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+++ title = "跑鞋2021｜Puma新世代Velocity Nitro 氮氣助加速放慢方見盲點" date = "2021-07-24T00:29:18+08:00" type = "blog" banner = "img/banners/banner-3.jpg" +++

## 跑鞋2021｜Puma新世代Velocity Nitro 氮氣助加速放慢方見盲點

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近年各大運動品牌都紛紛加入跑鞋界的「超物料戰爭」，務求製作出緩震與提速兼備的高性能物料，令跑鞋科技急速躍進。今年年初，Puma終於搬出了他們的新世代方案，一口氣推出了Deviate、Velocity、Liberate和Eternity一系列Nitro跑鞋。它們共通之處，就是注入了全新的氮氣中底技術，提升中底的運動效率。雖然所謂氮氣跑鞋，不是賽車遊戲般按個掣注入氮氣，瞬間提高引擎功率，在大直路高速直奔終點。但依然令我好奇，Puma這種「氮氣加速」的概念，到底「咩葫蘆賣咩藥」呢？

文、圖：楚戶三

測試鞋款：Puma Velocity Nitro（按圖放大）

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綜合評測（5★為最優秀）

緩震：★★★☆☆

透氣：★★★★★

舒適：★★★☆☆

反應：★★★★★

鞋款簡介

今次我得到的，是Nitro系列中的Velocity款式，顧名思義，是一款速度型的跑鞋；由於今個系列，Puma以氮氣中底技術為主打賣點，未上腳前，我已忍不住拿上手把玩一番，看看那個注入氮氣的中底，拿上手跟一般物料有什麼不同。首要印象是這款跑鞋非常輕，輕得完全不符目測的預計重量。細看中底的物料結構，實在有點像發泡膠，但用手指「搣一搣」，又覺得質感非常堅韌。據品牌的資料所示，這塊名為Nitro的中底，就是製造時透過注入氮氣，令物料之間形成大量氣泡，影響當中的密度結構，令它的重量比傳統EVA，輕46％。但同時間，又因為氮氣擁有穩定物理結構的特性，密度下降也不易影響中底的形態，反正就是集輕、韌、彈於一身。

今年Puma終於搬出了品牌新世代的跑鞋方案，一口氣推出了多款Nitro系列跑鞋。

鞋子的整體設計其實相對簡單，鞋身以雙層Engineered Mesh組成的結構，組成相對傳統的跑鞋輪廓，跟充滿科技感的中底一比，明顯看到品牌希望用家先將目光和體驗，專注於中底的性能之上。事實上，Velocity Nitro中底只有一半用了剛才提到的Nitro氮氣物料，下半部其實還配用了Pro-form light。這是一種Puma已經採用了好幾年的物料，擁有快速反應與穩定的腳感，兩者的配合比例，令跑鞋跟近期其他品牌的出品比較，其緩衝與靈活之間表現擁有非常鮮明的特色，這一點在試後感方面再加以分享。

Velocity Nitro是針對速度的款式。

另一個鞋子外觀上的特點，就是中底跟部設有一塊外露的TPU導流板，位置夾在兩種中底物料之間，用作增強步伐間的穩定性，落地時腳感更踏實。此外，它還有導引氣流的功用，結合流線的鞋體結構，以及全泡綿鞋領收緊腳踝，令鞋子的貼合度非常高，可降低跑步時的空氣阻力，令步伐更流暢。而且這種強調後跟配置的設計風格，亦令鞋子的外觀更富時代感。

鞋子外觀上的特點，就是中底跟部設有一塊外露的TPU導流板。

最後就是外底方面，採用Puma自家的PUMAGRIP橡膠製作，相同之下雖然沒有太大驚喜，都是一貫Puma跑鞋的常見配置，但是這種以混合橡膠製作的材質，抓地與耐磨度向來都有保證。配以前後掌有別的坑紋顆粒，分別針對著地與提速表現的輔助，都是慣常的手法。要知道抓地這回事，實用就夠了，向來都沒有什麼「致命問題」的話，都再沒必要太過賣弄花巧了。

UltraBOOST 21改變超預期歷代最具誠意媲美元祖經典

實測超厚底ZoomX Invincible 跑感輕盈寓養腳於練習

細緻解構Puma「氮氣跑鞋」（按圖放大）

試後感

利申，這次跑鞋測試結果並不太完整，原因是測試前幾天，我參加了一個港島區的Virtual Trail Run，由鰂魚涌經渣甸山、紫羅蘭山、孖崗山，前往赤柱。太概走了一半左右，一不小心就「拗柴」了，只好忍痛兼腳踝不能扭動之下完賽。事後腳腕腫脹，寫這份跑鞋測試時還未消腫，所以近日練跑都只可維持Recovery Run，未能真正測試Velocity Nitro的真正速度。

