Wish list: Mizuno Tempo S Sprint Spikes!

I have long since given up on chancing upon a solid pair of sprinting spikes in Philippine stores. The domestic market for athletics is so small that the big shoe companies tend to ignore the sport altogether. Only Mizuno and Asics carry a limited line of spiked shoes in the Philippines, with the latter apparently selling the specialized footwear in the main office of its local distributor.

I was lucky to stumble upon a trusty pair of New Balance SDS606 last year. Even Mizuno had run out of its entry-level sprint shoes. I was about to buy Coach Emerson Obiena’s Chinese-brand spikes when I decided to scrimp and make do with my well-worn lineup.

A few weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised to encounter a decent pair of Mizuno Tempo S sprinting shoes. It’s a far cry from my Asics Lite-ning in terms of being bad-ass, but I can’t be choosy lest I decide to spend a considerable amount for an imported pair. Besides, nothing beats getting the feel of a new pair of shoes yourself, than to have someone buy it for you.

Photo from Achilles Heel

I’m not a big fan of the orange streaks on the predominantly white shoe, mainly because most of my track wear are blue! I wouldn’t want to compete with the color combination all mixed up! But then again, it’s a decent pair. I particularly liked the snug feel. Instead of laces, the spikes had double straps, making it easier to put on. I’ve never owned strap-on competition shoes before. More importantly, the spike plate is rigid, enabling the sprinter (in my case, the hurdler) to stay on one’s toes throughout the race.

At around Php 3,600, it’s a good buy. The moment I tried the pair on, I could immediately sense the adrenaline rush of notching competitive sprint hurdling times!

I’m a big fan of the Mizuno-sponsored Japanese athletics team. Mizuno athletes like Shingo Suetsugo 末續 慎吾 and Koji Murofushi 室伏 アレクサンダー 広治 make the brand even more attractive. Hence, I’ve always held Mizuno stuff on a high pedestal. Despite its relatively steep price, the goods are stylish and durable. The last Mizuno spikes I owned (a humble red and black Tempo S back in 2005) lasted a good three years.

I tip my hat off to the guys and gals at Mizuno Philippines for making these specialized shoes available to the local market!

New Balance SDS606

Ever since I started track, I’ve owned only three brands of spikes – Adidas, Asics and Mizuno. Of those pairs, I enjoyed using the Adidas Demolishers and the Asics Japan Lite-ning the most. About a month into my comeback, I felt the need to replace the Demolishers (the Lite-ning is still for competition since I kept it spiffy clean during my 2-year lay-off)

The events that led to my newest pair, a New Balance SDS606, was fortuitous at best . At that time, I was thinking of asking my friends on vacation in the U.S. to sneak in a pair on their way home. But then again, I would have had to shell out a hefty amount (around Php 4,000 to Php 6,000) for a decent, rigid spikes shoes. In light of my precarious finances, I can hardly afford that amount.

On one foray to the shoe stores in Glorietta, I stumbled upon the SDS 606.  I almost laughed out loud at my luck. In this basketball-mad country, one is hard-pressed to find track & field spikes – much less those of the high-end, rigid spikes I prefer. I got the pair for Php 2,700 – a good bargain.

I have no complaints about New Balance track spikes. The design is suitably sleek; the monochromatic color scheme perfect in matching with the Adidas Techfit tights, Nike tights and black socks I normally use. At 6.6 oz. the SDS 606 is quite lighter than the Demolishers (but not as lightweight as the 4.5 oz. Lite-ning 1!). It provides comparable foot support as the Lite-nings, but lacks in comparison to the aggressive outlines of the Demolishers.

Aside from some negligible brand-name issues, I’m a satisfied New Balance customer.

Although I still prefer my Asics Lite-nings to the SDS 606, I couldn’t afford to wear out the former until I acquire a classier pair from abroad (if I decide to continue competing).

Photo credits:

New Balance

Warwick Sports

Mo Greene’s spikes are on fire!

I don’t really like brash sprinters, but Greene’s post-race antic really got me laughing.