Qiao Dan Fei Ying PB Q-Kungfu Pro Review - Xtride Running

Here comes the exciting part. Qiao Dan uses a TPE/EVA midsole blend called 'Q-Kungfu Pro'. This midsole is very soft and only second to the New ... Skiptomaincontent Share Getlink Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email OtherApps June12,2021 QiaoDanFeiYingPBQ-KungfuProReview Pros   Cons   Soft&BouncyMidsolethatfeels especiallyamazingonthetrackOneofthelightestplatedshoesOneofthecheapestplatedshoesBreathableDecentlyDurable StockinsoleisnotgluedinproperlyTakeslongertoputonproperlyduetopoortongue designLacesdon’tlockdownshoewellSlipperywhenwet     Background Thebrand‘QiaoDan’translatesto‘Jordan’.Thelogois heavilyinspiredbyMichaelJordan,whichledtothebrand’smultiplelawsuitinvolvement.TheQiaoDanFeiYing(FeiYingforshort)is inspiredbytheNikeVaporflyNext%,as seeninthetranslucentupperthatresemblesVaporweaveandamidsolegeometry akintotheNext%.Howdoesashoefromacompanythatblatantlyreferences Nike’sdesignsstackupagainstthemarket’sbest?   Upper Theupperis madeupfromasyntheticmeshthatbearsacloseresemblancetothatofNike’s VaporweaveupperusedinthefirstversionoftheNikeVaporflyNext%.Thissynthetic materialclaimstoprovidebreathabilityandwaterresistancewhileremaining lightweight. Ifoundthe uppertofeelplastic-liketothetouch.Itdoesfeelalmostthesametothe NikeVaporflyNext%.Whilerunninginhotconditions,theupperdidadecent jobatkeepingmyfootwell-ventilated.ItooktheFeiYingforacoupleof runspost-downpour.Whiletheupperwasnotfullywaterproof,itdidagoodjob inkeepingmostofthewaterout.Evenifthewaterwentintheshoe,theupper didnotretainthewaterwhichpreventedtheshoefromgettingheavier. Iwasnot particularlyfondofthecreasingoftheupperwhentheupperbendswhile running.Theupperisnotasflexibleorstretchylikenormalmesh,whichwas betterforlockdownbutsufferedinthecomfortdepartment. TheFeiYing definitelyrunstrue-to-size.Ihavearelativelywideandvoluminousfootfor reference.Theforefootsectiondoesfitslightlysnug. Theheel collarissurprisinglystructured(akintotheSauconyEndorphinSpeed)andprevents anyheelslippage. Ihad2 majordislikesabouttheupper:Thelacesandthetongue.Thelaceshavea strangetextureandloosensgradually.Icouldnotgetagoodlockdownofthe shoetillIswappedoutthelacesforsomethingflatter. Movingonto thetongue.Itfeelsreallythinsotyingtheshoestootightlywouldleadto somepressureatthetopofthefoot.ThetonguealsokeepsfoldingupeachtimeIput ontheshoe.Ittakesacoupleofdifficultadjustmentsforthetonguetosit completelyflatnearmytoes.Thisproblemexistsonlywhilewearingtheshoe; thetongueremainsflatontherun. Midsole &Ride Herecomes theexcitingpart.QiaoDanusesaTPE/EVAmidsoleblendcalled‘Q-KungfuPro’. ThismidsoleisverysoftandonlysecondtotheNewBalanceFuelCellfoamin termsofsoftness.Yes,thisshoeissofterthantheNikeVaporflyNext%! Thething aboutTPE/EVAorTPU/EVAmidsolefoamsisthattheytendtohaveamoregradual compressionandreboundascomparedtoPEBAfoams(ZoomX,PWRRUNPB)whichare moreeagertospringback.ThisTPE/EVAblendfeelsmoreforgivingonfoot,especially atslowerpaces. Afull-length carbonplateissandwichedinthefoam.Thisplategeometryisconsiderably aggressivewithadistinctrockerfeelbutremainsdecentlyflexible,unlike thoseusedintheAsicsMetaSpeedSkyandNikeVaporflyNext%. Therideof thisshoeisreallyimpressive.ThisshoehasthebestrideofalltheChinese-brand carbonplatedshoes(Xtep,Li-Ning,Bmai)inmyopinion.Foottransitionsare reallysmoothandprotective.Wheretheshoeshinesthemostisonthetrack. 