New Shooz

Shoe buying exercise was once upon a time a no-brainer.
Walk into an Adidas/Reebok/Nike factory outlet when a sale is on.
Scan the shoes displayed from a 5ft distance, looking for the best looking.
Pick it up and check the price tag.
Do the math, tag price – tag price * .xx (where xx is the discount offered)
If discounted price < Budgeted price, add to consideration set.
Repeat across shoes/stores.
Buy highest(appeal), lowest(price)

This time around I was more informed, partly because of this shoe selection section in Doc’s websiteThe biggest Adidas store in Asia is apparently in Bangalore next to Safina Plaza. . Apart from the usual assortment of shoes and skimpy women wear (they do have a whole floor full of that btw), the store has a Footscan pad. The footscan uses UV rays to measure the impact, transfer of pressure,etc as one runs over it; very useful to measure for any foot pronation (see foto above). This scan is not for everyone; ask for it if you are in there.

After running around the store in different shoes, with the security watching me closely (wonder how they figured I run long distances), I settled for the adiSTAR Cushion 5.

I got a good 40p.c off on the price tag of 6600 rupees (nothing costs much in dollars these days, don’t even bother converting).

Adibberish
Just incase you didn’t follow the hyperlink, here’s all the gibberish that has gone into the shoe (well yes, into both of them).

adiSTAR. These products are designed, developed, and tested with race day performance in mind. They always proudly bear the 3-Stripe logo.

CUSHION More protection from repeated impact
Whether you run 20 minutes or 20 kilometers per day, you have certain biomechanical needs for each single step. If you have a stable footplant your need is simply protection from shock. The shoes in the Cushion segment are designed for this.
Key Benefits
> Shock absorption reduces peak impact
> Enhanced comfort for every stride
> Smooth heel-to-toe transition

GeoFiT An internal footwear technology that enhances fit and comfort by placing padding in anatomically correct areas.

Torsion System Lightweight arch support that allows the forefoot and rearfoot to move independently for better surface adaptation and stability.

adiPRENE® is a highly shock absorbent material that cushions and protects your heel at impact.

adiPRENE® (+) Resilient cushioning used to protect the forefoot and provide a responsive, dynamic toe-off.

quickstrike Outsole cleats have been injected onto a thin base for flexibility, weight reduction and durability.

adiWEAR An extremely durable, non-marking rubber used for shoe outsoles and in other high-abrasion areas.

seamfree By molding, rather than stitching the upper together, seams are eliminated, which makes for a lighter, more comfortable shoe. An absence of seams gives shoes a more natural feeling fit while also eliminating the chances of getting blisters and irritations.