Last week at Outdoor Retailer, Vibram launched their new Arctic Grip sole technology. The most advanced cold-weather gripping system Vibram has ever created, Arctic Grip will launch in 2016 starting exclusively with six Wolverine Worldwide brands: Merrell, Sperry, Hush Puppies, Wolverine, Saucony, Wolverine, and Cat Footwear.
If you like running in the winter but aren’t too keen on wearing spikes, Arctic Grip might make a nice compromise. The technology uses a combination of two winter specific rubber compounds, with one set of lugs on the sole that grasp slick, wet ice, and another set of thermochromatic lugs that sense when the temperature drops below 32 degrees Fahrenheit and change color in cold conditions–these lugs offer traction in drier yet still cold surfaces. One of the greatest attributes of Vibram’s Arctic Grip is its durability and ability to maintain performance despite miles of wear.
At the show, we had a chance to check out the Saucony Razor Ice+ ($180) winter running shoes that will feature Arctic Grip soles. The seamless upper with full ankle gaiter is made from a weatherproof ripstop nylon and uses a waterproof zipper closure.
The shoe itself is built off the Saucony Peregrine trail shoe platform with the same Everun TPU topsole–a layer of cushioning right under the sockliner and close to the foot–and Everun heel wedge in the midsole. Saucony boasts that Everun returns 83% of the energy in every footstrike and maintains its plushness 3x longer than traditional EVA midsoles, meaning it feels just as soft and lively at mile 20 as it does at mile 1.
The winter running shoe features a 4mm heel-to-toe drop, a quick lace pull system to dial in fit, and weighs 11.6 ounces/329 grams for a men’s 9. The Saucony Razor Ice+ will launch early September 2016.
