The BEST OCR Shoe of 2020 + Boss NEW Colors = Your Ticket to Trifecta
Pick up your pair of Spartan RD Pro by Craft — our OCR-specific training and racing shoe featuring superior drainage, state-of-the-art traction, responsive cushioning and unparalleled durability. Now available in two NEW colors. Free shipping on orders over $99.
Whether you're an OCR-veteran or brand new to Spartan, your race outcome depends on your shoes more than you think. To crush a quality finish, you can't wear just any old kicks. Classic running shoes (which get waterlogged in mud fast) just won't cut it. Lightweight, breathable OCR runners with aggressive tread, high-tech drainage, responsive cushioning and inner-outer durability will help you push harder and faster over Spartan’s unforgiving terrain and challenging obstacles. Enter: the Spartan RD Pro by Craft, built for speed, designed to endure, and beloved by OCR pros and Spartan athletes.
The Spartan Craft RD Pro in NEW 2020 Colors
Last year, Spartan and CRAFT, a Swedish company and global leader in high-performance gear, created the first ever OCR-specific shoe: the Spartan RD Pro by Craft. Designed by OCR racers, for OCR racers, this shoe is built for high-functioning movement, thermoregulation and durability. With epic drainage capacity, these shoes can take a beating in wet weather, without taking on water. The RD Pro has been used, abused, and refined to meet the harshest weather conditions and toughest obstacles without fail. (FYI, Spartan CEO Joe De Sena even ran over these puppies in a tractor, just to be sure they stood up.)
And now, we're stoked to announce that as of today, the RD Pro is available in two new colors: Monument Camo (men's) and Monument Heather (women's). But enough talk — we'll let the RD Pro speak for itself. We asked Spartan athletes, from OCR world champions to open racers for their take on the Craft RD Pro. Find out why every racer needs a pair, then snag some and put a race on your calendar. No excuses.
What Spartan Pros Are Saying About Our OCR Shoe
Pros who want to make it in OCR take their gear seriously. Wearing the right essentials can shave precious seconds off the clock on race day. And in bagging hundreds (or thousands) of training miles to reach the podium, they own the bragging rights and street cred to weigh in on this OCR shoe. So we pulled a few pros aside, handed them the shoe, and asked for their gut reactions to it. Here's what they had to say.
Ryan Atkins Shares Why Drainage Matters
Holding it for the first time, Ryan Atkins whips through a tour of the shoe's main features, sharing his honest take on what he likes, and how he thinks it'll stand up in a race. First up: drainage is a must. Plus, why a wide toe box and snug mid-foot fit is key to avoid rolling your ankle on steep, technical terrain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhULLKFmn_c&feature=youtu.be
Nicole Mericle Says Beefy Isn't a Bad Thing
The RD Pro shoes are designed to take a beating, so simply put: they're built to be sturdy and durable as hell. Spartan Pro Nicole Mericle says the heavy-duty sole and wide toe box would provide just the right support to dominate a Spartan Beast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bwntv6-9d0&feature=youtu.be
Robert Killian On Proper Traction for Downhill Running
Spartan WC Champion Robert Killian's reaction to the RD Pro pretty much sums up how kickass this shoe really is: "Whaaat?" he says. His main takeaway: these OCR kicks have solid traction and grip to keep you stable while downhill running. His rule of thumb is to look for aggressive tread, and says to remember: "Heels are grippy, toes are slippy."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_qN-DmjA0c
Related: Train Like A Champ: A Q&A With Spartan World Champ Robert Killian
Rea Kolbl Says Cushion is Key to High-Mileage Runs
The first thing Spartan Pro Rea Kolbl looks for in a training shoe is enough cushioning to support long-mileage training days. The good news? The RD Pro passes her test. Find out what else this OCR phenom has to say about this shoe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3WJW01_3AU&feature=youtu.be
Related: Train Like a Champion: A Q&A with Spartan Champ Rea Kolbl
Ryan Kent On Lugs for Foot Locks
For this Spartan Elite, traction is everything in the rope climb — aggressive lugs aid with foot locks on the ascent — Ryan Kent's go-to in this challenging obstacle. Oh, and the durable outer is practically indestructible on rocky terrain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTcqTSZJcFI&feature=youtu.be
Related: Ryan Kent's Favorite X-Out
What Spartans Are Saying About the Craft RD Pro On Social Media...
Hey, if a pro's word isn't enough, we asked Spartans racers across the country — who've been using (and abusing) their RD Pros for months now — how this OCR shoe revolutionized their training. Here's what they had to say on Instagram.
The RD Pro Can Hang in ALL Terrain
Bagging a half-marathon Spartan Race, two badass national parks hikes and countless miles schlepping up and down Washington's coast, all in a weekend? No big deal for Spartan @tracymg1, or her RD Pros. The OBSTA-Tech outsole system is the world’s first comprehensive approach to traction. Lugs support you across unstable terrain, while the X-shaped design on the forefoot and upper ensures optimum grip as you change angles and tactics on obstacles.
Insane Drainage Put to the Test
To beat water obstacles and transition to new terrain, Craft engineered and added Hydrain technology, a high-tech venting system that evacuates water quickly and efficiently so you can race on without waterlog-free. Spartan Dave Scott trains (and races) in his RD Pro shoes and says the superior drainage system and rock-solid traction is what helps him compete at his OCR best.
RD Pro In Action: The Tire Drag Workout
We loved this creative tire-drag hill workout from Spartan Elite athlete Kevin Gillotti, inspired by his RD Pros. Functional training doesn't always have to be gym-centric. In fact, sometimes it's better taken head on in the wild, as Gillotti does here. Don't be afraid to change up your workouts. The RD Pro are sure to keep up with you.
Relentless Durability for Max Mileage
Spartan @Rebeirokim just scored her first Trifecta last November, conquering one of her all-time OCR goals with flair — in her RD Pros. She says their durability has kept up with her through countless miles of terrain, both during workouts and on race day.
Lightweight Out of the Gate for Speed and Cushion
Spartan @jimmy.orcfit says his RD Pros are exactly as he'd hoped: comfortable fit, cushioning to lessen the impact of his heel strike on rocks, and lightweight for speed, mobility and agility. In fact, he loved them so much he wore them to tackle the Spartan Beast in Aspen, CO.
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