Mic D's Reviews

Brooks Night Life Running Jacket

Date of test – Winter 07
If you are on the look-out for a HIGH VIZ 360 Degree reflective running jacket, then you won’t go far wrong with the Brooks Airplex 2 Jacket, this jacket has excellent functionality, with an elastic draw cord hem, good ventilation at the front and back and DuPont Teflon micro-fiber shell, this helps remove the excess perspiration that forms when your running at your normal operating temperature and I found that it didn’t retain the moisture as much as the equivalent Mizuno or Ron Hill jackets, it is a slightly lighter jacket than the Mizuno AW07 reviewed earlier, and kept out all but the heaviest of rain, and the jacket has excellent wind resistance.
Freedom of movement is superb under the arms and around the shoulders, and I can recommend this jacket for those cold, wet and dark winter training runs.
Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality, performance and value for money.

Inov8 – Flyroc 310 – Lightweight Trail/Adventure trainer.

Date of Test – Spring/Winter 07
Going off road, and don’t want to spend a fortune, looking for a great Trail shoe with optimum weight and cushioning, then the Flyroc 310 is going to be an excellent buy, the shoes weigh 310 Grams, have great traction and are breathable, they fare well under all but the most extreme muddy/wet conditions.
Like most of the Inov-8 range of shoes they are quite a narrow shoe and might not suit runners of a larger frame, performance on the road is limited by the lack of cushioning and support, so I wouldn’t recommend using the shoes on anything other than trails, they have been worn as a emergency cross-country shoe and did well in the very wet and muddy conditions.
Product Rating = 9/10 for functionality/performance and 10/10 for value for money.

Helly Hansen - Pro-Wool, Long Sleeve Top - Base Layer

Date of Test = Spring/Winter 07
As the colder nights and morning's approach it would be worth considering adding a warm and useful base-layer to your training wardrobe, the Helly Hansen Pro-Wool Long Sleeve top has the hallmarks of becoming a seasons favourite, particularly useful for close to zero temperatures and strong cold winds. This top was tested on the moors of over the Cleveland Hills and in Cumbria at the top of Blencathra, as with all Helly Hansen base layer apparel, it performed perfectly, there is plenty of room under the arms and it is slightly longer in the body with a half zip neck for added ventilation once your body reaches its normal training temperature. Perspiration is wicked away efficiently to keep you warm and dry, and the top still felt comfortable after 90 mins of running on the hills. It can be worn with or without an additional Gilet or running jacket. The tops are machine washable, but it is recommended the tumble dryer is avoided otherwise the garment will shrink beyond serviceable use. This top is competitively priced and I believe is the best in its category, Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality and performance.

Mizuno Waverider 9 - Running Shoe

Date of Test = Spring/Summer 07
This shoe weighs 320 grams and is designed for the Neutral foot-strike; it uses Mizuno's Waveplate motion control technology and is designed as a normal road running trainer. It has excellent cushioning and has been under test for 4 months now with no problems to date, during the summer it was possible to use this shoe over the trails at Osmotherly, but this shoe does struggle on uneven ground in wet weather and has very limited traction on wet rocky ground. Although it is recommended that shoes are not put in the washing machine, if heavily soiled it will sustain a low temperature wash, drying is achieved by inserting sheets of rolled up newspaper inside and left to dry on a house radiator or in a airing cupboard. This is an excellent training shoe and once this pair has come to the end of its useful training life I will be back to the shop to buy two pairs, for rotation as this winter's high mileage training. Pricing is competitive with other respected brands of running shoe manufacturer. Product Rating = 9/10 for functionality and performance, and 8//10 for its weight.

Mizuno Performance Jacket AW07 - Colour Dark Blue, Silver HIGH-VIZ Piping

Date of Test = Spring/Summer 07
This product has proven an excellent buy and performs brilliantly in the heaviest of rain storms and high winds; it has a full length zip at the front, with a smaller zip pocket at the back and rear of the jacket for keys. Arm movement is full, and there is no restriction across the shoulders or under the arms when running. As you would expect this Jacket is not lightweight but feels solid and competent when worn. This jacket has been tested at 1500 feet in Cumbria during a very heavy rainstorm and kept the tester totally dry, The jacket was worn with a number of different Helly Hansen / Berthoud base layers and performed brilliantly, the material is waterproof and a vigorous shake of the jacket will remove the majority of rainwater from the outer skin. The Jacket has excellent breathability and uses Mizunos "Zamza" ventilation system, it has excellent underarm ventilation, and is seam-seal taped internally, which eliminates any chance of water or wind entering the jacket. I would not recommend using the jacket in dry warm conditions, as you will over-heat fairly quickly. The jacket will not welcome crumpling or crushing and treating the jacket with care following the garments instruction label will ensure the user obtains the best from it. Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality and performance.

