Pete
I recently did a good bit of scrambling while on a high pointing trip in New England. I found that my Brooks Cascadias were good for a lot of it, but really wished for a bit more lateral support and a bit more protection on the side of the forefoot. I really don't want to go to a full on hiking boot and wonder what might be available in a trail runner that might meet those needs. A light hiker might also work, but in the past I have not had a great time finding one that works for me.
It seems that it is a bit tricky to find just enough shoe for that kind of conditions.
I have a wide forefoot and a more narrow heel. The Cascadias through the 9's have generally been a good fit but the Cascadia 10s seem tight on the forefoot compared to previous models.
Think I prefer a trail runner to a light hiker, but am open to trying light hikers as well if necessary. It would be nice if it were a shoe good for scrambling that was still ok for some running.
Any suggestions?
TrailTromper
Tallahassee, Florida
Tim
Following.
I used the Mizuno Wave Ascend shoe for many years but they discontinued them and I didn't like their new trail shoe.
Inov-8 shoes have worked well for me on scrambling sections. I wore an older pair of Trailroc shoes today and we had about 1/2 miles of scramble /scree running. They have a rock plate on the bottom and some good side protection along the toe. The Rocklite series is more for very rock terrain, but I haven't worn them. May be worth a try.
“Paralysis-to-50k” training plan is underway!
running under the BigSky
I recently bought (well actually won ) a pair of LaSportiva Mutants. I have to have a roomy toe box and my previous two attempts with LaSportiva were a no go- Helios and Ultra Raptor because of lack of room- this was even going up a full size. After my encounter with 5 miles of very tough scrambling at the Beaverhead 55k I wanted something w/ a super sticky outsole; I looked into several approach shoes, but none were really runnable so they were out. Someone suggest the Mutant stating that they were more roomy in the toe box than other LS models and they offered the stickiest outsole that LS offered. I've only run done a couple of short runs with them thus far, so the jury is out on the toe box, but the outsole is amazing- deep cleated so you get good traction in loose stuff and the compound is very sticky. If they end up fitting, they will be the perfect shoe for scrambling and running
2023 goal 2023 miles √
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some call me Tim
I did a fair amount of scrambling on my most recent jaunt, which included a lot of runs on things that blur the line between hill and mountain and was scrambling over all of the stuff that used to be near the top. I agree that although I'd like to explore the line a bit more, the Inov-8 Trailrocs are pretty good for this. They fit snug at the ankle with plenty of splay for the forefoot, although personally I prefer a narrower fit overall for control on most trail surfaces and especially technical terrain like this. Still, I can sing the praises of those shoes all day - really well built with a decent compromise between weight and protection... that rand in particular has saved me multiple times, drains surprisingly well and it's really not that heavy. I have a pair of 255s nearing 800 miles that are great except for a couple of holes that need sewing in the upper and an identical pair at 250 that are still in great shape.
ME WEBLARG
After a bit of checking around it doesn't seem like there is much to choose from here in Tallahassee, so I think I will order some Inov-8 Rocklites.
I am not sure which ones to go for though. It looks like the number in the model equates to weight in grams so the higher the number the heavier and the more protection. Any thoughts of which of the Rocklites might make sense for scrambling with a pack while still maintaining the ability to comfortably run in them? It looks like they are all lighter than my Cascadias (unless they give the weight for a different size than Brooks does) so I am thinking maybe the 295s might make sense for my intended use which is more for hiking and scrambling with some running. The emphasis for these isn't running though, unless I find I like running in them better than in my Cascadias.
Also how does anyone know how the sizing run compared to my usual Brooks Cascadias?
I found a pair of the 285s on closeout and ordered them.
I would have said 285's. Let us know how they work. I've had great results with treads on Inov-8 shoes, so hopefully they'll work for you.