Need Trail Shoe Advice

[VeloCarrie]

I have a pair of Montrail Hardrock 9s and my new Salomon XT Wings. The Hardrocks fit great, and I love them in the bush. I can't get them again though and they aren't great running to the trailhead on pavement or on hardpacked/cinder trails because they feel like you are running with steel plates in them. The Wings I was in love with but after a short run and a 10K run yesterday, I hate the lacing system. I'm thinking of taking out those asymmetrical laces and putting in normal ones. They are cushioned great but those laces! Uggh. I think those laces put pressure ontop of the foot where the asymmetry is anchored - on top of the inner forefoot. I also can't see myself running much longer in them past 15K.

What I'm looking for is a lighter trail shoe for a neutral foot. I like the fit of the Hardrock better, so I was looking at the Montrail Mountain Masochist and reviews say that they are better on mixed trails with cinder and hard packed trails, something I think the Hardrock lacks. Also, I wear Mizuno Wave Riders so was thinking the Ascends but they look to be more of a stability shoe. The jury is still out for the Salomons. The shoe feels awesome for a neutral/high arch person like me and I'm thinking the main problem is the lacing and MIGHT be resolved with normal laces.

My winter trail shoes were The North Face Ultra GTX 104s, which were awesome, but felt heavy.

Any advice one way or another? Or is there another shoe out there? The New Balance and Brooks trail shoes don't do me any favours fit wise.

[Doonst]

I wear Mizuno Inspire and Elixer on roads, both support shoes. My trail shoes are Mizuno Ascends, 2,3, and just got 4s which I haven't worn yet.

My point is that I find that I have to add Superfeet to the Ascends or I have issues, that I don't in my road shoes. Whether or not this means they have less support, so they may be okay for you, I can only guess. Specifically my issues are mild PF.

[ultraslacker]

Try La Sportiva! It's the only brand that works for me on trail shoes. Right now I'm wearing the women's Sonic, and they are awesome. I ran 50k in them only a couple of weeks after I got them; no blisters, no issues, no black toes. They don't have a lot of cushioning so they are still a little uncomfortable on pavement, but I think any good trail shoe will be uncomfortable on pavement, since that's not what they're designed for. ;)

Note also that there are different styles of trail shoe... my old Sportivas were a lot more like foot armor... heavy duty, made for rocky mountain trails. They were great about protecting my feet from sharp rocks, but they were a little heavier and less flexible than the Sonics. The Sonics are lighter, and they don't feel like anything when I'm running trails with them (which is always my goal for running gear--not to notice it's there!).

(ps: there are lots of other brands out there too.)

[VeloCarrie]

I've tried on the La Sportiva Crosslite and Fireblade in the past because I love them and covet them, but they run narrow on me. I considered plastic surgery to amend this but alas, they weren't the Cinderella shoe.

[VeloCarrie]

Now "Gear Guy" on Backcountry.com added another shoe in the mix. Montrail Rockridge. Neutral, ++ cushion, 9.8 oz, good on mixed trails and makes the transition between paved/cinder/packed trails well, keeps the Montrail fit I like. Told me if I like the Hardrock, the Masochist is very similar so go with this Rockridge. The decision grows . . .

[VeloCarrie]

Gear Guy did tell me though that a lot of people take those asymmetrical laces out of the Salomons and replace them with no problems though, so I'll do that too.

[spaff]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

[VeloCarrie]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

What's the weight on the Wildcat and the Imogene? I thought the Imogene was a heavier shoe. I haven't tried on the Wildcat yet.

[MINITEE]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

What's the weight on the Wildcat and the Imogene? I thought the Imogene was a heavier shoe. I haven't tried on the Wildcat yet.

Imogene: WEIGHT: 11.71 oz • 332 g

Just checking out the La Sportiva site myself as I'm due for some new trail shoes. I have a pair of La Sportivas that I picked up on-line last year for $25.00, but I don't like them. Sole is really, really flat with the plate in it & there is no lateral support in this particular model (a couple of years old, haven't seen it since) but I'm willing to give La Sportiva another try...

[Size5]

I'm in the Salomon and I remember the the laces drove me nuts at the beginning but now I don't care. I do find they slip over time and I often have to tighten them part way through a run.

How long have you tried the Salomon's ?

[VeloCarrie]

I'm in the Salomon and I remember the the laces drove me nuts at the beginning but now I don't care. I do find they slip over time and I often have to tighten them part way through a run.

How long have you tried the Salomon's ?

