Comments: I am a racewalker. These are my favorite shoes for races. They are light and have good traction. The fit is great. I highly recommend these shoes for intervals and races. I race in the 1500, 3000 and 5000 events. It will be hard to find a better shoe for racewalking in races than this shoe.
From: Alfred Racewalker, Birmingham, Alabama
Comments: I bought these to try out for my track workouts (usually about 6-7 miles total running, 4-5 on a soft track). I was using Asics Cumulus and wanted something I could feel speedier in. I definitely love them for speedwork, and haven't noticed any bad effects of reduced cushioning, so someday I might try them for a road race. They are wide in the front, wider than the Cumulus, but that works great for me. I sized as suggested for women's, and use the laces to keep the ankles snug.
From: Sara, Albany, California, USA
Comments: Great road flats. Very lightweight but still stable. Only complaint is the toe area (little roomy). Laces come undone quite often but that's an easy fix. Overall nice buy.
From: Ryan, Clinton, NY, US
Comments: Love these shoes so much I bought two pair. My first set of minimalist shoes. I use them for everyday running. Tried the vibrams in store, but just couldnt fit my toes right. Not to mention almost twice as much as these. Thanks to asics and Running Wearhouse for great products and service!
From: Ben, Canton, OH
Comments: These are the lightest racing flats I've ever owned, and they're comfortable and breathable with plenty of room in the toe box. Sole is pretty solid, too, which translates to minimal loss of energy with every stride. Don't like the laces. They're thin and analogous to ribbons. Durability is average for a flat. If you plan to train in these shoes they won't last long. Oh, and thank you Asics for the conservative design. Not everyone wants a orange, pink, or lime green racing flat. Overall, these are really light, great shoes for races and speed work in my opinion. Don't be afraid to try them.
From: Brad, Normal, IL, USA
Comments: Great shoe. I'm a junior track and XC runner and I've used this for tempo's up to 5 miles, all my speed work, and at least 3 xc races. It's held up really well. I usually like a more cushy feel but the firmness is fine given how ridiculously light the shoe is. Overall, great buy! I'd definitely recommend this shoe.
From: Paul, Massachusetts, US
Comments: These shoes are great I use them for almost all my workouts. These are my favorite shoes i have used them in track for the last two years and cross country this year and they have helped me alot i recomend a different pair to train in because they wear farily easily but they are more than perfect for races. Im 15 and I run varsity track and cross country (went to state 8th and 9th grade years) for my school running sub 5 minute miles. These shoes are amazing dont hesitate to get a pair.
From: Keaton, Grants, NM, U.S.
Comments: I really love these shoes, perfect for anything less than a marathon. I would wear them to train in, but after 45 miles they are already starting to show wear. Train in A4's (which last forever) and race in these.
From: Adam, College Station, TX, USA
Comments: If you are looking for a light shoe to shine on race day then this is the shoe. I used this shoe for the Long Beach Marathon and got a new PR
easily. Asics come out with yet another winner when it comes to running shoes. After going with such a light shoe I wonder why I ever raced with the Kayanos. Don't get me wrong the Kayanos have great cushioning and support but if your looking for speed then this is the shoe to get.
From: Javier Pita, El Monte, CA
Comments: The best 5k race shoe you will ever wear! Insanely light, fits like a glove (at least for me). This is a a PR shoe, it is not built for support, it is soley for speed; get your fast miles in and then get off!
From: Zach, Tulsa, OK, USA
Comments: Although the Piranhas were incredibly light, I found that they fit very loose. I would not be able to wear a smaller size because my foot spans the full length of the shoe, but the upper is so thin that my foot can move around quite a bit. The upper itself feels like plastic and it is very rough. I had planned on wearing these barefoot, but the Exane lining only wraps the collar, so there are a number of scratchy seams. I am use to wearing Nike Free 5.0 V4s, so the piranha also felt really stiff. Hopefully they will break in a bit which could give the outsole some more flex and flatten out the stitching for barefoot wear.
From: David, Wayland, MA, USA
Comments: this shoe provides great support and is very comfortable. allowed me to experience a light, superlative running game. i recommend this shoe to anyone who would like support and to step up their running game.
From: anonymous, san diego, california, us
Comments: I am a converted forefoot/midfoot striker and have run in a number of minimalist type shoes. For me, they seem to strike a good balance between a pair of Vibram KSO's and a normal Light weight trainer. They were advertised as a 4mm heel to toe drop, however they feel as though there is little to no drop at all. When I tryed the Mizuno Wave Universe, there was a noticable heel to toe difference, but not with the Piranha's.
From: KJR, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Comments: I'm a 5'6" 120lb Asian dude with flat feet. Grown up walking around the house in bare feet or moccasins.
Was finding that the transition from my typical footwear of fairly flat Creative Recreation Cesarios, Vans slip-ons, Havaiana flip-flops, Sidi cycling shoes & Nike soccer cleats to a supportive Asics Kayano 16 running shoe was causing me more foot pain & creating a weird twinge in my left knee. Now since wearing two different shoes on each foot wasn't a logical option I decided to got the route of the racing flat theory. Figured that by doing so I would allow my foot to naturally do what it want as well build foot strength over the long term and thus naturally alleviate the knee and foot pain. Also figured that being of a lithe build that it would be a less difficult transition than for say a bigger guy. I typically mix 5K runs with 10K road cycling as my daily cardio routine so I wasn't too worried about the pounding on my joints.
Pros:
- roomy toe box = no pressure on forefoot = no outside foot or knee pain
- low to ground = more control & feedback
- tongue stays put, doesn't budge
- heel collar matterial is so comfortable. No Achilles rub or blisters.
- like a feather compared to the Kayano
- From a dude's perspective the graphics of SP3 version are way better than SP2 or SP1 versions
Cons:
- tape-style flat laces are too slippery & come undone even when double knotted. Might consider switching to a conventional lace as the weight increase would be minimal.
- Overall durability is probably limited but I figure that for my build it will last at least a season and that end of season clearances & sales on such a should would more than make up for it once multiple pairs are acquired.
- a darker or colored sole version would be nice
This has proved to be a great shoe for a person with flat feet like me who wanted to buck the traditional theory that a support or motion control shoe would be better for me. I listened to my body and made the switch. The pain that the Kayano 16s were giving me has gone away so it was a gamble that paid off. Can't wait for next year's update.
From: Anonymous, Canada
