Product Review - K-Swiss Blade

K-Swiss Blade-Light Race

The Blade-Light Race from K-Swiss is their racing flat marketed for triathlon racing. It has a large velcro strap for lightning fast transitions and excellent ventilation for the hottest of days. The K-EVA blades and a layer of Superfoam help make it one of the most cushiony shoes for racing.

I tested this product over several runs totalling approximately 75 miles. The runs took place primarily on pavement, greenway and track. The average run was 5-7 miles with the long being 14.

Pros - The first thing I noticed about the show was how comfortable it was. Most racing flats feel something akin to wrapping your foot in duct tape, but these felt more like slippers. The main draw to this shoe is definitely the velcro strap, which makes for quick triathlon transitions. I only did one race in the shoe, but it lived up to the hype. A quick tug of the heel and a cinch on the velcro strap, and I was out on the run. Also, the few seams inside made going sockless a breeze without worry of blisters. Lastly, the shoe is very well ventilated, making it very comfortable on even the hottest of days.

Cons - If the first thing I noticed was the comfort, the second thing I noticed was the heel to toe slope of the shoe. I suppose this is to get runner in a nice forward lean to better hit a mid-foot to fore-foot strike, but I naturally run that way anyway and did not need the extra guidance. My biggest issue with the shoe, however, was the lack control in the toe box. The upper in that area is a stretchy mesh that is great for ventilation but does a poor job at holding your foot in place. On a couple of off-camber turns, I felt my foot slide off the platform and into the mesh. That's a twisted ankle waiting to happen.

Overall, I like the shoe, but will likely confine use to multi-sport races only and ones without too many sharp turns. The instability of the toe box is just a little too much to overcome to make this a high recommend. I'd give it 3 of 5 stars, disc wheels, locopops or whatever scale you want to use.