Our Brands
Altra
This is one of my favorite brands - love the design and feel. The natural toe box, zero drop design + a super plush ride means you will forever change they way you think about shoes. They also look great with jeans…
https://www.altrarunning.com/why-altra
Golden Harper, Brian Beckstead, and Jeremy Howlett cut up and altered different brands of running shoes to design a better performing shoe, which they named "Zero Drop." The name refers to the lack of height differential between the shoe's heel and toe area.
Harper, Beckstead, and Howlett demonstrated their new design to various footwear companies with little success, so they started a company called Altra Footwear in 2009, partnering with Pulse Labs, an engineering firm at Brigham Young University, and with contract manufacturers in Asia.
Harper chose the name "Altra" based on the Latin word "altera", which means "to fix or mend something that is broken."
Golden Harper, founder of the company, noticed that the stride and gait of barefoot runners changed when the runners wore traditional running shoes. He suspected that the heel height of most running shoes was too high as compared to the height of the mid-foot or toe.
At this time, Harper was working at his father's shoe store called "Runner's Corner", in Orem, Utah and he began modifying traditional running shoes by cutting them open, removing padding from the heel, and then using a toaster oven and glue to put the shoes back together.
Harper recruited local runners and store employees to test out prototype shoes where the heel and forefoot were the same distance from the ground. The design proved to allow a more natural running experience where footfalls are in the mid to forefoot area instead of the more typical heel strike. Harper called this design "Zero Drop”.
Balega
They’re just the most comfortable and well made athletic socks.
Our focus is on the independent running specialty market. Balega prides itself on the fact that all of our products are developed and tested at our South African production facility. Our development team is made up of all types of athletes who regularly compete in events ranging from the Comrades and Two Ocean’s ultra marathons to many other shorter distance events both on and off road in South Africa and abroad.
All Balega socks are manufactured at our state of the art production facility in Cape Town, South Africa utilizing the best performance yarns manufactured in the USA. Our customers are serviced via our distribution facility in Hickory, NC.
Second Skin Fit
A sock must fit snugly to ensure no movement on the foot. Movement causes irritation; irritation causes blisters. End of discussion. We offer 5 specific sizes and socks that fit perfectly.
Deep heel Pocket
Socks creeping down in your shoes—worse nightmares. Knitting up to 30% more stitches into the heel or adding more heel branches, deepens the heel pocket to ensure your heel is fully cupped and protected, and that the lateral stretch from bridge to heel is optimal.
Proprietary “Drynamix’ Moisture Management Fiber Made in the USA
Supersoft moisture management fiber, developed exclusively by Balega, wicks moisture away rapidly, keeping you cool and dry all day long.
Seam Free Comfort
Seams cause friction, friction causes blisters. Who needs them? Our hand linked toe seams will give you the ultimate in seam-free comfort.
Ubuntu - Building Communities
With every pair of Balega you buy, YOU give back to the community. We pride ourselves as a company with soul and welcome your involvement in any of our many projects…all aimed at enriching those less fortunate than ourselves.
Hand Inspection
Every pair Balega is hand inspected by our dedicated quality inspection teams and pre-washed before packing.
Ventilation Panels
Strategically placed ventilation panels aid in the cooling and wicking process. Need we say more?
Drynamix
Balega’s Drynammix air conditioning fabric system moisture manager allows free movement of airflow ensuring cool and dry feet with its unique rapid moisture evaporation system.
Ultralight
Ultra fine Hi-tech performance yarns on a high needle count knitting machine provide the sheerest, lightest sock on the planet while still providing the necessary protection.
Blister Resist
Drynamix blended with natural mohair wool creates the ultimate blister barrier between skin and shoe.
VTech
have you ever worn a sock that perfectly matches the contours of your foot without constricting it? Balega VTech arch support system gives you exactly that - a structured fit. Not too tight, just right.
Feetures!
I love my Balega, but on Race Day I pull out my feetures! I like the feel of feetures! socks on race day - just a touch tighter and more connected.
In 2002, after spending 25+ years with a leading manufacturer of athletic socks, I believed that there was an opportunity to create a better performance sock that took advantage of the latest breakthroughs in sock technology. As a runner and someone passionate about being active, I wanted to design a great sock that would enhance the performance of runners and other athletes. My son Joe, who was 15 at the time, came up with the Feetures! name during a brainstorming session around the dinner table, and thus a brand was launched.
Today my sons John and Joe are actively involved in the business, and together we continue to harness new technology with the goal of producing the best performance socks in the world.
Our Production Philosophy
From the beginning, we established a global supply chain in order to secure the finest materials and manufacturing available from around the globe. Our socks are designed and developed in Charlotte, NC – then we work with partners all over the globe to produce products of the highest quality. Our partnership and our personal involvement with our factories helps assure that the impact of what we do with respect to the environment and people is in line with our core values.
Our Values
Despite our company’s global reach, we maintain a level of personalized service that only a family-run company can offer. We run our business based on a set of core values that are non-negotiable. Those are Quality, Accountability, Simplicity, Adaptability, Sustainability and Innovation. We treat people the way we expect to be treated.
