What are Paper Jamz?

Paper Jamz Guitar

No, it’s not what happens when the copy machine eats the 25 page contract you’re trying to copy.    They’re actually a small and thin duplication of an electric guitar.

The Paper Jamz come pre-programmed with different songs you can play along with, either in solo or rhythm mode.  They’re sort of like a stand alone version of the popular video game Guitar Hero (which The Hot Gift Guys Love!)

The coolest part about the Paper Jamz is that they have a freestyle mode, which lets you create your own songs and rhythms (can’t do that with Guitar Hero!).

With several different guitar styles available, each with different songs available to play along with, there is certainly a Paper Jamz that will keep your child entertained.

The Reviews

Of the reviews we saw, most people seemed to be pleased, and their children quickly learned how to operate the toy, and play with it.

Keep in mind that you’re not getting a real guitar by any means.  But we think it’s a great way to get your child interested in music, and let them have a little fun playing guitar.

At just under $30, the Paper Jamz make a great inexpensive Christmas Gift that your kids will really enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

P.S.- Check out the Paper Jamz Drums, Paper Jamz Amplifiers and other accessories and you can get your child an entire rock band experience for Christmas!

Why you ask?  Because they simply didn’t stack up to the MBT, Skechers, or AVIA’s.  There were fewer reviews, and frankly, they all looked like mere copy cats in the face of the others.

The Ryka

Ryka Toning Shoes

At a cost of $45 to $120, the Ryka Reform Athletic Toning Shoe seem to be more of a comfortable workout shoe than a toning shoe (this is a series on the hottest toning shoes ).  Those positive reviews we did find, all sounded good, but made little or no mention of any toning benefits to the shoes.

The Reebok EasyTone

Reebok EasyTone Toning Shoes

With Reebok being a trusted name in shoes, we actually had higher expectations.  Of all the shoes we reviewed, the Reebok EasyTone shoes were the only ones who consistently had bad reviews on the quality of the product.  Apparently the “Balance Pods,” that are the center of their toning design, have a bad tendency to Pop, creating a “flat tire” situation.  And there were several reviews that stated this – It’s not an isolated occasion.

At a price of $60 to $100, these shoes had too many negative reviews reflecting the quality of the product for us to be comfortable recommending these shoes.

New Balance Rock and Tone

New Balance Rock and Tone Toning Shoes

The New Balance Rock and Tone shoes seem to be a decent middle of the road shoe, although they don’t have the “hotness” factor that the other shoes have.  Of the few reviews we saw, they seem to live up to their claim of being toning shoes.

They are priced between $60 and $120, and seem to be a decent shoe, if you prefer the New Balance brand.

The Results

First, we’d like to say that we’ve really enjoyed this series, and we hope you’ve enjoyed reading it as much as we did writing it.  There are some really amazing toning shoes out there, and The Hot Gift Guys (who can sometimes be a little cynical about all the hype), have found that some of those shoes really are what they claim, or more.

Our favorite toning shoes are (in order of Hotness Factor):

1. MBT
2. Skecher Shape Ups
3. Avia Avimotion
4. New Balance Rock and Tone
5. Ryka
6. Reebok Easy Tone

If the hottest toning shoes are on your wish list this year, there are definitely some great choices out there that can not only make for a more comfortable New Year, but they may even help you accomplish some of your New Year’s Resolutions!

Merry Christmas!

P.S. – We definitely recommend the MBT’s over all of the other toning shoes we studied.  If they’re in your price range, we’re sure you’ll be pleased!

The History

MBT Women's Toning Shoes

The story begins with the creator, Karl Mueller who realized on a visit to Korea, that walking over padded fields and soft sand relieved his back pain.  He then began a mission to create a shoe that simulated that effect.

And the MBT’s were born – Masai Barefoot Technology that is – designed to mimic the way the Masai of Kenya walk over uneven ground.

The Anti-Shoe?

Why do we tell you all this?  Because it is the primary selling point of the MBT’s.  They are marketed heavily as the shoe to improve posture, relieve foot and back pain, and increase energy.  In fact, the only claims they make to being Toning Shoes is that it is a nice side effect of wearing the shoes.

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the MBT shoes are carving out their own niche, without trying to ride the fad wave of being the hottest toning shoes.

They are on their own mission – to help people live better, more comfortable and productive lives by selling a superior product that they know will make a difference for their customers.  This is why they claim to be the Anti-Shoe.

