UKC

Hi all,

First, a few quick caveats - yes, I know I need to try shoes on, yes I know if I buy online they may not be comfortable/fit as imagined, and yes, I know footwear is different for different people. Please don't tell me to go to a shop and try some shoes on.

I'm a runner with a reasonable experience, and until recently have used Inov8's as my shoe of choice for runs that involve a bit of trail (think dogwalking muddy path to hard gravel trail) with a bit of road, which, living in a small Welsh town, is a pretty common phenomenon when trying to mix up routes a little. However, the last pair I had died inordinately quickly (400km and they're falling apart) and I wasn't very impressed. A quick hunt round the internet suggests that since Inov8 were taken over by some commercial overlords, the quality has dropped in favour of selling loads of shoes to cross-shitters.

I've got a neutral pronation, high-ish arch and like a bit of drop (8-12mm) on my shoes. So, any suggestions for shoes that will handle a few trails (with hills of course!) and a bit of tarmac?

In reply to ianstevens:

I get on well with Brooks Cascadias, do most of my mileage in them. Not the lightest shoe, but the sole has hardly worn after nearly 2 years, and the cushioning has held up nicely. Enough grip for hard packed trail and grass and dry rock. Not sure what the drop is, but they definitely are not zero!

In reply to ianstevens:

I would probably go with a grippy road shoe for what you describe, so anything but a real lightweight. Likely to be lighter and comfier than any trail shoe and infinity better on the road.

In reply to ianstevens:


400km sounds pretty reasonable to me for what is in essence a very lightweight shoe. Maybe your expectations are too high? As for inov-8 quality, a quick google sees various posts from a few dissatisfied individuals over the last few years - I don't see any correlation with their recent sale at all.

In reply to planetmarshall:

I think there is a quality issue with Inov-8, but it is all to do with up scaling production several years ago, rather than their recent sale.

In reply to ianstevens:

I like my Nike Wildhorse, which I find comfortable and right amount amount of cushioning (not too much) for mixed trail/road use you describe - but the tread is not as good on wet rock/mud as say the inov8 Roclite/Mizuno Harrier .

In reply to ianstevens:

I've noticed the same thing. I've been wearing Mudclaws for many years, but the last couple of pairs have fallen to bits much more quickly than previously.

In reply to Curry:

These look just the ticket. Currently also running Brooks Ravennas on "pure" road runs and I've been amazed with them in terms of performance and build quality. Stumbled across a few Salomon's and Sportiva's that look good, but these passed me by - cheers!

Planet Marshall - I've had more out of them in the past, and even a lightweight shoe I'd expect more in the order of 5-600km - they're competently wrecked at 400k. Regardless of the weight, I'd expect better from a £90 pair of shoes, and if this means my expectation is to high then so be it - but I'd rather try and alternative before dropping my standards.

NickB - Grippy road shoe was something I had thought about, but I'm under the impression they perform poorly on hilly, slippery mud? Hence why I was looking more at a trail/road option rather than a road/trail (if that makes sense?)

In reply to ianstevens:

I really like the Scott Kinabalu's. handle anything.

In reply to Roadrunner5:


What's the fit like on these? I have wide feet and struggle to find anything that fits.

(Good effort at the weekend - looks like a nice part of the world to be running!)

In reply to ianstevens:

Just got a pair of New Balance 910v2 trail shoes - decent outsole, but still quite a bit of cushioning. Not really used them yet, but they look promising. 8mm drop
http://www.sportsshoes.com/product/new690834/new-balance-mt910v2-trail-runn...

There's also the New Balance 1210v2 which they class as an ultra shoe - so plenty cushioning and still a rugged outsole. Again it's a 8mm drop. Not got these, but tempted.

In reply to tony:
Thanks.

Yeah I think they are fairly wide.

The trail rocket is narrower.

I was given a pair of rockets just before that race but backed out at the last minute and ran in my NB freshfoam trails, that I dont like.. but I know they are 'OK'.

The kinabalus are a broad fitting do everything OK shoe.. Not a fell shoe, not a road shoe. Just a proper trail shoe that can handle a broad spectrum. But they are broader than the trail rockets.

TBH For Scottish trails I think they could be lacking on the peaty stuff.

In reply to Curry:


I've always used Cascadias for my bread and butter runs - a quick loop of our valley on rocky, mixed trails with a bit of access tarmac and I've run the odd ultra in them too. The version 7, 8 and 9s all gave me 1,500km each with hardly a scratch, but version 10 has started falling apart after 300km. I'm really disappointed and this seems to be pretty common in this version according to reviews I've seen and comments on social media.

I'm certainly looking for a new shoe to take their place in my repetoire