Saturday, March 03, 2012

K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover...

By Frank

Received this very handsome K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover back in December 2011 and has been using as my regular walking, pre and post run shoe since then as it was super duper comfy!


The K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover...

Lateral side of the K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover...

Medial side of the K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover...

Not an entirely new model, in fact it came out in the United States back in October 2010, it was one of the first triplets of the Blade family by K-Swiss. The first 2, the K-Swiss Blade-Light Run and Blade-Light Race brings forward their technology into the Blade-Light Recover where anatomically designed blades are positioned at strategic areas of the outsole to help cushion and propel every foot strike. The difference will be the exclusion of the Aosta II rubber compound which give the running models extra durability. But after all, the Blade-Light Recover isn't a running shoe and don't ever try running fast on it. It's slippery!


Anatomically position blades...

Pre and especially post run has never been so comfortable with the recovery foam footbed which replaces the traditional sockliner. Not sure of the material made of, but I suspect it might be memory foam or some spongy cushy material. Together with their space aged SuperFoam EVA foam midsole, every time I strike the ground, it was just a soft cushy landing.


Recovery foambed together with SuperFoam (red area on the inside of the shoe)...

A very smart feature of the Blade-Light Recover is the collapsible heel which transform the shoe into a slip-on sandal. Sore legs after a tough run, it will be really troublesome and sometime painful to slip into a "covered up" shoe. With the collapsible heel, just simply step on it, and the whole thing will just collapse and allowing our feet to enter the shoes easily.


Collapsible heel for easy entry...

The K-Swiss Blade-Light Recover also provides compression with a compression band built over the midfoot area using articulated compression therapy. The band simply wraps up the mid foot area and this is one feature that I didn't enjoy much off. As I followed my regular shoe size, I felt tightness on my metatarsal area especially when I'm not in motion. Once I start walking around, it felt much better. Out of curiosity, I tried half a size bigger and that quickly resolved my problem.


The articulated compression therapy band...

Also, I will also prefer Flow Cool System to be included in the shoe to allow better ventilation. Though the shoe can be worn sockless, I soon found my feet to be feeling sticky due to perspiration. Without any anti-bacteria agent in the shoe, ventilation is something important which I wish will be implemented in future updates.


If only Flow Cool System was implemented, there will be holes on the toe-box...

This is will be my walking shoe that I will be bringing to South Africa during my date with the Comrades Marathon 2012 for my legs will be battered during my stay there. No other recovery footwear, not even the reptilian branded shoe is better than this. Love our feet and legs, and it will reward you.



So pamper your feet and wear the K-Swiss Blade-Light Recovery for health and perhaps even for fashion statement. Just be sure to try your regular shoe size with a half size bigger version to make sure the compression isn't too much. Retailing at RM349.00, it is now available in Running Lab Malaysia, Tropicana City Mall.