By Dr. Rich Cowin

I just had the pleasure of taking my first “test-run” of the new Stinger XLT running shoes.  In this case, the word “pleasure” was an understatement.

Upon opening the box, I was first impressed with the shoe’s very light weight and its attractive style. Being a pronated runner with fairly flat feet, I easily removed the high quality EVA foot beds and inserted my full length custom orthotic devices. For those runners who have normal or high arched feet, this step would probably not be necessary.  I then put on my Road ID and sunglasses and hit the road.

I was amazed that such a light weight shoe could be so supportive and have such wonderful shock absorption, yet be so light, comfortable, and responsive. It was a hot Florida day, yet the breathability was great.  I’m sure that open air mesh vamp helped with that.  Thanks to the excellelent level of cushioning with two of Spira’s WaveSprings in the forefoot and one in the heel, my feet, knees, and lower back felt great. Coming down to the home stretch at the end of my 5K run, I had plenty of energy left, so I decided to turn up the speed as I would in a race.  They responded beautifully.

I found the Stinger XLT’s to be the best of both worlds, a high performance trainer AND an ideal race day shoe for runners like me who need the support of a training shoe , with the lightweight responsive qualities of a racing flat.  Besides that, I loved the way they looked!!  What more can a guy ask for?