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Overall thoughts of the 361 Europe Futura Trail Shoe

After over 200km in the 361 Europe Futura, I can honestly say that it is a versatile trail shoe that excels in both obstacle course racing and long-distance trail running. It’s grippy, comfortable, and really durable, making it a true investment for any Obstacle Course Racer or Trail runner.

If you’re looking for a shoe that can handle anything the trails (and obstacle courses) throw your way, the 361 Europe Futura is definitely worth checking out.

I hope this review helps you find your next favorite trail shoe!

For the technical specs, check out the 361 Europe Futura web page.

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The Centauri has a lightweight and breathable upper that’s made of a combination of mesh and synthetic materials. It’s very comfortable and doesn’t cause any hot spots or blisters. The fit is also very good. I went with my usual size and it’s spot on.

The midsole is made of 361’s signature “Engage” Energy Foam, which is very responsive and provides a good amount of cushioning. The overall stack height is now higher than any previous 361 Europe shoes as is the current trend of running trainers. It’s not the softest shoe out there, but it’s not too firm either. It’s a good balance of both which is great for the “every man” who runs various distances and paces. 

For the technical specs, check out the 361 Europe Centauri web page.

Overall, I’m very impressed with the 361 Centauri. It’s a great all-around running shoe that’s really comfortable and durable. Currently I am torn between running in the Centauri and the new Spire 5 which is really saying something about them, as the Spire model has been my favourite 361 Europe shoe ever since I have started running in them!

I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new running shoe who needs something that copes with a large range of distances from 5km to Marathon.

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I’ve been running in the 361° Spire 5 for the past 6 months and have logged over 500 kilometers in them. The Spire series have been my favourite mode within the 361 Europe range, with the Spire 4 being my”go-to” over Covid – having 3 different pairs and running a total of around 1500km. However, there are big differences between the 4 and 5 series in which they’re almost a different model altogther.

361 Europe Spire 5

361 Europe Spire 5

361 Europe Spire 5

361 Europe Spire 5

Spire 4 to Spire 5

The Spire 5 has a few key differences from the previous model, the Spire 4. The most notable difference is the midsole. The Spire 5 uses a new midsole foam material called Qu!kFlame, which is an updated mix of Qu!kFoam and is known for its durability and responsiveness. Paired with Qu!kSpring and it provides a very smooth and comfortable ride. The Spire 5 also has a slightly lower drop than the Spire 4, but its the increase in overall stack height of the midsole which makes the biggest diffderence in feel between the two models. This is witin the current trend of running shoes and helps with comfort and responsiveness of the shoe, but also gives you a “rocking” feeling from toe to heel which is much more pronounced as I cycle shoes especially with my older pair of Meraki and when I use the Fierce 2 when Im in the gym.

In terms of fit, the Spire 5 fits true to size. The upper is made of a breathable mesh that provides plenty of ventilation. The tongue is padded and helps to lock the foot in place. Overall, the fit is very comfortable and secure. They say never race in anything new, but after only a 7km first run in them, my reconrd run was a 60km ultra – Sunrise to Sunset Challenge in which I ran for a total of 8 hours  for the 60km laps. My feet were tired, of course, but no hotspots, blisters or other issues from running in the Spire 5.

On the road, the Spire 5 is a joy to run in. The Qui!kFlame midsole provides a soft and cushioned ride, while the stack height and the mentioned curved outsole help to propel you forward. The shoe is also very stable – best for those “neutral” runners. I’ve used the Spire 5 in a number of races including getting new PBs in a Half Marathon and 10km this year.

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After almost 12 months of use, I wanted to give you my thoughts – it’s not really a review (there are a lot of blogs and youtube videos for that) but my real opinion on whats bad and good about the Polar Grit X. Some you may not really care about – but some may be deal breakers for you – and before you shell out £300+ it’s really worth knowing all you can about the watch

What I Hate about the Polar Grit X

1. Heart Rate – this is a big one – see the images below, but I have never really got any accurate heart rate from the watch once I have started running. It either runs directly up to 180+ BPM (the image was easy pace so around 135ish) or randomly spikes. I have hardly ever had an “accurate” reading. So much so, I have purchased a seperate chest HR monitor (Polar 10 for anyone asking) which, for a £350 watch, shouldn’t be a necessary purchase.
2. Barometer – This is a known issue (a lot of people are complaining in the facebook groups) where the altitude is not “fixed”. Take a look at the comparisons from Polar Flow and the corrected altitudes via Strava, each and every run shows a “downhill”. This is definitely a software issue and its a shame it’s not getting fixed via firmware.
3. App – The Polar Flow app on android is pretty useless (especially in comparison to the Garmin app) and not too much can be done with it (lots of data to view – but a really poor UI) but a lot of the changes – creating training sessions for example needs to be done via the web.

