Back on 26 November last year, I reviewed the K-Swiss Blade-Light Race. More than 3 months later, today I'm reviewing its "brother" instead, the K-Swiss Blade-Light Run, courtesy from K-Swiss.
The K-Swiss Blade-Light Run...Received it from K-Swiss to join me for my century distance training, the K-Swiss Blade-Light Run is a minimalist trainer that weights in at about 252 grams for a men size US9.0. A light-weight cushioned trainer, it shares the same outsole profile as the racer and its platform and fit is based on the best selling K-Swiss K-Ona C, with some tweaking to it.. The difference with the racer is just the upper where instead of using velcro fastener, the traditional mesh and lacing method is used.
Lateral view of the K-Swiss Blade-Light Run...
Medial view of the K-Swiss Blade-Light Run...The K-Swiss Blade-Light Run like the racer shares almost the same technology. Flow Cool system for a well ventilated inner, drainage ports to allow water to exit the shoe, GuideGlide for natural gait, AOSTA II blown rubber for durability at area most needed and Superfoam cushioning system. More or less, it's like a copy-cat.
The perforated midsole for superior ventilation and moisture management..Upon slipping them on, I quickly felt how fitting it is compared to the racer. Instead of a longer toe-box the racer has, this fits really well. And with all the thickened padding around the collar and tongue, I felt my feet was wrap within a pillow. However, though sharing the same profile, I can't explain the reason that I felt that this shoe is positioned higher from the ground. A test run on it proved me almost right, as although the responsiveness is great, it fell short from the racer. The blade design which compress with every strike, managed to response well hence a more effective lift-off. There must be a reason behind the slight different feel, and thus I delayed this review and went for even more runs. And then, the troubleshooting paid off. The wear rate was a little slower compared to the racer. I do not know how is this possible as both outsoles are the same. Perhaps K-Swiss has some genius behind their design team which designed the shoe to be felt and perform differently in a way. Hmmm...
The outsole comprising of K-EVA and AOSTA II which builds the blade design...The upper of the shoe is made of the traditional mesh overlay. Reflective layers are added to the toe-box area and while the lacing method is based on the K-Swiss K-Ona C, a clever improvement has been added. A secondary eye-lit on the lateral side of the shoe which offers a more secure fit. And both the well padded tongue and collar has also a built-in pulley to enable faster slip-ons, a crucial feature for triathletes during their transition.
View of the secondary eye-lit...
A well padded collar with the pulley for comfort and ease of putting on the shoe...Whether speed or durability, K-Swiss has an answer in 2 shoes right now being the Blade-Light Race and the Blade-Light Run. Personally for me, my preference slightly edges towards the racer for somehow, I felt being closer to the ground. But if durability is your concern, then the trainer will probable suit you better. In the end, it's your choice between this great shoes.
The K-Swiss Blade-Light Run retails at a recommended price of RM399.00 and is available at Runnerz Circle and other authorised dealers.
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