十分喜歡Velocity Nitro的全泡綿鞋領，提供舒適又穩固的包裹度。

慢跑歸慢跑，總叫對這個針對中底性能的鞋款有點體會，打從穿上鞋子開始，已經感覺到氮氣Nitro Foam與Pro-form light的組合所帶來的獨特腳感。雖然它的中底都有32毫米，但是觸地的反應卻清晰得驚人，一方面Nitro Foam的氮氣中底能夠發揮出不俗的緩衝效能，另一方面Pro-form light使中底近地面的部份相對堅挺，令腳掌接觸地面間的感覺非常爽快，甚至有點似十多年前，長跑界還是流行「薄底、貼地」跑鞋時的腳感，令觸地時的反應更實在，提升換步的效率，這是很明顯的傳統快鞋感覺。

觸地的腳感很實在。

雖然它絕非當今流行，令人直接感覺到回彈又養腳的「超物料」。它相對硬得多，但如果跑手並非要求養腳長課，而是希望以它作為速度課，甚至穿來在比賽中追時間，這種快鞋和新時代緩震技術間的跑感，平衡得不錯，肯定不乏喜好者。加上鞋子的包裹度非常充足，鞋身設計偏向修長，收緊鞋帶後，全泡綿鞋領亦可完整貼合腳踝，不會出現屈曲變型的狀態。PUMAGRIP外底的抓地性能亦十分理想，猶如令鞋子成為腳掌的延伸，能夠充滿發揮和感受到鞋子的性能，同步率極高。

主要問題是，鞋身偏向繃緊，尤其是前腳掌。

然而，雖然我沒有真正試過穿上Velocity Nitro做速度課，但是單單Recovery性質的慢跑，多少也體現到鞋子的盲點。最明顯莫過於用以製作鞋面的雙層Engineered Mesh，雖然其網布按照腳程的散熱位置編織，令透氣度非常不俗，卻偏向繃緊，彈性一般，穿起來未跑已見鞋子兩側略為緊迫。本來這配置令鞋子結構更穩定，減少變形，既可節省體力，亦令腳伐更加流暢。弊在東亞人種的腳掌，通常都較西方人為闊，即使收緊鞋身中央兩側的尺寸可以接受，到了前掌位置卻會變得太緊，尤其在跑了一段時間過後，肌肉開始膨脹，這種情緒會更加明顯，令我對其舒適環節上大大扣分。

「01測試」有持續更新跑鞋評測評分：（按圖放大）

總括而言，我總是認為鞋子的好與壞，只在於穿上它的目標。例如長課，個人認為這種鞋身結構對多數東亞跑手而言，要我穿它跑個十、二十公里，實在「不了」。但如果純粹想穿它作速度課，這種氮氣中底的表現非常不俗，加上鞋身穩定，對轉向、提速等大動作也游刃有餘，腳掌貼合鞋子整體的包裹感，猶如「人鞋合一」，感覺實在，非常爽快。所以，Velocity Nitro絕非全能型的跑鞋，但如果「跟足說明書」，好好善用它本身性能定位上所針對的目的，我認為還是個不錯的選項。

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## What is God up to?

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For some people, life just kind of happens. For others, there sure seems to be some divine guidance — and maybe a little grandparently influence — in the direction they go.

Such is the case for Jeff and Lea Brooks, Salvation Army lieutenants who serve at the ministry in Mount Airy.

The couple have served in Mount Airy for a little more than three years, having come to the local Salvation Army post in June 2017. Their family has also grown along the way, with 2-year-old Jeffrey and another child on the way, due this autumn.

The two met while in college at Mars Hill University, not far from Asheville, where their desire to serve was quickly evident. In fact, each was attending the college on a Bonner Scholarship from the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation. Similar to many scholarship programs, it is based on demonstrated merit of the applicants and financial need, but an equally important component is commitment to community service. Bonner scholars are required to complete 10 hours of community service each week while in school.

“A lot of that work was with the Salvation Army in Asheville,” Lea said recently.

Although she had grown up just outside of Atlanta, Lea had ties to both the Salvation Army and the Asheville area — her grandparents were long-time officers with the Salvation Army, retiring from the mission in Asheville.

“We already had the love to serve,” Jeff said, adding that working with children, youth, and other people through the Salvation Army and other organizations “meant a lot to me.”

The longer they were in that community, the more they became involved with various ministries. Lea, in particular, was drawn more into the work of the Salvation Army.

“The officer there…asked me if I wanted to help,” Lea said of her first opportunity to take on more responsibilities there. She was excited about the chance, seizing on the offer.

“My first job with the Salvation Army was volunteer coordinator and Angel Tree coordinator,” she said, excitement bubbling up at the memory. Lea, she makes clear, really enjoys working with Christmas programs, and that first work with the Salvation Army was right up her alley, though a little overwhelming at first.