Had I known about those above (especially the heart rate and Barometer) I would pretty much not have purchased the Polar Grit X. However – for some this may not be a big deal. So for a bit of balance – here are the great things about the Grit X.

The 5 things that are great about the Polar Grit X

1. Looks – yes, the asthetics of the watch are great. I really like the small touch of the redmain function button and the redpolar logo as colour accents.
2. Battery Life – One of the main reasons I bought the the watch. States it lasts over 24 hours with HR and GPS on. Although I haven’t tested it for that long, I have done several sessions across multiple days without the need to recharge. The longest session I have done so far is an 8hour session and it did come in at around the 30% of battery so pretty much on schedule.
3. Activities – Plar has over 100 activities synced to the Grit X including various running, cycling, Les Mills sessions and so forth. I am really not sure what this means to your sessions overall – but its good that you can personalise your training.
4. Mapping – Using the Komoot app and syncing it to the Polar Flow, you can create routes with the watch guiding you through the session. There is also a “route back” feature should you need to return from getting lost.
5. Polar Flow – The app on the phone is pretty useless, but Polar Flow on the web is much better (still a pretty poor interface) but at least you can create bespoke training sessions and sync them to the watch – you cant do this on the app

Conclusion

Honestly, if I knew about the HR and Barometer, I would not have purchased the Grit X. These could possibly it will get fixed with another firmware update (very much lacking), The app isn’t great, but that isn’t the deal breaker. Big fan of the looks of the watch – but thats pretty shallow. Lots of things I like about the watch, but for £350, I expected much better.

Would I recommend the Polar Grit X as a purchase? Nope. Stick to Garmin.

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The Science of the Neo-Fit muscle gels

The muscle gels come in two versions: pre-work out and post-work out. Both have different ingredients as they (of course) have different objectives to your workout, training and recovery. Taken from the Neo-Fit website the muscle gels are designed to “Maximise muscle efficiency. Deliver essential nutrients to muscles exercised with our gels. With a controlled release mechanism, feel the effects for hours during and post workout.”

• Pre Work-out muscle gel contains 7 amino acids (including Arginine, BCAAs and Glycine) which (according to Neo-Fit) “…promotes muscle repair and reduce Net Protein Loss DURING workout.”
• Post Work-out muscle gel has “Sea kelp extract containing essential electrolytes in exercise including Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium.” which “… attenuates muscle fatigue and exhaustion that comes with intense and strenuous exercise, which blocks training stimulus and impairs performance.”

My routine with the Neo-Fit muscle gels

After receiving the gels, I ensured I left it a few days to pay attention to my body and legs – making sure I understood how they felt on my easy and hard running days. I then used the muscle gels and prescribed in the instructions until both bottles were empty. The gels lasted me just over two weeks – through the two weeks, I ran every day splitting the training between “easy” runs and “hard/tempo/interval” run. Each container held 100ml of gel. Each day I pumped 6 times – 3 for each leg – one for the calf, one for the hamstring area and one on the quad/thigh. Overall I think I got around 15 days (15 x 6 = 90 squirts!).

I run in the morning, so as soon as I wake up I would apply the pre workout gel, put on my running gear and get out of the door – this would give the gels between 5 and 10 minutes between application and starting my run. When I returned, I would jump straight into the shower and then apply the post workout gel once I have dried – usually around 20 minutes after the end of my run

The gels were really easy to apply and rubbed into the skin pretty quickly. The pre workout had a slight orange tinge, whilst the post workout was colourless. However, once they were applied, there were no signs of the gel (wasn’t like I was trying to self tan. One of the gels had a very feint scent (I can’t recall which one, nor could I pin point what the smell was!) but again, once the gels were applied, I couldnt smell the scent.

