Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor has reviewed 16 shoes in the Next Pair catalog. Below: their verdict on each, with a source link to the full review on their own channel.
Road racing 4
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: It's a buy — first 10K in four years, raced wet Boulder Boulder, no complaints on traction or fit. Loved it enough that he's now thinking about a 5K race specifically to use it again.
Best for: 5K racing primarily; capable up to 10K but at the edge of its range.
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: After using the Vaporfly 4 for 3x1 mile track repeats, Seth was pleased with the cornering, lockdown, and breathability and would 100% use it again for another track workout.
Best for: Track workouts and shorter races where breathability and a narrow, light, fast platform matter
-
"It's slimmer, it's trimmer, it's leaner" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: A leaner, lighter, more aggressive Vaporfly that the reviewer raced in and likes for shorter, faster efforts; the lower 6mm drop and aggressive plate are a tradeoff that may feel less ideal for racing than the previous version's 8mm drop.
Best for: Racing 5K to 10K and track workouts (mile/3K repeats) for runners who want to be in charge of the shoe rather than have the shoe do the work
-
"I'm not feeling a ton of Bounce" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: A great value carbon-plated racer at $225 with solid breathability and a dual-density midsole — performs well but doesn't feel as bouncy as some alternatives.
Best for: Best value carbon marathon and half marathon racer, also works as up-tempo training shoe
Easy / recovery 4
- HOKA Bondi 9 ▲▲
"felt snug through the midfoot" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: A genuine surprise: the updated midsole makes the Bondi 9 feel meaningfully better than prior Bondis, and he'd pick it over the Vomero 18.
Best for: Maximalist daily training and comfort-focused runners, including those who loved prior Bondis
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: A pleasantly surprising max-cushion daily trainer with reactive CloudTec compression — the reviewer would buy it again at full $180 and prefers it to the Cloudsurfer through the gait cycle.
Best for: Road marathon training and high-mileage daily training for forefoot strikers who want a stable maximalist ride.
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: Seth gave it the 'relegation whistle' — the ZoomX ride is still special but a redesigned heel counter caused persistent slip he couldn't lace out, and at $180 he'd send people to the Invincible 2 instead.
Best for: Easy and long runs at slower paces for runners who don't have heel slip issues
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: Cautionary preview after the first run: the heel got narrower and lost padding, causing pronounced slip that costs you push-off power. Tells viewers to make sure they have a return policy and points them at the Invincible 2 instead.
Best for: Easy runs only — and only if you can lock the heel down
trail light 3
-
"a booty style collar" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: Seth would 100% buy it again and sees it as a major step forward for La Sportiva — much softer, more modern stack, while retaining the brand's technical grip.
Best for: 50k and longer trail races (15+ miles), including 50-milers and even 100-milers for many runners.
-
"it does feel a little narrow" — Seth James DeMoor
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: Seth felt good running a 30-mile, ~4,800-foot vertical trail effort in the Speedgoat 7, noting he could have pushed to 37-38 miles.
Daily training 3
-
"supportive, cushioned, comfy, stout" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: An upgraded Vomero that moves in the right direction — supportive, durable, stable, and a better daily-trainer pick than the Invincible for runners who found the V3 too soft.
Best for: Higher-volume runners wanting a supportive, dense daily trainer with longevity (expected 500 miles).
-
"not as soft or bouncy as the Invincibles" — Seth James DeMoor
-
"still feels like a rebel under step" — Seth James DeMoor
Seth James DeMoor notes: Seth says the v4 keeps the Rebel fun factor and gets lighter with a wider, more stable base, but he personally misses the loose forefoot-striker feel and the heel flare of the v2/v3.
Best for: Tempo days and short road races (5K) for runners who want a lightweight trainer with a wider, more stable landing
Long run 1
-
Seth James DeMoor notes: An unhesitating buy at $150 — beefy, stable daily trainer that just gets the job done; carbon H-plate adds a bit of energy return and the Hyperburst Ice midsole is plush yet not unstable.
Best for: High-volume daily training and long runs where leg-saving comfort matters
trail ultra 1
-
"buffed out type of Trail shoe" — Seth James DeMoor
Best for: Buffed-out trails and trail races with road sections rather than highly technical terrain; possibly too much shoe for a 10K, 10-mile, or half marathon trail race.