There is a great deal of noise out there regarding running shoes. Noise that sounds like, Barefoot, Zero Drop, Pure, Advanced Midfoot Strike Design, Energy Return or Natural Running. I’ll give them this, there is nothing more pure or natural than a run in a pair of shoes that you don’t feel.  Which brings me to the Zoot DNA. We’ve been doing this for 4 years now. We don’t call it pure, or natural or anything. We call it just plain smart shoe making. The one thing we do call it is light. In fact we joke around a bunch about weight. Our heaviest shoe in a men’s size 9 is 10.9 oz.  We have the reputation of only building race day shoes. That’s because if it’s that light, it must only be good for racing. That’s just not so.

Simplicity in Construction –  Long ago we took a look at running shoes and thought they were built with too many pieces and too many layers. So we strive to put the least amount of pieces on each of our bottom units. This limits the amount of glue, limits the amount of bulk and builds a more consistent platform from one shoe to the next.

Inside out Fit –  We use a liner we call BareFit inside our shoes that wraps your foot. Because of this wrap we don’t have to load the upper with layers to create fit around your foot.  As an example neutral shoes like the Ultra TT 4.0 and Ultra Speed have nothing on the outside to form around your foot. They don’t need it. That’s why they come in at a whopping 8.6oz and 6.9oz’s respectively in a men’s size 9.  And thanks to our extensive knowhow in apparel the BareFit liner is unreal comfort around your foot. We figured if the fabric is good enough to work as your running short liner, it’s good enough for your feet.

Carbon Span+ - Every wonder why the ball of your foot aches when running? It’s because it has to work so hard from impact (however hard or soft that is) all the way through the push phase of running.  We’ve fixed this issue, but the secret of CarbonSpan+ is not the carbon fiber at all. It’s the Carbon Span+ finger that helps the ball of the foot absorb the impact. Carbon fiber simply allows us to do light and strong.

Zbound –  OK it’s foam. It’s our foam.  It’s so soft you can drop an egg on it and it’s got such a great responsive feel that the egg bounces right off it.  Really it does that!

Quick Lace –  Triathlon is hard enough. You shouldn’t have to worry about how you will get your shoe on or fumble around with laces. With our QuickLace it’s a one- hand pull out to tighten and up to lock in place. Because the lace is threaded through a pulley system, it glided to tightness rather easily.

Asymmetrical Lacing –  With all of our shoes we follow the contour of your foot with our pattern. This creates an asymmetrical lace pattern that simply fits your foot better.  People who focus on shoes only just don’t think about this kind of thing. But when you spend years mapping around the entire body, you naturally apply that thinking to the foot.  Look down at your barefoot, it’s asymmetrical.

TriDry –  It’s a philosophy of keeping moisture out of the shoe and away from the feet. It’s liner foam that does not absorb water. It’s the BareFit liner that hates water. It’s holes in the bottom of your shoes to drain water.  Water is great for swimming and great for hydrating but it just sucks in your shoes.

Triathlon-specific –  We were the first and we are still the only brand that puts 100% of our emphasis on creating solutions for you the triathlete. Our commitment to you is that we won’t change that fact. We will always think triathlete first.

Dave Jewell

Zoot Footwear

First and foremost, a huge congratulations to Jordan Rapp! He’s a huge inspiration to so many and we are so proud of him!

Jordan Rapp, Ironman Canada Champion 2009 & 2011

So here’s the story. Jordan Rapp is the 2011 Ironman Canada Champion
He was 11th or so out of the water, then moved to the front on the bike around the half way point and never looked back. Jordan took the win by win by 13 minutes, making quite a loud comeback statement.
Ironman Canada is considered the testing grounds for future World Champions. Ironman World Champions Scott Tinley, Erin Baker, Paula Newby-Fraser (8 time World Champion), Lori Bowden, and Peter Reid (3 time World Champion) all won at least one Ironman Canada. Jordan just won #2. The real story is what happened between those two victories. 2009 and 2011.

In April of 2010 Jordan was out for a spin on his bike. Soon after he left his house, a car at an intersection struck him. Luckily for Jordan, an off duty Naval Soldier on his way to deployment was driving by. He saw a pool around Jordan that he thought was Anti Freeze. As he got closer he realized it was blood. The Navy man went to work finding the artery that had been severed and pinching it with his fingers. Jordan was minutes away from death at that point.

