2015 Winter Trail Shoes

SHOE REVIEW

by Cregg Weinmann

Trail Shoes Winter 2014–15 With the change of season, we take a look at the latest trail shoes: four new shoes and three updates from the Responsive Trail and Performance Trail subcategories. None veer from the variety of conditions found on the trails, though you should consider your needs when evaluating these choices. Where you live and how you like to run and train may make one set of features more or less important for you. A running specialty store can assist you with your footwear needs, and help define the differences between your fit in different brands and models.

Brooks Pure Grit 3 $120

The Pure Grit has filled an interesting niche for Brooks as a lightweight/minimal trail shoe suitable for training, racing, and exploring trails. Round 3 raises the bar a bit and results in a shoe to be taken more seriously.

The upper has a more traditional fit and replacing the wrapped, asymmetrical design in favor of a typical lace throat/tongue arrangement. Closed mesh over all and a fine, gauzy mesh in the midfoot offer good breathability while keeping trail debris out. The midsole continues with the same geometry, cushioning, and ride, which were all strengths of the previous two rounds. The outersole represents the biggest change: the addition of cleat-like lugs with a textured surface that bite into the trail, but still do a decent job on the road. Round 1’s skittery grip in wet conditions is no longer an issue. The Pure Grit 3 is pure trail in fit, traction, and feel.

“Brooks did more than just tweak this shoe in this past year; the fit and traction are very different. I still like the fit of the shoe, and the new outsole pattern gives great traction. It has been responsive and stable with a good ground feel.”

Performance Trail Updates the Pure Grit 2 Sizes Men 6–14,15,16,17; Women 5–13 Weight 11.0 oz. (men’s 11); 9.2 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

Hoka One One Mafate Speed $170

Hoka has resonated with trail runners, in part because of its birth and testing on mountain slopes. The Mafate Speed is a combination of design and technology that manages trail performance in a unique way. The closed mesh upper and welded overlays are supportive, smooth, and seamless. The Race Lace system locks the foot into the shoe while reducing the likelihood of the trail grabbing any loose ends. The midsole is Hoka’s oversized profile with low-drop geometry and lots of cushioning to protect the foot from sharp points and debris on uneven trail surfaces. The large slab of soft foam that is the outersole is a large slab of toughened RMAT foam, with a perimeter of lugged rubber in the high-wear areas, supplements with some lugs of RMAT. The resulting traction does a good job and holds up quite well. The Mafate Speed cushions protectively and performs well on the trail even though that large slab of foam seems as if it would be unstable. It’s not.

“Interesting shoes. The shoes feel light and run lighter… they are lighter than expected, based on sheer volume. I like these shoes for cruiser runs on- or off-road, as long as off-road doesn’t get too gnarly. They have a very cushy feel.”

Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 7.5–14; Women 6–11 Weight 11.3 oz. (men’s 11); 9.3 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

BEST SHOE

Mizuno Hayate $110

Mizuno hasn’t matched its road successes on the trail, but that’s about to change. Two new shoes have finally matched the design and technology in a way that maximizes Trail performance. The Hayate is the sleek Trail performer, that’s rugged enough for serious trails. The upper is closed mesh with welded overlays, and a wild, sublimated print adorning the shoe. The fit is snug, supportive, and has a smooth and seamless interior. The midsole is low-profile but responsively cushioned, with the U4ic foam doing on the trail what it does on the road: cushioning and protecting the foot. The outersole is a subtle but effectively lugged carbon rubber that grips and shields the foot from roots, rocks, and rubble. The Hayate’s effective grip, protective sole, and trail performance earned it our award as Best Trail Shoe, Winter 2014–15.

“The Hayate fits well and offers plenty of protection, stability, and traction for most any trail running surface. The shoe quickly adapts to the surface giving a good ground feel while still protecting from the rocks.”

Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 7–13; Women 6–11 Weight 9.7 oz. (men’s 11); 8.0 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

TRAIL

WINTER 2014–15

New Balance Fresh Foam 980 Trail $110

The Fresh Foam series has been a catalyst for New Balance thanks to its outstanding foam formulation. The Fresh Foam 980 Trail marks ITS cross-over to the trail, bringing along the effective design and material. The upper is tightly woven mesh with no-sew overlays lending support. The interior is smooth and seamless thanks to this construction, which has been a boon to comfort. The midsole is a healthy chunk of Fresh Foam with low-drop geometry, and is well-cushioned and responsive. Though the outersole looks similar to the road version, its hexagonal elements are angled to expose a chisel-shaped surface that provides effective grip and a protective layer of tough rubber. The Fresh Foam Trail has all the essential elements of trail performance: cushioning, protection, and traction.

