26 replies to this topic

[tim]

I am contemplating my next shoe purchase and am thinking since my thing is ultra trail running then maybe I should be looking at a trail shoe.

any thoughts?


tim

[Mister G]

Tim,

Nothing matches your KT26s.

[tim]

actually it is a very sad story. The arch supports in the KT's were once easily removed but now they are built in to the inner. Unfortunately the support is in the wrong place for my foot and gives me pain if I run more then about 4 hours in them. So I have had to give up my love affair with the $28 a a pair shoe.

now I think about it, I probably will still run shorter runs in them though so I guess KT and I will still be friends.

I wonder if the Volley would be any good?tim

[Jogger]

Tim,

I also like a lot of off-road running and have even experimented with a trail shoe (it was a NB one). However I have found that my regular "road" shoes are quite adequate. Currently I am using Brooks Addiction but have run off-road with all sorts of shoes, over a number of years and a number of terrains, and I can't say that I have ever found this solution lacking in any way.

I half-suspect that trail shoes are a solution looking for a problem. The logic is good ("I run trails so need a trail shoe") but I just don't believe it.

[undercover brother]

i don't think today's date was lost on mr g.
actually bought a pair of trail shoes the other month.
have used them once.
road shoes will get u thru almost any australian trail event.
exceptions? anyone?

[kazz]

Hi tim,
I run in trail shoes :D ! Asics Trabuco which they've now discontinued & introduced the 1080trail instead.
I find they give me great traction on the trails I run, which are mainly forestry fire trails that have a really uneven surface as well as gravelly, rocky,hilly, and when wet, really muddy & slippery. I used to run in regular runners but found I was slipping & sliding a lot so I made the change & haven't looked back as most of my running is in the trails.
I use Asics Nimbus for my road/city running but I'd never use them in the bush.
I guess everyone's different but I find the trails I run are easier & more fun to run in trail shoes & I don't have to worry about rolling an ankle or slipping over.
As the saying goes "different horses for different courses".

kazz.

[pastyboy]

The trail shoe I use, Montrail's Leone Divide, is a vast improvement over a road shoe for me. They have much better grip in the wet and on loose trails when downhilling (like the last 3km of Six foot track, for example), better toe box room (less blisters and black toe), and are relatively cheap (recently $99- on sale), and carried locally by Snowgum. They also come in a dirty grey color which hides the dirt perfectly.

I train and race road in a different brand. Works well for me...

[MarkO]

I got a pair of Asics Eagle Trail at the end of last year and find they are a great shoe on the dirt. They have a much more agreesive tread which grips.

Used to use Asics 2000 series, but they slip around a lot on the trail.

I only use the one pair and they are great on the road/ footpaths as well.

Personnally I think they are a great shoe

[Winston]

I think if you play footy you wear a footy boot, you play basketball you wear a basketball boot etc etc and so on and so on! They are specifically designed for the purpose and better than the alternatives for grip and durability.

All leading brands i know of make a trail version and some make multiple trail shoes like NB, Brooks, Asics and Nike to name a few. Brooks are releasing in June an Adrenaline trail shoe in two different uppers which is fantastic if thats your foot type. Most will have some type of water proofing aspect to them and more rugged outer sole.

Search the web for the different types, find out what shape you need for your foot and invest.

[JC]

Winston! If I didn't know better, I'd think you were in footwear sales! ;)

[maccattack]

I've found the Brooks Addiction Trail to have great traction on hills, better than Adrenalines, so for mine the Trail shoes offer better grip on looses stuff.

[MarkO]

[indent]quote:

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Most will have some type of water proofing aspect to them

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[/indent]I think that the water proofing is more in the marketing then in the fact. My Asics Eagle Trail seem to let in water just as fast in the rain as my old 2000 series Asics :)

[Mister G]

[indent]quote:

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Most will have some type of water proofing aspect to them and more rugged outer sole.

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[/indent]Is water proofing relevant in Australian conditions? We don't run through snow that often. Seems like it'll just lead to problems- very sweaty feet, macerated skin, etc.

[JohnLindsay]

Tim,

The shoes I ran Melb Trailwalker in were Montrail Vitesse. I've had several pairs of them now. I ran the Marathon De Sables in a pair.

Their good features include outstanding traction on rough terrain, especially downhill; a plate in the insole which takes away the pain to the underfoot when you stand on a sharp rock in road shoes; plenty of room in the toebox; and a sole which virtually never wears out.

The one downside is that they are not flash on wet rocks or slippery surfaces. I also have the Leona Divides mentioned by Pastyboy. They are much better in the wet, but they come too high on my ankle bones and tear the skin off. If I tape the ankle bones, they bruise after several hours (I think I have low ankle bones).

The Divides also have a plate in the in-sole, but it doesn't seem as effective as the Vitesse. The Divides are better ventilated than the Vitesse, but the downside of that is that you get a lot of dust in your sox, which eventually can chafe between the toes. This is not a problem with the Vitesse, especially if you wear gators like the ones I wore at TW.

Both models are available from Snowgum, and are reasonably priced.

Regards
John

[tim]

Now you mention it, I think there is a need in this country for more races through light snow. Or at least one!


tim

[dfbreyes]

Hello to all Aussies there.

I'm from Manila, Philippines. I know many of you Austrialians are health-conscious.

I would like to ask your recommendations or suggestions for a runner who wears his shoes out on the outer heel. Some would very likely call this as 'supination.'

