View Full Version : What trail runners to get?
Earl Grey
03-17-2009, 08:35
Ive used vasque velocity's in the past and they seem to be good. I recently got some Wasatch boots from them and they tore my feet up and even being goretex, wetted through in snow. Im tired of their chinese made crap and want to get some good trail runners. What are some good ones?
fiddlehead
03-17-2009, 09:10
I like Montrail's. Vitesse's if you can find them.
Good luck.
i finally found some cheap montrail hardrocks that people here have been raving about and really like them! can't comment on durability yet but have had them out on a few long day hikes and my feet are happy
What trail runners to get? Lotsa good brands to choose from but go with what fits best, and feels uber comfortable. Good, knobby treads work better in mud and on slick rocks.
Montrail
Merrell
Vasque
New Balance
Brooks
Salomon
et al in no particular order.
Mother's Finest
03-17-2009, 11:39
The ones that fit you correctly
peace
mf
garlic08
03-17-2009, 17:57
If you have wide feet, New Balance are typically available in EE and EEEE. Otherwise, everyone seems to have a favorite brand that fits them and if you're lucky, you'll find yours right away.
Salomon XA Pro Ultra XCRs
IMO there's just no good way to know apart from trying some out. Ideally you can find something in a store that feel good just walking briefly in the store, but my own experience was of going through about four different types of shoes before I settled on the ones that work for me (Golite Sundragon II's, due to the wide toe box among other things).
I just don't think there's any valid shortcut, apart perhaps from discarding shoes that people tell you are just poorly made --- and even there, you'll find a lot of detractors from the shoes that I like. As another example, I had seen many praises of New Balance shoes (as garlic08 gave above), but the pair I purchased gave me a pretty nasty back-of-heel blister after 20 - 30 miles of use over a couple of days, based I think on the shape of the pretty inflexible heel cup on those.
Best of luck, I think this is one of the hardest things to get right in backpacking equipment. And then when you've got shoes you like, there's the concern that the manufacturers will drop or change that line of shoes in future !
I like my old enduro asics
UnkaJesse
03-17-2009, 23:04
I'm running in Brooks Cascadias now and really like them. It's a neutral shoe and fairly cushy. My main rave, though, is how it handles sharp rocks. Unless I step on a true spike, it doesn't hurt. Brooks are made in the US, too.
I second the recommendation to try on a few for yourself. If you get lucky enough to find a store with a tray of rocks handy, you'll now you've found a real trail running shop.
Jayboflavin04
03-18-2009, 09:15
another brand to check out is INNOV 8
New Balance 790's work for me...
I just got a new pair to try. They are Solomon's weigh 12oz each in size 12, and called Ampphibians or something like that but they are trail runners not sandals or paddling shoes.
I got them because I was looking for something that doesn't absorb any water and dries quickly. They are all that. They have a mix of mesh and a sort of neoprene and nylon webbing. I don't like their quick lace system but I can fixt that. Something you have to be aware of though is making sure that the shoe doesn't have hard places where you can hard places. These are working for me, but I had to remove the insoles, and I have to be a little fussy in the way I lace and tighten them. I like the way the heel flap is adjustable though. Got them for $40, reduced from $80.
They aren't ideal, but they were close enough and cheap enough to try.
Traction and stability and cushion is pretty good. 10oz per shoe would be better.
Jayboflavin04
03-18-2009, 10:51
JAK...I have heard the INNOv 8's have a drainage system. I cannot confirm this. There are no dealer near to me. Maybe something to check out.
That's an interesting idea, like a hole in the bottom somewhere. Might try that.
Jayboflavin04
03-18-2009, 11:33
Jak dont quote me on that....but yes they "suposedly" squish out the H2O
My colombia water shoe deals have a hole that goes thru the foot bed and sole ....like a drainage tunnel
I wonder if they should slope back for the venturi effect. :D
Earl Grey
03-18-2009, 19:05
I got some Lowa trail runners. They are called Tempest.
http://www.lowaboots.com/catalog/ShowBoot.cfm?StockNum=19444640&Category=3&Type=M
I tried on a whole bunch of different shoes and these just felt right. The Salomon were way to narrow as was the vasques. I never knew I had wide feet, I got mesaured. It was between some Keens and Lowas and I chose these.