Ice Bug vs, Inov-8 Orienteering Shoes

From Mikkel Conradi, February 26, 2012

I ran four loops of 22 minutes with 125m of climb at Redwood today:

Loop 1) Inov8 X-Talon 212 / size US 12

         2) Icebug Spirit2 olx / size US 11.5

         3) Inov8 Oroc 340 / size US 11.5

         4) Inov8 X-Talon 212 / size US 12

About my feet:  Tall arches and heels, medium width.  Relatively blister-prone.

Conditions:  Sunny, dry, and cool.  I ran on relatively dry trails with a couple of muddy spots.  I also ran through a redwood grove once with pair.

Thoughts:

Socks: WrightSock 2-layer Coolmesh

X-Talon 212:

In my size this shoe weighs 277 grams, by far the lightest shoe of the three.  The sole is very soft, which improves balance by letting the foot feel the ground. (The feet and ankles play a very big part in balance for

runners.)  The drawback is that the foot can get sore and even sprained when running on uneven terrain with a lot of rocks or deadfall.  But the softness also helps shape the shoe to my foot, reducing the risk of blisters.  Stability is helped by the low sole, but the relatively modest tread and lack of studs makes this shoe less suitable for rainy and muddy conditions.

These shoes are great for sprints and middle distance races in dry conditions.  Competitive orinteerers might also want to wear them for longer races due to their low weight, but should prepare for some soreness afterwards due to the soft sole.  In rocky and/or wet conditions I would recommend a sturdier shoe with studs.

Icebug Spirit 2 olx:

At 345 grams per shoe they are 25% heavier than the X-Talons, but this feels like a good achievement considering how sturdy of a sole they are built on.  Each shoe has 5 studs on the heel, one under the arch, and 8 under the sole.  The stud placement is excellent for stepping on slippery logs and rocks without sliding regardless of which part of your foot is touching.  The stiff sole and heel makes this shoe great for rocky terrain, but after 10 minutes of running I could feel my heels getting a bit sore.  These shoes were half a size too small for me so it would be interesting to find out whether a large pair would give the same problems.Stability is very good, although thy are a bit taller than the X-Talons.

I would definitely try racing in a size 12 sometime, but I wouldn't risk anything longer than a middle distance due to the heel worries.  I think this shoe would be great for rocky East Coast terrain and/or rainy conditions.

Inov8 Oroc 340:

This shoe clocks in at 398 grams and the weight difference starts being noticeable.  Compared to the Icebugs these shoes also feel like they are fur-lined.  The thick padding provides comfort but also a significant amount of insulation.  My feet were much warmer with these shoes than with the other two pairs.  Each shoe has three studs on the heel and 6 under the sole.  The studs are all centrally placed, meaning you'll have to be careful about how you step on slippery surfaces.  Although the padding provides comfort it starts so low on the heel that it prevents my heel from fitting snugly into the back of the shoes.  The shoe on my right, smaller foot feeels like it might come off if I catch it on something.

The soles are softer than the Icebugs', but still stiff enough that I can't feel the studs.  Stability is very good.

I would only recommend this shoe to people with a lower heel and who don't mind how the heat gets trapped.  The wight might also make them less desirable for competitive orienteers.

--Mikkel

On Sun, 26 Feb 2012, Joe Scarborough wrote:

Hi Mikkel-

Thanks for the excellent review.  Some questions:

Did you try any of the shoes without insoles?

Can you compare for traction?

By "studs" I assume you are referring to metal tips.

Your list has the 212 twice.

-Joe

I did not take out any of the insoles.  I only do this as a last resort because it makes the shoes less comfortable.  By studs I meant the metal tips, yes.  I guess technically they are Dobb spikes?  I ran with the 212s twice - the list shows the order.

Traction was great for all shoes.  There was no noticeable difference.

There was one muddy patch on the trail but it wasn't big enough to establish any significant gap in traction.

--Mikkel

Orienteering Compass Comparison

How do orienteering compasses compare? The less time taken for the needle to settle and the less fluctuation on the run make for a better orienteering compass. We took a quick look at four high performance makes including the top three in use in the U.S. The forth is a prototype of a new brand that may soon become available, the main reason for this trial. The approach was not at all a scientific nor a technological evaluation but rather a subjective comparison based on side by side use under what would be typical conditions for us. We considered most important to be the stability of the needle on the run. Secondary was the time taken for the needle to settle once the compass was in position.

