Last year, the husband of my friend Amy was getting ready to run the Disney Marathon and he bought these crazily flashy running shoes. I was instantly in love! They were bold, colorful and looked like fun. I knew I had to get a pair. Never mind that I did not know if they were the right running shoe for me. They were the Asics Gel- Noosa Tri 6.
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| Asics Gel Noosa Tri-6 |
Luckily for me, they fit awesomely and are my favorite shoe to run, especially here in the South where it is so bloody hot! As you can tell, these are no longer wearable and the sole is plain flat. Nothing left. That's how you know you love a shoe! After the last few runs I knew I needed new shoes and wanted to stay with this model.
I was actually surprised to see that since I bought the Noosa 6, two newer versions (Noosa 7 and 8) have come out. I chose the Noosa 8 and upon trying it at the store, I knew I had the same comfortable shoe I had before except, this one was not as flashy (which is one of the reasons I loved it in the first place. So sue me, I'm a girl!).
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| Asics Gel Noosa Tri-8 (Black/Confetti) |
Now, what do I think of the Noosa 8? It is obvious that many upgrades have been made yet it has maintained the integrity of what made me a Noosa 6 fan. The shoes was originally designed for triathletes, yet it has found a line of followers because of its lightness, comfortability and stability. An ounce lighter than previous versions, the Tri 8 has a perforated sockliner and an upper portion made out of open mesh to enhance breathability. This feature is very important to me because running with socks always causes me to get blisters... no matter what type of sock, and this allows the moisture to be released. Like previous versions, this shoe comes with your typical laces, in addition to elastic easy-on laces, which is perfect for the triathlete who has to change shoes fast during transitions. One thing I think improved on this model is the heel and tongue grips which secured the shoe comfortably while allowing me to get in an out of it quickly. But above all, this shoe provides better support and stability than the Noosa 6.
I am a 6'1"/ 189 lbs. female (yeah, skinny I'm not) and a heel stricker when I run. The rubber material of this shoe really absorbs the impact of my heel strike which makes for a softe stride wen I run. And one last thing: the toe box of this shoe seemed a bit narrower compared to the Noosa Tri 6, and I had to go half a size up. So keep that in mind when getting sized.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
ANGIEEEEEE!!! How crazy is this?! I just ordered the Asics Noosa 8's!! I get a free pair of shoes with my orthotics (covered by benefits) and I chose those ones because I love how crazy they are! The ones I saw at the store looked a bit different though. They had a bit more pink in them and the laces were multicoloured! I'm so excited to get them!
ReplyDeleteChristina, that is probably because I have to buy the male shoes since I have a big foot :D The female ones are probably the ones you saw!
DeleteThose are great looking shoes. As a tall runner myself with big feet I know how important it is that they absorb some of eh body weight impact when we run. Glad you food great ones you love.
ReplyDeleteAngie, those are the coolest looking shoes ever! It seems like everyone's breaking out their new shoes for spring - I just got a new pair of Brooks that are a minimalist transition shoe, and I love them!
ReplyDeleteHi, I just got this shoe also Tri 8 (today actually). I wore socks but I'm not sure if I was supposed to or not. Do you wear socks when u run in these? Are they designed to run sockless? :) Thank u Jamie
ReplyDeleteI've been impressed with the Tri Noosa's 6 and now the 8's. Cool colors! Great cushion for the long runs. The open mesh helps keep the feet way much drier then my Pearl Izumi's that I use to always wear most of the time with messy foot powder.
ReplyDelete6" 1".... cannot tell from the picture...just wanted to buy these shoes because I saw them and thought they looked ridiculous, but cute. However, I was not so sure about the sock liner and the attached tongue... usually do not like that, and not sure about fit either....but as a midgit, I have decided that if they are OK for you, they will be supportive enough for me. Cross fingers... I really do not run much anymore... just walk a dog 2 hrs a day, but I really wear out shoes at a rapid pace doing that.
ReplyDeleteJust bought the gel noosa 8s but just curious are they supportive enough to run a full marathon in? I'm in training mode right now and previously wore the Gel 1170 but I wanted these because they are so much lighter plus I love the funky colours. Just curious if they're good enough cushion for the long runs!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Considering they are made for triathlons, some of which include a final 26.2, I don't see why not. I recommend you check their site for additional information.
DeleteThank you!! This was really helpful!! I am 6'2" with a super narrow size 13 foot, so I need all the reviews I can get! Thank you, again!
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