Trail shoes to check out?

[OhioHiker]

I am due for some new footwear. I currently use an old pair of Cascadia 3. Anyhow I over pronate due to flat feet. I thought I need boots but I've been drinking the Koolaid about letting your feet do what they want and not trying to correct or force it a certain way.

So.. I think I am going to stick with trail runners and a insole (power step or superfeet) and preferably non goretex

Shoes that have caught my eye,

Salomon Speedcross 3
Salomon Ultra 2
Salomon Xlab XT6
Salomon XA Pro 3d

Merrell Moab
New Cascadia?


Anyhow the problem I have is they all get excellent review and ratings. I just wonder if anyone has any experience with any of them?

[Malto]

You may find the Salomons narrower than the Cascadias unless they make them in wide. I have had at least half a dozen XA Pro 3ds over the years but I have since "graduated" to LaSportiva Widlcats or Cascadias. I found those have a similar fit.

[BikerEagle]

I have flat feet as well and the Merrill Moabs run narrow. Bought some new Moab Mids and can't get them broken in. I've worn Merrills for the past 15 plus years and they've change drastically in fit and finish recently...for the worse.

[OhioHiker]

I have flat feet as well and the Merrill Moabs run narrow. Bought some new Moab Mids and can't get them broken in. I've worn Merrills for the past 15 plus years and they've change drastically in fit and finish recently...for the worse.

From reviews Ive read Salomons also run on the narrow side.

[brancher]

I looked at shoes as well - needed wide shoes and I had been using (my beloved) Merrell Moabs. Salomons cramped my feet, the Brooks Cascadia seemed narrow and a little light for my 23-lb Monday load, the Merrills also seemed a tad narrow for me these days. I fell in love with the Keen Voyageurs but hated all the terrible reviews. I finally tried some Oboz Sawtooth lowtops, they have the right combination of ankle and heel fit, enough length to prevent black toenails, and enough width to avoid toe friction blisters. Been living in them for a few days so far, they feel really good, good ventilation and no hotspots or issues.

BTW, I am a size 14 in hikers. Hope this helps.

[OhioHiker]

I've read nothing but good about Oboz. But it's strange there isn't many reviews as compared to Moabs or Salomons.

[Butch_Lodi]

I have Lasportiva Wildcats and they are awesome trail runners. Really good support for so light a shoe and they come with a quality footbed so you don't have to add Superfeet. If you can't find locally be aware they run really small. I ended up with a size and a half larger than my casual shoe size.

[OhioHiker]

I'll probably purchase from REI because of their warranty.

[tiptoe]

I'm very fond of Oboz (female, with feet narrow at heels and wide at toes). They fit perfectly from day one, no inserts or break-in required, and the treads are very grippy. It's best, of course, if you can try them on before ordering, as what works for one person may not suit another. EMS and REI both carry them, I believe. I have a pair of Yellowstone II boots and also the Luna trail runners.

[Mountain Bluebird]

I hiked the Jesus Trail in Israel with Keen boots. I bought them because I love--my feet love--Keen sandals. I found the soles too soft, but keep in mind that much of the trail is stone/rocks.

So, I bought a pair of Merrell Chameleons because they have a Vibram sole which is stiffer. Less stone bruising. I also like a firm heel to step off on each stride. So, they work well for me. If the Merrells wear out on the AT in 2016, I will probably look at the Merrell Moab first.

For me, it seems that the 'waterproof' feature that Merrell promotes wrt the Chameleons is not all that important. Feet and socks are always damp at the end of the day, even if the day were dry. My next pair may be shoes that are more breathable.

This is a subject that is unique to every person. You just have to get some shoes on and try them out for yourself.

[msumax1985]

Just a thought: Why not check out your local sporting goods store? It doesn't have to be a trail runner from a hiking store. I purchased a pair of New Balance and then Saucony shoes that were around $50, worked great on the trail for me. That said, I switched to a pair of Salomon XA Pro 3d Ultra 2's for my next section.

I think a pair of the $50 shoes with the Superfeet inserts is about as sturdy and supportive as the much more expensive Salomons. I purchased the Salomons as a test to see if they last longer (and they were on sale). Plus, they have more toe/side protection, but are heavier. I get about 400-500 miles out of the $50 shoes. There is a much greater variety and availability of the $50 shoes.

[steve0423]

I'm a die hard Salomon fan, but I'm pretty intrigued by all the buzz surrounding Ultra. Will probably pull the trigger on the lone peak 2.0 this spring

http://www.altrarunning.com/

[OhioHiker]

I am not sure I have the muscle development to try out a full blown minimalist trail shoe. Although those Atra look really nice!

I wear a pair of Keens at work and really like the soft support they offer. I am in them for 12+ hours.

That makes me think I should be looking at mid hikers. For the hiking I do I don't think I need or want a full blown boot.

I only do mostly day hikes and I've been working in a few over nighters here and there when I can. All well under 15 miles total and the worst so far had roughly 1000 feet elev change?

[Sirsnappy09]

What is your door type? I always had issues with narrow toeboxes. I have used soloman, merrels, garmont, tnf, and saucony. I now use altra lone peak and Iove them. Wide toebox and narrow heels with zero drop. I still use saucony xodus also and still like them a lot too. Nothing compares to the altra for me though.

[saltysack]

+1 lasportiva Wildcats...tried the salmons but to narrow


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[OhioHiker]

Well guys. I made it to REI today and I am sure I drove the poor girl working the shoe dept crazy!

I tried on the Keen Voyager, Oboz Bridger mid and low, Salomon X Ultra mid, and the Salomon Speedcross 3 CS.

I really wanted to like the Oboz, but they were very stiff and had some pressure points on the mid.

The Keens were a bit to wide.

It was between the two Salomons. I was a bit apprehensive about the mid. I must have boney ankles and I felt a little pressure from the top most metal eyelet. Other than that I thought it felt great!

After that I tried on the Speedcross. I can't believe how cushy'er it was. Incredible, and honestly other than a slight more ankle support it felt a lot like the mid.

So I choose....

The Speedcross 3.

[ctebeau]

+1 more on the La Sportiva Wildcats. Super supportive and durable with a very thick sole. Definitely going to last me a while on the trail

[All The Way]

I have a pair of Oboz and find the bottoms to be bit stiff/hard, which may cause additional stress on the feet.

[Deacon]

I've been struggling finding trail shoes that fit. I love the Wildcats but my feet are so wide, I blew out the sides after 200 miles. This year I'm going with the Merrill Moab Ventilators. They are heavier than I want but they fit very well out of the box. We'll see after 100 miles.

[brancher]

.... I now use altra lone peak and Iove them. Wide toebox and narrow heels with zero drop. Nothing compares to the altra for me though.

Hey Sirsnappy, those Altras look uber interesting! How much load do you carry with these shoes? I am always apprehensive about wearing 'runners' with my 22-lb 'Monday load'. And it's really difficult to get any data about how much load these should bear..... so I tend to stay with more traditional 'hikers'.

Any thoughts?