So you can see, Feetures! is a family company with a global reach and with the goal of being the best in the world at what we do.
Glukos Energy
http://www.glukosenergy.com/science
absolutely, hands down favorite nutrition. No caffeine, high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweetener. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free and vegan, but I like them because they taste great.c
GLUKOS is made with glucose—the form of energy used by all life on earth, and the only energy your body can really use. The more strenuous the activity, the more glucose your body requires. GLUKOS gives your body the fuel it needs to perform at its best.
Unlike other sports products, Glukos provides almost instant energy. it passes through the cell wall of your mouth where it enters directly into the bloodstream.
Nothing Moves You Faster
Other sport fuels use inferior sugars like fructose and sucrose that have to be digested before they can provide any benefit. this process wastes valuable time, and even robs your body of energy.
On
A Quest for the Perfect Running Sensation
From a revolutionary idea a Swiss running shoe has evolved that is still amazing the sporting scene. The On provides a new running sensation, and one that puts fun firmly centre-stage.
It’s not just a love of running that former top athlete Olivier Bernhard and his friends David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti share. They’re all also dedicated to developing a perfect
product. And this is what has turned a revolutionary idea into a new running shoe that began by amazing the sporting scene and has since helped numerous top athletes to new personal bests at World Championship events.
After retiring from professional competition, three-times World Duathlon Champion and multiple Ironman Winner Olivier Bernhard devoted himself to finding a running shoe that would give him the perfect running sensation. In doing so he crossed paths with a like-minded Swiss engineer who had an idea for a new kind of running shoe. And it was this ideal symbiosis of running experience and engineering expertise that allowed this original idea to be steadily refined over the following years.
Cupboardfuls of prototypes were developed; but the basic concept – cushioned landing, firm take off – remained paramount throughout. It was this unique running sensation that convinced Caspar Coppetti and David Allemann to come aboard too. Together with Bernhard they formally established the On company in Zurich in January 2010 to develop a product range fully engineered in Switzerland using the latest technology.
After that, things started to move swiftly. In February the prototypes won the ISPO Brandnew Award, one of the most important prizes for innovation in sports. Test runners were enthusiastic and spoke of running on clouds. In July 2010 the first running stores had the On on their shelves.
Today, four years later, the shoe is available at over 1,200 specialist running stores in more than 25 countries and has won international design and technology awards. In addition to its European headquarters in Zurich, On has now opened a second head office in the USA in Portland, Oregon.
Because You are Unique, On is Breaking the Norm.
How many times have you been told to fit in, to adhere to the norm, to continue how things have been done in the past, to buy into the one best way? After half a century of running axioms that have failed to produce a significant drop in running injuries, On suggests
to simply run how you are meant to run. Forget about motion control, minimalism and maximalism or the proper way to land or to lift for that matter. Instead, let your individual running personality shine. What feels best to you is best for you. Interestingly, this is also the conclusion of the latest biomechanical research.1
On Core Belief 1
From focus on correction to focus on experience and comfort...
Running should be fun and not an exercise in self-control. Instead of correcting your movement, On lets you run how you are meant to run: The result is unmatched comfort and a more fun running experience. How it works? On’s patented CloudTec® cushioning cleverly takes the first heavy blow off the street and then lets you transition naturally to the forefoot, where the Cloud elements become firm for a stable stance and a powerful push-off. In other words: the On provides cushioning only when you need it and helps you delay fatigue, keep up your individual stride and not give in to the street.
On Core Belief 2
From one best way to run to billions of ways to run...
On shoes do not passively control your running motion with a rigid sole. Instead, a whole team of Cloud elements at the sole of the On shoe actively reacts to your individual running motion. They can act in unison or individually cushion your landing – however you need it. In fact, they have no predefined rolling line but empower each runner to run how he is meant to run. This means freedom for your feet, putting you back in control.
On
From a look at the ankle to a look at the whole body...
Your running shoe should not stop you when landing but transform your motion into forward momentum. We take a holistic look at the running movement of your whole body, not just your feet. This is why On puts the landing sweet spot towards the midfoot stance, naturally centered under your body. Upon landing, your are immediately ready for takeoff – good running form in action.
On Core Belief 4
From a diagnosis for life to an evolution over time...
Running is a sport, not an illness. And as in other sports, you can train away your weakness to become a star performer. Flat feet and other deficiencies are not static but can be improved through training. Infants for example typically have flat feet and develop an arch through natural training in childhood. Neither is your individual running motion a diagnosis for life but can evolve with training. On provides a range of footwear that adapts to your individual stage of running and supports your training to propel you to the next level. Start with the On Cloudster, finish in the On Cloudracer.
Saucony
Founded just two years after the first Olympic Marathon and one year after the first Boston Marathon, we’ve got running in our blood. In 1898, four young businessmen opened the Saucony Shoe Manufacturing Company in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. By 1910, they were turning out 800 pairs of shoes a day from their two-story brick factory on the Saucony Creek. That’s a lot of shoes.
The world Saucony comes from the Lenni Lenape native American word “saconk,” meaning “where two rivers run together.”