They didn’t know if they could fix the artery. They didn’t know if the other damage was too great for him to return to his former self. Jordan admits to being afraid to ride a bike. He somehow managed to get back to racing in November 2010 at Ironman Arizona where he finished with a solid 4th.
In December he contacted us and said he wanted to represent Zoot. He didn’t want us to sign him because of his accident he wanted us to sign him for his racing. Since that day we’ve treated him as the stellar athlete he is.

Rapp running strong out front

This is the first of what will be many big time victories for Jordan and Zoot. He’s that talented and that smart. Who knows maybe he’ll even join the names above who have won Canada and Hawaii. Believe me, he chose Canada for a reason. He’s a historian.

Get used to hearing this name. He’s the real deal!

With all of the running shoes in the market today how do you choose? The thing we find interesting in most of the new shoes today is that they are addressing only half of the running shoe equation, the bottom unit or midsole. It’s well known that the upper plays in 50% of the function of the shoe. What does that mean? Well a natural/minimalist running shoe with lots of strapping on the upper isn’t going to be very minimal or neutral. It’s going to be rather controlling. The other thing the upper does is fit around your foot. We think there’s a better way.

1. We build fit from the inside out. We start with BareFit, which is a liner inside the shoe that wraps around your foot. Because of BareFit many choose not to use socks. Socks are usually used to make up for poor fit. With BareFit, if you choose to wear socks, the thinner the sock the better.
2. Our neutral shoes are neutral. We put the least amount of overlays and support pieces on the upper we can.
3. Our midsoles are dynamic in feel and simple in construction. Simple in construction because we limit layers which limits glue, which limits weight. Dynamic because of our balanced design and our responsive foam. Oh and let’s not forget Carbon Span+ in all but one of our shoes. It supports the mid-foot and puts a bit of spring in the toe off.
4. Finally our suggestion is to simply buy the least amount of shoe you can get away with. Whatever that may be you’ll find a very light, responsive ride.

Neutral Triathlon
Ultra Speed – The goal for this shoe was build the fastest shoe in T2 with short distance racing flat performance. The speed in transition and great fit comes from the inside-out construction of BareFit close to your foot and our compressive TekSheen on the outside. With these two exceptionally good materials no laces are needed. Under your foot you get a low to the ground ride with a good wide base for exceptional balance. These shoes are so comfortable you may never take them off.

Ultra Race 3.0 – We liked the fit of the Ultra Speed so much that we used it for our long distance race shoe. To create a more secure fit for the long haul we added Quick Lace to the upper. To handle the pressure of the longer races we have a slightly more stabilized and more substantial bottom unit. The long race requires that you have the ability to adjust lace pressure as well as have a very close fit to minimize hot spots. The Ultra Race 3.0 delivers both.

Ultra TT 4.0 – The most universal triathlon shoe we build. It’s light enough for you to feel fast in your sprint distance race, it’s got enough under your foot to go long and for some it’s the perfect combination for everyday training. The upper starts with BareFit on the inside and an open mesh outside. We use our patented Quick Lace and an asymmetrical design to create the best fit possible. Under your foot you’ll find a combination of low to the ground feel with a super responsive feel thanks to CarbonSpan+ and our Zbound foam. If you are ready for the Zoot experience in footwear the Ultra TT is the first shoe you should try on.

Neutral Running

Energy 3.0 – Just getting into running or looking for a workhorse running shoe the Energy 3.0 is a great place to look. Great fit from BareFit, and asymmetrical lacing are combined with a durable midsole and outsole. When you see it on the shoe wall you may not recognize it as a Zoot shoe, but once on your foot you’ll find the benefits of our inside out fit. Definitely a favorite of many after 3 years of evolution.

Otec – This is a new shoe to the Zoot running line and as the year goes on it keeps getting more and more attention. We wanted to make a true training version of our very popular Ultra TT 4.0. We tried to mimic the fit and function of the TT as much as possible but give you a feel and confidence to go out on your weekly long run. A fairly simply shoe in design it has a very dynamic feel mile after mile.

