intersting n humorous review
sneakerologist
Yes, trying to evolve my writing...
mak290
inclusion of humour eh?? nice...
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By sneakerologist
Published: March 25, 2008
Print 
EmailHexride = Hexalite on steroids !
A perfect cushioning system is the Holy Grail for every athletic footwear manufacturer. Brands like Adidas, Nike, Asics, Saucony have been at it for many long years now, and their efforts for there for the world to see - be it the futuristic Adidas a1, Asics Gel, Nike Air or trampoline like Saucony Grid. But these technologies are still far from perfect, so the quest continues.
Reebok has always been the backbencher of the industry when it came to innovation. Sorry if I sound harsh, but just think about it: when was the last time when Reebok came up with something new? Pump? That was two decades ago. DMX? That was a decade back. Shear? Maybe. While brands like Adidas and Nike have evolved their technologies towards newer and better versions, Reebok seems to be an anachronistic misfit. But I sense that things are changing for Reebok after the Adidas acquisition, the same way things changed for Converse after Nike bought them and pumped some much needed financial and technological horsepower. Adidas has a rich history of innovation, and their vast experience should help Reebok restore some of its lost glory.
There was a time when blown EVA used to be THE thing when making cushioned midsoles. As technology became better and readily available, athletic shoes started using compression molded EVA foam as midsoles. But foam has a tendency to break down after sometime, so brands started looking for alternatives which could replace foam but have same or better cushioning. Then began innovations like the Nike Air, Adidas Bounce, Asics Gel and the Reebok Hexalite. But it's only very recently that shoe companies have started to completely replace foam as a midsole material - the Adidas Megabounce and Air Max 360 are good examples of that. Reebok has also tried its hand at a complete toe to heel cushioning with the DMX 10 in 1998, but that was the last anyone heard about it. With the Hexride, Reebok takes a big step forward as far as foamless cushioning is concerned. The Smoothfit Hexride shoe is not completely foam free by any means, but it is certainly a much needed evolution of the Hexalite.
The Hexalite years: Reebok's popular Hexalite technology has been in use since two decades. The picture above is a 1990 Runner's World review of the Reebok Sole Trainer 5000 which used the Hexalite cushioning - look closely and you will see the word 'Hexalite' on the heel.
Icy business: Reebok's first full blown attempt to replace foam in form of the Reebok DMX 10. Moving air worked its way through ten interconnected chambers made of "Ice rubber" - see the peculiar silver color of the outsole.
The 2008 Smoothfit Hexride: The shoe stands tall on the latest Hexride cushioning system and also changes the way shoe uppers are built.
The 2008 Reebok Smoothfit Hexride is special - I had a choice of two new shoes, the Hexride Rally and the Smoothfit Hexride, and I chose the latter. And if you thought that the Smoothfit Hexride was only about the fancy cherry-ish Hexride units in the outsole, think again. The name gives it away - the Smoothfit is a revolutionary new approach to the way shoe uppers are constructed and frankly speaking, I find the Smoothfit technology to be much exciting than the Hexride cushioning. I have long waited for the day when I would be able to see shoes with seamless uppers; and as I saw the likes of Adidas and Nike churn out one new shoe after another, it was the same old story: panels stitched on top of one another and no matter how good the shoe was, I would still feel the seams. It came as an utter surprise to me that Reebok is now the first brand in the athletic footwear industry to push the concept of seamless upper for sale to the general public, ahead of Nike, Asics and Adidas. For once, the backbencher is the first to answer the teacher's question.
Seamless wonder: The Smoothfit Hexride is an industry first, and heralds the dawn of the stitch-less upper. The cat eye reflectors are printed on the toe area instead of being stitched on or welded. Genius!
Look Ma, no stitch!: The synthetic Ribstop material is fused on the upper probably with the use of a high frequency welding process. The black mesh area is uncovered because that happens to be flexing area.
