361 sensation 2 running shoes coming soon
I have received the running shoes for a while now. Many thanks to Codoon for giving me the opportunity to review the 361-Sensation 2 running shoes. I engage in daily 10KM training and also train for online half marathons. The only thing I haven't run yet is a full marathon, which I will continue to track later.
The 361-Sensation series running shoes are positioned as top-tier support running shoes. The first generation, 361-Sensation, was awarded the Best Buy title by Runner's World in June 2015. The main improvements in the second generation, 361-Sensation 2, are in the upper part of the shoe, significantly reducing the use of leather materials and stitching, making it more comfortable. The tongue is larger and thinner, fitting well during runs and not easily slipping. Additionally, the thickness of the QU!KFOAM midsole has been increased. This QU!KFOAM is the core technology of 361° international line running shoes. It is a relatively soft EVA material covered with a stretchable film to lock in air, providing better stability and cushioning. Another important change is the replacement of the previous '361°' logo with a large '3'. It is reported that all 361° international line running shoes will adopt this '3' logo, gradually phasing out the '361°' brand.
First, opening the packaging box, the box was deformed due to rough handling during shipping. Fortunately, the shoes were intact. I chose a pair of blue running shoes because I like blue. Looking inside the tongue, I found they were made in Vietnam. Initially, I thought they were counterfeit, but after checking the information, I found out that this is an international line running shoe, not the domestic version of 361°. The shoe is designed with a mesh structure to ensure breathability. The overall color scheme is blue, white, and green, with blue being the main color. The tongue is also made of mesh, providing excellent breathability. After running 10 kilometers, the shoes remained dry and fresh, which is very well done. The tongue is also relatively wide, so it doesn't shift to one side like other running shoes. The heel wrap is quite special, with no inner reinforcement materials, relying mainly on the visible TPU injection piece that resembles the armrest of a chair. The wrapping of the running shoes is quite good. The improved midsole material of SENSATION is called QU!KFOAM.TMThe midsole has three density zones when pinched by hand. The upper blue layer is softer, with exposed parts having a blue lacquer finish. The lower white layer is slightly harder (according to the manufacturer's technical description, it is ordinary EVA). The hardest part is the dark blue layer at the arch, which works together with the injection piece at the arch of the sole to provide support.
The side of the running shoe features a '3' and the 361-Sensation 2 logo. The main colors are blue and green, which look very nice. The blue upper has a dense mesh fabric, and the toe has green hot-pressed reinforcement decorations further strengthened with stitching. The midfoot area uses thick dark blue synthetic leather as the wrapping system, still combining hot pressing and stitching.
The upper blue layer has vertical fine and coarse lines, while the lower white layer has horizontal fine lines and vertical grooves.
The outsole is made of thick green rubber, with traditional horizontal and vertical patterns, but the blocks are smaller, presumably to make it easier to bend.
The insole is also made of QU!KFOAM material, thick and elastic, but the logo on it wore off after three days of wear. Additionally, the inside of the shoe lost color, staining my white socks dark blue. This is something that big companies need to learn from. No pictures here.
The first test run was 5 kilometers at the People's Stadium. The speed was swift, causing my heart rate to be quite high. I was out of breath after the run. The cushioning of the running shoes was still good, possibly because of the rubber track.
The 10-kilometer road run was tested on asphalt and concrete roads, but mostly on concrete. The shock absorption performance is similar to my previous pair of Asics GT2000. After running 13 kilometers, my feet didn't feel tired, but the bending performance was not very good. The sole is relatively hard, and during the half marathon, my feet felt numb after 15 kilometers. I'm not sure if this is related to the hardness of the sole.
Regarding the size of these shoes, I usually wear size 43, but this time I chose 43.5. As expected, the toe area is a bit larger to accommodate foot movement during running. The width is moderate, and they are quite comfortable to wear, even making walking feel more powerful.
Summary
Finally, the 361-Sensation series is positioned as sub-top support, but I think it is top-tier among domestic running shoes. Of course, it cannot be compared with top international brands. The price is not too expensive, so running enthusiasts can consider buying it. I hope domestic running shoes become stronger!
If you want to buy, click the link below. There are other color options too!