than the 3.5’s, still not quite up to 3.0 standard. Shame.
Hoka One One Clayton
02/2017: Purchased06/2018: Super plush and super narrow. The Hoka meta-rocker is not that pronounced. At least it doesn’t have the same effect that the Newton lugs do.02/2021: Donated
Hoka One One Clifton 6
12/2019: Purchased04/2020: The Clifton 6 and the New Balance Beacon v2’s are on my everyday rotation for now. They are the two best everyday training shoes I’ve found in the last 12 months.05/2020: These will definitely put some pep back in my step, even on tired legs.
Hoka One One Rincon
04/2020: Purchased02/2021: These are on my normal rotation; curently at 170 miles and still plenty of outsole and compression left.
Hoka One One Speedgoat 4
Hoka One One Stinson ATR 6
Hoka One One Torrent
Inov8 f-lite 195 (black)
12/2013: Purchased02/2021: Donated
Inov8 f-lite 195 (blue)
08/2012: Purchased10/2014: It took a lot for me to get rid of these. I run my first road race on them. They were my first pair of Inov8’s and they introduced me to the minimalist movements back in 2012.02/2021: Donated
Inov8 f-lite 220 (black)
12/2013: Purchased02/2021: Donated
Inov8 GripRoc 325
02/2013: Purchased12/2015: Definitely more of a hiking shoe. The outsole is rugged and stiff. The lacing is also very interesting for its time, being offset towards your big toe, and reaching just as far.02/2021: Donated
Inov8 Road-X 233
12/2013: Purchased02/2021: Donated
Inov8 Road x-lite 155
12/2013: Purchased04/2014: Talk about minimalist, these would’ve gone almost hand in hand my my Saucony Hattori, except that the Inov8’s had a slightly more built up upper. The midsole is virtually non-existent, and the outsole was very much a slab of plastic. Flat, hard and did not offer a lot of grip. You better not wore these in the rain or on wet surfaces.02/2021: Donated
Inov8 Road x-treme 208
11/2013: Purchased02/2021: Donated
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v10
New Balance Fresh Foam Zante v2
03/2016: Purchased02/2021: Donated
New Balance Beacon v2
12/2019: Purchased04/2020: Along with the Clifton 6, these are now my go-to shoes for training. They have a soft-ride, fit relatively well, and are quite light for the amount of shoes under your feet.01/2021: With about 400 miles on them, they’ve lost most of their underfoot pep so they are getting close to retirement. The upper is still untarnished, which is very impressive.
New Balance Beacon v3
01/2021: Purchased02/2021: About 40 miles logged; the v2’s fit better / tighter all around. The v3’s remind me of the Altra Escalante’s upper woes w/my feet having trouble staying locked in place.03/2021: Interestingly, now at 60 odd miles, they are feeling a bit more locked in place (maybe my feet are gaining weight :-)
Newton Distance S III
03/2016: Purchased03/2019: These were by far my favorite Newton road shoes. And for a time, my favorite shoes on rotation during the better part of 2016/17. They took every single beating I through at them and then some, and never complained or squeaked. I tried to replace them with the Distance V. I was so dissappointed. They were lightweight, responsive, and fit like a glove.
Newton Distance V
01/2017: Purchased12/2017: Not worthy of the model or the brand. Heavier on your feet and on the scale, they did not fit well and the wafer-thin tongue was useless.
Newton Fate
01/2016: Purchased02/2021: Donated
Newton Motion IV
Nike Free Flyknit 4
12/2016: Purchased04/2020: Still in a box. Wondering if they’ll appraise in value? ;-)02/2021: They are now out of their box. But still unused :-)
Nike Free RN
12/2016: Purchased02/2021: 400+ miles later, I still refuse to get rid of this pair of Nike kicks.
Nike Terra Kiger 5
04/2019: Purchased03/2020: A fast, comfortable ride with little wet traction and lots of ground feel. Step lightly on these over rocky terrain, or save them for shorter trail distances. I did buy them, for the most part, because of what I think was an awesome color combination. Glad I did, as the Kiger 6’s no longer offer this design.03/2021: Just took them out of an uptempo run in dirt. They are still peppy, lightweight and comfortable out on chunky, tacky Texas mud.
Salomon Sense Ride
10/2018: Purchased01/2020: The ride is supple and dare I say, comfortable. They behave really well on soft ground, though don’t expect a lot of traction on muddy terrain. They don’t offer a lot of protection against rocky terrain, so be ready to step lightly. They are also fantastic on road.01/2021: Still rocking these. I love them and never want to part with them. Oh yeah, they’ve got about 360. Pretty sure I can milk 400 out of them.02/2021: North Texas was hammered by a polar vortex from hell, that covered pretty much the entire state anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of powder that would make Snowbird (UT) jealous. I am happy to report I not only survived it but also managed to take some epic photos from the local trails that will certainly leave more than one wondering “that was where??!”. In any case, point being, the Sense Ride behaved AWESOME in dry, fluffy powder as well as hardpack and slush. Obviously, don’t try them on ice, kids.
Salomon Sense Ride 2
01/2020: Purchased04/2020: Still in a box. Waiting for their first version cousins to finally give up the ghost before I put dirt on them. Besides, there are no upcoming races for season (thanks COVID19), so I am in no rush to break in a new pair of trail shoes.01/2021: Finally got them out of the box. And I am happy to report, they live up to their older brother status. They offer good grip and ground feel without sacrificing some of that Sense Ride comfort that’s made me clock almost 400 miles on the older pair. Approved!