The lineup: Silva 5 Jet, Moscompass 3, Suunto Arrow 20, and Prototype 1. While at it we included a brief look at the entry level Brunton 7 (Silva Type 7, Polaris)


Suunto Arrow 20

All top end compasses were excellent for overall stability. Surprisingly, the prototype was judged better, if only very slightly, than the Moscow followed by the Suunto and Silva about equal. The prototype seemed to have a very slight delay in settling compared to the others.

When repositioning, the all needles would swing past the correct resting point a similar distance before settling. The prototype seemed to pause slightly at the extreme of the swing which might give a false reading if looking away too quickly. The others were smoother in the settling process though not much, if at all, faster. Interestingly, an east-west arm swing produced much more needle deflection than north-south.

For good measure we included the basic “field compass” Brunton Type 7 (Silva Polaris) and the Suunto Arrow 5 thumb in the comparisons. The Brunton compared surprisingly well for a lower end compass despite the much longer settling time. The two Suuntos seemed identical in performance though with slightly different capsules.

Comments by James: The Jet and Arrow had a “lighter feel.” The prototype had a “heavier feel.” The Arrow had a faint jitter.

Comments by Joe: For me and, I think, most orienteers, there was little to choose between the four in terms of needle performance. All had a similar very minimal wobble as I ran. The minor delay in prototype settling was usually not noticeable.

Factors other than needle performance could easily determine individual preference. Differences were greater in terms of features like ergonomics, ease of turning (especially with use), interchangeable capsule, sturdiness, propensity to develop bubbles, right hand models for the thumb versions, built-in magnifier, scale position, bezel style, area of map visibility through the capsule, etc. and, of course, price.

Joe and James Scarborough

Performance test of the Inov-8 oroc 280

A review of the spiked oroc 280 orienteering shoe.

Pros:

• Great all round traction from dobb spikes
• Foot feels comfortable
• Very light weight
• The usual Inov-8 sharp looks and colors

Cons:

• Slightly wide toe box (for me)
• Slight roll of foot within shoe on side hills (oroc 280)

Writeup:

Another Inov-8 release means another trip to the test track at Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, California. Since the original Inov-8 testing here versus VJ orienteering shoes, we've been waiting for a better spike from Inov-8. The oroc is it.

My opinion is the oroc 280 is the best all-round orienteering shoe. They perform well on trail, hills, rock faces, mossy logs. Comfortable at jogging speed and at race pace. Finally, a spiked orienteering shoe I wasn't rushing to take off! And a quantum leap better than their now retired mudclaw 'O' +340 spike model.

On our "cornering test" on dirt, the spikes work great. Also on the downhill rock face test and up and downhill loose rocks under shoe test. The metal and rubber cleats work well together for overall traction and control.

The oroc's spikes are clustered in the center of the sole rather than edges. And the dobb spikes barely poke out above the cleat. This gives a nice "added traction" ergonomic. Reminiscent of ice traction. The classic VJ/nordic design gives more spikes and spikes closer to the edge. I believe this gives the VJ more traction in the event of "clinging" onto things like slick logs or deep loose dirt. My net opinion being the orocs give you just what you need and not more.

Most of my testing was in the oroc 280. The oroc 340 is a more built version. I imagine people will have the same preference per the mudclaw 270 vs 330 choice. For me the 340 has less foot role on the side hill. But feels a little too poofy in the upper. So I'll stick with the light weight.

Subsequent runs:

Orienteering: Felt great in a 45-minute course re-run at Joe Grant Park near San Jose, California. Good grip on the grassy hills. Felt nice and comfortable beginning to end even though it was a warm day.

Trail run: Took them out for a 30 minute jog on the trails. Felt great even on this intentionally non-demanding loop. The paved sections click along with the spikes but it didn't feel odd, if only in 25m stretches.

So far the embedded spikes seem to be holding firm in the sole.

