This pair of GEL-Noosa Tri 8's is my sixth pair of Noosas. While the Tri 6's will probably always be my favorites, I still like these shoes and prefer them to my two pairs of Tri 7's. These shoes are fairly light yet are supportive, which is important for me as I weigh around 220 pounds, and typically run about 40 minutes to an hour a day (I am a slow, noncompetitive runner, averaging 9-10 minute miles.) I like the mesh upper carried over from the Tri 7, and I do think the cushioning absorbs shock very well; there are two pairs of laces provided, the conventional pair of many hues, and a yellow pair of elastic laces. I don't care how long they take to don or doff and won't comment on that, but I can say that I find them comfortable to run in, though I find the position of the tongue a bit uncomfortable as it is sewn to the sidewall of the shoe. As with my other Noosas, I have cut the tongue loose which allows it to better center on my foot.

Of course Noosas are notorious for their garish color schemes and glow in the dark features, and the Tri 8's in the onyx, black, and confetti palette is no exception: at the very least these will get you noticed and I can't begin to estimate how many compliments (or comments in some cases) I have had over the years about these shoes and their forefathers. My only negative comments are that for those with slightly wider feet the conventional laces are a tad too short, and the tongue seems a bit less padded compared to earlier generations (the latter point is quite subjective as I have to rely on memory.)

I like these shoes and have no issue recommending them. If you want supportive shoes that can take a beating and still look outlandish, these are at the top of the heap.