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Trail Shoe Guide – Summer 2010
By Kevin Fonger, Endurance Sports Media Group
July/August 2010
With more and more stress added to our lives every day, sometimes road running doesn't always offer all the peace of mind that you are looking for. There is something about running on trails that pushes you to the next level where you don't care about anything else except keeping a smile on your face and making sure you have the right foot placement. The miles and pace that are run typically don't matter; it's more about the time you're out on your feet and enjoying nature.
Even though trail running can offer more than road running in many people's eyes, it is important to have the right equipment. One of the most important pieces of gear includes the shoes you wear. Trail running shoes typically have a few features that are different from your typical road shoe. For starters, the tread on a pair of trail shoes is usually much more aggressive than a pair of road shoes. This gives you added traction for side-to-side movement as well as keeping you on your feet while on the ascent and descent. Trail running shoes often include rock plates in the midsole to keep your feet from feeling every bump; this is good for longer runs when you don't want your feet getting too fatigued. Other features include toe bumpers to help you keep your toenails, a protective layer to keep dirt getting into your shoes which can weigh down your shoes and make your run uncomfortable, and, last but not least, trail running shoes just look cooler than road running shoes.
For Spring 2010, there are some new trail running shoe players, shoe constructions, technologies, and designs. The best shoes for you depend not only on your running style, but also the terrain you will be venturing out into. To find the best shoe for you, use our review and try before you buy to ensure you get the most out of your time on the trail.
Happy trails!
Columbia Ravenous
Men's Weight 12.2 oz. / Women's Weight 10.2 oz.
MSRP $90
www.columbia.com
Trail running can be one of the most fun activities for runners, but having the right kicks can make or break your day. We tested the Columbia Ravenous trail running shoes on the rocky, rutty, muddy, slushy, and uneven trails and while we were used to the usual suspects in the trail running industry, Columbia has been able to make a big splash delivering a great trail running shoe. The Ravenous is best used during warmer conditions as they are very airy with much of the upper being covered in mesh. When getting these shoes wet in the mud, they dried extremely fast which helped on our longer runs where weight becomes as issue. One of the features that sets the Ravenous apart from the rest is the material used in the heel and upper called Tech Lite. This material has a sponge-like/foam feel to it and conforms to your foot, giving you a snug secure fit. The most notable feature is the amazing traction system on the Columbia Ravenous. With multi-directional traction lugs, we found ourselves completely secure on every trail we encountered. This shoe does tend to be less beefy than your typical trail shoe, but this did not get in our way of enjoying the trail. Overall, we were extremely happy with the Columbia Ravenous and highly suggest you giving it a try.
Salomon XT Wings 2
Men's Weight 13.4 oz. / Women's Weight 11.5 oz.
MSRP $130
www.salomonsports.com
In pursuit of outright flight, we've made a number of daring attempts at the impossible in the XT Wings 2. These shoes are built from top to bottom for all-around trail running, and yet they don't sacrifice all the bells and whistles to get there. Literally going from the ground up, Salomon features its "Contragrip" outsole. This combines a number of directional lugs with toe-off and heel-in zones; the overall effect is a more streamlined pattern to help you tackle multiple terrain types. We put this to the test and ran on every surface we could find, from slick muddy trails to dry rocks, gravel roads to pavement. We were surprised at how versatile it felt. Salomon completely does away with tried and true EVA foam with their AC Chassis system, combined out of AC muscle, AC tendon, and AC skeleton. The thought is to use materials which mimic the motion of the human body in order to increase response time. In short-it works. For those who hate socks, Salomon threw in their "Ortholite" removable liner, which has an anti-microbial coating to reduce and eliminate odors. While we prefer the sock route, we did feel comfortable without them over shorter distances, and didn't immediately develop blisters. Pop culture drinks overloaded with caffeine and sugar don't give you wings . . . but Salomon does.
Montrail Rockridge
Men's Weight 11.4 oz. / Women's Weight 10.0 oz.