I've done 2 runs in them, a 4K initial run and a 10K yesterday. I love the fit and feel, but, like you, found I kept adjusting the laces all the time. Also, where the asymmetrical lace starts above the big toe, I thought the pressure there of the lace pulling was annoying over time and when I took them off, it was a little red there. I love the fit and cushioning and find them light but I can't see me doing 50K in them. I took the asymmetrical laces off this morning and replaced them with normal laces and I'm going to go with them again. I'm hoping taking the old laces out gets rid of that problem area on my big toes. I like them, just not in love with them.

I'm in love with my Hardrocks, but most of my training is going to be on urban paths, which is not their strong point having such a hard plate. They are awesome in Gatineau Park though on forest paths. I feel like spiderman in them. That's why I was thinking about leaning towards the Montrails with more of a hybrid feel to them for urban training. Their Rockridge is supposed to be a more hybrid shoe.

[spaff]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

What's the weight on the Wildcat and the Imogene? I thought the Imogene was a heavier shoe. I haven't tried on the Wildcat yet.

Yes, sorry the Imogene is a little heavier than what you may be looking for. I should have read your post a little closer....sorry.

The womens Wildcats come in at under 10oz. and definitely have a lighter feel to them, though not quite as light as Fireblade/Crosslites.

Surprised that the Fireblades didn't work for you fit wise....did you try the men's model in your sizing?? Narrow enough heel that it might work for you.

[spaff]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

What's the weight on the Wildcat and the Imogene? I thought the Imogene was a heavier shoe. I haven't tried on the Wildcat yet.

Imogene: WEIGHT: 11.71 oz • 332 g

Just checking out the La Sportiva site myself as I'm due for some new trail shoes. I have a pair of La Sportivas that I picked up on-line last year for $25.00, but I don't like them. Sole is really, really flat with the plate in it & there is no lateral support in this particular model (a couple of years old, haven't seen it since) but I'm willing to give La Sportiva another try...

The model you tried was probably the Singshots. Very minimalist....and not much support. Very fun though.

[VeloCarrie]

Ultraslacker beat me to it. If you find the La Sportiva Crosslites and Fireblades too narrow, you would do well to check out the Wildcat and the new Raptor which are slightly wider. The Imogene is definitely a model that you'd want to try on too as it does fit considerably wider. MEC should stock both the Wildcat and Imogene right now.

What's the weight on the Wildcat and the Imogene? I thought the Imogene was a heavier shoe. I haven't tried on the Wildcat yet.

Yes, sorry the Imogene is a little heavier than what you may be looking for. I should have read your post a little closer....sorry.

The womens Wildcats come in at under 10oz. and definitely have a lighter feel to them, though not quite as light as Fireblade/Crosslites.

Surprised that the Fireblades didn't work for you fit wise....did you try the men's model in your sizing?? Narrow enough heel that it might work for you.

No, I tried the women's. Next time I'll try the men's. The Crosslites were so cool, especially with that flap of material that goes over your laces. What a great idea. I just wish they came wider.

[spaff]

Yes, the Crosslites are awesome! My favourite shoe. I"ve worn them the past two years at Haliburton and they were great...no issues. Since they are unisex sizing and in Euro sizing, you may want to try an extra half size next time you're at MEC as it doesn't seem to make a huge difference (half size in euro is less than half size in North American sizing). I first started wearing a 41.5, but have switched to 42 and like the fit better...still even go without socks often and ok.

Re: Fireblades...I don't think MEC sells them anymore, which is too bad. Great shoe as well and still in their line. They can be ordered through http://www.sportiva.com, but makes it tough to nail the sizing.

[UltraQueenga]

Another vote here for Mizuno Ascend 3s. They work for me at the moment. I'm on my second pair and have a third pair stashed. I've run two 100 milers in them and no major issues.

I also have wide feet and a tall instep, so the lacing and the midfoot part on many shoes often bothers me.

My first ever pair of trail shoes were Montrail Continental Divide, which I found a bit too stiff and heavy and I couldn't feel the trails very well. I then switched to Asics Trabucos, because at the time I was running in Asics road shoes and I liked the fit. I had a pair of Trabuco 7s and 10s and I trashed them pretty quickly. A waste of money. Don't even bother with them.

I then went for the Mizuno Ascend 3s and I liked the feel and because I was running in Mizuno Inspire 4s on the road. I put 930 km on my first pair of Ascends and I can't kill them. Believe me, I tried. Anyway, I like the Ascend 3s because they're not heavy, they offer decent toe protection and have a roomy toe box. They also drain well when I cross creeks or in the rain. I love technical trails and they feel ok on them, but I would love a more aggressive, grippy sole. As for running on roads, I occasionally end up hitting a few stretches of pavement to/between trails or hard packed surfaces and I don't find them as painful as the Montrails. My next ultra is on gravel rail trail and I'll be running it in my Ascends, because my feet get badly tired in road shoes after that much running.

