Trail Runners

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Trail Shoes - Stability Control? (Read 265 times)

    What is up hippies?  Anyways, does pronation control matter at all in trail shoes?  I have seen different things online and I was wondering what the opinions were here. 

    HappyFeat


      I don't understand the question. Could you rephrase it?

      Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done. 

      Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.

        Sorry, fixed.  Meth makes me a little dyslexic.


        Kalsarikännit

          I definitely think so for the longer races. You won't find trail shoes labeled as stability or not like you would with road shoes, but you will find some added medial post stuff. You may have to dig through reviews to see what shoes have a more solid base. I love the LaSportiva Crosslite 2.0s. They definitely aren't heavy motion control shoes, but they prevent me from running like the biomechanically unefficient trainwreck that I am. Of course if you want to be cool you have to run in .000004 ounce, -3mm drop shoes because you like the "feel" of sharp rocks piercing the bottom of your feet.

          I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

           


          Kalsarikännit

            Meth makes me a little dyslexic.

             

            I'm pretty sure you can get away with road shoes for evening jogs around the trailer park.

            I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

             

            HappyFeat


              I haven't read anything on this topic, so you probably know more than I do. It may depend on how bad your pronation problem is and what your comfort level is like for trying to go without. I think people have to see what works for them.

               

              My right foot pronates badly and I have worn orthotics and motion control road running shoes (Brooks Addiction) for over 12 years with complete success. Upon taking up trail running last spring and looking at buying trail shoes, I decided it would be wisest for me to wear a motion control trail shoe and I got the North Face Double Track.  I love the shoes, have run about 200 miles in them, and have not had any problems to do with my right foot falling in.

               

              Have you read that there is something different about running trails that eliminates the need for motion control shoes in someone who needs them on the road? I have to say I probably wouldn't make any changes personally because of it, but I'd be interested to hear what the discussion is.

               

              MTA: So I just looked up the Sportiva shoe you mentioned, WG, and it doesn't say anything about stability or motion control in the description...??

              Don't make excuses for why you can't get it done. 

              Focus on all the reasons why you must make it happen.

                I am not talking about Motion Control shoes per se (I actual run in medium stability shoes Saucany Guide, Brooks Ravenna, etc)  I am just asking about the benefit of stability features on trails.   What I have read is that is doesn't matter because your foot falls are so irregular, but I was curious what people's experiences have been.


                Kalsarikännit

                  MTA: So I just looked up the Sportiva shoe you mentioned, WG, and it doesn't say anything about stability or motion control in the description...??

                   

                  Yeah, that just came from digging into reviews from people who reported that it is more stable than the original Crosslite, which is a great shoe, but I didn't think I would do well in. I think all this applies just for the longer races. Just like you can get away with a nothing racing flat for a road race, you can get away with less at a shorter trail race. I have a big, messy Euro-style XC race tomorrow and will be racing in Montrail Bajadas.

                  I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                   


                  Kalsarikännit

                    I am not talking about Motion Control shoes per se (I actual run in medium stability shoes Saucany Guide, Brooks Ravenna, etc)  I am just asking about the benefit of stability features on trails.   What I have read is that is doesn't matter because your foot falls are so irregular, but I was curious what people's experiences have been.

                     

                    I'm sure on uber-rocky east coast trails this may be true, but how many of your runs are through rock gardens? Fireroads and smooth(-ish) single track will still cause you to roll your foot in. I wear the Guides as my day-to-day shoe and I find that there is benefits to more stable trail shoes.

                    I want to do it because I want to do it.  -Amelia Earhart

                     

                    TrailProf


                    Le professeur de trail

                      Salomon Crossmax comes in a stability version.  I run in Asics 2100 series and Brooks Ravenna and went with the Salomon Crossmax stability.  Works well for me. 

                       

                      I think if it's what you need, stick with it.  It would matter once on flat trails or less rocky stuff.  If the trail was pure jagged rock stuff then there's probably not a whole of fast running anyways. 

                      My favorite day of the week is RUNday

                       

                       

                      MadisonMandy


                      Refurbished Hip

                        Who let you out, Velcro?

                         

                        I agree with what has been said already.  I wear heavy motion control shoes on the road, but have worn totally neutral (La Sportiva Wildcats) shoes up to 50K.  For longer than a 50K, I like having more stability and will wear my Montrail Mountain Masochists.  (Jason also wore those shoes for his 100, I believe.  They're very popular.)

                        Running is dumb.

                        xor


                          I'm sure on uber-rocky east coast trails this may be true, but how many of your runs are through rock gardens? Fireroads and smooth(-ish) single track will still cause you to roll your foot in. I wear the Guides as my day-to-day shoe and I find that there is benefits to more stable trail shoes.

                           

                          Building on Wrigley's words, not responding to dispute...

                           

                           

                          I wear stability shoes on roads... Adrenaline and Ravenna mostly.

                           

                          I run in Cascadias (chunky, but no stability whatzit), Grit (just weirdass shoes), and Cabrakan (chunky, with stability stuff).  You really want to match surface with shoes.  Anyway, I generally prefer my Cabrakans to the Cascadias.  I can run technical 50k-50m w/ fair amounts of gain in either, but my achilles and feet-in-general hurt more after runs in my Cascadias.  A bit.  But I notice the difference more on the more gentle trails.  The closer it gets to "road", the more I prefer my stability shoes.  And frankly, sometimes I just wear my road shoes.  Depending on where you are, trail shoes may not be necessary anyway.

                           

                          ymmv 

                           

                            Who let you out, Velcro?

                             

                            Apparently this new forum does not monitor where we go.  Go figure.

                             

                            Thanks for the feedback all.  Simply matching shoes to actual terrain makes a lot of sense.  Of course this means owning a lot more shoes --- my wife is not going to be happy about having to get a second job.

                            xor


                              Or you could just wear your road shoes on everything, which will likely be fine except in some bad ass rocky stuff or when it is super duper slick.

                               

                              But I definitely recommend the 'shoe collector' approach. 

                               


                              Trail Dog

                                I am not talking about Motion Control shoes per se (I actual run in medium stability shoes Saucany Guide, Brooks Ravenna, etc)  I am just asking about the benefit of stability features on trails.   What I have read is that is doesn't matter because your foot falls are so irregular, but I was curious what people's experiences have been.

                                 

                                I wear mild stability Guide and Ravenna on the road, and find that some medial posting (aka "stability") in trail shoes works best for me. For rocky/technical or longer trail runs, my go-to shoe is the Montrail Mountain Masochist. For shorter runs that still have some technical bits, I wear Montrail Bajada. For non-technical short runs (like on Chicago's ever popular bridle "trails"), I just wear my road shoes.

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