2013 Round Up; May

My highlights for May seem to focus on 'newness'.
Hot new product dropped with the highly anticipated adidas Originals x BAPE x UNDFTD Consortium pack, and the Sydney sneakerheads came out in force to lap it up.  Onitsuka Tiger celebrated the opening of their new Sydney store.  adidas revealed great new tech with the launch of the Boost, and I caught up with Neuw denim to appear in the above short interview.

2013 Round Up; March

March saw IDYSM clock up the airmiles again with more content from Melbourne, the UK and Sydney.
Melbourne was a real highlight as I was invited by Hennessy to shoot street legend Futura when he was in town.
More colourful kicks from Sydney, the debut of my exclusive 'Roadtest' video product review series and UK fashion icon Sam Lambert all also featured.  Phew - that's a busy month!

Roadtest; New Balance 576 25th Anniversary Pack

The New Balance 576, a UK-made institution in the NB portfolio, and it's proudly celebrating it's 25th Birthday with the drop of the classy 25th Anniversary Pack.

The shoe comes in the traditional OG colourways of Blue and Navy with a premium suede upper which is complimented perfectly with a vintage-styled ENCAP system integrated into the sole.
With only 600 pairs released worldwide these are classics, so it seemed only fitting to tip the cap to the shoe's UK roots in this latest 'Roadtest' video.

* This is an unpaid video.

Roadtest; Puma ACTV

Something a little different today, as rather than the sole's of shoes I've something barefoot to showcase, literally, as inspired by my current love/obsession with sand running shoes don't have much of a place...but premium athletic apparel does.
I was excited to be asked to put something a little bit different to the test in the form of the new Puma ACTV Apparel range.
ACTV is compression clothing designed to be worn during workouts, and combines science with style/comfort in the running tights that have made a huge difference to my own running.  On the science side - elasticized silicone tape is strategically placed on the inside of the garments to provide micro-massage in specific areas to the skin.
And on the comfort and style side they literally fit like a glove, and combine reflective logos for visibility, mesh panels for breathability, zippered side pockets for convenience, and dryCELL for wicking and comfort.
In terms of showing them off for this short fashion film I needed some help, and enlisted Kyle to wear the tights, and also Bondi Beach, my stomping ground for sand running.  The location is pretty epic and formidable first thing in the morning, and these tights are perfect to get you through it.

For more info on the ACTV range check here.

Roadtest; Saucony Shadow Original

Ah, the classics, getting better with age and offering timeless style for the ages, and I think the Saucony Shadow Classic definitely falls into that category.
I was given the chance to give the show the Roadtest treatment and thought it was only fitting to give the shoe the true classic's treatment with this black and white homage.
The shoe rates well - style, well come on look at it, it's great, as is comfort, the only downside is price which is probably a little pricier than other shoes in it's field (I'm thinking the New Balance 574) but don't let that put you off as if you can afford a few extra dollars adding a pair of classic Saucony will definitely have you stepping out of the shadows.
For more info go to www.saucony.com

Roadtest; adidas Boost

Another Roadtest, and another interesting shoe as adidas plan to add some bounce to your life with the 'Boost'.
The shoe is designed as a running shoe and the concept behind it see's energy capsules within the foam sole that  generate more energy to send back your way.  From a practical perspective the shoes also feature a techfit™ upper and a Torsion® system for support, but in addition to this the shoes look good too, something many 'running' shoes fail to achieve.
All up I am really impressed with this shoe.  Yes, it is primarily designed to be a running shoe but I'll be wearing it as a lifestyle shoe too, and I feel it's a lot more adaptable and flexible than the 'running shoe' sales pitch adidas have given it.

Thanks to adidas Australia, and check www.adidas.com.au/boost for more info.

Roadtest: Puma Mobium

Time to hit the pavement again in another kicks roadtest, and this time the Puma Mobium Elite is put through it's paces.
The shoes is designed to offer a unique experience as it pioneers what Puma like to call 'Adaptive Running', a shoe that adapts to your feet.
The first thing you notice is the striking green colourway, which is a as bold as some of the innovation within the shoe.  The sole for example is intended to mimic a cat's foot which as it moves has pads that spread out and contract to offer cushioning.  The human foot of course doesn't have pads but Puma have designed built a shoe that mimics this action with Expansion Pods on the sole with the unique Mobium Band that winds its way through the outsole of the shoe in a figure of eight pattern to enhance the foot’s natural spring.
The next thing you notice is the fit - these are super comfortable, in fact I can't remember the last shoe that felt this good to put on.
In terms of wear, they do take some getting used to as a running shoe as your foot learns to adapt, and in terms of a lifestyle shoe I'm sure they will appeal to many who can wear the bright colour on the street.
Overall, a nice shoe - not too expensive and a valid entry in the deconstructed world of running footwear that is so hot right now.

