Faster Than Your Couch!
Just discovered that my shoes have holes at the toes and a crack on the bottom of the sole. I need new trail shoes, but I have totally lost track of what’s on the market.
I like rather minimalist shoes, like the old Brooks pure grit, zero or low drop, but I’ve also been running well in older Cascadias, before they turned into almost road-like shoes. As long as they are responsive and let me feel the trail, the cushioning is not that important. I’m lightweight, so I don’t need a rock plate.
My trails have have lots of rocks and roots, lose soil mixed with smaller rocks, and wet, slippery rocks and roots. Some mud, but not much, sometimes creek crossings.
Shoes es need to have good traction on wet surfaces.
Suggestions? What are you running in?
Run for fun.
Sue
I love my Soloman Sense Trails but they are not low drop. My friends seem to love the Ultra Timps that may fit what you are looking for.
05/13/23 Traverse City Trail Festival 25K
08/19/23 Marquette 50 dns 🙄
Altra Lone Peaks are zero drop, roomy toe box, and pretty minimalist. Good lug soles. But Altras have very inconsistent sizing so I'd recommend trying them on in real life before buying. I usually wear 9 but in Lone Peaks, I'm 8.5 and in another Altra shoe (can't remember which one, maybe Timps?), 8.5 was too small.
I keep a pair of Altras in the rotation because I think the variety is good for my feet and legs, but my go-to shoes are Asics 2000 or Brooks Cascadias, i.e. not minimalist. Asics soles are pretty wimpy but adequate.
5/11/24 Grizzly Peak Marathon, Berkeley, CA
7/20/24 Tahoe Rim Trail 56 miler, NV
9/21/24 Mountain Lakes 100, OR
Refurbished Hip
I absolutely love my Altras for road running, but they just don't work for me on technical trails. They feel way too sloppy. Too much lateral movement. But the toe box is so wide and dreamy.
I'm in trail shoe limbo myself. Montrail got bought out by Columbia and ruined the Mountain Masochists. I've tried on so many pairs of shoes it's ridiculous at this point. I'm wearing the Topo Terradventues these days, but they're not perfect. They do have a wide forefoot and a narrow heel, which is the shape of my stupid feet. 3mm drop. Mine are the first versions and they suck on wet rock. Supposedly they updated the sole to Vibram and it's better now, but I haven't tried them myself.
If you like the Cascadias, you could try more Cascadias, but people don't seem to love the newer versions. A shoe fairly similar to the Cascadias (8mm drop, I think) is the Nike Zoom Wildhorse. I also have a pair of these, but they're slightly narrow for me. But I do like the feel of them on the trail.
I don't like Salomons because of the stupid speed lace thing.
Oh, and of my experience lately is just hiking, not running, but I feel like that doesn't make that much of a difference.
Running is dumb.
I’m on the other end of the spectrum, lots of cushioning. Asics gel nimbus road shoes that I wear on most trails. Hoka Challenger ATR for tougher trails.
tbd.
I ran for years in the trail versions of five fingers. Traction and ground feel were great. I have moved on to sandals, but the doubt you want to be that minimal. You might try the Merrell Trail Glove. I think it is a great blend of minimalism with some structure of a standard shoe.
January , 2022 Yankee Springs Winter Challenge 25k
Le professeur de trail
Minimalist huh? Just go barefoot. Your trails are not that technical.
My favorite day of the week is RUNday
My go to shoe lately has been the Altra Timp. It's a step up in cushioning from the Altra Lone Peak. I need to try a pair of Lone Peaks again but the last pair I had did not feel right on my foot. Very strange since I size up with that model and Altra is known for roomy toe boxes. My only complaint with the Timps is the upper seems to tear more quickly than I would like. You might look into the Innov8 trailroc as those shoes have some serious lugs but I heard the company was sold so not sure on the status of their products.
In dog beers, I've only had one.
That's what I figured, too. Just got to appreciate my non-technical trails this morning, on my way up and down the mountain.
Thanks for the input, everyone. Seems like I might try on some Altra shoes (I've been considering the Lone Peak a while ago), and the Innov8. They are just not on the shelves in my LRS, and I'm a bit apprehensive ordering them online in different sizes and returning all except for one single pair. But it seems that's where I'll have to go.
Like Mandy, I need a bit more room around the ball of my foot, and have a very narrow heel, which makes it a challenge to find a shoe that fits like a glove for my non-technical trails. I always go by feel - if it feels absolutely natural, almost not noticeable, then it's right for me. No sense in trying to "get used" to a shoe for me.
I'm a bit apprehensive ordering them online in different sizes and returning all except for one single pair. But it seems that's where I'll have to go.
I do this ALL the time at Running Warehouse. They've never said anything and I continue to give them a shit ton of business, so I don't feel badly about doing it! Free shipping and free returns....you can't go wrong. Good luck on your shoe quest!
Trails
I love my Peregrines for trails but I got some Altra Timps and they worked great except on the wet rocks covered with moss. My new Altra Torins run small. Normally am a 7 but should have got a 7.5. I go back and forth between 4mm and 0mm drop. I also have some Saucony Kinvera for treadmill or road running.
Oh and I have no LRS so I order all mine on line. Never issues with returns.