Aren't MBT's big & clunky?

(in a word, nope!)

In a World Where Bulky Shoes are Nimble…

(If you've ever seen a movie trailer in the 80's or 90's, I really hope you read that title in Don LaFontaine's voice and smiled a little bit)

Let's go back in time – just a little bit, and not necessarily back to the late 20th century – back to a time when foam-soled shoes were heavy, clunky, and a bit unstable at any height. Back then, a shoe that had the profile of these MBT Huracan 3000‘s would've been an unwieldy beast for anyone but 1993 NBA Rookie of the Year Shaquille ONeal and his size 23 hoofers. Jump forward 25 or so years and the advancements on lightweight, stable, yet super-cushioning foam in shoes has made an enormous impact on the running community. Sure, not as much as wild gizmo carbon flexion plates that are breaking world records, but we're not going all Marty McFly here (yet). The point I'm trying (poorly) to make is foam has come a heckuva long way to arrive at the perfectly-bulging rocker soles of MBT Huracan 3000's… and I'm mighty glad they did.

The MBT Huarcan 3000 is a sexy, full-sized shoe with curves in all the right places.

COVID Isolation Sucks, Run More

(Author's note: I find it rather hilarious in any article over the last year mentions how hard COVID has been on them… um, it's a global pandemic so everyone that isn't running the fjords (is that a thing?) in New Zealand has had to deal with the WWW (world-wide-weirdness) that we all have to share on this shiny little marble in space.)

Anywhoo – during the Year of Zoom, most of us have worked from home, exercised from home, and played from home and the booming sales of bikes (and RV's, paddleboards, etc.) means there's a lot more of us getting active on the treadmills, roads, and trails around our little domiciles – perfect time for some shoes that can handle all the cushioning that extra miles can bring! *cough* like the Huracan 3000 *cough*

Get out, run more, and bring a high-mileage shoe.

Are they the fastest shoes in my stable? No. Would I pick these over any others for long mileage? Hell yes.

Rubber Meets the Road

MBT is best-known for their rocker sole, and anyone who's ever run an ultramarathon can attest to the supreme awesomeness of a rocker when you've got a million miles to go and you want to walk ‘just a little bit to recover and stretch your calves out”. If you add some world-class stable & lightweight cushioning foam to the mix, you've got a long-range missile. Er, well, maybe not a projectile per see, but also not a diridgible like you would imagine. The MBT Huarcan 3000 is a sexy, full-sized shoe with curves in all the right places. I can't believe I just typed that, and even greater, I can't believe I actually mean it.

I'm wearing the 3000's in their stealth ninja black model (I added the stealth and ninja moniker) and have racked up a really slow 500-ish miles over the last 6+ months or running – and walking – to give me a better point of reference to review these kicks. Now, I'm not going to readily admit to the big-ol soles making me look taller when I wear 'em for work (yes, I've become one of those guys who has to work outside the office since COVID totally ruined my “real” day job) but it's a fact that I'm “this much” closer to 6′ tall when I wear them – at least I like to think so.

Running, they are light and comfortable although the rocker requires a little to get used to if you're a midfoot runner as you need to plant yer footfall just a bit before the rocker apex to get the “downhill” feel. The upper is light, breathable, and attractive with good laces (no spaghetti laces, huzzah!) and a scissor-esque lace-up (I think I just made that up, I really meant it's pretty normal and doesn't cause any hot spots) hits the mark.

Walking, these things are the dog's meow (I have a dog that meows, so it's not a malapropism, get over it) and I'm genuinely impressed with how light and comfortable they are for daily wear. I've been an outside salesperson for the last 6 months or so and have been closing my Apple Watch rings daily with these suckers on my feet. The best recommendation I can make for a shoe is I wear 'em nearly every day for work and will change into shorts and knock out a few miles in 'em as well (shout-out to Mudgear no-show socks as they make a great everyday combination).

Are they the fastest shoes in my stable? No. Would I pick these over any others for long mileage? Hell yes.

What MBT Says:

Designed to counteract impact forces as runners hit the road for long runs or recovery jaunts, the Huracan’s carefully calculated construction provides maximum protection and encourages a faster, smoother turnover on runs to enhance running efficiency and reduce fatigue.

  • From the point your heel first hits the ground until your toes leave it, the curved sole of the MBT rocker shoe matches the natural movement of your foot while giving the same stability as a traditional running shoe. The gentle roll promotes a natural cushioning to your feet and the angle of the PivotAxis, critical to the Pivot Strike location at the midfoot, provides the ideal foot striking platform to transition into propulsion or a forward movement while enhancing support.
  • read more

What I Say

woah, are you really interested in what I have to say? C'mon, not really… right?

Here's the skinny about these here fat shoes: I like 'em. They run well, they walk well, and they totally fit in with my mindset that you should always rotate between multiple different shoe types to strengthen your butt, hips, quads, calves, knees, and ankles by shooting the forces from run-to-run. I like that they are lightweight and comfy, and I totes love the fact that they make me (feel) taller.

Hold on, cuz they ain't cheap. BUT, you've got to factor in the reality that these are high-mileage shoes so you should get a decent return on your investment ($170 as of writing) and with the sh*t show that 20-21 has been with COVID restrictions, you may have some extra cash as vacations haven't really been a thing for a while now.

Lace ‘Em Up

Check 'em out at us.mbt.com and if they fit your run/leisure style I'm egging you on to give 'em a try. They are Swiss (that's a big plus, right? *Get it? A flag joke?*) and have sold over 20 million (is that pairs or individual shoes?) and let's face it, you know the company name because they are quality shoes. I'mma keep wearing mine because I feel taller and run like a gazelle.

OK, I have never, ever been compared to any swiftly-footed animal, but I'm going to believe what I want to believe and keep running… in mah MBT's.

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