NB 921 Winter trainer -- first impressions (Read 555 times)

FINALLY got my pair...first pair were the same size (8D) as EVERY other pair of NBs I have ever worn...but these run a half size small. Had to wait for forever for special order on 8.5D. But they were worth the wait. I did just a shortish run out in the slush and wet snow without the spikes (used the plastic blanks in the spike holes), since I wanted to see how they respond in comparison to my other shoes on both snow/slush and asphalt. We also don't have too much ice at the moment, since it has been a bit above freezing for most of the past couple of days...lots of salted and sanded slushy snow on the roads with some bare and wet areas. The stability is nice...feels similar to the 902. Definitely not as stable as the 767, so I think even a neutral runner could probably use these comfortably (my MIL is a high-arched neutral and just ordered a pair, so I will be interested to see how they work for her). Nice flexibility, warm, fairly water resistant as I splooshed through some slushy puddles an inch or two deep. Great grip on the wet pavement and pretty good on the wet and slushy stuff (much better than that of the 767 or 902). Nice cushion, though I swear the forefoot on the 902 feels softer--could be that these just feel different because they are a heavier shoe with much more substantial tread. The only cons of the shoe that I have found are that they are a bit wide though the heel, though nothing that creative lacing won't fix (I'm not using the top-most eyelet, so I can do the lace-lock method for a snugger rearfoot fit). I also don't care for the chunky heel, since I have become pretty accustomed to the minimal heel of the 902, but I'm sure I'll get used to it. And the little plastic blank spikes are garbage. Less than 4 miles and they are all worn...not sure it will be easy to get them out. I'm going to get some steel blanks ASAP, since I know I won't want to have regular spikes in these all the time (I'll likely only use the spikes when snow is particularly new and deep or the roads have a lot of ice cover on them). I'm eager to run in these with the spikes. I've never worn spikes on a shoe, so that will be an entirely new experience for me. Overall I'm very satisfied and I think these shoes are really going to make our long MI Winter more bearable. I'm hoping to be able to maintain higher mileage weeks than I did last Winter as I slid all over the place and had associated aches and pains. k