Ultra Kalani 2.0 – Every shoe company wants one shoe that becomes a “Go to” shoe with runners. The only way to become a “Go to” type shoe is to build something so unique in the market that it builds popularity by word of mouth. Simply said the Ultra Kalani has everything. The unmatched fit from the racing flat the Ultra Speed. A lacing system that is secure but not overwhelming. A ride that is very smooth, plush and solid all at the same time. To top it off the shoe is so light you’ll want to wear it for every run you do including your race day. At 10.5oz in a men’s size 9 it’s the lightest shoe of it’s kind.

To view our footwear collection, click below:
Men’s: http://www.zootsports.com/mens/footwear
Women’s: http://www.zootsports.com/womens/footwear

Ironman Boise 70.3 had a strong field last weekend, Zoot’s own Ben Hoffman came home with the win. Hoff’s solid ride gave him a four minute lead on the field going into the run.

Zoot teammate, Nick Thompson kept Hoff honest on the run with a 1:13:46 half marathon, the fastest run of the day. 
On the women’s side, Hailey Cooper-Scott, IM Coeur d’Alene hopeful, finished 7th amongst a very talented field. Charisa Wernick and Jen Luebke followed in 8th and 11th respectively.

Zoot Pro, Charisa Wernick - Boise 70.3

Up next, Ironman Coeur d’Alene and Buffalo Springs 70.3. The following athletes will be competing at CDA: Adam Jensen, Brendan Halpin, Rick Lapinski, Haley Cooper-Scott, Jen Luebke, Samantha Mazer, and Evan McFarlane.

Zoot athletes who will be going hard at Buffalo Springs 70.3 include: Ben Hoffman, Kelly Williamson, Lauren Smith, Chuck Sloan, and Pedro Gomes.

Ironman Korea: Tim Marr

Ironman Switzerland: Pedro Gomes

Rev3 Portland: Jordan Rapp, Ben Hoffman, Tim Marr, Jen Luebke

Muncie 70.3: Dana Reiderer, Kelly Williamson

Racine 70.3: Becky Witinok-Huber

Vineman 70.3: Bryan Dunn, Rachel Challis, Kim Mcdonald

Ironman Lake Placid: Ben Hoffman will defend his title, Ian Mikelson, Danielle Sullivan

Stay connected with our athletes and their results on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/zootsports

 

Zoot Ultra Team Members at Kansas 70.3

From time to time we will write about Zoot footwear. For starters we thought it would be good to share a bit of our philosophy behind Zoot footwear. We tend to be so passionate about the product that we forget that most of you are seeing it for the first time.

Our Philosophy

There is probably no time in the running shoe industry like today. What we know as traditional running shoes (looks like a running shoe, smells like a running shoe, feels like a running shoe and from a brand you trust) are being challenged with new thinking that less (minimalism, barefoot or natural) is more and it’s coming from totally new shoe brands. Zoot falls into this mix somewhere. We are not traditional but we’ve been around as a brand since 1983. We are not minimalists but have developed what we believe is a practical view of shoes.

The Practical View

1. Biomechanical history doesn’t lie. You either need stability or you don’t. Stability is defined as: The use of product design to create a stable platform to minimize the effect of Over-pronation by a highly mobile foot.
2. Your running form is your running form. The best way to improve your running form is to run often. You can learn to improve your form through technical changes, but it’s not easy. Shoes can’t improve your form.
3. The best shoe for you is the least amount of shoe you can get away with. More shoe definitely isn’t any better, but neither is less. This will be easier to understand when you read through the shoes in future blog postings.

The Zoot Footwear story

Zoot is a triathlon company. We’ve been a triathlon company since 1983. So we look at running shoes through the triathletes perspective. Yes, we make shoes for triathlon but we are also using that knowhow to build better running shoes. It’s really no different than some of the bigger track and field brands and how they use track and field to drive their view of running shoes.

There were 3 things triathletes told us they wanted in a race day shoe. Those 3 things are:

1. Easy On – For years, triathletes have altered their traditional running shoes to make it easy to put their shoes on when time is important. Zoot simply incorporates many of those techniques in every triathlon shoe we make.
2. Drainage – If you simply listen the next time you are in a hot weather triathlon. Squish, Squish, Squish, the sound of athletes running down the road with their shoes full of water. Water is weight and water is not comfortable in a shoe. So we provide drainage ports.
3. Barefoot – Triathletes don’t want to spend time putting on a sock. So we invented BareFit which is an internal liner that makes going sockless more comfortable.

But that’s not all and this is where we fall into the mix of the running industry….