Salomon Ultra Pro 3
10/2019: Purchased12/2019: I was looking for a slightly more rugged ride than the Sense Ride, and I found it, but at the expense of comfort. The fore and midfoot on these, is much narrower. This is what I grew up to expect from Salomon trail shoes, though.01/2021: I just found a great use for these as MTB shoes!
Saucony Hattori
Skechers Horizon Vanish
Topo Athletic Runduro
10/2015: Purchased10/2016: More of a novelty shoe with the BOA lacing system and all. They were stiff. I never really got them out on my runs because of it. They’ve been long retired (donations!).
Topo Athletic Ultraventure
12/2019: Purchased01/2020: Altra and Salomon have a serious competitor here. Near zero drop, wide toebox, super plush ride. And wait for it…the ride seems to be holding up a million times better than every Altra shoe I’ve had before. I’ve gone a bit more than 200 miles on these so far, they’ve got tons of dirt, and I suspect they are going to blow away my Altras out of rotation completely. Curious about the Ultraventure version 2 that came out.02/2021: I recently found out these don’t do so well in dry, fluffy snow. They are great on hardpack, though!
07/2013: Purchased12/2013: Do not wear them without good socks; be warned, they will develop the most hideous odor. At least mine did.
Casual Shoes
Allbirds Wool Runners
11/2016: Purchased02/2021: Donated
Altra Cayd
05/2018: Purchased06/2019: Heavy and clunky excuse for a casual shoe. There is absolutely no give on the midsole. Otherwise, they are a good looking pair of shoes to go around town or to wear to the office.
Xero Hana
04/2017: Purchased12/2017: These are more of a novelty than anything else. Unless you are absolutely committed to the minimalist movement, which seems to have come and gone like every other marketing-driven fad, skip right over them.02/2021: Donated
Xero Prio
10/2017: Purchased12/2018: Now these make a lot of more sense than their more casual brethren, the Hana. I logged some miles on these on the trails and on the road, and I have to admit, they were not bad at all. The outsole is still just a thin-stripe of rubber, but the added padding on the upper and tongue made for a rather comfortable ride. These are still in my quiver.02/2021: Donated
Bottoms
PATH Projects Sykes PX
06/2018: Purchased10/2020: Similary to the Graves DA, the inner thigh area started to fray and come apart. Given the amount of abuse I’ve put them through, I can’t complaint.
PATH Projects Sykes PX 5"
PATH Projects Sykes PX 7"
PATH Projects Sykes AT 5"
PATH Projects Graves DA
07/2018: Purchased08/2020: The inner thigh finally started to fray and come apart, exposing, well…underwear. Contacted Path Projects Support and graciously offered to replace them with a different, newer pair of any of their shorts. That, in my book, is a customer focused organization.
Hydration Packs and Vests
Aonijie 5L Hydration Vest
08/2018: Purchased09/2018: Beware of its sizing. These seem to be more appropriate for the Asian market/sizing scale. I ordered an L/XL pack for myself, 6'1" and 180lbs back then, with very narrow shoulders, and it barely fit me.
Orange Mud HydraQuiver Vest Pack 2
Salomon Advanced Skin Backpack (12 set)
Salomon S-Lab Sense Pack
Salomon S-Lab Sense Ultra (8 set)
Ultimate Direction Marathon Vest
Sunglasses and Headlamps
Petzl MYO RXP 2
10/2014: Purchased05/2017: Pretty much like everything I’ve purchased from Petzl, it works. Its not the most elegant or lightweight, but provides more than adequate lightning, the difuser does a decent job at spreading the lightbeam and you get great battery life out of 3 regular AA batteries.
Petzl REACTIK+
06/2017: Purchased12/2018: I honestly did not really need these. But I talked myself into them, thinking that an USB rechargeable battery pack was a good idea. And to an extent it is; who doesn’t have an USB port handy nowadays to top off you phone, headlight, ipad, iphone, tablet, vape-stick, pedometer, battery pack…wait, yeah, I see the problem. We don’t have enough USB ports :-)
Petzl Swift RL
03/2020: Purchased04/2020: Well…yeah, I know I said I didn’t need another headlamp. But guess what? My daughters managed to missplace my REACTIK+, so I needed a replacement for the thing I didn’t need in the first place :-)
Headphones and Earbuds
Aftershokz Trekz Titanium
02/2017: Purchased04/2020: Let’s just say my relationship with these headphones has been rocky. I am on my third pair at this point. How many have I purchased? One. Let me explain. I ordered my first unit back in 2017. It lasted a year before it suddently stopped charging altogether, after developing a rather disturbing rattling (loose components). I contacted Aftershokz, and they promptly replaced it under warranty for the exact same model. This one stopped working roughly 4 weeks after being replaced with what I can only presume was either a bad battery or an excess of condensation/sweat. I proceeded to irately contact Aftershokz support again, assuring them I was done with their products. They didn’t even respond, but simply shipped a replacement unit, no questions asked. Just as I received it, I also received by PLT BackBeat FIT Boost. The Trekz collected dust in the shelf for over a year until the PLT’s batteries started to show big signs of exhaustion. Let’s see how long this pair lasts. I really missed bone conduction.
Plantronics BeackBeat FIT Boost
06/2018: Purchased01/2020: Decent alternative to the Aftershokz; they withstood sweat and rainy weather a lot better, too. Alas, battery performance dropped off precipitously from its 8 hours straight out of the box.