MSRP $90
www.montrail.com
Montrail's latest addition to their trail running fleet is designed for the go anywhere, do anything mindset. For those of you who can't decide where to run until you step out the front door, this shoe is for you. Heavily featured is Montrail's new Integrafit Technology. It involves a much snugger fit around the mid-foot, with a secure yet soft heel cup. These shoes had great cushion, and were comfortable for mid- to long-distance runs. For those seeking some pronation control, the shoes are good for mild pronators only, but do have more correction than most trail shoes. As for grip-these shoes were comfortable on multiple surfaces, switching easily from trail, gravel, and road. Due to the lack of toe protection, our favorite runs in these shoes involved a mixture of fast, smooth trails and gravel surfaces. The new Gryptonite rubber sole has large, widely spaced treads that adhere well to wet and/or muddy surfaces, and the upper dries well in warm conditions. If you are looking for a well balanced "do anything" sort of shoe, the Montrail Rockridge is a great option.
Vasque Transistor FS
Men's Weight 10.8 oz. / Women's Weight 9.0 oz.
MSRP $100
www.vasque.com
At first glance, the Transistor FS appeared to be nothing more than a glorified road shoe-no large, ridiculously grippy lugs, no extremely heavy heel cup with an overly high back, no large plastic toe bumper. Where was all the tech? This is a trail shoe, right? Out of the box, we were skeptical-the initial feel was way, way too light to be a trail shoe. Weighing in at a skimpy 10.8 oz, Vasque stripped away all of the typical trail running shoe features and asked, "How do we do this better?" This was achieved through a combination of new tech and race inspired designs. Equipped with the "Immerse 360 Last" Vasque used a single piece of material in order to eliminate the need for a separate foot bed. The result feels remarkably stable in all conditions, but takes some getting used to. The integrated foot bed used a combination of the "Flux Foam Strobel" and WaveForm S/C midsole in order to create a much closer feel for the ground. The entire system is called "Footsync" and is designed to get you more in tune with the trail without sacrificing cushioning. Over short fast runs, this was the case. While the "RocknRolla" Foot plate does a good job of protecting your foot from those all-too-prevalent baby heads, over long distances we found ourselves missing the stability of a heavier shoe.
Pearl Izumi SyncoFuel XC
Men's Weight 10.9 oz. / Women's Weight 10 oz.
MSRP $110
www.pearlizumi.com
Although Pearl Izumi has long been known as a great cycling brand, they have also proven themselves in the trail running category with the SyncroFuel XC. The SyncroFuel XC features an updated take on PI's seamless upper, with overlay welds separating more structural upper materials which make the midfoot more secure from the open mesh, which gives the forefoot great breathability. Overall, we love the fit and feel of this shoe's upper--it hugs like a glove and feels super secure thanks to loops for every lace and reinforcements at the top eyelets. We do feel that the waist of this shoe is relatively low-volume, and that with a bit more room this shoe could accommodate runners with higher insteps and wider feet. The Fuel line gets mild pronation control from a medial side plastic syncroFrame device, which adds great mild stability without much added weight. The XC gets a protective toe cap and a carbon rubber outsole with deeper lugs for added durability and traction on the trails. The lugs aren't aggressive enough on this shoe for super aggressive terrain, but it is superb on fire roads and smooth trails, and can absolutely handle the road as well as it does the trail, unlike some models with more aggressive outsole patterns. The midsole features a nice up sprung forefoot and is thick and plush but feels very responsive.
New Balance 876
Men's Weight 12.3 oz. / Women's Weight 9.5 oz.
MSRP $100
www.newbalance.com
With the 876, New Balance continues to improve upon their already award winning line of versatile trail shoes. Supportive yet not bulky, the MT876 is the go-to shoe for those looking for a great mix of speed, durability, and support. Definitely not a stability shoe by any stretch, the 876 seeks to provide just the right amount of cushioning for longer distance, easy trail, and training runs. We tested them in a number of conditions, from steep rocky runs to easy, winding, and smooth runs. The 876 is currently foregoing the traditional large lugs for more compact studs-we didn't notice a large loss in traction and felt comfortable in all but the sloppiest conditions. The nice part is that this made the transition to road and hard pack all that much easier. For the outsole, New Balance kept the "Abzorb" system for this year with "Rock Stop" tech in order to keep your forefoot and arch protected from sharp, jagged rocks-it continues to work well-keeping even our most tender tester's feet from feeling too beat up. As for new tech, New Balance added a "Debris Free" construction to the shoe, which is simply to say that the tongue is integrated into the last - it keeps those annoying thorns out. Some of us felt that the large T-shape to the tongue was a little excessive, but it did its job efficiently, and wasn't uncomfortable. New Balance continues to use the "Sure Lace" system, which adds spherical bulges to the lace, keeping the lace tight and secure during even the most hardcore runs.