“She literally just handed me a folder with all the files in it,” and that was her introduction to the program. “I had to learn as I went,” she said of overseeing the program.

Jeff explained that was no easy feat, given that the Christmas Kettle program there included 25-30 locations.

From working with Christmas programs, Lea gradually began taking on some of the ministry’s human resources, or HR, duties.

“I became the HR assistant volunteer coordinator and events planner,” she said, with a laugh at the length of the title. “I enjoyed it, I was looking to go to school to do more with HR.”

Along the way, Jeff was working in various positions. He spent a year as a teacher, and while public school teachers aren’t allowed to overtly proselytize, he said it was not at all unusual for some of the kids to come up to him and ask if he was a Christian. “They could see that in me.”

Though he was no longer teaching at the time Jeff was still working with kids through the Boys and Girls Club while Lea was moving more toward what she thought would be a career in HR.

By this time, others around them had suggested they consider taking on the role of professional ministry through the Salvation Army.

“People started talking to us about officership, but we just wanted to be good church members, good soldiers,” Jeff said, adding that to consider going into full-time ministry, he needed to hear the call from God.

That came soon enough, in a way that the two said it was clear, this was truly a calling.

Lea said she was at an HR conference one day, then was driving home when she felt God reaching down to her, and she can still recall the words that came to her mind, as if planted there. “I don’t want you to just work for the Salvation Army. I want you to lead. I want you to be an officer.”

While she didn’t actually hear the words, she said it was clear they were coming from above.

As life often is, that day was far too packed with tasks and schedules for her to be able to talk with Jeff about the calling, or even mention it to him in passing. Unbeknownst to her, Jeff had his own interaction with the Almighty that day.

“I was at a men’s camp in Denton, and they had an alter call. I went up, I said to the Lord ‘whatever you want me to do.’”

He got his answer quickly, knowing almost immediately that God was calling him to full-time ministry as a Salvation Army officer.

That was a Wednesday, and the two of them had been apart — separated by more than a hundred miles — all day. They hurried home to make it to church services that night, and during the service Jeff said he leaned over to his wife: “I’ve been called to lead,” he whispered.

The two of them said Lea turned to her husband, smiled and replied “I have something to tell you.”

“I thought I was in trouble,” he said recently, laughing at the memory and his nervousness over what her reaction was going to be.

That night, he learned her “something” was that she had received the same call that day.

Soon enough, the two had left Asheville and were in Atlanta, taking part in a two-year Salvation Army seminary program, and then they were sent to Mount Airy.

Unique challenges

The Salvation Army, and its leadership structure, is different from other churches and ministries in many ways, among them being so involved in distributing food, clothing, and other assistance to the needy, in addition to preaching, teaching, and counseling on spiritual matters.

“I’ve heard it said, and it makes sense, that we’re bi-vocational,” Lea said when discussing the challenges of the ministry. “We do the administrative work of a church, we do the administrative work of a non-profit, but we do the ministry…as well.”

One of the keys to their ministry has been the support they have found in Mount Airy.

“We’re really blessed here,” Jeff said. “We have a top-notch staff,” with a great deal of experience. Within the ministry portion of the operation, he said the person with the least tenure has been there 18 years.

One surprise they had upon moving to Mount Airy — a nice surprise given Lea’s love for the holiday season — is the size of the local Christmas effort, particularly the annual Christmas Angel Tree program, which served about 1,900 local children and teens last year.

“That was kind of eye-opening,” Jeff said. “Most small towns this size might serve 400 to 500.”

“I love it,” she said. “We have such a supportive community here.”

Another challenge not faced by most other ministers is the possibility of being transferred to another location. While the Brooks have been in Mount Airy for more than three years, they both said the Salvation Army regularly transfers its officers from one location to another as a result of retirements and the occasional person leaving the ministry.

“That usually happens in April,” Lea said of the reassignments. On the third Sunday of April is when it often occurs.

“You’re sitting by your phone shaking like a leaf. If you get the call you know you’re moving. If you don’t get the call, you’re staying,” Jeff said.

While they’ve enjoyed their time in Mount Airy, and eagerly look toward much more ministry work for months, and even years to come, the couple said they both have to prepare as if they will be moving every spring.

“I’m expecting a call in April,” she said. “If we don’t get the call, that’s great. But we’ve already began to do some things, to get things done that we’d need to finish up if we do go.”

Ultimately, though, the couple said they leave it up to the Lord to determine where they will serve. That’s how they ended up joining the Salvation Army, it’s how they found Mount Airy, and they believe it’ll be how they find their next post — even if that post is another year, or more, in the Granite City.

## Inhabitants of a promise

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