A running shoe built for the roads, the newly transformed Brooks Glycerin 20 combines comfort, style, function, and technology. Brooks truly outdid themselves with this model of their signature premium-cushioned road shoe; with neutral and stability options, regular and wide widths available, along with two upper styles, there’s a Glycerin 20 for you!
Our in-store services are re-opening on Tuesday, May 19th! We take this next step to normalcy very seriously and have modified practices, procedures and interactions to ensure a safe shopping and working environment for our community.
Here are some details on what we’re doing to ensure the health and safety of our guests and team members:
In today’s rapidly changing running shoe market, brands are constantly finding ways to market themselves as having the latest and greatest shoes for your feet. While major running shoe brands like New Balance, Nike, Brooks, Hoka One One, Saucony, ON Running, Mizuno and Asics (among others) do all produce some excellent shoes, we really encourage potential buyers to ignore the marketing hype and let the fit and performance of the shoe be the deciding factor. In the end, each brand is producing a set of very similar products for different user and foot-types, it’s up to the buyer to find the shoe that most suits their unique shape, support and performance needs!
Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be releasing a guide on each of the major running shoe categories. This will include what to look for, which specific models compete with each other, why they’re different and what you should consider before pulling the trigger on a new pair!
We need not waste time on explaining the importance of supporting and selling brands that are actively implementing measures to lower their impact on the global environment. It's 2020 and it's time for companies, running brands included, to step up to the plate and find solutions to lower emissions, waste and animal-harming practices. We constantly see brands who are making promises, announcing plans, and promoting a small portion of their line as "sustainable". All the while, at their headquarters (the second most sustainable head quarters in North America for anycompany) in Seattle, Brooks as acted fast and effectively.
Nowadays, there is an infinite amount of information at our fingertips. With the touch of a screen and less than ten minutes of free time, you can read about dozens of COMPLETELY DIFFERENT products promised to solve ONE problem. While a small fraction of these solutions may work, most won’t. To feel confident that you are finding the best product to meet your needs, a robust foundation of self-trust is paramount.
This month, New Balance releases their latest update to the dynamic 880 series—the 880v9—bringing exciting updates to an already-stellar neutral shoe.
Now, if you’re reading this hoping to find out if they’ve shaved off .05ozs compared to last year’s model, or to be dazzled by fancy descriptors, you won’t find those details here!
While those kinds of buzzwords might help sell shoes, they don’t do much to help fit shoes.
As shoe fitters, we typically ignore catchphrases like “premium knit upper” and “superior EVA midsole,” and instead focus on things like toe-box depth, width offerings, and overlay designs. And, it’s in these crucial fit-related details where the latest New Balance 880 sets itself apart from other shoes on the market!
The 880v9 brings a versatility to our shoe wall that we haven’t had in a while. Runners, walkers, gym-goers, and orthotic wearers can all find success in the responsive and durable neutral shoe. A few highlights include:
Sporting a deep heel-cup and a forgiving no-sew toe-box, the 880v9 locks in your heel and gives your toes room to spread.
Orthotic wearers know the struggle of heel slippage, but this update is a welcoming vessel for your orthotic.
One of the big changes made to the v9 is its modernized, durable, and seamless upper.
Have wide feet? The popular black-and-white colourway is now available in wide and extra-wide in men’s (FitFirst only) and women’s sizes (both stores).
At FitFirst and LadySport, we’re dedicated to looking after all shapes and sizes of feet—and we want to prove it to you. How?
For the first time ever, we GUARANTEE to have your size in stock at all times.
We’ll have the New Balance 880BK9 in women’s 5-12 and men’s 7-15 (men’s at FitFirst only) in all width options (medium, wide and extra wide). No matter where your feet fall in this spectrum, we promise to have your size of this key model in stock. If your size isn’t in store, we’ll take $25 off once we get it in for you.
Don’t worry about calling ahead or facing a “take what you can get” selection—the New Balance 880BK9 will be ready and waiting. The only question is, where will they take you?
On November 21, a group of VIPs joined us for a free women-only bra night event. While sipping and snacking, attendees enjoyed an informative discussion led by Brooks bra-fitting experts—learning how to choose the best style, size and fit of sports bra.
As a racewalker, I am often asked as to why I racewalk rather than run. In fact I’m quite sure that nearly every racewalker is asked as to why they do what they do all the time. Well firstly, the simple answer for me would be that I am exceptionally good at it and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is where I am headed. However, what benefit does it have for the average person you ask? It is an excellent workout! Racewalking is a far more strenuous activity than regular walking and burns just as many calories per kilometre as regular running does. If anything, in my experience it is more strenuous than running, as the form is much more limiting than a running form therefore making it less efficient and forcing you to do more work. Still not convinced? Racewalking has a significantly lower likelihood of injury than running. Since the rules of racewalking (one leg must always be in contact with the ground, and the knee must be straight from foot plant until it is directly underneath you) keep you close to the ground at all time, the average racewalker impacts the ground with 1/3 the force a runner does. Due to this, the likelihood of suffering a high impact overuse injury is greatly reduced from running. So racewalking is in summary, same workout, less risk than running.
So I have you convinced? Now you’re wondering how to get started. Firstly, you’re going to need a shoe. Racewalking requires a specific minimalist shoe due to its restrictive form. You need a shoe with a thin midsole that keeps your foot close to the ground. This enables you to properly execute the racewalking form and to pass your leg underneath you during a stride and plant your leg straight. Generally any minimalist racing shoe will do, I personally prefer the Mizuno Wave Hitogami, but that’s personal preference. Now that you have your shoes, you need to learn how to walk. For this there is a movie named Walk Don’t Run. With enough careful viewing and a friend to compare you to the movie, you’ll have it before you know it. Who knows, you may be Olympic material too!
As a Biomedical Physiology student at Simon Fraser University, working at FitFirst Footwear was a great hands-on opportunity to gain more knowledge on proper shoe fittings and lower limb pathologies. Starting off with a minimal background in the shoe industry, I found the job quite intimidating since I was not sure what to expect. The vast amount of product knowledge the staff had obtained through observing/performing shoe fittings, in terms of the diverse amounts of shoes and their different features, was astonishing. Yes, having a background in kinesiology did help, however, learning concepts in lecture versus having to apply those theories to real life situations was challenging. At FitFirst, I was put through the New Balance Dynamix training program that tested my anatomy, footwear, running and walking knowledge. Before fitting shoes I had to study and earn at least 80% (I got 94% yay!) on the exam before proceeding to helping customers on the floor.
The New Balance Dynamix Training Program was a useful tool to familiarize myself in the areas of foot health and footwear selection. It went into great depths about foot function, lower limb anatomy and the biomechanics of both walking and running. The combination of observing fittings and the use of the New Balance handbook aided in becoming synonymous with care, professionalism and consistency as it relates to footwear specialization. Using the help of the staff and the assistance of the New Balance Training manual, I gradually acquired skills used to identify specific footwear as it relates to common foot conditions.
With every staff member certified as fitting specialists, you will be able to trust us to help you find a pair of shoes specific to your needs!
