You’ll look up and down streets. Look ’em over with care.
About some you will say, “I don’t choose to go there.”
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you’re too smart to go down any not-so-good street.
– Dr. Suess
For those who prefer long miles along winding mountain trails threading through thick forested slopes to the monotony of city streets, Vasque’s latest addition to its quiver of technical trail shoes, the Pendulum, is ready to carry you in any direction you choose.
The Vasque Design team created the Pendulum to offer a balance between lightweight performance and trail ready protection. As the footwear industry swings between the extremes of minimalism and maximalism, the Pendulum offers a compromise for trail runners looking for a happy in-between that doesn’t sacrifice on technical performance.
On Performance and Features…
From the green tunnel of the Appalachian Mountains to the northwest Cascades, the Vasque Pendulum is ready to roam mountainous trails and gobble up rugged terrain. Low in weight and minimalist in its offset, the stable Vasque Pendulum helps you experience the thrill of racing up and down trails without feeling weighed down by a lot of unnecessary features.
For the moments you find yourself racing down long wiggled roads at break-necking pace, a 6mm offset provides a more minimalist experience by keeping the foot close to the ground and optimally positioned for natural forefoot strike. At the same time, an EVA midsole and TPU plate help take the bite out of stony trails.
Worried that a more minimally minded runner won’t provide the support and comfort you need? Fear not friends, for the Vasque design team included a 3mm Flux Foam insole to ensure that you aren’t sacrificing comfort when the trail gets a little technical. While it may sound like something from a Dr. Suess story, Vasque’s Flux Foam is footed in modern reality. Once the foam warms up, it forms to the foot and then goes back to its original structure once you get back to home base, so it is a perfect fit every time.
Lighter than any other shoe in Vasque’s trail running collection, the Pendulum weighs in at a mere 10.6 ounces for a men’s size 9, and 8.8 ounces for women’s size 7. Helping to keep the shoe light is a durable and highly breathable air mesh upper that encourages ventilation but features a tight construction that helps keep rubble and trail refuge out. All in all, you’ve got a lighter shoe that helps reduce fatigue during lengthy loops.
For those moments the mountain loop turns vertical, Pendulum’s toothy tread bites into the terrain and helps keep you upright as you head up.
The Critique…
Whether you’re just getting into the minimalist running realm or looking for more than barefoot-styled-protection from the realities of life on the dirt, the Pendulum is a welcome addition to the growing category of minimalist trail runners. That being said there were a few critiques offered by our trail gurus.
While not necessarily a standard feature on trail shoes, the Pendulum does lack a gusseted tongue. From our perspective, a gusseted tongue is always an appreciated feature that acts as an additional firewall against grit and grime from the trail. Secondly, our trail runners did not feel as though the Pendulum provided the same level of underfoot protection from protruding stones and rogue roots when compared to some other trail shoes.
The Bottom Line…
The minimally minded Pendulum proves that reliable, trail-worthy footwear doesn’t have to be heavy or tedious. After all, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so grab your Pendulums and get on your way!
Manufactured by Vasque, the Pendulum is available in men’s and women’s specific sizing and multiple, bright colorways. MSRP $109.99. Available at retail February 2013.