First impression of the new Reebok ZPrint 3D – it looks brilliant! Admittedly, I’ve always been partial to shoes sporting bright, highlighter “Look over here” colours. As soon as I slide it on, this lightweight bad boy stimulates the impulse to run, and run fast. The mesh upper provides adequate breathability so you don’t feel like you’re removing a soaked bath sponge at the end of your run.

Albeit lightweight in design and the upper being almost entirely mesh, the Reebok ZPrint 3D (R1 599, reebok.co.za) offers ample support all around the foot. You’ll find this particularly noticeable around the heel, so feel free to run like Achilles without stressing about the vulnerability he had. Despite the enforced support around the heel, the low cut under the ankle allows for full freedom of movement without that irritating chafe that all too often plagues the underside of a runner’s ankle.

One flaw I can’t get past, however, is how the tongue is integrated into the inner of the shoe, and I don’t know if this is specific to my pair or to my feet, but I can feel it – a lot. It presses against the inside of the foot in a manner that cannot be overlooked, and requires the odd readjustment with the index finger.

Overall, an awesome pair of shoes! With its eye-catching design and compliment creating (literally!) appearance, to the featherweight feel and cushioned sole, your feet are encased in a cocoon set for performance. On your marks…