View Full Version : Trail Runner Question
jorge99s
10-11-2015, 18:35
I looking into buying a pair of the New Balance Leadville v2 trail runners. Does anyone have any first-hand experience with these?
FlyFishNut
10-11-2015, 19:39
Nope: I can vouch for Brooks Cascadias, Pure Grits and Pearl Izumi N2s (like them a lot), I have a pair of Altras that I hate - but there is a cushy version (comparable to Hokas) that I want to try b/c they have a toe box. I ran a downhill half in a pair of Hokas and my toes look like hell right now (lost 2 nails).
What is drawing you to this shoe?? Thought process...??
MuddyWaters
10-11-2015, 20:27
I tried them and didnt like them enough to keep them on my feet 5 minutes.
Try try try on shoes, mail order if you must, till you find what your feet like.
I like narrow heel, moderately wide shoe, protected rand on toe, drainable open mesh, FLAT insole, no arch, straignt to semi curved design. (inside of many shoes tilts up to arch side by design even without thin insole, this is horrible if you have another arch supporting insole designe for FLAT bottm to put in on top of this.!!!) And a decent tread. The problem with many trail shoes is a laughable 1/8 deep tread that doesnt give much mileage.
Inov8 are still my preferred shoe, even though I think the new ones are poor changes. However, recently did 70 miles walk in 282s and even though I didnt like them because the toebox is too wide for the design, it buckles the fabric when laced, I put an extra insole in it from old NB tennis shoes, already molded to feet to take up a little more room in the too-wide shoe, and had zero issues. My feet were as comfortable, maybe more, than ever, wet most of the time for 2 days. I can live with these for a long hike, which was part of the reason for the 70 mile checkout. They are a lighter weight version of the 295, not as durable, but for some reason Im not as hard on my shoes as others are.
jorge99s
10-11-2015, 21:06
Nope: I can vouch for Brooks Cascadias, Pure Grits and Pearl Izumi N2s (like them a lot), I have a pair of Altras that I hate - but there is a cushy version (comparable to Hokas) that I want to try b/c they have a toe box. I ran a downhill half in a pair of Hokas and my toes look like hell right now (lost 2 nails).
What is drawing you to this shoe?? Thought process...??
I saw someone running in them a week ago and liked the look of them and NB shoes have always fit my feet well.
MuddyWaters
10-11-2015, 21:13
I saw someone running in them a week ago and liked the look of them and NB shoes have always fit my feet well.
Ive worn NB shoes daily for 20+ yrs. But their trail shoe lineup just hasnt felt RIGHT for me...yet. There always seems to be something lacking. Shoes are really simple, if the people making them would just keep it that way.
I do know of a few others that like the Leadvilles though.
jorge99s
10-12-2015, 00:06
Any thoughts on Salomon, LaSportiva or Adidas?
MuddyWaters
10-12-2015, 00:21
Any thoughts on Salomon, LaSportiva or Adidas?
La sportiva run 1/2 size small due to how narrow the forefoot is so you have to order up. They have decent knobby tread, BUT the toebox is not very tall, in other words , your toes touch the roof frequently. Will it cause issues, can you stand it? Only trying it for a week hike will tell.
Salomon generally are heavy with shallow tread depth, excepting the fell raiser. Narrow heel, fit me decent. Stupid speed lacing gimmick.
The Leadville is a great shoe. It has a slightly different cut that many other New Balance running shoes, so you may have to play around with sizing a little. That said, the fit of a shoe is highly dependent on your foot shape and your personal preferences. So be prepared to try on several brands/models to find the right one.
I use mix depending on terrain and miles. Altra Lone Peak 2.5 for less than 10 miles. La Sportiva Helios for 10 - 20 miles. La Sportiva C-Lites for greater than 20 miles. Trying out La Sportiva Raptors soon because the C-lites are discontinued. Note I run on the technical terrain of New England so some of this is overkill on smoother trails.
GolfHiker
10-15-2015, 11:40
As I read the various answers here, I just want to be clear on the difference of trail running vs. long distance hiking, up to & including a thru.... If we were to focus strictly on LD Hiking, would these responses be any different? Just curious and interested in knowing from those who use Trail Runners for hiking... thanks.
The difference between trail running and hiking is the weight on your back. For trail runners to be comfortable you really need to be be traveling lightly. They just aren't made to withstand hundreds of miles with a heavy load. Don't get me wrong, they will work with a heavy pack but you will experience a much shorter lifespan of the shoe. The new trend for maximum cushioning makes trail runners a better choice than ever. I would veer away from altra's and other no/low drop shoes if this is your first time in them. Pick something with a decent drop and then slowly transition down to no drop if you desire.
mattjv89
10-15-2015, 16:02
Any thoughts on Salomon, LaSportiva or Adidas?
I'm pretty much set on Salomons unless they radically change the shape but as a few others alluded to, this advice is basically useless without trying them on and seeing what matches your feet. I have long and narrow feet so a pair of Speedcross 3's fit me like a glove, but go on any shoe site and look at the bad reviews for Salomons because they are "too narrow." There is a ton of variation in shoe shape, for another personal example Keen Targhee's fit my narrow feet like a boat and I'll slide side to side in them. It can take a lot of searching to find what matches your foot and tends to be a case of, if it's not broke don't fix it once you do find the match hence my loyalty to Salomons.
I just noticed your location, Google tells me you're about two hours from Franklin NC. I highly recommend Outdoor 76 there for shoe advice, If I were in your position I would make that drive without hesitation for the amount of knowledge they have. An hour with them will teach you more than days of combing through forum advice, I learned more about my feet from them than any outfitter I've ever been in. Plus they have a taproom in house so you can get a beer while they work on fitting your shoes, kinda neat.
The Kisco Kid
10-15-2015, 16:17
I wear Brooks Cascadia and which I switched years earlier. There are far more cushioning than any heavyweight leather boot I've ever owned. My feet don't hurt at the end of the day like they did with other shoes. The lack the ankle protection which is really only necessary if you're packing 50 pounds. For anyone carrying under 30 pounds you're good to go with trail runners.
For long distance hiking I use La Sportiva Wildcats or C-Lites. Over time though they have become a bit overkill for me. I'm going to try out the La Sportiva Raptors for next year.
As I read the various answers here, I just want to be clear on the difference of trail running vs. long distance hiking, up to & including a thru.... If we were to focus strictly on LD Hiking, would these responses be any different? Just curious and interested in knowing from those who use Trail Runners for hiking... thanks.