Thanks to Puma Asia/Pacific and Sweaty Betty PR

Roadtest; Puma Bioweb Elite

Running footwear and apparel seems to be moving and evolving quicker than ever before with brands constantly pushing the boundaries of design, function and form at a rapid pace.
Sometimes it all moves so fast it's hard to take it all in, so when I was asked to 'Roadtest' the new Puma Bioweb Elite I thought it was time to slow things down and really take a good look at this product.
The design of the Bioweb Elite is inspired by the strength of spider web, and see's Puma presenting a shoe that is strong, flexible and durable; all key requirements for runners and lifestyle shoe wearers alike.
I put the shoe through it's paces in this short 'Roadtest' video and while I feel the shoe's appearance leans more towards function than form, there's no denying the comfort and durability here, something that prettier shoes often lack.
All up it's an interesting shoe and in this video I've given my visual take with the usual scores for style, comfort and value.

For more info on the Bioweb check puma.com.  Thanks to Puma Asia/Pacific and Sweaty Betty PR.

Roadtest; Nike Air Max 90 EM Tokyo

The latest in my 'Roadtest' series, I checked out the Nike Air Max 90 EM Tokyo.

The chic colourway fused with the Engineered Mesh technology gives the shoe a distinct look, one that's emphasised further by the glow in the dark heel detail, something that inspired me to showcase the shoe in a mixture of lighting set ups.

As always, my scores for the shoe's style, comfort and value are all listed in the short vid - and you can check out your local Nike stockists for more info on this intriguing shoe.

Roadtest; Nike Air Max+ 2013

Welcome to the latest in my 'Roadtest' series where I get up close and personal with some great new Nike product in this short video.
In this instalment I put the Nike Air Max+ 2013 through it's paces.  As a performance shoe that also offers some streetwear clout, this shoe will appeal to different people for different reasons.
Since Tinker Hatfield paved the way with the first Air Max back in '87 the shoe has come a long way, and this latest incarnation has some serious swagger with style and comfort balanced with a pricepoint that won't see you breaking the bank for a shoe that holds a worthy place in this iconic's shoe's history.
For more info on the Nike Air Max+ 2013 go to www.nike.com.

Roadtest; Feit Dsrt Kudu Suede Cloud

The good folks at Australian Premium shoe brand Feit were kind enough to send some shoes my way to roadtest, so I thought I would showcase the fantastic Dsrt Kudu Suede Cloud in this short video featurette, the first in my 'Roadtest' series.
The shoe isn't cheap, coming in at just under $400 (Aus), but what you get for that price is something with premium materials made with precision, care and hand crafting so if you can stretch to the cost, you will be getting your hands on a piece of considered design that I am very impressed with.
With the shoes come cork insoles and a Feit bag, but the star of the show is the shoe itself which I rate extremely highly for style, value and comfort; the 3 categories my Roadtest's will consider.
For more info on Feit product go to www.feitdirect.com

Lowepro Classified Sling; Roadtest

I was delighted to be approached by Lowepro to roadtest their 'Classified Sling 220 AW' bag at the recent Carbon Festival in Melbourne (some new images for which are above).

I've been using Lowepro product for some time, but with the amount of kit I need increasing all the time, this bag looked like a great one stop shop for storing everything I need and keeping all my essentials at hand.  There is ample space in the sling to carry everything from my Macbook, to my trusty Canon 7D, a couple of lenses, a Canon s95, Speedlite, microphone, cables/adaptors, portable drives and even a tripod within a bag that doesn't look too stuffy like a number of other bags on the market.

I was running around like a headless chicken for 2 days shooting the event, and it was great to know that my full range of essentials were all at hand within seconds and if you're looking for a new bag that offers maximum storage then check out the Classified Sling here.