The Newton Fate have been just great (rhyme unintentional)! Light and sleek, yet plenty of all-round support, these have felt awesome so far and have me feeling snappy. It’s a trainer with the feel of a flat, and I can’t help but want to push the pace in these shoes. They also breathe very well. Overall my favorite pair of Newtons so far!
The renowned Newton “lugs” (the slight midfoot extensions that help guide your stride onto the mid and forefoot) have increased in number–from four to five lugs. This has seemed a good move, perhaps more overall balanced, as I have went from being able to slightly notice the lugs in some Newton models to not at all in the Fates.
The heel to toe drop is 4.5 mm, which is nice and low but still a little heel lift. I could easily see these being a great transitional shoe for someone new to Newton or just looking to better their stride and form.
I’ve ran a few miles in all sorts of terrain already–from paved roads to dirt roads, to also dirt trails and uneven grass. I’ve ran easy miles and even some workouts, both tempo on roads to a grassy hill workout, and I have enjoyed these on my feet in all conditions. I look forward to popping them on for some races later in the summer, again on various terrains.
I also really appreciate the decent amount of reflectivity on these shoes–at least 5 spots total from the front to back.
Overall this is a great feeling trainer that I would highly recommend. I look forward to getting the full mileage out of these!
Men’s:
Women’s:
Another men’s pair:
My go to shoe has been the Newton Gravity for the last year. So naturally I compared this shoe to it the first time I wore it. I’m always skeptical of trying new shoes because I am afraid of getting hurt since I have been injury free for over a year now (which is a long time for me).
When I first put these shoes on I noticed that they were very light. I also noticed that the toe box was very roomy and there were 5 instead of 4 lugs. I was afraid the toe box would be too big, but I have not noticed my foot slipping around inside and actually it has been good. I have a tendency to kill toenails in every running shoe I wear and I have worn these for over two weeks and have not had any sign of damage to my toenails. When I first walked around in these I could notice the 5th lug. Not that it was bad, but it just felt different since I was so used to 4 lugs. But as soon as I started running it didn’t feel awkward. And it actually felt a little more stable.
I also like these shoes a lot because they are super bright colored and they have quite a bit of reflective parts built in, so others can very easily see you!
I have been using these shoes interchangeably with my gravity’s and I like them a lot. They have a lot of the same feel as the gravity. They have a slightly higher heel drop, but besides that they are very light, very stable (especially since the addition of the 5th lug) and very comfortable. They still have that great feel that all Newton shoes have, and they have been keeping me injury free, which is all I ask for in a shoe. I look forward to wearing these even more and on all terrains. So far I have worn them on paved roads, dirt roads, and a few miles of moderate trail and they have felt fantastic. I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking for a new shoe. Especially someone who is already a mid foot striker. You should be able to transition into these with no problem. And if you haven’t worn Newton’s before you might as well try a shoe that has all 5 lugs first, since it adds even more stability.
I’m still loving these shoes and have been using them full-time! I’ve had the chance to use them in some diverse ways lately: On a longer (relatively technical) trail run, on a couple track workouts, and during a 5-mile trail race. The Fate’s felt great in ALL of these conditions. This has been overall one of the most versatile shoes I’ve ever worn.
I like these shoes for short runs. But I feel like I do not get enough support from them on longer runs (roughly 6+ miles). I also feel like I feel rocks and stuff more on the bottoms of my feet when running on trails, and my feet get a little sore sometimes. But overall they are a pretty versatile shoe, and they help support the mid foot running very well.
I have been rocking my second pair of first-gen Fates (the “midnight blue/purple” ones pictured above) for about a couple weeks now, and I’m loving them just as much as the first pair I wore. They just feel great.
Although I’ve been using a mid to forefoot strike for quite a while now, these really push me even more slightly towards the balls of my feet, so my lower calves have been a little tighter and tired than usual as they become re-accustomed to this (as I wore at least 2-3 other pairs of trainers in between these and my first pair of Fates).
Now the fates don’t make me faster, but they the ball-of-foot-strike running definitely increases my turnover (foot strikes per minute), which in turn has be running at a faster overall pace in general (a pace I was already capable of running but it definitely seems easier in these shoes, which I also noticed in my first pair). This seems to overall be a good thing, as long as I remember to still take easier days and not push too hard too often.
The only real down side of these shoes (which has been minimal) is the occasional stone getting stuck between lugs on the bottom of the shoe. Even while running on gravel this doesn’t seem to happen to often with these shoes–sometimes the stone will come out on its own, or sometime I’ll have to briefly stop to pick/fling it out myself. Not usually a big deal, but worth mentioning.
Again, I look forward to using them in all settings, distances, and terrains. So far roads, grass, and trails alike have again been great with this pair of shoes. I highly recommend the Newton Fates!