FAST REINVENTION New Balance SuperComp Elite v6 | RRP R5 599 | newbalance. co. za New Balance’ s top-line plated supershoe is ever evolving as a serious race weapon. The new SC Elite v6 is lighter and has a new foam compound that’ s said to make it more propulsive than the v5 and more focused on marathon performance. Alex Yee, the triathlon world champion and Olympic medallist who ran a 2:06 marathon in Valencia, and Emily Sisson, the US marathon record holder, were both involved in this reinvention. Key changes include a lighter Infinion foam platform, a redesigned carbon plate plus a superlight Fantomfit upper, all designed to deliver increased stiffness, greater energy return and efficiency. The shoe comes with a cushioned stack height of 40mm in the heel and 32mm in the forefoot( an 8mm drop) in eye-catching colours.
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GO LONG, GO LIGHT Nitecore UT6 Headlamp | RRP US $ 126 | nitecore. com A good headlamp is often underestimated – until you’ re readjusting an invisible mechanism mid-run because you’ ve added a cap, or fumbling over rocks and roots as your battery fades late in the night. Beyond night runs, earlyevening, foggy or forest runs often demand a headlamp for both safety and vision. Each scenario calls for the same things: a lightweight lamp with a quick, easy adjustment clasp, longlasting battery power and simple controls for less-coordinated or unsighted fingers. After a series of both road and trail runs, we’ re happy to say the Nitecore UT6 nailed the brief.
Delivering more than 30 hours at 150 lumens, it covers two nights of running – what 100-milers or weekends away demand – without needing to recharge, and weighs just 130g.
Unlike headlamps with separate lenses, the UT6 uses a unibody optical lens system with multiple facets and TrueVision + technology to produce a large-angle floodlight with smooth, soft beam transitions. The three-button design allows one-handed operation via a mode slider, which switches between Lockout, Long-Runtime and High-Performance modes, three colour temperatures, four brightness levels, and two special modes. It comes with a detachable bracket and a pouch for easy storage and carrying.
Recreational runners can select Long-Runtime mode for all-night use without worrying about battery life. Competitive runners moving faster for shorter periods can switch to High-Performance mode, where brightness steps down more slowly for higher overall output. The three colour temperatures serve different conditions: warmer yellow light penetrates rain, fog or snow better; neutral white is softer on the eyes and suits steep climbs, muddy trails, stream or snow crossings; and cool white is brighter and ideal for flat sections and longer-distance visibility. A sliding lockout switch prevents accidental activation, and output can be boosted to 1 600 lumens for situations needing brighter or wider light.
Power comes from a 4 000mAh NL1840R rechargeable Li-ion battery, which is replaceable( it’ s useful to carry a spare on remote runs or hikes with no charging options). The Rapid Reel headband is comfortable and simple to adjust singlehandedly, with a velcro mechanism allowing micro-adjustments on the move( reportedly tested to over 30 000 cycles). The magnesium alloy and polycarbonate construction is impact-resistant to 2m, and waterproof to a depth of 2m.
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