I'm quite frustrated because the wear on the outer heel is so pronounced, its like someone sliced my sneakers just as one would slice a banana. Is there something wrong with the way I run?

If you'd look at the inner side of my shoes however, the wear would be very minimal. The outer heel however really gets worn out before any part of the rubber shoes even gets dirty.

I run mostly on asphalt roads.

Sometimes I feel I can't justify buying branded rubber shoes because after a short time.

Is there a particular shoe that you could recommend? Or method of running to change the way I run?

Thank you very much.

David

[Stu Mac]

dfbreyes - I am not in a position to recommend a pair of shoes for this particular problem, but I would strongly suggest seeing a podiatrist, he or she will be able to assist with the way your foot strikes the ground, in turn this may assist your stride and improve your running. But most importantly it will reduce the injury factor...

[yeti]

[indent]quote:

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Originally posted by KevinTiller:

I half-suspect that trail shoes are a solution looking for a problem. The logic is good ("I run trails so need a trail shoe") but I just don't believe it.

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[/indent]I agree with that. Just run a 50k trail run (www.harzquerung.de) in a pair of Adidas Taper whithout any problems - and wouldn't think of wearing anything heavier in a race !

Yeti

[Fire Horse]

Just reviving this thread to ask those of you who do have experience of trail shoes - how much heavier than a regular running shoe are they? I'm looking at the Asics Gel Mesa Trail or the Asics Gel Guts II (good grief! Who is naming these shoes??) in search of better traction for trails and orienteering (to do away with that I'm-gonna-have-a-stack-any-minute-now feeling on loose surfaces downhill). But... I don't need anything making me go slower... esp. not clumpy shoes swinging along. And, for reasons known only to themselves, the shoe co. do not include weight for the trail shoes in the technical info. they supply.

So c'mon, get those kitchen scales out, and plonk your shoes on them for me :) . And if you get caught, your excuse is, it's for posterity ;) .

[IDW]

Firehorse
I got a pair of ASICS "Gel Trabucco" trail shoes about a year ago as I do more trail than roads and thought a bit more grip would be better.

They weigh 396 grams each compared to 350g for the general purpose other shoes I use. This isn't much of a difference but I notice it, so I don't race in them or run more than 35 km in them. However, they are very comfortable and I have used them in a 24 hour rogaine with no blisters. In my opinion, they are ideal for events were speed is not quite the essence such as a rogaine or an orienteering event and they are great for bushwalking. That said, I know people who are happy to run Six Foot Track in them and finish in the top 30 - but I'm fairly lightly built so perhaps I notice a few grams more....

In fact the jelly cushioning - or whatever they use - and the fit, has converted me to the ASICS brand and I bought a pair of lighter weight ASICS "Cumulus" yesterday (350g). I used New Balance for about 20 years but for a few years they have put a plastic wedge on the instep of the model I like and this has somehow given me blisters on the instep, though to be fair only after many hours of use and when the shoe or foot gets a bit damp.

Ian

[Dave]

I purchased a pair of Brooks Addiction Trail around 6 months ago, specifically for Orienteering/Rogaining.

Yes they are slightly heavier, but they are also a little stiffer on the sole which is good for trail/off road running. A nice feature I like is the seal around the tongue of the shoe to keep out dirt/grit. Coupled with gaiters for true bush running they seem to do the job well and certainly have better grip in loose/slippery situations.

[MarkO]

My Asics Eagle Trail feel the same weight as my older Asics 2000 series shoes, but they are actually 50gms heavier (per shoe I assume)

The Asics web site does have the weights of some of their shoes at http://www.asics.com.au/ However, this doesn't include Gel Guts or the Mesa Trail <_<

[Fire Horse]

Thanks for the input. Sounds like the trail shoes may be a good alternative to those Silva O shoes that wear out just sitting in the cupboard (not to mention the amazing technicolour look of the things...). Now I just have to find a stockist close by so I can try a few on. Pity the stores don't have a bit of simulated hill - a few plastic rocks, simulated leaf litter etc. I know, too many expectations...

Cheers.

[AltyRunner]

Has anyone tried any Inov8 off road/mountain running shoes? They seem to have had some good reviews overseas but they don't seem to have a retailer in Australia. If you have any, I'm curious where you got them and your experience of them.

http://www.inov-8.com/Product.html

I could buy some online but am worried about buying a new brand in case the sizes are not consistent and hence not fit properly. Has anyone had exeperience of buying a new/different brand of shoe online, ie without physically trying them on?

[Owain Lewes]

Mark O
Asics have a new version of the Gel Eagle with a Goretex upper on the Korean Market.
I'm sure it'll be available in Australia soon. If not maybe try to order online.
Cheers
Owain

[knight60]

It doesn't have to be an either/or thing. Since many runners use 2-3 pairs at a time and rotate them, why not have one pair of trail shoes?

When you go on a run that is all or mostly off-road, wear the trail shoes. My all-time favourite and best fitting pair of running shoes ever were Adidas Response Trails, bought at Footlocker on sale for $30.

At the moment, I'm using a pair of New Balance trail shoes - they were cheap ($50) and are excellent. Slightly heavier than my non-trail shoes, but who cares? On a lot of trails, you'll pick up clay and dirt anyway, and shoes can get really heavy. The traction seems so much better in the trail shoes.

As John Bingham says, waddle on friends! :)

[MarkO]

I use my Asic Eagle Trail for all my running, whether on or off road. So far they have 1200km on the clock and they are still going strong.