400mrepeatsat1:13-15minpacesfelteffortlessandbutterysmooth.TheFeiYing iscurrentlymyfavouriteshoefortrackwork. Donotethat themidfootandheelareprettynarrow.Forefootandmidfootstrikerswould utilizetheshoesmoreefficientlywithoutworryingaboutstabilityissuesas comparedtoheelstrikers. Outsole &Durability Theoutsole ismadeofaCPUmaterialthatcoverstheentireforefootandtwostripsofthe heel.Heelstrikersmaywearouttheexposedmidsoleintheheel.Thereseems tobeatrendofCPUoutsoleusageinChineseshoecompanies.Forexample,TheLi-Ning Fei-Dian,Jueying,AntaC202GTandtheXtep160xuseCPUoutsolestoo. CPUoutsoles, whiledurable,generallyhavepoorgripinwetconditions,andthisisno differentfortheFeiYing.Islippedacoupleoftimesrunningonwetconcrete. Thegripondrysurfaces,ontheotherhand,isdecent.Ihaveabout150kmin mypairandthereisminimalwearontheoutsole.   Areasfor Improvement ·      Improvedupperdesign ·      Flatlaces ·      Slightlywidermidfootandheel platform   Comparisons Nike VaporflyNext% TheFeiYing copiedacoupleoffeaturesfromtheNext%.However,theNext%hasabetterlockdown despitehavingalessstructuredanklecollar.TheQ-KungfuProintheFeiYing hasamoregradualbouncetoitwhiletheZoomXintheVaporflyismoreeager tospringback.ThemajordifferentiatingfactoristhattheFeiYingishalf thepriceoftheVaporflywhilestillofferingasimilarride.I’dstillgofor theVaporflyforraces,butthemoreforgivingrideoftheQiaoDanfeelsmuch betterfortraining. New BalanceFuelCellRCElite2(ReviewSoon) FuelCellisa TPU/EVAblendwhileQ-KungfuProisaTPE/EVAblend.NewBalance’sFuelCell foamissofter.TheRCElite2ontheroadfeelsliketheFeiYingonthe track.TheRCElite2issimplytoosoftonthetrackformyliking,but performsextremelywellontheroad.Bothshoeshavereallypoorgripinwet conditions.Intermsofupperfit,theRCElite2ismoreaccommodatingtoawider rangeofpeople. Asics MetaSpeedSky(ReviewHere) TheFFBlast TurbomidsolethatAsicsusesisverysimilartoNike’sZoomX,sothedifference inmidsolefeelisthesameasthatofthecomparisonwiththeVaporfly.TheMetaSpeed isnoticeablymorestableandVERYmuchmoregrippyinallconditions.The upperisalsomoreaccommodatingalongwithsuperiorlockdown.Despiteallof thisadvantages,IstilldoprefertousetheFeiYingforintervalsonthe track.Fortrainingonroadsorraces,IwouldoptfortheMetaSpeed. Final Thoughts TheQiaoDan Q-KungfuProFeiYingPB,whileoriginatingfromacontroversialcompany,has oneofthebestridesinthecarbon-platedmarketwhilestayingconsiderably affordable.IfQiaoDanweretoadjusttheupperontheFeiYing,thisshoe mightverywellbeonparwiththelikesoftheNikeVaporflyNext%andits closecompetitors. Share Getlink Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email OtherApps Comments Instagram HOME SHOEREVIEWS RUNNINGSHOEGUIDE ARTICLES STRAVA Translate TotalViews Subscribe Posts Atom Posts Comments Atom Comments