We watched you the triathlete get off your bike and run. We talked to athletes about that feeling you get when you take those first running steps in a triathlon. Then we shot video of all types of athletes running in a triathlon.  From that video and those endless conversations we developed Tri-o-Mechanics.

In essence, Tri-o-Mechanics is defined as: Your running form adjusted from sitting on a bike in a relative fixed position doing repetitive work with large muscles over long periods of time. In easier English: You get off the bike after riding for hours and your head says run but your body says ride because large muscles rule.

So what did we do to counteract Tri-o-Mechanics -

1. We lowered the heel to forefoot drop from traditional 12 mm to 10mm. We felt the 12mm drop was too steep for triathlon running. So this tags us as a low profile minimal footwear brand.
2. We added Carbon Span+ to support your foot and to extend a finger to the ball of your foot. This gives your tired legs much more response. Only Carbon Span+ can do this.
3. We developed Zbound which is a super light super responsive foam.
4. We build our shoes light. The heaviest shoe we make is 10.9 ounces. Everything we put in a shoe is put there for performance. If it’s not for performance it doesn’t go there and that’s what makes our shoes light. This is important because when your legs are tired they feel heavy and the worst thing is to add to that feeling with a heavy over-built shoe.

That’s who we are. In the next few weeks we’ll give you an inside look at Zoot footwear.

Zoot is proud to announce the signing of two Ironman Champions, Jordan Rapp and Ben Hoffman.

Zoot athlete, Jordan Rapp

Jordan Rapp, “Rappstar”, will be racing in Zoot “Head To Toe”.  His upcoming season includes sprint triathlons, duathlons, half Iron distance and full Iron distance triathlons.

Jordan is an exceptionally talented athlete and well known his technical racing qualities. In 2009 he placed 1^st at Ironman Canada and 1^st at Ironman Arizona. In 2010 he was on his way to another successful year in triathlon when he was in a horrific bicycle accident that almost took his life. Within time he recuperated, went back to IM Arizona and placed 4th. 2011 is sure to be a winning year for Jordan.

Here’s what Jordan has to say: The Zoot slogan is “Born in Kona,” and while that may be true of the brand itself, the products are born the way I believe all good products should be – inside the minds of creative designers and engineers with a passion for this sport. The new Prophet wetsuit is a perfect example. It’s the first wetsuit to focus on the backside of the forearm by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to look at how improving flow off the arm could improve propulsion in the water. I’m not going to try to say “it’s worth 1sec/100m” or anything like that, because a swimmer in a wetsuit isn’t nearly as quantifiable as, for example, a bike in a wind tunnel. But it’s that sort of approach to product design that I think typifies the Zoot philosophy. Whether it’s shoes, or compression, or any of the other areas where Zoot has quickly established itself as a pioneer and innovator, the process is the same. It’s not, “how can we make the same products a little bit better.” It’s, “how can we make the very best product, using our entire repertoire of skills, without paying any mind to how things are-or were-done.” Whether it’s wetsuits influencing the design and stitching of shoes as in the Ultra Speed, or compression shaping the design of cycling bib, Zoot’s cooperative and “zero baggage” mentality is something that I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of. I’m hopeful that I can help a great company make great products even better. Though so far, the design team seems to be at least two steps ahead of every idea I throw their way. Maybe one of these days I’ll get lucky… Until then, I’ll take some solace knowing that I’m not only racing and training in some of the most intelligently designed products on the market, but also that there’s even better stuff coming down the pipeline for the future. I’m truly proud to get to play a role in those future products, even if it’s mostly just saying, “I wish I’d thought of that!” Thank you Zoot for making me a member of the tribe.

Here’s what we have to say, Jordan, we couldn’t be more excited to have you join our Tribe. Your character and personality are incredible, you’re an inspiration. Thank you for choosing Zoot.

Zoot athlete, Ben Hoffman

Ben Hoffman, “The HOFF”, will also be racing in Zoot “Head To Toe” across the country while competing in every distance triathlon from sprint to Ironman.

Ben is currently training in Tucson, AZ with his Missoula, MT crew and will most likely kick off the season with the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. He is a native of Colorado, grew up in Grand Junction, went to college in Missoula Montana, then back to Durango CO before settling in the Triathlon Mecca, Boulder, CO.

