25
May
Gearist.com says Tara Lite is a "Great Shoe"
Tara Lite is a "Great Shoe"
by Brandon Wood
www.gearist.com
May 25, 2011
When Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run, was released in May of 2009, many would say that it was one of the biggest catalysts in getting an increasing amount of runners back to the basics of running. Along the way the shoe industry at large has taken notice of the minimalist running movement and has really stepped up to the plate (for better or for worse) in offering runners who want “less is more” to be the predominant impetuous for their running.
Probably the most important character in McDougall’s book is the reclusive Tarahumara tribe in Mexico’s Copper Canyon’s. This tribe of indigenous people just happen to be quite a group of ultrarunners and while going on their long runs their shoe of choice is what amounts to a huarache sandal made from a bit of leather and the tread of an old tire. This sandal is very minimalist and includes the most important feature of being a “zero drop” shoe which means there is no difference in height from the heel to the metatarsals. Embracing the spirit of the Tarahumara, GoLite has gone a step further and has built an entire shoe based around their chosen footwear and built the Tara Lite.
Part of GoLite’s BareTech series, the Tara Lite is (perhaps ironically) full of features that aim to make it a front runner in the hybrid world of a shoe with minimal features that provides the protection of a tradition trail running shoe. From the ground up, the rubber on the sole of the Tara Lite is made from their Grip Stick Rubber (GSR) and is formed with their Sticky Gecko sole which puts more than 300 small lugs of different sizes. These lugs are meant to add maximum surface area to the sole for added traction on any surface. The next layer up is a thin layer of soft EVA foam (I’m not entirely sure of the exact durometer of the differing EVA’s on this shoe, but I will update if I manage to find out) which is to add further adaptability and cushioning. Moving up to the third layer from the ground there is a thin layer of harder EVA foam put in place to add further stability and protection to the foot of the runner.
The upper of the Tara Lite is made of a fabric of stretchy-ish “second skin” with the rubber sole of the shoe coming about a third of the way up the back side of the heel of the shoe as well as over the majority of the toe cap for added protection. The retention system is made up of two hook-and-loop straps, one around the ankle of the shoe and one across the top. The top retention strap is part of a switchback that attaches to an internal thong that mimics the thong on a Tarahumara huarache. The toe box of the Tara Lite is ample and allows the toes to splay naturally as though barefoot.
To be clear, GoLite does not consider the Tara Lite to be a minimalist shoe by traditional minimal standards. First, the weight, which comes in at 11 ounces does fall well outside the lines of “light”. Also, with a midfoot height of 24mm, the Tara Lite does not seek to be a “barefoot shoe” in the vein of Vibram FiveFingers and the like, but rather to offer the wearer a “natural ride with full protection”.
Since I had been eyeing pictures of the Tara Lite for a while before I got my hands on a pair I was not shocked by what I saw when they arrived. However, this is not your traditional shoe in look or feel. Since I’ve never been one to shy away from less than subtly designed shoes, the burnt orange color was quite appealing.
The first thing I noticed upon putting on the Tara Lite was the very secure feeling fit that the thong post offered. To be honest, I was intrigued as to what the thong post would feel like at all and it turns out that it’s not a whole lot different than wearing my favorite pair of flip flops. The upper of the shoe is very roomy almost to the point of feeling big. Fortunately the retention system offers plenty of adjustability that should leave more than enough room for almost any foot. The thong post, which runs through a smal hole in the upper, sits comfortably between your toes and can be moved as close to the wedding of the toes as needed by adjusting the ankle retention strap.
The footbed of the Tara Lite itself offers a bit of customization in that it has a removable portion that runs from just behind the metatarsals forward. For me, the best option was not to change to configuration of the footbed but rather, to remove it altogether. You see, without the footbed in there is already a bit of arch contour to the insole of the shoe. With the footbed in place, no matter the configuration, the arch is far too much for me and adds unwanted and unneeded pressure to the underside of my arch. This seems ironic since the barefoot, and even the huaraches of the Tarahumara lack any arch support at all instead allowing the foot to use its own musculature and connective tissues. Once removed, my foot was much more comfortable and I felt right at home.
The Tara Lite does require socks with, at the very least, an articulated big toe. Fortunately, GoLite included a pair of Tabi socks that offered just that. I also happen to be the proud owner of some Injinji socks which meant that I could wear the shoes for more than one day without having to wash my socks each night.
As a trail running shoe the Tara Lite performed very well and felt very secure on my foot on most terrains. As a road running shoe, while it does work, it’s not
Tara Lite's thong tha thong thong thong
something that I would opt for something else. The reason behind this is because the midfoot flexibility of the shoe is pretty much nil. I would love to see this changed to allow for a more versatile shoe that could be worn on and off road easily.
The stability and traction of this shoe are pretty phenomenal. The Sticky Gecko sole really lives up to its billing and went above and beyond on rocky and uneven surfaces. These were especially fun on some extended rock hopping adventures I threw at them. In terms of being able to really “feel” the ground though, they were a bit lacking. yes, feeling the general contours of the running surface was completely fine, but the finer things tended to go a bit unnoticed. This is thanks largely to the layers of EVA in the sole and the cushioning they provide. This is likely not a deal breaker for most people and it isn’t for me either, I just refer a little bit more ground feedback.
The Tara Lite is a great shoe in GoLite’s move toward offering more options to “natural” runners. The women’s version of the Tara Lite will be out this July and is sure to have some advancements over this first draft. That said, I will certainly be wearing these on some of my favorite trails now that more friendly running weather is here. If you’re looking to get into more natural running and into a shoe that lets your foot act as it should, this is a great way to get out and running.