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ASICS Roadhawk FF Review
November 30, 2017The Good
- Strong midsole energy return
- Comfortable uppers
- Secure outsole traction
The Bad
- Slightly narrow toe box
- Awkward transition from rear to front of shoe
Fit
Fit of the Roadhawk FF is dialed-in from the heel to the midfoot. The heel cup is soft but secure, the midfoot feels comfortably snug and is held in place well by a set of thin overlays connecting the laces to the midsole platform. ASICS did away with its tendency for more prominent or bulky overlays on this model, and it’s a refreshing change. Fit through the toebox is on the narrow side, but the toebox mesh stretches nicely to accommodate wider feet. Length is true to size.
Comfort
Our users were impressed with overall comfort of the upper, particularly in front of the foot with soft and stretchy engineered knit mesh. Light padding around the ankle collar and on the tongue help stabilize the fit without being hot or irritating. The Ortholite sock liner provides additional cushioning and water absorption for further comfort underfoot.
Responsiveness
FlyteFoam is ASICS’s lightest midsole compound, which reportedly weighs 55% less than traditional EVA foam. It also contains highly resilient fibers that bounce back into their original shape after each foot fall, and provide adaptive cushioning based on the location and direction of impact. FlyteFoam is also significantly more durable than standard EVA foam, so the energy return is sustained over the course of high mileage outings. Our users found that the Roadhawk FF provides lively energy return and lands on the side of being firm rather than overly cushioned, and there was no sense of losing energy during the stride.
Ride Quality
The full-length FlyteFoam midsole provides nice energy return on impact, but our users found the Roadhawk FF to be a bit slappy, in that contact with the ground is somewhat jarring from heel contact to midfoot stance and toe off. Some of this dynamic might be due the high abrasion rubber outsole, which provides great traction through the heel and forefoot, but doesn’t help to smooth the landing in our test runs.
Speed
The Roadhawk FF has a lot of key features in place to help you crank up the speed: its overall fit is secure, its weight is fairly light, and there’s great energy return from the midsole to spring from one step to the next. If your running style can accommodate the tendency for slapping on impact, the Roadhawk FF is a great option for track workouts or road racing distances up to a marathon.
Donald Buraglio
- Minimalist Running shoesDonald is a physical therapist, ultrarunner, barefoot aficionado, and father of three with more than 20 years of experience in endurance sports.
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