Changes

=Characteristics=

* {{H:WhyBuy}}. The DS Racer is not a shoe I like, so it's hard to recommend. If you think that the dual density foam is worthwhile, in spite of the evidence to the contrary, then this is one of the few lightweight shoes you have to choose from.

* {{H:drop}}. The 6mm drop is enough to start to cause me issues, and I suspect that it's actually a little more than 6mm in practice. The DS Racer has enough drop for me to feel like I'm running in high heels and for it to mess with my stride slightly.

* {{H:structure}}. The DS Racer includes multiple densities of foam, called DuoMax, which make the inside of the heel firmer and attempts to interfere with the natural movement of the foot. The research indicates that these techniques don't actually change the foot movement much, even with the more extreme "motion control" shoes. However, I would not have noticed the dual density if I hadn't been looking out for it as it is very mild.

* {{H:flexibility}}. The DS Racer‏ is less flexible than you'd expect for a lightweight shoe. This is partly due to the extensive outsole, and partly the hard plastic shank that Asics call their "Trusstic System". There are some gaps in the outsole that improve flexibility at those points, but that causes the shoe to crease at specific points, which are not necessarily the points your foot bends. I found the lack of flexibility reduced the comfort of the shoe, even when compared with shoes like the Hoka. This is possibly because the massively cushioned Hoka shoes don't bend, but they do compress in a way that allows the foot to bend within the shoe.

* {{H:outsole}}. There's a good layer of harder rubber outsole over the forefoot contact areas, and most of the heel.

* {{H:upper}}. In today's market, nearly every shoe has a comfortable upper. Unfortunately the DS Racer bucks this trend and I found it rather uncomfortable. The upper seems quite thick and inflexible, with reinforcement strips that make things even worse. When combined with the outsole that causes the shoe to crease at specific points, I found the upper dug into the top of my foot. I also found the ankle opening caused pressure, even though it was well padded.

* {{H:tongue}}. The DS Racer‏ has a traditional tongue that is has a tab to attach it to the laces. The tongue has some padding, but it also a seam half way up that's less than ideal.