My thoughts using the Neo-Fit muscle gels

Once I finished the bottles I gave myself 2 weeks off – again taking note of my body before I wrote this review post. I felt it would help me remain objective on the gels and their effectiveness on my body.

I must admit I was a little sceptical coming into the test – I understand that “topical” gels need to get through the skin layer down into the body before they make a “real” difference to the muscles – “Deep Heat” for example don’t really do much to your muscles – the warm sensation you are feeling are to the nerve endings towards the top layer, but the cream doesn’t really penetrate deep enough into the muscle layer to make a difference.

However, I felt a difference to my legs on the hard days – less tight through the day after the hard workout and feeling good even on the following easy run day. Could this have been a placebo effect? Possibly, but this feeling was repeated through the two weeks and really more noticeable once I had run out of the muscle gels.

Final thoughts

The Neo-Fit gels are not “cheap” coming in at £12 per bottle or £20 for the pair. Looking back, I would not use the gels everyday – only using them on “hard” days rather than on the easy / recovery run days which would mean the bottles last longer. Recovery runs are just that for “recovery” so the muscle gels are probably a moot for this.

Definitely worth a look, there is no disputing the science behind the gels and for the cross-fitters, weight-lifters and OCR athletes, would be worth investing in to see if it helps make a difference to their training.

Finally, the muscle gels are vegan friendly and have been tested for banned substances, so the professional athlete can use them without fear of positive testing.

[su_button url=”https://www.neo-fit.co.uk/about” center=”yes” desc=”Learn more about Neo-Fit Muscle Gels by visiting their website”]Learn more about Neo-Fit[/su_button]

Neo-Fit have had no editorial input to this post, they have not seen an early version, not have I been paid to write this review – all thoughts are my own.

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Spire 4 are the range from 361° Europe for the long run – cushioned and responsive to make marathons and the long run as easy and comfortable. For me, the Spire 3 were the ones I would turn to 70% of the time with the rest being a mix of the Meraki, Sensations and trail shoes (although this is for another post!). As you can see from the image below, the Spire series were my “work horse” whilst the Meraki (a faster, more responsive – but less cushioned shoe) were my trusty back ups. Thanks to the Lockdown here in the UK, I started running most days (rather than 3/4 in 2019) and finished with just over 2,000km in the bag – of which the 361° Europe Spire 4 did 1100km – I rotated in with my Meraki and Yushan.

361° Europe Spire 4 out of the box

361° Europe Spire 4 after 1100km

How are they doing?

As you can see from the photos, they are doing great! Yes, the tread has worn down, but what would you expect from 1100km (600miles+)? The wear has been even (shoes I have good gait, thankfully) whilst the upper has help up very well. The rubber has not come away at the toebox which is common in trainers. The only “defect” I have noticed is at the crease of the toe box (see first image). This again is really common, but after the mileage, this is much less (I would say almost imperceptible) from what you may come to expect from shoes completing this distance.

As we have entered a new year and lockdown 3 here in the UK, I am still running in them despite the mileage on the shoes. They will remain my long run workhorse. Of course I rotate them with my other 361° Europe shoes (predominantely the Meraki 3). They remain as comfy and as responsive as they were on day one. Or at least haven’t lost that cushioning and comfort enough for me to take them out of rotation.

A note about being a 361° Europe Ambassador and this blog post

As mentioned at the beginning (and as you may already know) I am a 361° Europe Ambassador and have been since 2018. They regularly gift me with sports shoes and apparel as part of the ambassador program. All words are my own and my own honest opinion. This blog post has not been sponsored in anyway by 361° Europe, they have not asked me to write about the Spire 4, nor will they see this post or have any editorial influence over it.

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Through lockdown, I bought a pair (they are currently on Amazon for £16 – be aware you do need to purchase an ongoing subscription to get the personalised training) which came with 12 months subscription to the personalised training plan. I used them for three months through the first UK lockdown and here are my five reasons why you should buy a pair of Vi Personal Trainer Headphones.

