Icebug MR3 :: Updated!

I got the Icebug MR3 shoes today, and I am looking forward to throwing down on the ice tomorrow morning with carbon-studded abandon. Winter can kiss my ass. I'll post a further review of the shoes after I have had some time to wear them a bit. So far, I wore them out to the car and around the yard a bit, and I'm very excited by how well they work. Hopefully my feet get along with them.

Follow Up Review:

My feet and my shins hate these shoes. Unfortunately, they will have to be sent back. I think if they were less bulky, like the MR2 Bugrip, I would have a better chance with them.

First Run Review:

They are very good (8 of 10). Sixteen studs per shoe, and they grip well without the 'wobbly' feeling you get from the slip on variety. Much more stable. The shoes are roomy across the toebox, like Saucony shoes, but still fit well. I am an Asics die-hard, and they still worked well for me right out of the box on a six mile run.

They are best on compacted snow, and still offer solid grip on concrete and smooth ice. You will find yourself searching out compacted snow or snow rather than ice, asphalt, or concrete though. Hard surfaces are noticeably less grippy and very noisy.

The styling is very nice, if that's a factor for you. They look like technical trail shoes. The shoes are on the heavy side at 14+ ounces each in a men's 10. Also, the value could be better. At $120, you're paying a premium for a technology no one else offers and taking a chance on fit and ride comfort.

Overall, I'm happy with the shoes. We'll see how they hold up over the next two months when I do the follow up review. Cheers!

Motivation

I saw this bit of video while I was on the treadmill this morning and thought it was pretty good. I was on mile nine of an eleven mile run, and I had run out of motivation around mile four. Even though this guy was talking about his job as a park ranger, it really resonated with me in terms of running. Plus, he has a really cool mix of Scottish and South African accents.