The bulk of my miles in 2009 were done in La Sportiva Fireblades. The shoes that I used second-most were probably the Vasque Celerators pictured here. The Celerator — and the women’s version, called Momenta — were “the other” shoe in the Vasque performance lineup last year. I’m referring, of course, to the long shadow cast by the shoe’s slightly older sibling, the award-winning Aether Tech. After its 2008 launch, the AT quickly won over many trail runners as the very epitome of a willing, versatile shoe. A true all-rounder. The Celerator/Momenta is in essentially the same mold.
Fraternal Twins
(Full Aether Tech review here.)
In my recent review of the La Sportiva Raptor, I expressed surprise at how much difference in trail manners there can be between two shoes that appear, at first glance, to be almost exactly alike. With the Aether Tech and the Celerator, the reason for surprise cuts the other way: the two shoes look dissimilar yet behave almost identically.
In fact, the only differences between the two shoes are, by and large, cosmetic. Essentially, the Celerator is the Aether Tech for runners who prefer traditional laces (at a lower price point). Click here to see what I mean. See many differences there? Same last, same sole. The only differences are in the upper: the Celerator is a bit more airy; the AT has the Boa system. The end.
This is not to say the difference between the Boa system and traditional laces is insignificant. I personally like the way the Boa system applies an even, uniform hug to my foot. Some people still prefer traditional laces. Different strokes and all that. But the main point remains the same: the Celerator performs almost exactly like the Aether Tech.
My Opinion
These are a “baby bear” shoe for many runners: juuust right. The Arc Tempo last is a true medium fit, neither snug nor spacious. The Aether Tech sole offers middle-of-the-road cushion and protection, neither very firm nor spongy. They are light enough for race day and tough enough for everyday. When I run in them, I rarely think about them at all, which is a pretty high compliment.
We Barely Knew You
For better or worse, the lifespan of the Celerator/Momenta turned out to be only slightly greater than that of the mayfly. As so often happens, the younger sibling seems to have suffered in comparison with the flashier older sibling and hasn’t gained widespread adoption in the market. With the launch of the Transistor, the Celerator is likely to fade even further into the background. So it came as little surprise when I learned that this is the last season the Celerator/Momenta will be produced.
This puts WRC in a bit of an awkward position. On the one hand, we really like the shoe and still have quite a few of them in stock (especially the men’s Celerator). On the other hand, we fully understand the reluctance on the part of most runners to start up a relationship with a shoe when they know it will only be for the short term.
One way we attempt to be different from the GGGs (Giant Gear Generalists) is to always be mindful of this sort of thing — to always take into account the best interest of real trail runners, rather than just throw a bunch of SKUs out there and let the chips fall where they may. As a trail runner, I understand the frustration when a good shoe comes and goes this quickly. There’s no point in sugar-coating it.
So we’ve decided the best way to resolve the dilemma is to offer our remaining inventory at a low price. By lowering the bar this way, we hope the shoe is viable (1) as an introduction to the world of trail-specific shoes for beginner trail runners, and (2) as a secondary (or tertiary) shoe for the trail runner who, for whatever reason, likes to own more than one shoe at a time.
Specifications
Vasque #s 7586, 7587 & 7588
Width: Medium
Actual Weight: 362 grams / 12.8 ounces (men’s size 10.0)
Upper: Synthetic nubuck, TPU weld, Airmesh nylon
Midsole: EVA w/ high rebound heel and forefoot inserts
Outsole: Vasque Aether
Footbed: Dual Density EVA
Celerator Store Page (Men’s) >>
Momenta Store Page (Women’s) >>
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