Links:

• The updated short list of Inov-8 shoes for orienteering is at orienteer.com.
• Warrior Pants appearing in the video are prototypes by o21e.com.

oroc 280 at the NAOC

Jonas Kjall of BAOC, USA has just returned from the 2010 North American Championships in British Columbia where he finished high in the elite races including third in the sprint and fourth in the middle distance.  Jonas, currently ranked 6th in the U.S., agreed to give oroc 280 a test and provide us with his expert opinion.  Just received by e-mail:

Hi Joe,

The shoes were great I  like them a lot, see the review below.....

Inov-8's new shoe Oroc-280 is a mix between the X-talon 212 (see earlier posts) and the other new Oroc s (see Joe's post below). It has the same shoe as the X-talon and the same sole as the other new Orocs, which has metal dobbs and harder rubber then the X-talon. I used it for the first time during the middle distance at NAOC a week and a half ago. The terrain was very technical with a lot of steep hills and some bare rock. Altough the metal dobbs doesn't stick out as long as on regular O-shoes (making the traction not as good), I felt completely secure during the whole run and never had to slow down (so the traction is at least good enough for people running up to my speed ).

An advantage with the dobbs not sticking out so far from the sole, is hopefully that they will not be misaligned, which happens easily on more traditional O-shoes (making the traction a lot worse and more important, uncomfortable to run in), but we will see, only more miles will tell.

The rest of the shoe is as X-talon 212, which I like a lot, light weight, easy to tie, sits on well and fairly comfortable, making it a good racing shoe. But it is of course a bit heavier than the 212, so it should only be used in races in technical terrain where the traction is really important (or shorter races where the weight is not as important). In non-technical terrain, like the Bay Area, the 212 will still be my first choice for a race.

The upper protection is not as good as on a regular O-shoe. However, this was nothing I noticed during my race. I think it is very rare you hit something from below (and when you do so, you probably need a steel cap to be safe, which of course is not an option). Another issue with this might be that the shoes are not as durable, but looking on old 212, it looks like the upper part last longer than the sole in general and the Orocs sole should be more durable.

To conclude, Inov-8 has again made a great racing shoe, the most light weight metal dobb shoe on the market (which I'm aware of), designed for more technical terrain and I suspect there will be a lot of them on WOC this year.

The oroc Orienteering Shoe, A First Look

Inov-8’s new dobb spiked O shoes finally arrived on our shores last week and are now available from Scarborough Orienteering. Nice looking, especially the oroc 340 in mustard color and a design that could be one of our Bay Area 35 contour “hills.” The very light oroc 280 is gray and black with bright yellow highlights.

After a quick inventory and e-mails to customers with backorders, I took the two shoes out for a spin in the woods along with a pair of VJ Falcons for comparison. The 340s were a good fit for my wide feet and what I really liked was the roomy toe box, in contrast with the confining Falcons. The uppers of the 340s were much more flexible and the shoe slipped on quite easily, again in contrast with the Falcons. I could actually tighten the laces down to the lowest eyelets by pulling only the ends of the laces, the first time I’ve been able to do this with any shoe.

Where I thought the Falcons should have the edge is with the traction. The oroc’s metal tips are actually flush with the rubber studs. However, they gave the same familiar clatter on pavement and I was unable to detect much difference in traction until I wore one of each at the same time. The test was on a steep hard path, somewhat slippery with loose soil on the surface. Braking action on the downhill and pushing off sprint style on the uphill showed a slightly firmer bite by the Falcons.

The 280’s have the same outsole as the 340’s but a decidedly lighter feel. X-Talon and Mudclaw 270 fans will like the close-to-the-ground feel. They seemed a bit narrower than the 280’s and well suited for the fast efficient orienteer and for shorter courses. The 340 while heavier, about the same as the Falcons, seemed to give a little more support and protection that I would want for a longer run and very rugged terrain.

This was just a quick first look (maybe the first in the country) so check back for Jonas Kjall’s review after the North American Championships where he will be running with the best.

-Joe

More on the Inov-8 Mudclaw 330 and 270

Gary Carpenter is an accoumplished BAOC orienteer who is well aquainted with the Bay Area hills. Jonas Kjall is currently ranked number three among US orienteers. They were asked for pros and cons on their recent purchases for posting.