“The fit is fine; no issues. The traction is great for the foothills, and they feel quite stable. They are very cushy … protecting the feet well from everything underfoot. No rock plate, but with so much cushion it isn’t an oversight.”

Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 7–13,14,15; Women 5–11,12 Weight 11.6 oz. (men’s 11); 9.5 oz. (women’s 8)

Pearl Izumi Trail N2 $120

The effectiveness of trail shoes is defined by the materials and surface shaping employed by the designers.

While this is true for road shoes as well, the nature of trails make it more difficult to design shoes to effectively manage the range of surfaces encountered. Like the Trail N1 before it, the N2 utilizes the same type of upper, midsole, and outersole in keeping with Pearl Izumi’s EMotion philosophy, though not as minimal. The upper has a seamless interior, thanks to no-sew overlays supporting the closed mesh. The midsole is a simple foam, shaped for efficiency in a single density and it provides a responsive ride. The outersole is carbon rubber with multi-directional lugs for an effective grip on both soft-surface trails, as well as the harder trails or roads you’ll encounter. The full-contact bottom improves the stability of the shoe and also increases the surface traction.

The net effect is that the N2 is a stable shoe with a secure fit and effective traction. If Pearl Izumi has worked well for you on the road, it will probably be a Go-To trail choice as well.

“Fit snug, but comfortable. Plenty of traction and lots of protection. Ground feel is decent; foot is nicely secure. There’s a lot to like with this one.”

Responsive Trail NEW Sizes Men 7–13,14; Women 5–11,12 Weight 11.3 oz. (men’s 11); 9.1 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

Saucony Xodus 5.0 $125

For five generations, the Xodus has filled the role of Trail Cruiser in Saucony’s RAW (Run AnyWhere) lineup, with no end in sight. The upper is similar to Round 4, but some of the overlays in the midfoot have been pared back, the heel strapping has been lengthened and repositioned in the forefoot to snug things up. The midsole is slightly modified; It’s still PowerGrid with a 4mm drop. The tooling feels much the same underfoot, which is to say, protecting from the uneven trail surfaces, which smooth on the firm stuff. The outersole has been reimagined. The lugs are similar but more purposefully arranged around the perimeter providing better-articulated traction and improved grip as it interacts with the trail. Version 5.0 carries on the Xodus tradition, retaining its fans and offering new trail hounds a great option for serious trail training.

“Comfortable fit. Motors over the trail with plenty of protection and traction for miles. Even handles roads pretty well and its durability is impressive.”

Responsive Trail Updates the Xodus 4.0 Sizes Men 7–13,14,15; Women 5–12 Weight 12.6 oz. (men’s 11); 10.2 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semi-curved Construction Strobel slip-lasted, EVA Strobel board Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics to mild overpronation

Under Armour Speedform XC $100

The Speedform XC is the latest iteration of Under Armour’s molded running shoe line. Designed for off-road uses, the XC throws a couple of surprises into the mix. The upper is a close-fitting stretch fabric, which breathes well while sealing out trail debris. A small TPU heel clip gives the heel some structure without adding too much weight. The midsole is Under Armour’s Micro G foam that is firm and responsive, with good flexibility. The outersole is a matrix of rubber chicklets that are surprisingly grippy off-road and yet have decent durability and traction on the road. These combined elements and built-in technology, tempered with a dose of minimalism and innovation, make the Under Armour Speedform XC a Performance Trail shoe worthy of serious consideration.

“Good close fit, but with a bit of stretch and support. The sole is grippier than it seems, and it did a surprisingly good job of straddling trail and road use.”

Performance Trail NEW Sizes Men 8–13,14,15; Women 6–10,11 Weight 9.5 oz. (men’s 11); 7.9 oz. (women’s 8) Shape semicurved Construction Strobel slip-lasted (partial) Recommended for medium- to high-arched feet with neutral biomechanics

Cregg Weinmann is footwear and running products reviewer for Running Network LLC. He can be reached via email at shuz2run@lightspeed.net. Copyright © 20 by Running Network LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of Running Network LLC. Reprinted here with permission.