The Gear Institute, the nation’s largest network of expert gear testers, announced its “Best in Class Awards” for 2014.
Hoka One One nabbed “Best Road Running Shoes” for its Huaka style, which the Institute said showed well above average durability overall in its 2014 lab test. Brooks top honors in the “Best Trail Running Shoes’ category for its Cascadia 9. The Institute said the Cascadia 9 is “right in the sweet spot of not too firm and not too soft” and offers a smooth ride and decent turnover.
Gear Institute co-founder and executive editor Justin Nyberg said, “We strive to conduct the most trustworthy and credible field testing of outdoor products for consumers. Our expert team tests products head-to-head against each other, and bases our awards on pure performance in the field——nothing else.”
The Gear Institute Rating is increasingly recognized as one of the most dependable, transparent, and consumer-friendly online rating system for outdoor gear. In total, the Best in Class distinction was awarded to 45 outdoor products that achieved the highest rating in their category.
This year, the Gear Institute tested 362 products in more than 45 categories—from skiing to running to fishing—using objective testing criteria, head-to-head testing, and laboratory data.