In 2009 Ben placed top ten in a number of competitive Half Iron distance races including Wildflower. 2010 proved to be a breakthrough year, Ben raced exceptionally well with a 2^nd at Ironman St. George and a victory Win at Ironman Lake Placid, and not to mention a Win at Ironman 70.3 Branson.

Here’s what Ben has to say; “I’m thrilled to be joining the Zoot Tribe for 2011 and beyond.  With their comprehensive line of high-quality equipment, and total commitment to the triathlon lifestyle, I know it will be a great partnership for many years to come. I can’t wait to get out and start racing in the new gear!”

Welcome to the Tribe Jordan and Ben, we’re stoked to have you along for the ride!

Zoot is proud to announce the re-signing of Kelly Handel Williamson of Austin Texas for another 2 years. Kelly will be racing in Zoot “Head To Toe” across the country competing in various triathlons with 70.3 distance being her main focus and Kona the ultimate goal.

Kelly was raised in Zionsville, Indiana where she began competitive sports and swimming on a team at an early age. She continued to swim through University of Illinois on a swim scholarship, studied Kinesiology and later discovered running and cycling. Kelly started her partnership with Zoot in 2006 by joining the ULTRA TEAM and has been with Zoot ever since. She now resides in Austin with her husband Derick and has been stepping up her game every year by huge leaps. Last year she placed 1st at Steelhead 70.3 and 1st at Branson 70.3, placed 3rd at Ironman Coeur d’Alene and in her first Kona attempt placed 15th.

Kelly’s shoe for 2011 will be the TT 4.0 and prefers the Kapilani for run races. “The Ultra TT’s are perfect for anything from a 5k distance to half marathon. They are quick to put on, supportive and comfortable yet also light and responsive. Just slipping them on, I feel like my feet are ready to run fast.” She will also be swimming in the new “Prophet” as well as training in the rest of Zoot gear.

Zoot Sports is a leading manufacturer of authentic race day triathlon apparel, footwear and wetsuits, pioneering innovative product solutions that cover the athlete from start to finish – head to toe.

Check out some of Kelly’s favorite Zoot gear!

Zoot Pulse Capri
“They are comfortable, versatile and stylish. I could live in them!”
Ultra Kapilani Shoes
“I have done both my Ironman’s in these shoes. They feel like slippers, but perform like a solid, lightweight racing shoe without feeling bulky.”

CompressRX Active Recovery Socks
“The heavier my training, the more these live on my feet. They’re thrown on immediately after a workout, always when traveling to races, when sitting for extended periods of time, and frequently just anytime my legs feel ‘heavy’.”

Learn more about Kelly on her blog.

January 10, 2011, Seattle (WA), USA

Zoot Sports is proud to announce the addition of ITU Triathlon World Champion Javier Gómez Noya to

its stable of professional athletes. “Javi”, as he is better known, will train and compete in Zoot footwear

and wetsuits for the next two seasons, with his ultimate sights on the London Summer Games in 2012.

No stranger to the Zoot brand, Javi joining the Zoot tribe comes as no surprise, “it’s a real honor to be

part of the team and I’m very excited to work closely with the developers and to compete in Zoot”.

Javi made his debut to the world of triathlon when he turned pro at age 15 in 2002. Since then, Javi has

consistently been among the top athletes in the world and boasts an impressive collection of titles. For

the next two years, Javi’s focus will be on retaining his 2010 ITU World Championship Title, in addition

to qualifying for the 2012 Summer Games in London, which is the only big title he has yet to triumph.

For Javi, like most endurance athletes, beating rivals is paramount. Javi’s race shoe for 2011/12 is

Zoot’s Ultra Race 3.0. The 3.0 is cleaner, lighter and faster; offering a better fit and ultimately providing

athletes with that all important competitive edge. Equipped with a Quick Entry System and BareFit™

Technology, the Ultra Race 3.0 allows flawlessly fast transitions, when it matters most: on race day.

Javi agrees, “every second you can gain in the transition is so important. Not only is it faster, it’s

easier!” Being a former swimmer, Javi looks for flexibility, freedom of movement and flotation in his

wetsuit. Zoot’s “The Prophet” gets high marks on all accounts, making this Javi’s perfect choice of

wetsuit for 2011/12.

For a behind the scenes look at the most recent photo shoot with Javi, check out our video: