This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
FOOTWEAR FOCUS ROAD TEST Shoes for the Sun Struck


warfare where it is safe for them to go outside the camp to train. So to test a pair of shoes designed for training in the desert I hopped on a


I


plane to Saudi Arabia. You don’t actually “just hop” on a plane to Saudi Arabia you have to be invited (the Desert Kingdom is a very exclusive club y’know). Being invited out on an assignment I was asked by the Editor of Footwear Today to test the Desert shoe produced by UK Gear. UK Gear have created niche for themselves by creating and testing


their shoe designs in cooperation with the Army Physical Training Corps. Getting the Army to test your running shoes gives you “street cred'” even if the design of the shoes is intended for anything but street running. On the one hand the company gets a product that is tested to destruction so they have proved that it does what is says on the box for a very demanding clientele. Secondly, they have a product that has the credibility and stamp of


approval from the army, which almost guarantees them a market among our troops, and (if they were to be completely honest) the wannabes who wouldn’t have the guts to join the real army, but strut around in army surplus or fashionista camouflage fatigues. Training in desert conditions is grim. Two things make it hell – rather


obvious really – but, if you are training for the army and you are sent to the desert, you just have to put up with the amount of sand and the amount of sun. But, then there are the lunatics who chose to run in the desert, those who


run marathons in places like Morocco and Egypt. In November this year those taking part in the 7 Tribes Endurance Race will run in desert terrain in the Sinai Peninsula for 110 kilometres over four days. Mad they may be, but the race is in aid of the local Bedouin, helping them improve and deepen their wells to secure their water supply. Those promoting another run for the mentally challenged, the 6 day, 243 km Marathon des Sables, that takes place in Morocco in April, warn you may lacerate your feet if you do not have the right shoes. The PT-03 DESERT could just be up to the challenge, UK Gear say is built


on a uniquely formulated midsole which delivers excellent durability and shock absorption in extreme heat. In addition it has structured cushioning that is supportive and long lasting gives an excellent level of cushioning. It has a heat resistant gum outsole and a bio-flexible underfoot bruise plate that means you can run safely and comfortably in the hottest and most arid of environments. I have had shoes in the past that quite literally melt on hot tarmac; I believe that the PT-03 would not melt in the desert.


Henry Harington hops on a plane to Saudi Arabia to test the Desert shoe produced by UK Gear


This is exactly the type of shoe runners in these desert marathons will


need. I confess not to have run a marathon in them. Had I done so I probably wouldn’t be here to sing their praises. But, having them in the desert, I can testify to a comfortable and hardwearing shoe. While I didn’t run a marathon in Saudi Arabia I can confirm that these are


stable, comfortable shoes perfect for desert conditions. Many running shoes have some sort of breathable mesh on the top to let your feet “breath”. Well, when you are running on sand that is of no use. So the PT-03 may not have that ventilation, but they are not hot shoes and they have a really unique feature… Have you ever arrived at the beach and in your enthusiasm to get to the


water’s edge rushed headlong over the sand dunes – only to find, when you reach the sea, that your shoes are full of sand? You can imagine how full your shoes would get if you were running in the desert! The PT-03 have (optional) gaiters. We are most familiar with the knee-


high gaiters we use on country walks but these are more like spats that cover the shoe and lacing up to just above the ankle. They look a bit like small tents erected over your shoe and attached to it with several Velcro tabs that loop on a ribbon that is laced around the shoes. It is very clever and very effective. The Desert shoe is the sister shoe (or is that brother in arms) of UK Gear’s


Winter shoe that has proved itself in the opposite conditions for those wanting to train in the cold and snow. While, the Winter model is a stylish blue and does not give any indication of its military antecedents, the Desert is, well desert coloured. I found both shoes attractive to look at and was a bit annoyed at having to wear them in battle to test them. They are both quite suitable for the wannabe fashionistas or anyone who wants a tidy-looking and comfortable casual shoe, with chunky soles that give grip.


Details: Standard Trade Price - £47.70 RRP - £100.00


magine you are a soldier who is trying to keep fit by running while posted to some dry and harsh country, like Afghanistan or Iraq. You leave the military compound - and get blown up – not a good idea! But soldiers do get sent to more benign places, to prepare for desert


14 • FOOTWEAR TODAY


• JUNE/JULY 2010


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58
Produced with Yudu - www.yudu.com