Seal Skinz Gloves - Rain & Wind Proof

Date of Test = Winter 06/07
For those coldest and wettest of training runs, then Seal Skin gloves would be my recommendation, they remained dry and warm at 3000 feet on Hellvelyn in Cumbria during a torrential downpour. The gloves have a longer wrist covering than some of the other running gloves tested and the only down side is there slight lack of flexibility in the fingers/palm, but this is heavily out-weighed by their superb rain/wind/cold resistance. Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality and performance.

Ron Hill Gloves - Wind Proof

Date of test = Winter 07
These gloves come in Black, Fluoro Yellow and Dark Blue, a very lightweight non-technical glove, they provide excellent flexibility and good warmth for those training runs in the cold. They will not stand up to anything more than a quick shower and once wet the runner will start to suffer with wet and very cold fingers/hands. This is a good glove for cold but dry training runs/races. Product Rating = 8/10 for functionality and performance, 10/10 value for money.

X-Tream Gloves - Rain and Wind Proof

Date of Test = Winter 06/07
An excellent glove for cold and very wet training runs, they keep the hands completely dry, and weigh considerably less than the Seal Skins tested, these gloves have excellent flexibility and also use a patented X-Stream gripping system for the palm. The gloves performed brilliantly during the wettest of training sessions, although if the temperature is Baltic then I would plumb for the Seal Skinz every time. This is a great value for money product and I would strongly recommend them Product Rating = 9/10 for functionality and performance.

Garmin 201 - GPS Training Watch

Date of Test = Winter 06/07
This is a brilliant mid level training watch for those athletes who need to use the GPS functionality for recording there training runs to the most accurate of detail. It has integrated interval training functionality and a useful "virtual training partner" mode for those nights when your training partner cannot make it. This device, like all Garmin GPS watch's is accurate to 17 feet over 1 mile, and will record you elevation, and also very usefully how many calories you session has burnt off. This watch comes with all equipment required to connect to a PC, and downloading the Training Centre package from the Garmin website is simple, a serial connection allow the watch and PC to communicate. Downloading the info stored on your watch takes no longer than 30 secs, and you can view your training run in numerous modes. Charing the battery is simple and the watch will not require recharging for 5 days of training if the watch is charged for to "full" at the start of the week. The battery has been working with no problems on the watch under test for 2.5 years now with no issues. The watch will need to acquire the Satellites before any training sessions and putting the watch on a windowsill 10mins before going out the door will ensure your watch has acquired the satellites and is ready for the session ahead. Like most wrist mounted GPS training watch's the 201 is a little bulky but cannot be described as heavy and one will soon get used to it after 2 or 3 training sessions. This watch was tested in the heaviest of rain storms at 3000 feet on Blencathra during the spring of this year and at -5 degrees with no ill effects. This is a brilliant training aid and is very easy to set-up and use. Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality, performance and value for money.

Garmin 305 - Integrated GPS/Heart-rate Monitor

Date of Test = Winter/Summer 07
This is the flagship of the Garmin training range, and has performance and functionality in spades, as well as the brilliant GPS it also includes a superb Heart-rate monitor, with all training session information downloadable to the Garmin Training Centre, Heart-rate Zones/Threshold are recorded and for those athletes serious about analysing there training sessions Garmin have increased the receiver sensitivity on the 305 and almost eliminated the problem with poor GPS reception in built up areas and in woods and forests, I have tested the watch in the heaviest of tree canopies and the watch has coped excellently. As with the 201 the watch has Interval training modes and virtual training partner, it also has excellent multi-sport capability, IE Cycling, Nordic Skiing functionality for those athletes who require it. Slightly larger than the 201, the 305 weighs almost the same, with a larger LCD display for excellent visibility. A brilliant watch and for those athletes who need Heart-rate as well as GPS functionality probably the best value for money device on the market. Product Rating = 10/10 for functionality, performance and value for money.

Mizuno Idaton - Lightweight Racer / Trainer

Date of Test = Summer 07
This shoe weighs a flyweight 225 grams, and is recommended for the athlete who has a neutral/ fore foot-strike. This shoes has good cushioning, and excellent comfort, but has limited support and I wouldn't recommend training in the shoe over anything other than a good tarmac road surface. The shoes are excellent for use on the Tartan track if you are up for a faster paced interval sessions, although grip becomes suspect during heavy rain or on very wet road surfaces. The only downside I could find was training or racing in the shoes during heavy rain might cause the athlete blisters on the top of the toes as the shoes have no rain resistance properties. Lighter runners will find the shoe a dream to race in. Product Rating = 10/10 for Lighteness, performance and value for money

All tested by Darlington's Mic D