The North Face Single Track
Men's Weight 11.5 oz. / Women's Weight 11 oz.
MSRP $100
www.thenorthface.com
The North Face Men's Single Track is perfect for those of you who live in the city and find yourself hitting the pavement on your way to the local trails at the edge of town or within a local park. The Single Track is a lightweight trail running shoe that provides a good amount of cushioning while running on pavement and easily transitions to gravel/crushed limestone paths, fire roads, and mild single track. The Single Track is designed for the runner who wishes to escape from city running by providing comfort on uneven terrain and extra traction that you don't find in a regular running shoe. This shoe has a neutral last and is designed for runners who don't overpronate and need little structure or support. A typical road trainer is highly breathable and often allows small rocks and sand to find their way into your shoe. We were thankful that the North Face added a scree collar and tight weave mesh to keep those pesky rocks and dirt particles from getting into our shoes, which comes in handy when running on dry and dusty paths. We tested these shoes on rocky single track trails and the shoe left something to be desired; our tester reported that the shoe provided minimal toe protection (no beefy bumper), mild stability, and little protection from sharp rocks/ruts. However, we were more pleased with this shoe on more less rugged and well-beaten trails.
Merrell CTR Cruise
Men's Weight 13.4 oz. / Women's Weight 10.8 oz.
MSRP $110
www.merrell.com
Whether you are a dedicated trail runner who hates the pavement or a weekend trail running warrior, the Merrell CTR Cruise is a performer that is hard to match. We tested these shoes on a number of different terrains and found them to perform best on the uneven rocky or rutted surfaces. With the beefy Merrell G3 and Gait Phase cushioning, we had no fear when it came to running on sharp and jagged rocks. To add additional comfort, Merrell added an Ortholite sock liner with Outlast, which gives you heat management and better cushioning for your feet. For the minimalist, you may want to look somewhere else as this shoe does have more bulk (approximately 26 oz./pair) than most other trail runners. Though it is not a good fit for the minimalist, it is a great option for those who like a little more cushioning and protection on long runs on the trail.
La Sportiva Raptor
Men's Weight 14 oz. / Women's Weight N/A
MSRP $110
www.lasportiva.com
Long known for its hiking and mountaineering equipment, La Sportiva has been a staple of outdoor adventures for years. It's no surprise that its "Mountain Running" series is as solid, durable, and feature packed as everything else they make. Introduced as the newest addition to its racing series, the Raptor definitely lives up to its reputation. We immediately noticed the upper construction-the Raptor has a "gator" that stretches across the forefoot in order to protect you from collecting all those annoying twigs and sticks that lodge themselves in your socks on long trail runs; it worked like a charm, and didn't seem to affect bulk or flexibility. The heel cup was definitely inspired by the Sportiva boot line, being somewhat firmer than traditional trail shoes, and the EVA midsole was firm without causing discomfort. This was all placed on top of Sportiva's "Frixion" outsole with IBS (impact brake system); this technology is designed to be ultra sticky and provide traction on all surfaces. We tested this shoe in snowy and ice packed conditions and, while no shoe is going to track on ice, the Sportiva Raptor got about as close as you can without toe picks. Overall, we were pleased with the supportive yet responsive way the Raptor felt on all trail runs. Kudos to La Sportiva for rethinking the overall design of what a trail shoe needs to be. The bottom line-most trail shoes feel like beefed up road shoes; the Raptors felt like a pair of day hikers with wings.
Brooks Cascadia 5
Men's Weight 12 oz. / Women's Weight 10 oz.
MSRP $100
www.brooksrunning.com
The Brooks Cascadia has been a favorite of trail runners around the globe, and the new Cascadia 5 won't disappoint. We been testing the Cascadia model for years now and it just gets better and better. We tested this shoe on all types of terrain and, while these shoes do the job on hard packed trails and pavement, we found these shoes are best suited for the more rugged and rocky trails. The midsole is not only super soft, yet durable, it is also made of Brooks' proprietary Bio Mogo which speeds up the shoe in biodegrading. The upper is made of a synthetic material that can handle sticks, rocks, mud, or any other abrasive object. If you are looking to replace last year's Cascadia, we give you the green light to buy another pair and if you are in the market for a change from other trail running shoes, we highly suggest you take a look at the Brooks Cascadia 5.