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Click to view libbys04's profile Amateur
libbys04
30 posts since
Oct 16, 2007

May 16, 2007 2:36 PM

First Trail Shoes

I'm sure this posting has come up quite a bit, but, I am about to purchase my first pair of trail running shoes and would like some advice. I am not necessarily looking to put a whole lot of $ into them at first (until i see how much I get off the road and onto trails). I pronate slightly and am not a heavy footed runner. Any suggestions??
Click to view mudrunner040's profile Legend
mudrunner040
381 posts since
May 27, 2004
1. May 19, 2007 9:16 PM in response to: libbys04
Find a reputable running store & get a proper fit. Depending on how technical your trails are, you may not even need posted shoes.
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Click to view exciton's profile Legend
exciton
317 posts since
Nov 2, 2004
2. May 21, 2007 4:06 PM in response to: libbys04
My personal experience was that I spent a lot of dough trying out all kinds of different trail shoes only to find out that road shoes work a lot better for me personally, even on very rocky technical trails. I would say try out your road shoes (especially if the trails are not that rocky and rooty), and you may find that they work just peachy.

Reminds me that Dave Mackey recently knocked 15 minutes off the Mountain Mist 50K course record in a pair of Nike Pegs. And this IS a very rocky, technical course. Yeah, I know Mackey is a special guy, but it goes to show that some of the greatest practitioners are also road shoe aficionados.

What I think has happened is that the trail shoes have inherited way too many characteristics of hiking boots and that the best shoes for running trails are still, well, running shoes.
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Click to view chipsnsalsa's profile Amateur
chipsnsalsa
12 posts since
Dec 13, 2005
3. May 21, 2007 4:37 PM in response to: libbys04
I hope I'm not hijacking the thread with my question. What do you think of road shoes that have a trail version? For instance, the Brooks Adrenaline, Saucony Omni, and Asics 2120 all have (or had) trail shoe versions that have a more rugged outsole and upper. Presumably, they fit like their road shoes counterparts and have normal cushioning and support features. Is this regarded as not doing anything good enough, like the hybrid bikes vs road or mountain bikes?

Also, what trail shoes do you recommend for a trail runner who has to run 1-2 miles on roads to get to the trails? Are there trail shoes that perform okay on the roads?
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Click to view RunstheBitterroot's profile Legend
RunstheBitterroot
591 posts since
Aug 14, 2007
4. May 21, 2007 6:03 PM in response to: libbys04
I like my Adidas Super Novas trail shoes and I think I only paid about 70 bucks for them. They work pretty good for the trails around here in western montana. Larry

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"If you see a man running up a mountain trail in Montana with a fly pole attached to his back, you are probably lost. LDD
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Click to view mudrunner040's profile Legend
mudrunner040
381 posts since
May 27, 2004
5. May 21, 2007 8:02 PM in response to: libbys04
It's true...as far as shoes go, one could use road shoes for any trail, as well, any trail shoe will suffice for running 1 to 2 miles of pavement.
The question you have to ask is...what do I want out of my shoes?
For me, I like the fact that my trail shoes protect my toes from those clumsy moments when I kick large boulders....they also save the soles of my feet from those nasty little pointy rocks we get around here...I also like the fact that they stick like sh!t to bedsheets as I jump from boulder to boulder.
On simple gravel paths, I'll opt for road shoes 'cause they're so light.
That said, I could do almost all of my running in my road shoes, but why? It's like running in a rain storm with a cotton shirt.
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Click to view Addygrl's profile Pro
Addygrl
193 posts since
Nov 7, 2004
6. May 21, 2007 9:26 PM in response to: libbys04
I'll second the adidas supernovas. I always used the road version of these and when I went to trail running bought the trail version and have really loved them!

So, the trail converted road shoes are, in my opinion, great.

But I definitely second the suggestion to get a proper fit!

Addy
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Click to view markc7079's profile Pro
markc7079
197 posts since
Sep 7, 2002
7. May 22, 2007 6:30 AM in response to: libbys04
quote:<HR>Originally posted by chipsnsalsa:
I hope I'm not hijacking the thread with my question. What do you think of road shoes that have a trail version? <HR>


I wore the New Balance 707, which was the trail version of their basic neutral shoe. I found it pretty comfy for short distances, but had real trouble with it at longer distances. They never seemed to fit exactly like the road version, and that was enough to cause big blisters and problems.

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Mark

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