Let me try to analyse why I did it. Basically thinking on my keyboard. A. I got them at a throwaway price of Rs 5.5K. Big brand, properly cushioned running shoes come at minimum 10K, if not more. This was available at almost half the price. Possibly because it is old stock. This particular model was launched in 2015. Gemini 3 is the current model and obviously no one will buy a model that is two iterations old unless offered at a deep discount.
But curiously enough, on the Amazon international store this same shoe is priced at 12K.
B. Ever since the latest injury I am wondering if my Asics Gel Nimbus 16 is losing its cushioning. Till date I have run 364 km in them. This I did in 137 activities. That means I would have walked an additional 137x2 = 274 km in them because I walk 1 km either way to go to and come back from my runs. That makes it 638 km in all over two years. Given that I am pretty lightweight I wouldn't think that the shoes need to be retired off but I was checking the soles and they have indeed worn off a little on the outside (proving I am a supinator).
This prompted me to look around for options and soon enough I found the deal. I will possibly not retire the Asics right away. I am sure they have a good 200 km more at least in them in pure running, not counting the slow walks to and from the start/end point.
I read up on the Gemini. Actually I first read about them and while looking for them on Indian sites to check if they were available I discovered the deal. Here is the detailed review that I read
on Sole Review . This piqued my curiosity and the deal sealed it for me. The final endorsement came from this
video here.
The review might disappear after a few years. To keep the vital statistics about the shoes. They have a heel drop of 8 mm. My current Nimbus have 10 I think. It's a neutral running shoe, meaning it is not specially meant for under or over pronators.
I have to see how they fit. All websites are saying they fit half a size small. This is the reason I ordered the 8.5 size, as opposed to my regular size of 8. Actually my right foot is perhaps 7.5 and the left is 8. But shoe fit is not just about size. It is also about the shape of the last and the material of the upper.
Shoes in India are always stocked in round number sizes. That is, 7,8,9 and it is impossible to find shoes in 7.5 or 8.5 size. And I have a feeling my correct size for most shoes is perhaps 7.5. Flipkart, for the first time I discovered, has these shoes in 7.5 and 8.5 etc. But since they fit half size less I had to upsize and order 8.5. If it was available I would probably go for 8. They will arrive on Friday, that is, tomorrow.
Friday, December 15, 2017
The shoes arrived today. I had placed the order Tuesday night. That means they took just two full working days and the item arrived on the third day. I would call this super fast service. Very happy.
Now the first reactions after unboxing.
A. The colour is hideous. Absolutely hideous. To me it looks like baby pink. According to Mampu and Monisha it is orange. I had of course chosen the orange colour. But this is not the kind of orange I wanted. To make matters worse, the main upper of the shoe is white. This makes the pair look absolutely hideous on my feet when I wear them. I had thought it would have some orange inside the mesh. It is just pure white.
B. The fit is fantastic and almost perfect. I had deliberately chosen 8.5 on the advice of all the reviewers. I could've done with 8 but that was not available. 7.5 would have probably been tight on the left foot.
C. The first experience of putting them on at home was excellent. The heel stays locked in place. The plantar pain almost immediately vanished from the corner of the heel. The heel feels more firmly held in place than in the Nimbus 16. As you can see in the review, there is no insole and the cushy feeling of the Nimbus is absent, yet the feeling is better. Has the Nimbus really lost its comfort value for me? If indeed that is true then I must say their durability is highly questionable. I have hardly run in them. 350 km is nothing for a pair of modern running shoes, particularly for a lightweight runner like me.
D. The lacing up system is quite different from what I am used to in my Asics. There is just one final hole on each side where you tie the knot in the lace. I prefer two there, where I make a loop and tie the lace in a different way to lock the heel. I use this on my trekking boots and I have saved a boy from calling off his trek due to blister by adopting this technique.
This UA does not have two holes. But the upper mesh material and the lacing up system combine to give the shoe a nice form fit. There is no collar or extra cushion near the ankle. It doesn't matter really. Perhaps it is better for a good grip. I must add, the lace is fairly long.
Another point worth mentioning here is that when you undo the lace before taking the shoes off, it is not easy to take the foot out. The shoe clings to your foot and you have to pull it off carefully. This is a good, albeit time consuming thing because it shows the shoe is literally form fitting.
E. Traction on the shiny floor of the living room felt much better. On a wet road I would be more confident in these than in my Nimbus. That is not to say that the Nimbus is bad. But this is better. I don't know if this is so because the shoes are just off the box but the design of the outsole is definitely quite different from anything else that I have seen so far in running shoes. This interesting and radical design more closely mimics the anatomy of the sole of the foot than anything else. However, it is pertinent to add here that this unique design has been discontinued in the latest iteration of the model. Gemini 3s do not have them.
F. The midsole is not soft, which is basically two pasted layers - the upper one has Charged written on it, the other has Speedform written on it. It is perhaps a little more hard than the Nimbus. But that wouldn't lead to any shock on the feet. Or so it seems.
G. The front toe area has a transparent plastic protection. I have never seen such material being used on running shoes. On trekking boots this is given to give protection against rocks and other such things. I suppose the purpose is quite the same here as well.
H. The shoe does not have any collar around the ankle. It's like our good old keds. This is a speciality of Under Armour. None of their shoes have collar. But you don't feel it and now that I am gradually getting used to it, it is perhaps a good thing.
Except for the colour, I quite like this pair of shoes. This is my first pair of shoes bought off the internet. I always prefer to check them out at the store for fit. With these I took a risk and looks like it paid off. Now I have to wait for the plantar fasciitis to completely go and then I will take a chance with them. Till then I am going to wear them at home.
Monday, 18th December 2017
Post first run views
Went for a one kilometer run on Saturday. Of course one has to add to that more than one kilometer to reach the starting point and 1.5 on the way back. So a total of 3.5 or almost 4 km perhaps. Here are my first reactions based on that. A. I did not feel the plantar pain while running. It came back a little as I approached my house on the way back.
B. The shoes feel more firm than my Nimbus 16. I guess this is what they mean by stability shoes. It does not have the squishy feeling of the Nimbus 16. These shoes are harder but not in a wooden sort of way.
C. The cushioning is adequate in that I did not feel the shocks of the road much.
D. The grip around the ankle is superb. There are some silicone linings on the edge which sit on the leg. Very comfortable and good grip due to that.
E. The traction is undoubtedly fantastic. Of course I ran on dry asphalt. Even then you can understand the difference easily.
Saturday, 30th December 2017
I have had a few short 1 km runs in these shoes. I also ran one 1 km with the old Asics in the middle. I think these shoes, being neutral, are better for a proper mid foot strike and it is time to retire off the Asics. They have definitely lost the cushioning though they retain that squishy character, which is rather funny. One simple difference between the Asics and the Gemini is that with the Asics on, I can hear my foot strike the road. Loud and clear. But with the Gemini my run is almost silent.
Once my feet regain their strength I will probably run a shorter run in the Asics once again and see how it feels but it is not going to be my main go to shoe any more. I think I like the neutral nature of the Gemini than the squishy feeling of the Nimbus.
If I could afford another pair I would probably go for the GT 2000 5.
The first impression of holding the machine in hand is it's very delicate. The scrubber brush inside also looks very delicate and fine. The cover has to be done and undone several times to get a hang and feel of it. It's also very small. After this breaks I will possibly upgrade to a Park Tool scrubber.
