Gear Talk:René Grincourt

Gear Talk:
René Grincourt

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May 24, 2024

Gear Talk:
René Grincourt

René Grincourt, Founder and Creative Director of Karma8a, was born and raised in Paris. He’s a climber, a coffee addict, a dog lover and a multidisciplinary artist. René has also worked for various other brands such as Arc’teryx, Adidas, The North Face, and Evolv.

VX2000

The VX2000 was the first video camera I’ve had and it’s still the one I’m using everyday. I love it because it has a built in Superzoom and Colorimetry. I use it to record my life and my friends. It’s not significantly better than other VHS but I do have a very personal connection to it.

Unparallel Climbing Shoes

Unparallel has always been my favorite brand for climbing shoes. Their look is clean and aesthetically pleasing. I mostly use them for bouldering but they are a good allrounder as well. These shoes help me to follow my passion.

Asics Gel Nimbus 9

In my opinion, these are just the coolest sneakers out there. In my everyday life, they keep my mind and body sound.

Yashica T5

The Yashica T5 is has a super nice 35mm lens, it is reasonably priced and super solid. It’s my everyday camera, the first point and shoot I’ve had. It’s simple, fits in my pocket and perfectly does it’s job. I use it for photography projects as well as capturing moments in my everyday life.

Penco Notebook

I like carrying a notebook around to plan and organize my life. This specific one is made in Japan, it’s super small and easily fits in my pocket. It helps me to keep track of my to do’s, my bucket list and my training plan.

WORDS & IMAGES by René Grincourt

Use Case

Intended use case by the brand, broken down into three categories: Trail, Road, and Race

Cushion

The softness of the shoe’s sole, determined by it’s use of foam. More cushioning increases the level of impact protection while running with minimal cushioning comes closer to a natural running experience (e.g. barefoot). Since there are different types of foams, the equation of “the more foam the softer” does not always work. It is crucial to consider which type of foam it is. Ranging from Hard to Super Soft.

Padding

The amount of padding in the upper. Ranging from No Padding to Very Padded.

Flexibility

The ability to flex when compressed from heel to toe and when twisted. Flexibility and Stability are highly interdependent. As a rule of thumb you can say: the more flexible, the less stable. Ranging from Stiff to Flexible.

Stability

The amount of support provided to the natural rolling movement of the foot. The main factors influencing stability are the sole’s construction and its width. The construction of the upper and the type of lacing can also add to stability. Special Lacing is not considered within this category. Ranging from Free to Supportive.

Traction

The ability of the shoe to maintain stable contact with the ground, mostly determined by the construction of the sole. Added components from external brands such as Vibram or Megagrip can highly influence traction. Ranging from Slick to Very Grippy.

Breathability

The overall mesh density of the upper. Ranging from closed to open

Propulsion

The amount of forward pushing energy return determined by the construction of the sole. Various sole types can add a propulsive effect to the sole such as a Rocker construction or a carbon plate in combination with an energy-returning foam. Ranging from Relaxed to Aggressive.

Drop

The difference in height from heel to forefoot. Ranging from 0mm to 12mm.

Stack Height

Width

The shoes overall width at its base. This category only refers to the upper to provide information for the overall fit. Ranging from Narrow to Wide.

Width

The overall weight of the shoe. For comparison, we always use the weight of size US 9 for men. Ranging from Ultra Light to Heavy—Ultra Light (<240g), Lightweight (240–280g), Medium (280–320g), Heavy: (>320g).

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