Another Vic 2 vs. Vic Elite thread - can you tell the difference?

I own the original Victories and I love them. I did a few 200's in my friends elite's to test them out. I do like them more, it feels less like a piece of plastic on your foot and has a nice springy-ness to it.

That being said, I'm not sure if paying $180 is worth it for most people.

Also, if you watch Rupp's 3:50 mile this past weekend...I'm pretty sure he is NOT wearing victory elite's (someone correct me if I'm wrong.) Not a ringing endorsement, and price is of no consequence there obviously.

That springy-ness is what I'm looking for, now I just need to hear if that springy-ness is noticeably different between the 2s and elites. The cost is outrageous (you can get it for much cheaper, like 140, if you look around), but if I were buying spikes purely for utility vs. cost I'd stick with the black/volt vics I bought for indoor for 40 bucks.

It looks like Rupp was wearing Volt Elites but admittedly I can't tell for sure and I wouldn't be surprised if he weren't.

Disregard that last part, that colorway looks like the old black/volt vics from the side, I wonder why he opted for them instead...

It seems as if the old victories look more like a 3000m shoe where as the current victories look like a 800m shoe which is FAR too stiff. as a LD runner myself, I use the victory 1 for the middle distance stuff and use the matumbo for the longer stuff

Here are my views:

A) Can someone verify the new victory and matumbo won't rip as easily?

B) Can someone tell a difference in the material of the shoe?

C) Can someone tell a difference between the upper material of the original and new versions of each spike?

D) Can someone verify if the new Victory spike is stiffer than the old one?

Ah come on. This is difficult. So many questions with the word "stiffer"

////????//// wrote:

Here are my views:

A) Can someone verify the new victory and matumbo won't rip as easily?

B) Can someone tell a difference in the material of the shoe?

C) Can someone tell a difference between the upper material of the original and new versions of each spike?

D) Can someone verify if the new Victory spike is stiffer than the old one?

I can at least elaborate on the new upper. The upper is now a mesh material and the flywire is no longer bound along its entire length to the upper. Now it (ideally) does what it's supposed to do since it's free to stretch taut and relax. I've heard good things about the dynamic flywire in the new Matumbos and Vics, so I think that at the very least the upper is highly improved. It looks more durable because of the mesh but I don't think anyone can say for sure at this point how long you can expect the spikes to last.

Also the OG vics are definitely not 3k spikes. They can be used in the 3k with great success, but the average runner is going to want something less aggressive. I remember my first 2 mile in vics... my calves were sore for a week. The vic elites were originally advertised as mile spikes iirc, but now it seems like they're simply replacing the range of the original vics.

It's not the shank, they both have a carbon fiber shank. Like the mamba and the victory xc. The victory elite's PLATE itself is multilayered carbon fiber, which provides more springiness. The victory 2 has a regular Pebax plate. Other than the spike plate itself, there is no difference, although 60 dollars is hyped up a bit. You could buy the raw carbon fiber needed for two shoes, plus some extra, for 20 less. Then just drill some holes and put some spike receptacles in it. Hey, I just got an idea!

Why on earth would someone ranging from 200m to 800m want an all-purpose spike? You do have time to change spikes don't you? Here's what you do. Buy a pair of the original Victorys which are now on sale for 40 bucks. Anyone who tells you there's a significant difference between them and the Vic 2s has swallowed too much marketing. Next, buy yourself an equal pair of sprinting spikes. I'm sure the same kind of deal exists where the older model is significantly reduced because they're busy peddling the new cool stuff to kids spending their parent's money. Next, refocus your attention on something that's slowing you down that doesn't have a monetary solution.

hdfcgvh wrote:

Why on earth would someone ranging from 200m to 800m want an all-purpose spike? You do have time to change spikes don't you? Here's what you do. Buy a pair of the original Victorys which are now on sale for 40 bucks. Anyone who tells you there's a significant difference between them and the Vic 2s has swallowed too much marketing. Next, buy yourself an equal pair of sprinting spikes. I'm sure the same kind of deal exists where the older model is significantly reduced because they're busy peddling the new cool stuff to kids spending their parent's money. Next, refocus your attention on something that's slowing you down that doesn't have a monetary solution.

Thanks for your extremely obvious advice, but I'm just looking for a comparison between the two new vics from someone with experience wearing both. If every purchase I ever made were a question of pure pragmatism, I'd drive a prius, never go out for dinner, stick with my OG vics and Japan Lite-nings, and live an efficient and boring life. Now let's get back on topic.

Thanks to the other poster, I didn't realize the entire plate was a different materials. I still don't have a sense of whether it feels noticeably different, though.

hdfcgvh wrote:

Why on earth would someone ranging from 200m to 800m want an all-purpose spike? You do have time to change spikes don't you? Here's what you do. Buy a pair of the original Victorys which are now on sale for 40 bucks. Anyone who tells you there's a significant difference between them and the Vic 2s has swallowed too much marketing. Next, buy yourself an equal pair of sprinting spikes. I'm sure the same kind of deal exists where the older model is significantly reduced because they're busy peddling the new cool stuff to kids spending their parent's money. Next, refocus your attention on something that's slowing you down that doesn't have a monetary solution.

Thanks for your extremely obvious advice, but I'm just looking for a comparison between the two new vics from someone with experience wearing both. If every purchase I ever made were a question of pure pragmatism, I'd drive a prius, never go out for dinner, stick with my OG vics and Japan Lite-nings, and live an efficient and boring life. Now let's get back on topic.

Thanks to the other poster, I didn't realize the entire plate was a different materials. I still don't have a sense of whether it feels noticeably different, though.

If you want to throw pragmatism(and your money) out the window, that's your perogative. But then why did you frame your question under the guise of practical thinking? You're saying that the vic elites could be the perfect all-purpose spike but all-purpose spikes are never used with "perfect" in mind. They're always a compromise made to save money for new runners who don't know what to specialize in yet. If you know that you're running the 200, 400, and 800 then stop dicking around and get two pairs of spikes. That's not a pragmatic decision, that's a performance one.

rupp was wearing original green/white victorys

Sorry I provided somewhat irrelevant context about myself, I'll avoid that in the future so bitter posters don't have ammunition against my decisions.

Well, I have heard that the plate is quite a bit more bouncy, maybe you can be propelled forward a bit more, as if you are running on a very very slight downhill (like 2 inches over 100m) But honestly, the difference performancewise is negligible. Maybe a couple of seconds off a 3200. It's one of those things that just "feel" better, or things that make the shoes "feel" much faster.

buy elites, unless if you also run 3200, then go vic 2

Pro(fligate) wrote:

Sorry I provided somewhat irrelevant context about myself, I'll avoid that in the future so bitter posters don't have ammunition against my decisions.

Sorry for revealing your thinly veiled attempt to rationalize fanboy spending.

I will admit I am 100% a nike fanboy and that no reasonable person needs elites, sorry if I gave the impression that I was trying to justify this purchase as in any way necessary. In fact, my name is supposed to be making fun of my irresponsibility with this purchase. I simply have a passion for spikes that makes this purchase worth it for me, as well as some money burning a hole in my pocket and a looming graduation that makes me think I deserve to treat myself. So if you're satisfied yet with your pedantry then please drop it, you've made your point: I'll never again post anything implying that I'm comfortable with my decisions, lest someone take issue with it.

Thanks for the bumps though, hopefully someone who has tried both of the new vics will finally see this thread.

OP YOU GOT OWNED LOL

vic elites on fttf for $70 before shipping/taxes