REVIEWS

The national focus on childhood obesity has prompted a grassroots response by parents, coaches, and educators to startwhere kids are physically and gradually reverse the trend. Many of the athletic shoe companies—at least eight—aresupporting these efforts by broadening their offerings of technical footwear products to equip kids who are adoptingnew exercise habits. Certainly, the shoemakers benefit from the sales of these additional footwear styles, but the productsdo promote a healthy activity while reducing or preventing injury during running. Here we give a look across the boardat running shoes for kids to train in.

adidas Supernova Glide 3The Supernova Glide is the workhorse of

the neutral running shoe line fromadidas. Its strengths are great

cushioning and fit, bothin the adult and

child versions. Theuppers resemble

each other with openmesh and synthetic

overlays; the ankle collarbears the strongest resemblance. In the child’s version, some ofthe midsole materials have been substituted to reduce cost. Themidsole is a generous slab of EVA, but the adiPrene crashpadhas been pared back and the forefoot lacks the extra insert of adiPrene+. The outersole is much the same, but relies onfull-length carbon rubber for durability, providing much thesame ride as the adult version but scaled for the needs of

children, i.e., durability and more flexibility.

$70 ($110 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanicsShape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–6 (M width)

ASICS Kayano 17 GSThe Kayano is the latest of the qualityASICS shoes to be made available

for children. The adult versionfeatures great cushioning,

fit, and stability, andthose attributesare mirrored in

the kid’s shoe. Theuppers are similar—

open mesh and asymmetricallacing—but the youth version scales down the size of the stretchyBio-Morphic Fit panels on either side of the eyestay. The midsole

has the same healthy chunk of Gel cushioning and the stablecontouring that the Kayano is known for, which is great for

high-mileage training.

$90 ($140 Adult) Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with mild to moderate overpronation

Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, Solyte Strobel board (heel) Sizes: youth 1–7 (M width)

Brooks Kid’s GhostWith its balance between high-mileage

cushioning and responsiveness, theGhost has become one of

Brooks’ best neutralshoes. The upper ofthe Kid’s Ghost isa bit tougher thanthe open mesh ofthe adult version:

closed mesh with supportiveoverlays. The midsole features the same

Hydroflow cushioning, but the foam has fewer pieces and so is a bit less responsive; however, because of the reduced forces exerted by children’s lighter weight, there’s no compromise in

performance. The outersole is the typical carbon rubber, including the support in the shank, which is perfectly service-able. The result is a shoe that works well for kids, thanks to its

similarity to the adult version.

$65 ($100 Adult)Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics

Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–7 (D width)

New Balance 860The 860 has been one of the best-performing stability shoes in the

New Balance runningshoe line. The KJ860for children features

the same openmesh upper (for itsbreathability and

comfortable fit), with afew materials substitutions to

improve durability. The midsole employs the same shaping andgeometry as the adult version for stability and cushioning, butfeatures a two-density midsole without the rubbery N-ERGY

inserts, which would be little used by the much lighter child-sizedrunners. The outersole uses a more durable rubber compoundover much of the sole, with fewer flex grooves and some extra

stitching in the toe cap to extend the life of the shoe. Overall, theperformance has been replicated for younger runners to enjoy.

$60 ($100 Adult)Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with mild to moderate overpronation

Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–7 (M, W widths)

YOUTH RUNNING SHOESWinter 2011 by Cregg Weinmann

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Puma Cell Ikonis Jr.The Ikonis doesn’t align directly to a Puma

shoe for adults that’s sold in theU.S., but it’s strongly connected

to the Completerunning line. Theupper will lookfamiliar to those

acquainted with otherPuma running shoes, likethe Complete Velosis. The

upper is open airmesh supported bysynthetic overlays at heel, toe, and eyestay, with additional

support from the Puma form-stripe. The midsole is a generous slabof EVA cushioning—simple, but effective. The outersole is full-

length carbon rubber, proven for its durability. The performanceis a consistent blend of reliable durability and cushioning, which

is particularly useful for active children.

$45Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics

Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 11–13; youth 1–7 (M width)

Nike LunarGlide+ 3The overall success of the LunarGlide

franchise, both in sales andperformance, has made it

among Nike’s mostbroadly available

products: fromtoddler’s 2C to

men’s size 15. Theadult version featuresa well-cushioned and

stable ride, and the children’sversion has been adapted to provide the same. The uppers are

the same—closed mesh with synthetic suede overlays and a supportive thermoplastic heel clip that improves the heel fit and

support—except where adapted to the smallest sizes. The midsole is the same Dynamic Support throughout the size range:

Lunarlon foam in a Phylite foam carrier that’s shaped for stability and lasting cushioning.

$55 Child/$82 Youth ($100 Adult)Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics

to moderate overpronationShape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13.5; youth 1–6.5 (M width)

Saucony Kinvara 2The Kinvara 2 opens the door to

minimalism for children in thesame way it was brought to its

adult line: by offeringcushioning and agreat fit without

anything extra. Theupper is stripped

down without giving upthe touches of comfort where needed.

The airmesh and minimal overlays make theseshoes light and all the better for running fast.

The midsole is responsive and durable ProGridLite EVA, proven for its great cushioning, with a slight

drop from heel to forefoot of only 4 millimeters. The outersole isarranged in triangle-shaped lugs for traction with

carbon rubber only in the high-wear areas to keep the weight down. The combination of light weight, excellent

cushioning, and responsiveness earned the Kinvara 2 honors as our Best Youth Running Shoe.

$55 ($90 Adult)Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanics

Shape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted Sizes: children 10.5–13; youth 1–7 (M width)

Reebok Zig SonicThe Zig technology has been an effective

cushioning technology for Reebok,and has worked well for sizes all

the way from a toddler 4to a men’s 15. Both

the adults’ and children’s versions feature cushioning

and fit, a testament toReebok’s experience making

shoes. The uppers are as close to the same as possible: closedmesh, vented through the saddle with minimal overlays and asmooth interior. The midsole is the same corrugated ribbon ofEVA that provides its well-cushioned ride, with small patches ofcarbon rubber in the high-wear areas of the outersole to keep

the weight down where possible.

$75 ($100 Adult)Recommended for: medium- to high-arched feel with neutral biomechanicsShape: semi-curved Construction: Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board

Sizes: children 4–13.5; youth 1–7 (M width)

CREGG WEINMANN is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via e-mail at shuz2run@lightspeed.net.Copyright © 2011 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted

without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.

YOUTH RUNNING SHOESWinter 2011 continued

REVIEWS

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