You most likely know Karhu for their legendary mountaineering boots and skis, (particularly for the Finnish military) but probably not for their running shoes. That perception may be slightly misinformed however, given the company’s deep roots in the running and track world dating back to 1916.
In Finland, the company’s home country, the brand is legendary. And you know that three-stripe omnipresent Adidas logo?…that was actually the old Karhu logo, sold to the then-obscure German-based Adidas in 1951, for roughly the equivalent of 1600 Euros and a bottle of whiskey, leaving Karhu with its lesser known M logo you see today.
The current boasting point in running shoes was developed in the 1980’s, according to the company, and the technology has been shown, according to the company, to give runners a measurable advantage in forward momentum.
I can’t say for sure, but I think I feel something. The fulcrum_ride fits tightly, like a track shoe or a hockey skate, and do seem to give bit of a spring in the forward step. The light weight, mesh upper and street sole make for a smooth ride. The styling lends a little toward the Euro side; but hopefully people won’t notice too much when you buzz past them at the park.