And we have to agree.  Their website proudly proclaims it, and supports their claim.  As do all of the positive reviews we read (We didn’t find one negative review).  The anti-shoe…interesting.

MBT Men's Toning Shoes

The Claims

• Wearing MBT’s significantly improves your gait and posture and relieves pressure on your joints and back.
• Wearing MBT’s exercises a large number of muscles, whether you’re walking or standing.
• Wearing MBT’s, stimulates your metabolism, burns extra calories and speeds up muscle regeneration.
• Wearing MBT’s can have a firming effect on abdominal, leg and buttock muscles.

Based upon everything we could find regarding the MBT’s, these claims are accurate.  In fact, (and this is somewhat hard to believe) we got the impression that the MBT’s are not hyped enough.  The sales efforts seem to be very humble, matter of fact and to the point – a refreshing change in an overhyped world.

Sticker Shock

The only Pitfall we found was the $100 to $200 price tag for the shoes.  Admittedly, a little hefty for a pair of shoes, but everything we saw said they were well worth the money, and were built to last.

So, between the huge selection of styles, the quality craftsmanship, the excellent salesmanship and straight forward mission, The Hot Gift Guys have to say that the MBT Anti-Shoes are indeed The Hottest Toning shoes this year!

Merry Christmas!

P.S. – Be sure to order ½ size larger – the MBT’s run small like the Skechers – Unlike the Skechers though, MBT plainly advertises it up front.  Honesty – we love these guys!

AVIA Avi-Motion Toning Shoes

AVIA’s website sells the shoes for between $60 and $150 dollars, depending on the style you prefer.  As is generally the case, Amazon sells them for considerably less, making this the way to go when you purchase online.

Our research indicates that the price of AVIA’s toning shoes is slightly less than the Skechers, but their selection is much smaller.

We also found AVIA’s website much less useful in finding information and facts about their toning shoes.  This was a huge disappointment from a major company that is trying to compete in a very competitive market.

Aside from the limited selection and lack of information, we only found a few complaints about the Avi-Motions.

The Complaints

The only real complaints we found were the shoes causing unexpected muscle pain in the feet.  Similar to the Skechers, The Hot Gift Guys suspect that this is due to the nature of the shoes, and their unconventional design intended to work muscles that do not get worked in conventional shoes.

The Features

AVIA is not as explicative about their design features as the Skechers are.  They claim to have a specially designed shoe with negative heel engineering, forefoot flex grooves, an Archrocker® shape, and the Shear Cantilever® System, which help get your muscles working.

From what we can tell, this all adds up to imitating walking on soft sand, as the Skechers also claim.

AVIA also claims their unique design helps to create a forward momentum while walking, making it more desirable to continue walking.

The Positive

Based on reviews, the claims are accurate.  The desire to continue walking is increased, and the shoe design makes them comfortable to be in for hours at a time.

We also found a few reviews that the Avi-Motion Toning Shoes reduced back pain, an indication that they also help improve posture.

Unlike the Skechers, there were no independent studies to back up the claims made by AVIA, and there was no warning to wear the Avi-Motion for short periods of time when first purchasing the shoes.

Another interesting note was that there were markedly fewer reviews for the AVIA Avi-Motion on Amazon.  This is an indication that there are fewer buyers who are impressed with these shoes.

Thus far in our quest for the hottest toning shoes, The Hot Gift Guys have got to say that overall, we are more impressed with the Skechers Shape Ups.

Merry Christmas!

P.S.- We still have a long way to go in our quest for the hottest toning shoes.  Stay tuned for more fabulous reviews!

Skechers Shape-Ups for Breast Cancer Awareness

All the major shoe companies have jumped on the bandwagon and are now making their own unique versions of toning shoes, and they are all going to be Hot Gifts This Year.

The only question is, which toning shoes are best for you?  That’s where our in depth research and studying will come to your aid.

However, we realized when we started researching this trend, that we could not do you justice by cramming all the information into one post, so we’ve made it a series.

Stay tuned as we share all the information (the good and the bad) that we find about each brand of toning shoe.

To wet your whistle, we’ll start by telling you that the hottest toning shoes this year are (in no particular order, yet )

Some of Today's Hottest Toning Shoes

• Skechers Shape Ups
• Avia Avimotion
• Ryka
• Reebok Easy Tone
• MBT
• New Balance Rock and Tone

Merry Christmas!

P.S.- Don’t miss our full coverage of today’s hottest Toning Shoes, it’s sure to be sole-full