Gear questions for a Free Runner

[Rafe]

Hello I am not really a climber but I think climbers might have some important knowledge for the sport I do. Its called parkour or sometimes free running. Its basically obstacle course running, except the obstacles are just what you can find in your enviorment. So we run, we jump, we vault, and we climb. Sometimes through the city sometimes through the country.

 

I happen to be pretty hard on pants and shoes and that has inspired me too look for apparel made for people with similar demands to traceurs(people who do parkour). Climbers have some pretty similar demands. So I thought I would ask for your advice. Basically I need a shoe that runns like trail runner and sticks like a climbing shoe, so I have found theres a bunch of approach shoes that fit the description, but no one carries them so I can't try them out. Since we do a lot of jumps and drops decent forefoot shock absorption is important the heel is less important. I want to be fairly close to the ground and able to respond to what I am hitting(like a rail or tree branch). Durability would obviosly be nice.

 

As far as pants, its all about two things mobility and abrasion resistance. I need to be able to easily go into full splits in my pants, and to run without any resistance. I need a pant that can survice occasional high speed encounters with concrete and rock and tree limbs as well. Sweet wicking, water and wind restistance would be nice but their not super important, since the car or house and a change of clothes are rarely that far away. I would like a pant that would be comfortable for summer too.

[fenderfour]

I have 5.10 Mountain Masters, but the soles are more for rock than trail. The lugs are small and would fill up with mud very quickly. Besides that, they are too heavy for prolonged running.

 

You might want to check out one of the thin Schoeller pants. I have the Prana Titans that are very comfortable and stretchy. I have also had the REI Mistral pants. They are about the same.

[selkirk]

You might try the Montrail CTC's for shoes. My wife has been pretty happy with hers. There more an approach shoe than rock shoe so they seem to handle abuse and mud reasonably well, but they edge ok, and have montrails version of climbing rubber on them, so they're reasonably sticky. I don't know about padding, or impact absorbtion though.

 

I'd second the soft-shell pants idea. They're a bit too heavy for warm summer temps and running, but very abbrasion resistant, stretchy, wind-proof, water resistant, yada, yada, yada. The only hole i've managed in mine was self inflicted with crampons i've been wearing the same pair for 2 years of reasonable abuse. While the breathe, it probably won't keep up with really aerobic stuff in warm temps though. (the REI Mistrals are pretty good, and cheaper than most).

[JosephH]

Who runs the parkour meetings in PDX and how can I get a in touch with them...?

[hemp22]

For approach shoes, there are quite a few out there that could probably fit your needs, but you're right, they can be kind of hard to find. Normal sports/outdoors stores don't usually carry them & REI has a very limited selection, so you're probably best off going to a local climbing gear store and trying on what they have. If you tell us what city you're in, I'm sure someone on here could tell you which local gear shops to try.

For approach shoes, I currently have some La Sportiva Exum Ridges, which they market as a trail running shoe, but they have sticky rubber on them - so they're pretty good for something that's light enough to run in but also has good friction.

 

for pants, I'd also say Schoeller is a good idea for flexibility & breathability.

check out www.beyondfleece.com - they make custom-fit soft-shell jackets & pants, and they have a couple different versions of schoeller available. also, all the pants or whatever are totally customizable with options like extra pockets, leg zips, etc for an additional price. on some of their pants they offer the option of a Reinforced/Durable ankle area, so I think if you contact them, they could probably do something like give you reinforced/durable patches at the knees or wherever else you think you might need them. the Beyond Fleece gear is a little pricey and you'll have to wait a bit while they custom make your order, but it's well worth it.

[Dru]

post it up on www.buildering.net they do a lot of parkour there.

[Cobra_Commander]

Parkour is intense! I didn't know there was a northwest community doing this.

[Rafe]

Thanks everybody its good see that people are aware of an interested in parkour. We do have fairly fast growing parkour community with regular jams now. You can find us at our forum.

http://washingtonparkour.com/forums/index.php

Theres a jam every weekend at UW.

 

Joseph as far as organization, theres probably three people you would want to talk to, me, chris pascual and Tyson Cecka. You can easily find them at our forum under the names Theonlymegumegu and Undaunted. Drop any of us a PM on our forum or here(for me) and well happily give you our contact info. If you want to go out for the local jam, drop message on undaunted.

 

There is homesite in the works too, with media, articles, and tutorials. There also www.velosophy.us for those of you in the portland vancouver area, the have a smaller community but a nice home site.

 

Thanks again for the advice. I ordered a pair of salomon dreamer shoes http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7156417.html

and La Spotiva Superfly shoes http://www.expo.planetmountain.com/Pages/company_p.lasso?nav=n2&l=2&id_comp=6&keyID=59

Both are described as exactly what I am looking for and I was able to find both on sale so we will see how the work. Wish I could have tried them on.

 

The montrail CTC looks to much like light hiker. As far as tread I am not worried about them getting mucked up as this more for my urban parkour shoe. Less agressive lugging is better. For rural parkour I think any good trail runner would probably do the job.

 

I have a pair of prana stretch zion pants, but I had to take back one pair due to a problem with the fabric and had to resew the belt on my current pair before I even put them on. So my confidence in the brand is shaken. I like the look of the beyond fleece steel schoeler pant. Might ask for that as christmass gift.

[Dru]

I wondr how many people clicked on this thread thinking that if they answered some questions, they would get a free "runner" (sling)

[Alpinfox]

It's too late now, but the La Sportiva Superfly shoes run small in sizing and don't have much for shock absorbtion in the forefoot. Feathered Friends here in Seattle (used to) carry them, so you could try them on there.

 

Here is a cool parkour VIDEO

 

I remember there was an even cooler one that someone posted a link to a while back, but I can't find it. Anyone? I think the guys were French and they did some urban stuff as well as some stuff in a gymnasium with mats.

[Blake]

I wondr how many people clicked on this thread thinking that if they answered some questions, they would get a free "runner" (sling)

 

I did, but this whole crazy running activity sounds pretty great too. Sounds like what we do when: A. its late, we're offtrail, and don't want to epic. B. There's an angry bear nearby.

[Rafe]

Thanks Alpinfox, I saw the thing about the size and ordered a half size large. As for the shock absorbtion well for 40 dollars I think its worth giving them a try, I might stuff some gel insoles in there if its an issue but not a huge one.

Thats a good find, not one of the more easily found videos. Very true to parkour actual aims and shoes some of the best practioners in the world, the orginal Yamakasi, including David Belle, Stephane vigroux and Sebastian foucan. David belle in the sleeveless red shirt is founder of the sport, Sebastian is one of the most famous practioners he is the black man. Haven't figured out which one is stephane. This also the shoot from were the famous nike presto comericial were flimed

If you guys want to see parkour videos I have downloaded hundreds. I wouldn't mine sharing the better ones at all.

 

And if you are interested in trying parkour come out and jam with us some times it doesn't require anything except a decent pair of training shoes and some comfortable clothes. Blake I am in bellingham and allways looking to help introduce people to the sport.

 

And Yeah parkour is defineatly an extension of that type of activity, I used to do that stuff out in the woods with my brother and freinds as chalenges, and most of the best traceurs I know are former climbers who have allways been doing similar stuff.

Edited November 4, 2005 by Rafe

[Blake]

Rafe, i'm intersted in trying, sounds like a blast. email me or PM me here.

 

blake%%%herrington@g%%%%mail.com remove the %%% to email me.