Other significant design changes are the drop in pitch between the heel cheap mbt sandals and toe of shoes, so the heels aren't as built up as they were, making shoes feel slightly flatter. Saucony dropped its heel to toe pitch from 12mm to 8mm. Asics is down from 12mm to 10mm. Due to advances in materials, the quality of cushioning ? through the heel is just as good, but the flatter pitch makes for a better running technique.
“If you go too flat [in a shoe pitch] most people will overstretch their calf mbt shoes muscles and Achilles tendons,” says Ouphred. “The more proficient you are as a runner the flatter you can go with your shoes.”
A new style of runner that's recently arrived in Australia is called an “upper” and Nike leads the way. It's turned the conventional shoe inside out by making the cushioning system a single insert that slides into the shoe, which is actually more like a sock in cheap mbt boots look and feel. You then slide your foot in and tighten the laces which pull the whole sock up snugly around your foot, effectively moulding itself on. Called the Hyperfeel, it is incredibly comfortable and light. Ouphred says the Hyperfeel would make a good lightweight trainer for a general runner and for a technically better runner it would suit up to half or full marathon distance. It's not suitable for orthotics, however.
