of a good quality. It is available in red or black. The pair on test is black, which is great as I’m able to wear them for work, so I’ve been getting very good use out of them.
The upper is made from 2mm thick Neoprene and the central upper tongue is Lycra, making it breathable and stretchy. There is a good quality, wide Velcro ankle strap that provides a comfortable and secure fit. Sockwa use a TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) sole. Sockwa say that, “The sole is the thinnest on the planet” and I have no reason to question this as it truly is remarkably thin, light and flexible.
Styling The G-hi fits up over the ankle and has a wide Velcro strap which is
I love the style. I’m not sure they are to everyone’s taste but, for me, I like the fact that they are different from the normal with their bootie style. My only criticism with the style is the toe box which tapers around the toes. I would much rather see it squared off at the front to a more barefoot style of shoe, which would allow more toe room.
Fit Overall, the fit is good. The 2mm Neoprene upper and Lycra tongue is stretchy, so provides a bit of give. The Velcro ankle strap has a secure feel, which I’ve not had to adjust since the day I first put the G-Hi on.
They are very easy to pull on and off, again because of the great, stretchy fit. The main issue I have with the fit, which I do find annoying, is the shape of the toe box as I mentioned previously. The shape of the G-Hi does taper around the fourth and fifth toes, which causes restriction around the toes. This could be because I have wide feet (12cm across the toes) but I don’t believe they are exceptionally wide. I have to add that the upper is sufficiently stretchy to cope with natural toe flexing that occurs on contact with the ground, so I don’t believe it affects my running gait. The rest of the G-Hi provides an excellent, comfortable and secure fit.
Build quality I find it very hard to find fault with Sockwa build quality. All their shoes are of excellent quality. The upper Neoprene and Lycra are well stitched together and show no signs of coming apart. The TPU sole is very hard wearing and is only now starting to show signs of wear. The upper and sole are glued together but, again, are bonded extremely well.
Performance Sockwa have produced another great performing minimal shoe with the G-Hi. I have primarily used them on tarmac for winter morning runs, where they have proved to be very effective, with great ground feel and excellent flexibility. I have occasionally taken them for a trail run, where they have been quite impressive, performing very well in the wet and muddy conditions. Having the high ankle Velcro strap really does make them feel secure - great for trail running. The only performance issue I have with them is that they don’t breathe, making my feet become
W inter/Spring 2015
Page 129
Not so minimal review
I really do love the quality of the Velcro ankle strap. It is of a fine weave and so is very soft and comfortable to use. I wish other minimal shoe makers would adopt this Velcro.
Barefoot Running Magazine
Sockwa G-Hi
he Sockwa G-Hi is basically an ankle boot version of the “G” range. Excellent, a minimal boot for running!