Zoot Ultra Tempo+
"Hello, my name is ________ and I’m addicted to carbon fiber." If your name fits in the blank, the Zoot Ultra Tempo+ can give you that carbon fix. Finally, someone has found a use for carbon fiber during the third leg.
Zoot uses the CarbonSpan midfoot support to increase lateral stability. To state it simply, the company put a flat sheet of carbon in the middle of the heel pad. As a result, the Ultra Tempo+ feels incredibly solid, even to an over pronator such as myself.
Improving lateral support is great, but the midfoot of a shoe has to be flexible from fore to aft to allow for a natural gait. The CarbonSpan brace prevents the shoe from following natural foot flex and makes the shoe feel a touch flat.
Zoot has introduced several unique features in the Ultra line of shoes. There is not a single seam anywhere inside the shoe. The merciful seamless inner takes away the burn of running without socks. Zoot did away with traditional laces in favor of an auto-locking elastic lace system - perfect for a quick transition but still strong enough for a track session or long run. The large tabs with gel grippers on either side of the opening
help perfect that second transition by giving a rock solid hold on the shoes-letting any triathlete execute a World Cup-caliber transition.
Despite the remarkably original innovations, the Ultra Tempo+ just doesn’t beg to cruise down the road. It is phenomenally comfortable and ideal for lightning quick transitions, but lacks the snap that I was hoping for from a $130 shoe.
RATING (out of 10)
Comfort: 10 - Seamless inner is perfect for barefoot running
Features: 8/10- Designed with T2 in mind
Ride quality: 4 - No snap in the sole
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Aaron Hersh is the Technical Liaison at Colorado Multisport in Boulder, Colorado. He has been competing in endurance sports for the last seven years. Hersh has a B.A. in Integrative Physiology from the University of Colorado, focusing on biomechanics.
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