Gary on the Inov-8 Mucclaw 330, sent 11/27/2009:

Hi Joe,

The new shoes are great. They're a bit narrow for my wide foot but I think that is not uncommon for European shoes. Getting a half size larger and lacing a little looser did the trick. Great traction on the wet gropund at Morgan Territory. Not even a hint of a blister.

Gary

Jonas on the Inov-8 Mucclaw 270, sent 11/21/2009:

I bought a pair of 270 Mudclaw two weeks ago and I have already used them in several orienteering races (two long distances (9.5km) in the Bay Area, two sprints in parks and three sprint on campuses). Previously I have only done orienteering in traditional o-shoes with metal dubs (like VJ s integrator), so my comparison will be with those.

The biggest and most important difference is of course the weight. You can feel the difference by just holding them in your hands. When running I can t really say I feel any difference, but you should save a little energy in every step, that should be important in the long run. In the two long distance races I did two weeks ago I was able to run fast throughout the whole races. Whether this is due to the shoes or me being in good shape is of course hard to know

Another important difference between the shoes is that the Mudclaws don t have metal dubs. I did feel a difference when running on bare rock. I was not as secure on that as I normally am and had to slow down. Maybe I will be able to train up my rock running ability with the mudclaws, we will see. Anyway, the Bay area has very little bare rock and on all other surfaces, like steep dirt and grass hills, I could run as fast as usual.
And running on asphalt is of course better without dubs.

The shoe lace setup of the 270 Mudclaw is a bit unusual. It took me some days to get used to it. The first times I did not tighten them well enough and my feet ended up sliding around a bit giving me tendencies of blisters. When the shoes are tightened right, the shoes feel good on the foot in all kinds of running throughout the whole race.

Another difference is that the Mudclaw has much less upper protection for the feet. I did not notice anything of this during my runs. I know even with my old shoes I have on rare occasions hit my toes pretty hard. But in that kinds of hits I don t think a little extra protection makes a huge difference.

The last thing to figure out is how durable these lighter shoes are. I am very curios about this, since I am normally very tough on my shoes with a lot of aggressive running. But I guess I just will have to wait and see

Performance test of the Inov-8 X-Talon 212

A review of the Inov-8 X-Talon 212 orienteering shoe.

Pros:

• Feels like a running shoe: flat sole, normal response
• Downright cozy soft and snug feeling
• Traction is great without the long Mudclaw studs
• Super light weight at nominal 212 grams

Cons:

• Some foot roll on side hill
• When stepping on a pointy rock, you feel it

Versus the 270:

We took the 212 back out to the Joaquin Miller Park "test track" to compare against the Inov-8 Mudclaw 270. I consider the 270 Inov-8's best orienteering shoe so far. Lightweight and aggressive tread. See past review and the product shortlist at orienteer.com.

On our traction test of fast shart turns around the redwood tree, the 212's traction was great but slightly less than the 270. Perhaps the 270's longer and more numerous side cleats?

On the rocky downhill trail, the 212 felt better with shorter cleats. I felt more in control. In uphill duff I could just barely feel the 212 slip at the very last moment of launch from the toe. The 270 has a few more teeth under the toe for that last flick.

On pavement/trail and flat off trail the 212 outshined the 270 because the sole and cleats retain a normal flat feel. The 212 and 270 have about the same amount of forefoot roll on sidehills due, I suspect, to the light weight design.

In conclusion: I would go with the 212 for an all round O-shoe and the 270 for more aggressive/competition. The Inov-8 Mudroc 280 should still be considered for those wanting more protection/sturdiness from the upper, yet a light weight.

Addendum: The 212s felt great at yesterday's North American Sprint Finals at McLaren Park in San Francisco. Good grip on trails and hillsides alike. Forgot I was wearing an O-shoe.

Other Inov-8 news:

• The X-Talon will be available in a high-top model next month
• The Mudclaw 330 is being revised again for release next spring

Headcam Update

The head cam band described here a couple years ago accommodates a camera like the Canon subcompact. The newer Flip Mino HD has the advantage of lighter weight but with much higher video and sound quality.


Likewise the headband is much easier to put together. This prototype utilizes only a stretch web material, a bit of Velcro and some heavy duty staples in lieu of proper stitching. Strips of One-Wrap Velcro are used to build up a wedge to accommodate forehead slope for the desired camera angle.


The first test run came at LAOC'S recent Mt. PINOS "B"meet (excellent, by the way) by James on the day 1 Red course. The course had many legs similar to other courses and is very similar to the first six on Brown which is the map shown here with his route. You can see the entire course and results here.

The Flip produced about 51 minutes of video. The first 20 minutes or so are shown in these two You Tube clips, unfortunately with much diminished quality.

Clip 2
Clip 3
(Clip 1 is pre-race footage not posted.)

Clip 3 is probably the more interesting as Clip 2 first has a long trail run to number 1. Clip 3 begins as he is approaching #2.

You can judge for yourself the results of the test. One bug obvious from the photo is the tendency of the band to expand and slip as it absorbs the sweat. The video is much improved compared with the Camp Scherman and Spring Lake videos (also on You Tube and noted in the blog below) shot with the Canon. On the downside the image is still very shaky but very valuable for training (see "Headband-cam for Training" below) or just a taste of the terrain you may not have been able to visit. And, for the benefit of the newcomer, a video of real orienteering thinking in action.

-Joe

Inov-8 Update

New Model- The Inov-8 X-Talon 212 makes a great orienteering shoe. It is very, very light (my size 11.5 is 9 0z. with insole,) flexible and comfortable. Low to the ground with a studs similar to the 280's. If you like a minimal shoe, this one gives you more of the feel of the ground than the 270 yet offers surprising cushioning. Drawbacks? I would wonder about durability but so far no complaints. Mine are tearing abit at the upper eyelet but no ill effect. The "sticky rubber" sole did not cope adequately with a wet, slick rocks in my one encounter but overall seemed similar in traction to a standard o-stud. And, if you require a lot of support, this may not suit you for longer runs. $100 from Scarborough Orienteering. See Mikkel's test report below.


Discontinued.- The Mudclaw 340 O+ with its 3/8" studs and metal tips makes this the best O-shoe for traction that I have seen in my 37 years of orienteering, has alas, been discontinued by Inov-8. That may be due in part to the high rate of the dobb tips tearing out. I lost two or three after a couple of runs though traction did not seem to suffer for my use. Anyway a s discontinued shoe, Scarborough Orienteering is offering 15% off and free US shipping on selected sizes.

Mikkel Conradi, BAOC member, has tested several Inov-8 models. As an advanced orienteer prone to blisters, his comments are most useful. Here are his latest reviews:

Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2009
Hi Joe,
I tried the 280's again on Saturday without in-soles. My heels
were still a bit sore from last week-end, but I managed to run for 2 x 30
minutes without 2nd skin, and without any further blister formation. I
didn't have any problems with grip, so they seem like a viable, lighter
alternative to the 330's in dry conditions.

I then ran with the 340's for a little over an hour. It's a very
rugged shoe with plenty of grip. I skipped the in-soles again. They
weren't quite as comfy as the 280's and 330's without the in-sole, maybe
because of the sturdier sole with spikes.

I think what's causing problems for my heel is that the heavier
shoes have a pretty hard cuff on the heel. The 212's are much more
flexible, which might we why I can wear them with in-soles without getting
heel blisters. I raced at Goethe Park today with the 212's and they were
superb for a flat 4.5km course!

If you have them in stock, I would definitely want you to bring a
new pair of 212's to Boggs for me to wear for the middle distance. I'd
also like a new pair of MC 270's as they seem to fit my foot better than
the 280's. (And my 330's are still holding up, so I don't need another
pair of sturdier, less comfortable shoe.)

Let me know if you want more feedback, I'm being brief because I'm
tired, and there's a lot of stuff to be done this coming week...


Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009
Hi Joe,
Here's a brief summary of my experiences so far:
I ran with the 212's at Spring Lake on Saturday. I was surprised how high
the heel was, and decided to run with the inserts. The shoes fit very
comfortably, and I ran for an hour without having any blister problems.
Then again, Spring Lake is flat, and it would be good to try these shoes
on hillier terrain before declaring them a success.