Throughout the early and mid 1900’s running became the focus serious athletes. At the time, there weren’t any high-performance running shoes. People were running in leather, spikes - even barefoot. Saucy was determined to make a shoe that could change the way people run. The 7446 Spike in 1958 was a solid start, but we were getting ready to hit the roads. In 1968, we found a new home in Cambridge, MA and have been loyal Bostonians ever since.
In 1972, American Frank Shorter won the Gold in the Olympic Marathon, igniting a running frenzy in the US. In 1977, our shoes were awarded “best quality” in consumer reports magazine. Saucy quickly went from the serious runner’s best kept secret to the most sought-after running shoe of the time.
The 80’s were a busy time for us. And we have some awesome shoes (and superstars) to show for it.
1980 Trainer 80
The Trainer 80 was one of the first slip-lasted running shoes and the lightest of its time, giving runners unrivaled comfort and superior flexibility.
We removed the hard piece of cardboard used in the soles of most running shoes and sewed the upper directly to the midsole, creating a shoe that felt lighter, more natural, and much more comfortable. The new manufacturing technique pioneered by Saucony became the norm for lighter weight performance running shoes.
1981 JAZZ
In 1981, we established the signature Saucony silhouette and triangular lug footprint with the Jazz. When we created the Jazz, we worked closely with podiatrists to make sure we were making a shoe that could keep runners comfortable and handle the impact of distance running.
The triangular lug outsole provided traction and created a piston-like suspension system that has inspired Saucony outsole design to this day.
1984 DXN Trainer
After Rod Dixon captured his legendary win in the 1983 New York City Marathon, Saucony contracted him to design a shoe in his namesake. Famous for his incredible athletic range, Dixon is one of the few people to have ever run both a sub 3:53 mile and sub 2:09 marathon.
What is less known of Dixon was his accumen for shoe design. After development of the Dixon Trainer kicked off, Rod Dixon frequently visited the Saucony factory in Kutztown, PA, personally running hundreds of miles in every iteration of the shoe and obsessing over details such as heel-to-toe offset and EVA durometer measurements.
1988 Shadow
We took the best of the Jazz and enhanced it with the Shadow. At the time, stability was a priority for runners, so we made the Shadow 5000 with a more supportive heel cup.
We evolved the shoe even more with the Shadow 6000, creating an innovative midsole that featured the VIP system (Vertical Ionic Pillars), providing more stability, cushioning, and step-in comfort.
1991 Grid
In 1991, we released our trademark GRID (Ground Reaction Inertia Device) technology with the GRID SD. G.R.I.D. uses negative space carved into strategic zones to create sweet spot shock absorption, reduce weight, and guide the foot through the gait cycle for maximum support and control.
A technology ahead of its time, the G.R.I.D. concept is still used in Saucony shoes today with the PWRGRID+ cushioning system.
In 1983, Saucony athlete Rod Dixon gave the world one of the most memorable marathon finishes to this day. Running in a pair of Dixon Racing Flats he created alongside Saucony engineers, Dixon came from behind at the 26 mile mark to win the race by 9 seconds.
Dixon was famously quoted saying, “all I want to do is drink beer and train like an animal.” We can get on board with that.
Dixon, an Olympic medalist from New Zealand, was praised for his amazing athletic range. Having achieved the rare feat of a sub-four-minute mile (3:53.62) and a sub-2:09 marathon (2:08:59), he is one of the most versatile runners of all time.
Following his passion for running throughout his life, he founded the Rod Dixon Kid’s Marathon Association to inspire children to live a healthy lifestyle and get involved in the sport that has left such an impact on him.
2003 Cross Country
Saucy changed the landscape of XC competition with the launch of the kilkenny XC Spike. Designed with the help of our elite athletes, the Kilkenny’s lightweight slipper-like fit has propelled it into an industry leader today.
2006 Run for Good Foundation
In 2006, Saucony launched the Run for Good Foundation to help end the childhood obesity epidemic. To date, over $1 million has been donated to causes that help kids commit to an active and healthy lifestyle.
http://www.saucony.com/en/runforgood/
2009 Kinvara
Inspired by out athletes’ wishes for a training shoe with a more natural ride, saucy created the Kinvara with a unique approach: strip down to the bare essentials without compromising cushioning. As a pioneer of the 4MM heel-to-toe drop, the Kinvara was a precursor of changes throughout the saucy line as well as the entire running shoe industry.
2011 Geometry of Strong
As a result of insights from the Saucony Human Performance and Innovation Lab, we began lowering the heel-to-toe drops in our core models from 12mm down to 8mm, starting with the Guide 5.
At Saucony, we exist for runners. Runners inspire us, bring us new ideas, force us to be better. They drive our design and engineering. They keep us competitive. They keep us hungry. They keep us honest.
Whether it’s in a conference room or out on a lunchtime run, we’re constantly talking about and arguing about our sport, runners and the products that fuel them. We love our products and we run in everything we make.
This focus and passion fuels us as we strive to create the best running shoes and apparel on the planet. We leave work each day knowing we’ve done everything to make runners’ lives just a little bit better.
At Saucony, a good day is when we get to run. A great day is when we inspire someone else to run.