[MINITEE]

The model you tried was probably the Singshots. Very minimalist....and not much support. Very fun though.

Yep, that's them. My purple and yellow obscenities!

[RabidChipmunk]

Interesting talk on the Salomon's. I have several models all with the quick-lace system and have never had to readjust tension due to them loosening at any time including 50k, 50 mile or the ultra fun Dirty Girls 24 hour. I agree with the strange feeling about the cinching at the top but quickly got used to it. I love being able to quickly change shoes and not have to mess around with untying a double knot when you are wet from 5 hours of constant drizzle at 10 pm and still have the rest of the night to get through. I love being a Dirty Girl.

[VeloCarrie]

I changed the laces on the Wings yesterday (with some difficulty, those eyelets are made for their laces, not others so much) and they feel so much better just walking around. Haven't tried a run with them yet but I don't feel any pressure on the toe box area that the asymmetrical lacing was causing before. They are a nice shoe and feel really good. I'm hoping they work out because they did feel great on the mixed trail I was on a couple of days ago, except for those hot spots in the toe box and the laces loosening up all the time.

Still looking for the Cinderella trail shoe, but I've gotten a lot of great advice above and will be taking this list when I go shopping and trying on next week. Feel free to add more advice! I will try on every one of your suggestions and let you know.

[UltraQueenga]

Like you, I'm still looking for the perfect shoe, but in the 8 years of running, I have settled for shoes that felt great, but not awesome. Did I mention how much I hate shoe shopping when I have to buy a model I don't know?
I'm due for a pair of road shoes and soon might be looking for a new pair of trail shoes, so I might give those LaSportivas a kick. I'll remember this thread.
Also, I've tried the Salomons and I ended up returning them because they were bothering my toes.

[runningforme]

Just ran (ok 10 days ago) the dirty duo 25k in my adidas supernova (bought spring 2009 after I won a $150 Adidas gift certificate) - I trained through this winter with these & I think they're pretty much done now - found them comfortable & lighter than the Montrail Hardrocks I wore previously but also more easily beat up by the more technical trails. My favourite still were my first pair of trail shoes which were New Balance. I'd look at Adidas again.

jenn

[La]

They don't have a lot of cushioning so they are still a little uncomfortable on pavement, but I think any good trail shoe will be uncomfortable on pavement, since that's not what they're designed for.

Please explain this. Why would you have less cushioning in a trail shoe?

I have the Solomon XA Pro 3D Ultra. They have Gore-Tex uppers, so too hot to run in during the summer (though they are great to keep my feet dry in the winter). I can't run in them because they are about a 1/2 size too small for running as my toes are too close to the end. The lacing system is hit/miss for me. I like the way they fit, so I would likely look for another (non-GoreTex) pair in a slightly bigger size (currently have men's 8.5).

[spaff]

They don't have a lot of cushioning so they are still a little uncomfortable on pavement, but I think any good trail shoe will be uncomfortable on pavement, since that's not what they're designed for.

Please explain this. Why would you have less cushioning in a trail shoe?

Soft (road) shoes are very unstable on trails..especially on technical trails. Trail shoes tend to have a lower profile so closer to the ground to provide better support to prevent ankle rolls. Many trail shoes will also have a rock plate or plastic/fibre shank in the midsole to prevent rocks from 'biting' into your feet as well, but resulting in a firmer ride.

[HCcD]

The latest edition of the Canadian Running Magazine has a nice review of the new trail shoes as well as a number of articles on trail running, races, etc. ..

Bought a pair of the Solomon XA Pro 3D Ultra and Gortex version last Fall and know what you mean about the lacing system and pressure on the top of the foot ...

Only wore the Gortex version once this winter as the roads were really messy and went 15K out of the box ... never wore it since, as the weather/road conditions picked up ... Hope to get in some some trail running this summer, after May race weekend ... May even come out for the Beaver Trail Series ... how technical are those events ??

[La]

They don't have a lot of cushioning so they are still a little uncomfortable on pavement, but I think any good trail shoe will be uncomfortable on pavement, since that's not what they're designed for.

Please explain this. Why would you have less cushioning in a trail shoe?

Soft (road) shoes are very unstable on trails..especially on technical trails. Trail shoes tend to have a lower profile so closer to the ground to provide better support to prevent ankle rolls. Many trail shoes will also have a rock plate or plastic/fibre shank in the midsole to prevent rocks from 'biting' into your feet as well, but resulting in a firmer ride.

Makes sense. And I do notice the lower profile of my trail shoes. However, when I had my ankle roll at Horsehoe last fall, it was while wearing trail shoes!