I like how the laces are thinner than the 330's - it makes it easier to
tie them and make the knot stick. I suppose they might wear through
quicker, but hopefully they can be bought separately if needed.

I did notice that these shoes have a relatively thin and flexible sole, so
I might not wear them in terrain that is known to be very rocky or have a
lot of deadfall. It will be interesting to see how the flexible sole
deals with contouring.

On Sunday I tried the 280's. Encouraged by how well the 212's fit I put
in the in-soles, but regretted it already on the way to the start. But I
left them in, determined to test them 'as designed'. The course was
pretty hilly, and after about 30 minutes I started feeling pain from heel
blisters. This is an improvement over the 330's with in-soles,
which only took seven minutes to develop the same kind of
blister.

At the end of my 70 minute race I had blisters on both heels
that were approximately 1.5" wide and 1" tall. On my left foot I also
developed a blister where the arch hits the ground behind the big toe,
which is unusual for Inov8 shoes. Like I said the courses were
particularly hilly, so that could have had something to do with it.

The 280's had adequate grip and stability for a dry day in Bay Area
terrain, but for a more thorough review it would be necessary to test them
in wet and muddy conditions also. Although you could probably predict
that the 270's or 330's would have better grip in the mud.

I haven't had a chance to try on the 340's yet but I'll test them this
week-end. I'll also try the 280's without the in-sole. In fact, I'm a
little bit scared of trying the 340's with in-soles, but I'm also worried
about the spikes pushing through without. I might need to do a shorter
test-run first to make sure they are comfortable before I do something
longer.

I think Inov8 needs to consider how steep terrain orienteerers confront.
The heel blister issue is very much impacted by how steeply one runs
uphill, and under-foot blisters are equally impacted by the amount and
steepness of contouring.

I feel like with both the 280's and 330's the laces are hard to tighten on
the lower part of the shoe. It's easy to tighten then on top, but then
they pinch and constrict at the ankle without providing the proper fit and
support for the rest of the foot. I think a more uniform grip around the
foot would improve comfort, and prevent both ankle and blister problems.

--Mikkel

More on the ThumbNail

Here is a third application, reminiscent of the Silva 66 which is no longer sold in the US. Perhaps a choice for those using ski or hiking pole.

James mentioned that the Thumbnail is not recommended for taking bearings. With later colorwheel version you can get a rough bearing. The needle indicates the direction of travel to within 10 degrees or so. For example, above shows due east and below shows ENE.

-Joe

Alex Finch said...
Joe sent me a prototype of his new Thumbnail compass, and I love it. The minimal design is exactly what I want from a compass here in the Bay Area.

I bought a Spectra Nexus a year ago. Slipped at Bon Tempe in December. Went to use my compass a short while later and all that was attached to my thumb was a piece of the thumb plate. Went back to find the broken pieces of the compass. I must have broken my fall with my hand without realizing it.

The Thumbnail with a single strap sits nicely on the back of my thumb at the base. Close enough to the map to orient it. Yet my thumb is completely free to mark my spot. In fact my whole hand is completely free to grab anything. And the compass is always right there when I need it.The colorwheel allows taking rough bearings or quickly heading out in the right direction. This is more than adequate for the orienteering we have in the Bay Area.If I were to travel out of the area, I would probably bring a baseplate along as a backup in case I encountered a situation that required accurate bearings and/or pace counting.
10:18 1/1/09

On March 15, 2009 Alex added:
Joe,
Finally got a good run in with the compass. It was great. I even took an identical fall to the one I did at Bon Tempe where my feet slid out in front of me and I put my hands down to catch me. Bon Tempe = broken thumb compass. Briones = good thumbnail. The ink on the paper colorwheel you had installed ran from my sweat or the general moisture. I just replaced it with the laminated one you gave me. I'll see how that holds up at the goat.
-- Alex

Hi Alex-
Glad you like the compass and thanks for serving as a crash test dummy. As I recall, the laminated color wheel with your test unit was cut after lamination so the paper is not sealed around the edge. Please give it a good test to see if it is OK. In the future I will probably cut out the paper before laminating.
-Joe

Toby Ferguson sent an e-mail on May 18, 2009 as follows with my reply:

The thumbnail compass works great for me. I like it because it is EXACTLY where it needs to be for me to orient my map. I find that I orient my map faster and more accurately most of the time. Very occasionally I've wished for a baseplate so I could measure distances and get very accurate bearings (that would've helped me on a couple of the long legs at Bogg's, I think), but so far the compass has proved very valuable. One area I'd like to see improved, and that is to make the base card more waterproof. Mine is starting to get streaky and the colors are beginning to run a little (mainly from sweat, I think - Bogg's didnt' seem to affect it much). But of course the needle still points North, and that's all that's really needed! I am confident that I won't break the compass, and that it will stay secured to my thumb. It's so small and lightweight that I quite forget I'm wearing it when I'm "running with the front legs" as Tapio Karras calls it (a steep climb through dense undergrowth!), which is how it should be!
Toby

Hi Toby-
Thanks for the write-up. Your prototype had plain paper or if laminated was not sealed around the edges. (See Alex’s comments.) As production gears up I will have sealed colorwheels. They are easy to replace.

I also have some ideas for a scale. My personal solution is to carry a good baseplate compass in my right hand for distance measurements and precise bearings.
-Joe

Birth of the ThumbNail Compass

The Suunto Arrow 5 is not the sturdiest baseplatewise but has the advantage of a super-fast and stable needle and resistance to developing bubbles.

If the baseplate breaks it's a shame to see the capsule go to waste. Loose capsules can be used on a mapper's board or a bike map holder. But what would it take to continue it's life as a thumb compass. I've had many customers echo what James is saying about having the thumb right on the map or dealing with odd angles of the different baseplates. If the baseplate is irrelevant, all you really need is a small capsule like the Arrow 5 right on the map. As with the standard baseplates, the needle is aligned with the magnetic north lines of the map and the lines on the housing are in line with the direction of travel.

It's pretty easy to attach the thumb band that came with the compass to the capsule using a nylon cable tie. That's really all there is to it. Refinements such as adjusting the alignment of the lines on the capsule and making a background dial gives a professional looking and functioning product with a gross tonnage of .4 oz.



This one has a color wheel dial, admittedly something of a knock off. Speaking of which, how long will it be before you see a Silva or Moscow version of the ThumbNail? Maybe it has already been done but if not, make a guess as to when it will be done and a free Scarborough Orienteering version will go to the closest guess. If memory serves it was not long after the Scarborough Thumb Magnifier appeared some 9 years ago that Silva and Moscow came out with their versions. Maybe just coincidence....



Add a second strap and you have a wrist compass.

-Joe

The "ThumbNail" Compass

The initial test run with a prototype of the new ThumNail compass.

Pros

• Placement is in view but not in the way
  
• Track location with thumb (not plastic base)
  
• Weightless and stable

Cons

• Not for setting bearings
  

What Compass?

We went for a training run on Thanksgiving weekend at Bon Tempe Lake in Marin County, California.

I forgot I was wearing the compass as soon as I started.  It was there when I needed it and imperceptible otherwise.  It functions as a map orienter and for rough bearings, perfect for advanced orienteering.

Use the Thumb

Thumbing the map is standard operation for me.

And I've always been particular about the fit of a thumb compass: Can I point at what I want given the plastic base?  Different compass brands have different form factors.  The ThumbNail takes that ergonomic out of the equation because you are pointing with your actual thumb. Furthermore the capsule and non-existent base plate do not obscure the map.

• Recommended for advanced/elite orienteering where map work and rough compass is the name of the game.
  
• Not recommended for learning bearings.
  
• Will be appreciated by map-thumbing purists.
  

Now, can the Scarborough Orienteering magnifier be adapted to this minimal design?

Inov-8 MudRoc 280

Overall
The Inov-8 280 is a perfect all round shoe for orienteering, off trail, and single track running. (More photos)

Pros
Super light-weight but solid upper. Outsole of grippy studs (rather than pointy claws) for great motion control. Excellent traction on most every surface including loose gravel, grassy hillsides, and other typically slippery surfaces.

Cons
Slightly less traction on heavy duff compared to 270 MudClaws.

Test Comments
We took the 280 out to the Joaquin Miller test course in Oakland, California. I was immediately impressed on the pavement and trail sections: Great snug fit and control whether jogging or sprinting fast tight turns.

