Weight 338g
Evaluation Avia possibly makes some of the best shoes you’ll never see. That’s because after a brief re-appearance in 1999, the company had distribution problems in the UK. But it’s back, initially with a high-mileage stability shoe.
The 2079 uses Avia’s dual-cantilever system in the rearfoot to provide stable cushioning (essentially two flexible hemispheres compress against each other to create a soft sweet-spot). The stability is backed up by a conventional second-density medial post.
We only had one wear-test pair of the 2079s, and the tester found them to be the kind of shoe you could easily put on and forget about. The cushioning and stability were not extreme in either way, and the tester felt the 2079 could easily have come from a bigger brand. Should you go out of your way to find it? You probably don’t need to, as there are so many exceptional stability shoes at this price; but if you come across it you wouldn’t be wasting your time to try it out.
In short If you need a serious, protective stability shoe it’s hard to think you’d be disappointed by the 2079. It’s simply very competent.
Try it on if you liked Asics GT-2060 (£70);
Nike Air Structure Triax (£70)