Five reasons why you should buy

• AI Prompts – For me, this was the best part of Vi – As you run, a voice (Vi) talks you through the training session as though a trainer is there with you. Vi will tell you your current pace and heart rate, tell you if you need to speed up / slow down to match a particular pace. Other prompts include when you have hit time or distance milestones, prompts for change of paces (fartlek sessions for example) as well as a countdown (really helpful!) when you are gunning an interval – “Don’t slow down, only 15 seconds to go…. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… slow down to easy pace. Well done, you’re doing great!”
• Sound Quality – Made by Harmon Kardon, the sound quality of these headphones are great! Note, they are sound isolating, therefore if you are out running on the streets, you will not be able to hear much of the outside world. You can use the Vi Training program with any headphones as it’s an app, but using the actual headphones, helps improve the personalisation of the training plan due to the tech.
• Technology – Within the headphones there is a HR monitor (checks your pulse in your ear) and a pedometer which helps understand your current pace. This allows the personal trainer to understand your efforts at any given time (telling you to speed up or slow down for example) and also personalising your upcoming training plan as you start to improve your running and fitness. As mentioned above, you do not need to use the Vi Personal Trainer Headphones to use the app and training plan, but you do not get the same prompts as you would with the main headphones
• Training – All the different training sessions are available to the user, these include walking, easy runs, moderate runs, long runs and intervals. However, Using the headphones along with the subscription plan will unlock the personalised training. You select your target (say improve your 10km time), how often you can run each week, how long you have (say 8 weeks) whilst it also takes in other biometric data. The trainer then spurts out a weekly training plan for you to follow to help hit your target. As you complete each run, it takes into account your pace, HR etc and each week it will update the plan depending on your progress. For a new(ish) runner, I think this is awesome, maybe theyre too intimidated by joining a running club or speaking to a running coach (you really shouldnt be!) It is a “safe” environment for people to try and improve by following a guided plan, rather than a generic plan off the internet
• Music – Just a small thing, with the app, you can choose to listen to your own music (which is fine) otherwise, it will put together a playlist dependent on your training session. For tempo sessions for example, it will have a faster playlist, whilst with long easy runs, they playlist is more laidback

Two reasons why you shouldn’t buy the Vi Personal Trainer Headphones

• As mentioned, the headphones are sound isolating. This means you are less aware of anything around you when you are listing to the headphones (great for the gym for example). I personally use Aftershokz Aeropex for road running as I can listen to music, whilst still being aware of my surroundings – much safer!
• The total number of sessions are limited and if you’re a more experienced runner, then you may have “topped” out from the scheduled sessions. For example, all of my sessions were the same each week and all “level 3”. By this time – its most likely worth speaking to a running coach. But above, these headphones really are for the new(ish) runner

Final thoughts

Overall, if you are relatively new to running, these headphones with the training program are great. The choice of programs from starting off running to wanting to improving the 5km / 10km times is a really good way of personallising a training program before looking to join a club or working with a coach. More than anything, it’s a good way of making running less daunting! However, if you are a regular runner the training programs are good, but wont take you much further unlike a real-life coach would.

Note, I do have a running coach, but the time I was using the Vi Personal Trainer Headphones, I only followed the plan from Vi. As it was lockdown, and all races had been cancelled, it didnt matter if the plan was terrible or not, I didnt have any race targets at the time!

Finally, for some reason, the headphones startetd to lose charge quickly, only lasting about 1 hour compared to the 6-8 hours I received when I first purchased them. Obvisouly just a faulty pair, but as I actually use Aeropex for getting out and about, I have just never bothered replacing them.

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Below is a list of podcasts I listen to. I’ve split into two categories – running/obstacle race podcasts an then everything else. I’ve then ordered them into time I have been listening – oldest first.

Running / Obstacle Racing podcasts

• UK OCR – THE podcast for obstacle racing in the UK – Of course, I would say that as I am co-host of “Who’s Hot” – However the “Swift Half” released on a Friday with Allan and Ian is my favourite show.
• Obstacle Racing Media – Podcast around OCR and running. Entertaining and informative guests, whilst the latest edition of “Davis & Chace Discourse” is a fresh take on the news of the week
• Badboy Running – A British based running podcast which adds humour and irreverance in between (usually) interesting guests.
• The Running Public – New to me (2 episodes in) but seems to be interesting mostly talking about improving running for all runners – Elite to Newbie
• World’s Toughest Podcast – the first OCR related podcast I downloaded. Based around World’s Toughest Mudder and Tough Mudder. In most recent times, the podcasts are few and far between with Will Hicks concentrating on The OCR Report. I don’t listen to this as I found it was too North American centric
• The Nitty Gritty Training – A bi-weekly podcast with Faye Stenning and Jess O’Connell who provide training content on strength, running, and obstacle racing.