The 280 "spun out" more on our redwood duff traction test. We ran around a tree really fast and see if the shoe could hold on. Swapping over to the 270, I confirmed the 270 gave marginally better traction. However, on other loose surfaces of gravel and slick grass, the 280 is better. Inov-8’s “Sticky Rubber” composition outsoles are nice and grippy and give a good confidence.

We confirmed the Inov-8 280 traction with an orienteering run out at Indian Valley in Marin County. I felt great wearing these 280s whereas the 270s sometimes feel too minimal. On my foot they have a nice tight grasp of the heal yet the right amount of room in the toe box. Also, no heal slip going up a hill, like I've experienced with other Inov-8 shoes.

Shoe Choice
My line up of Inov-8s: Choose the 280 for best all-around orienteering/terrain shoe. Choose the MudClaw 270 or 330/340 for orienteering racing (super-light vs. control, respectively). Choose a conventional cushioned running shoe (I do Nike) for weeks of pavement and packed trail training.

I can add that I think these Inov-8s are a better practical choice than the venerable VJ Integrator for all terrains except ice and wet rock. Tungsten tipped spikes are a great/necessary confidence on those surfaces. Hopefully Inov-8 will improve on the 340 to provide a solid solution in the spiked category.

Homemade Battery Booster for ForeRunner 205/305

A common complaint about the FR 305 is the short battery life. If you are really handy, here is one way to address that problem.

"Yes, it does make an already a big watch look down right ridiculous, but it doesn't bother me after a few minutes of wearing it" says Warren, the inventor. See the discussion at GarminF Yahoo Group

Should be no problem when mounted on a bike. This one by Brad Culberson is used only for re-charging. http://www.bradculberson.com/blog/?itemid=107

Head Cam Video at Camp Scherman in LA

The orienteering head cam was back in action at Camp Scherman!

James ran the Green Course on Day 2 at LAOC's event in the San Jacinto Mountains outside of Los Angeles. The video and GPS track are synced up on VeoGeo using the same O-Gear as used at Spring Lake. My route is also sketched over the orienteering map in RouteGadget:

• VeoGeo video and GPS track
• RouteGadget

The area was quite brushy but runnable. It took a calm concentration to just read the map, decide on a route, and execute confidently. The first day on Blue I didn't take the time and definitely was not in the flow. Day 2 I decided to run green to conform better with my (lack of) fitness these days. Taking safe routes and just pushing through with patience seemed to do the trick.

xxx

Bike Map Holder Review

Review:
http://www.racingwithgiants.com/WordPress/?p=50

The holder is available from Scarborough Orienteering with Velcro attached map case.
http://www.orienteer.com/supplies/

Head Cam Video of Sprint Orienteering Race

What happens when you combine sprint orienteering with a head cam, a GPS watch, and the new VeoGeo site? A maniacally breathless mashup!

The action is from BAOC's sprint orienteering event held at Spring Lake Park in Santa Rosa, California on September 17, 2007. The video captures controls 1-7 of James' race.

By the way, Spring Lake Park will play host to the 2009 USA orienteering team trials for the Sprint discipline.


Here are the links:

• VeoGeo: (synced YouTube video and Gmap)
• O-map: (scanned jpeg, so you can armchair orienteer along the way!)

The digital o-gear, as assembled by Joe:

• Head cam consisting of Cannon SD630, foam, and elastic. It fits pretty snug actually. Started slipping a little after control 8. Original video capture is better than the YouTube compression.
  
• Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch with heart rate monitor. Easy to operate, falling in price.

James' standard o-gear
(some pictured in this post and previously, others glimpsed in the video):

• Brunton Jet6L thumb compass,
• Scarborough-O magnifier,
• First test of the new Scarborough-O "dsh-vv" description sheet holder (I usually use Silva's holder purchased in Sweden),
• Trimtex V-Neck all-mesh top (2005 USA uniform),
• AxisGear Atak pants,
• Neoprene socks, and
• Inov-8 270 orienteering shoes.

Note: On VeoGeo/Google Maps the registration of the imagery appears off ~15m to the west. The track checks out OK on other geo-referenced maps.