Terra Plana Evo running shoe

As far as minimalist shoes go, these have to be near the top of the list.

Toes are happiest when they're together and it just isn't natural to have synthetic between my tarsals so this is one of the big advantages over theVibram KSO's.

The toe box provides some wiggle room and a bit more protection than the Vibrams too.

The sole is wafer thin, (4mm) and surprisingly stiff and unnatural and they cause the Evos' to flop around at walking speed, but as the pace increases so does the performance of the shoe.

The most plush area is found in the tongue and the heel, which caused blisters in the other tester in household.

The uppers have a honeycomb design created in latex over a breathable a nylon mesh that resists light water splashes and precip.

Construction is completely glueless to shave the weight and I found the shoes to be ideal for crosstraining and balance exercises.

PRICE $160 CDN

Sugoi Firewall LT glove

I'm disappointed to see Sugoi has done nothing to improve these gloves for 2011. Mine are from last season and they are the most frustrating gloves I've ever owned, and they are the impetus for this blog.

The palm is slippery, particularly when it gets impregnated with daily grime. If I can't grip my steering wheel, how could I hang on to my ski poles. Further to that the palm synthetic fabric invites the cold, offering winter winds a warm place to come in for a visit.

My hands are unremarkable in size, but I struggled to pull them on.

The cuff had to be heavily doctored to allow my hand to fit past the narrow opening. The was a neoprene webb across the cuff to allow increased movement. I cut that out, it was a hindrance. There was velcro on the cuff too, I cut that off too. It was sewn own in reverse order and the hooks were always sticking on the terry cloth nose wipe on the thumb. The reflective decals on the back of the glove have peeled off, and now the seams are coming apart.

Sadly, with a few improvements the Firewall LT could be a great glove, because they fit so well. They fit.....well, like a glove.

PRICE $40 CDN