All other Podcasts

• Kermode & Mayo’s Take – My first ever podcast and have listened for several years (yes I am an LTL). Even if you don’t go to the cinema often (I don’t) its a great, entertaining listen.
• Comedy of the Week – a different sketch every week – honestly hit or miss – but there have been some gems!
• Friday night comedy – Mostly topical panel shows like the “News Quiz”
• More or less – behind the stats – short and sweet podcast (around 20 minutes) delving deeper into finding the truth behind statistics which may have been spouted by a politician in the week’s news
• Chequered Flag Formula 1 – Usually more interesting than the F1 race themselves! Normally 4 episodes per race which includes preview and review
• This week in tech – A long podcast (around 2 hours) rounding up the tech news of the week.
• Stuff you should know – Just for interest, I don’t listen to every episode (I dont need to know everything!)
• Freakonomics Radio – Another really interesting stats podcast
• MoneyBox – Financial podcast based on topical news
• The Which money podcast – Financial podcast to help people understand their own money finances and how to improve their situation
• Off Menu – A really entertaining podcast in which guests are invited to talk about their dream meal.
• Beyond Today – A deeper delve into a daily headline of the day. In the world of “short form” its good to get a 20 minute exploration.

That’s my list – what do you listen to? Are there any in the list you like/hate? Do you have any suggested Podcasts that I should be listening to?

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361° Europe Sensation 4 – a mild stability running shoe

What 361° Europe says about the Sensation 4

Mild stability platform for those who want to experience a more dynamic ride. Featuring a Morphit sleeve providing a secure midfoot fit.

• Lightweight and seamless double jacquard mesh for maximum ventilation and comfort.
• Forefoot offers a newly designed vamp with more volume promoting natural foot movement and increased efficiency.
• Dynamic stability is achieved by pairing a medial post with our integrated lightweight QU!K Spine shank for support.
• Powered by full length QU!KFOAM midsole to provide excellent cushioning and a smooth comfortable ride.

My thoughts

Since May, I have run just over 150km in the Sensation 4. This admittedly is less than I would usually have done, but I’m currently in training for a half marathon and so I usually stick to the Spire 3 as I intend to run in them for the HM. However, 100km is enough for me to give my thoughts on their “feel”.

Firstly, I have been a big fan of the Sensation 3, but even within 12 months and the next generation of the Sensation 4, there have been a few major improvements which I feel give a much more comfortable, yet “secure” ride.

The upper is one piece, no seams means there is less chance of any discomfort due to stitching or coming away at the seams. There is a small carbon fibre spine along the shoe (from mid foot backwards) which helps to give the shoe rigidty and most importantly gives you stability and support. The V ridged design of the sole gives the shoe fantastic flexibility and “feel”, helping to retain natural ground contact whilst pushing off. The inner has a “Morphit” sleeve – ensuring your foot is comfortably secured to the trainer. It really feels like a snug fit!​ One thing I have noticed (and it may be a small thing) is the laces – these are great quality and have a “spongy” feel to them. For some reason, compared to “cheap” laces they don’t come loose by themselves. It’s weird to describe and maybe I’ll just have to show you!

Finally, the colour ways are awesome, my grey pair with orange highlights are absolutely gorgeous whilst there are two other colour ways to choose from. Oh, and for those with a wider foot – you’re covered too, the 361° Europe Sensation 4 does come in a “wide” sku.

I have a neutral gait, so the stability features don’t benefit me (I have been informed I can run in neutral or stable shoes). But I can definitely get on board with the really comfortable and secure feel of the Sensation 4.

The 361 Europe Sensation 4 Stats

• Size: 6-12
• Weight: 243g
• Drop: 9mm
• Stack:
• F/F: 16.2mm
• R/F: 25.2mm

You can find out more about the 361° Europe Sensation 4 from the 361Europe.com website

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