Counterstrike: The heel counter panels are joined together using a welded overlay. Even the Reebok logo and the reflective area is printed on the panels instead of being stitched on.
Cat got your tongue?: OMG, even the lace loop, the Reebok logo and tongue label are welded on the mesh - Reebok has left no stone, sorry, seam unturned here.
Mr. Seam is currently unavailable, may I take a message?: Welded panels grace the inner workings of the Smoothfit Hexride....very impressive.
Worthy of its name: The Smoothfit callout on the collar area says it all. The lining is extra soft (and smooth) brushed synthetic, padded with a memory foam kind of material.
Slipping your foot into one of these beauties is a revelation: gone are the ungainly bumps and seams, and the upper feels like none other. Welcome to Smoothfit where seamless Utopia is no longer a realm of your imagination. Tighten the laces which crisply pass through the welded upper and the fit is as perfect as it can be. Though the Hexride Smoothfit makes no pretence about being a serious runner's shoe, I simply loved the way the shoe felt during my 5k run. The upper is perforated in many places, hence making the shoe breathable and the empty band of black mesh in the front makes for great flexibility without the welded panels getting in the way. The collar foam pressed gently against my foot, and the curved heel counter kept my foot from slipping out. If I had to rate my initial fit and feel experience of the Hexride Smoothfit upper, it would hover pretty close to ten (On a scale of ten).
Hexride with a capital 'H': New logo for the Hex Mex.
Hexride + Smoothfit: Eye catching Hexride units adds spice to the otherwise minimalistic design. The streamlined upper design reminds me of a shark, eyes and all.
Hex-magic: A close-up of the Hexride cushioning unit. Each hexagonally shaped unit is a sealed air reservoir and it compresses on impact, hence providing cushioning. As far as I know, these are separate chambers, so even if one unit gets punctured on our 'Smoothfit' Indian roads, the rest of the pods should carry on working without any fuss.
Stitchless story part II: The shoe replaces the conventional stitched strobel cloth with a hard fabric board. This is a departure from the conventional brown cellulose board - the board used here is vastly superior in terms of material.
Honestly, I'm not impressed by the Hexride's sole cushioning. Sure, you can feel the Hexride units providing some cushioning when you are running, but it's nothing when compared to the Adidas Megabounce or the Nike Air Max 360. Besides, there's a lot of foam used in the midsole, so it's difficult to figure out where the foam cushioning ends and where the Hexride begins. But if you are a leisurely runner, or a 'Run Easy' kind of runner in Reebokspeak, then you might like the Hexride cushioning. But a great Smoothfit upper makes up for any of the shortcomings which the Hexride cushioning might have, so it's a sweet deal anyway.
A word of advice before I finish. There are two Hexride models in the Reebok store - one is the Smoothfit Hexride, which we reviewed today, and the second is the Hexride Rally. The latter does not use the Smoothfit upper, but uses a very pedestrian and ugly upper with welded hexagonal shapes all over. It is also INR 500 more expensive - and if you have any modicum of good taste, stay away from the Rally thing. The Smoothfit upper is also used on another shoe which is the Smoothfit Classic; it does not use the Hexride outsole but is built on a retro die cut EVA midsole. At INR 5490, it is very expensive and besides, there seemed nothing 'Retro' about it. I'd prefer a pair of Reebok Classic leather, any day.
The Lowdown:
Shoe name: Reebok Smoothfit Hexride
Color reviewed: Shark/Silver/Black/Red/Steel
Retail price (India): INR 5990
Estimated US retail: N.A.
Available at: Select Reebok and multibrand stores.
Weight: 350 grams for a half pair of size UK 10 / US 11
Verdict: One of Reebok's most revolutionary offerings in the last few years. A shoe with a superbly fitting upper, though the Hexride cushioning could be better. If you need a shoe for short runs or a walk in the neighborhood, the Smoothfit Hexride will do it with aplomb.
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