Trail/Mountain Running Shoes

Poncherello

I know this has been discussed a little in the IMRA thread and also the Gael Force thread but they are quite long and I thought with 2500 people signed up and many people new to Mountain running this year that a new thread on
the subject might be beneficial.

So I have read that there are brands out there such as Innov8s and salomon also do good shoes but some of these are not readily available in Ireland.
I am a big believer in quality and if I heave to source a shoe in the UK I will do it but would obviously rather purchase here.

So if all our seasoned mountain runners could perhaps post what shoes they have and what terrain they are most suited to that would be great.
If you could include prices and where you got them .
Also if you were starting off now what shoe would you buy that you could use most of the year ?
What is the most popular shoe on the IMRA circuit ?
Any other pearls ..

donothoponpop

donothoponpop

Salomon Speedcross 2, almost perfect shoe, great offroad grip and support.
Inov8 Mudclaw 315, good starter shoe, lots of cushioning, general all-terrain shoe.
Both these shoes are on the heavier side, but offer superior support.

Slogger Jogger

I've both of them. I much prefer the speedcross IIs. I actually find them light enough to wear.

AJCOT

I got a pair of Solomon Speedcross in TKMax, Carrickmines for €30 about 6 months ago. I'm no hill/mountain runner but they are awesome when training in bad weather on any rough terrain.

AJCOT

I got a pair of Solomon Speedcross for €30 in TKMaxx Carrickmines six months ago. I'm no hill/mountain runner but they are awesome when training in bad weather on any terrain.

molly24

Got New balance 1110 for 30 euro in tkmaxx , have seen puma trailfox there aswell but not in my size.
I use my new balance in the woods and cliff path , no mountains yet !

Supercell

Saucony Grizzly Approach - after my first pair wore out i spent too much on other shoes, wont make that mistake again.

belcarra

AJCOT wrote: »

I got a pair of Solomon Speedcross in TKMax, Carrickmines for €30 about 6 months ago. I'm no hill/mountain runner but they are awesome when training in bad weather on any rough terrain.

I was a newcomer to IMRA this Year and bought a pair of Speedcross 2's for the season. Just completed run number 8 out of a possible 9 in the Leinster League.
I have to say I am extremely happy with my choice. For the first wear I thought the toe box was a little tight but it managed to shape itself fairly quickly without me having any issues.

I think I paid approx €95 in Snow and Rock in Dundrum (Or whatever it's called but it was really good for customer service!).

T runner

Ive heard great things about the adidas Kanadia as an allrounder. 60 quid in arnotts I think and under 300 grams.

As an all out mountain racer for the championship mountain races the inov 8 x talon is hard to beat. The inov 8 roclite 315 is a great shoe for league and championship races and would be a good place to start.

RacoonQueen

I'm thinking of trying a few runs to the mountains for some training in a couple of months...it'd be about 5 miles or so for me to run there, I know some shoes are okish over the different terrains but I'm not sure...any recommendations?

mithril

The ideal shoe for someone starting hill running is a pair of road runners near the end of their life -you add an additional few hundred miles to the expected lifetime by running on softer ground. A good fit and suitability for the individual bio-mechanics of the runner are more important characteristics than the additional grip that off-road shoes provide unless you are doing some very technical routes such as downhill in the rain off Croagh Patrick - not recommended for beginners.

T runner

mithril wrote: »

The ideal shoe for someone starting hill running is a pair of road runners near the end of their life -you add an additional few hundred miles to the expected lifetime by running on softer ground. A good fit and suitability for the individual bio-mechanics of the runner are more important characteristics than the additional grip that off-road shoes provide unless you are doing some very technical routes such as downhill in the rain off Croagh Patrick - not recommended for beginners.

Im not sure Id agree with that. The more experienced hillrunners need less grip than the beginner not the other way round. I can see what you mean about prolonging the life of the road runners but that would be more suitable for off road park running.

If you are a beginner and you encounter a downhill section of grass the tendency is to brake (grassy downhills require most grip: out and out mountain runners best here, road shoes/trail shoes can be better for rocky courses due to the cushioning ) . If you brake coming down a grassy hill it will equal a fall.

For someone looking for a pair of trail shoes to use when approaching the hills from a road then the saucony grizzlys are good. They are basically a road show with an off road grip.

The best way to improve hill runninmg techique quickly is to do long runs in the hills and cruising but not slowing on the descents (in races you push more on the up and more if possible on the down) You wont do that wearing road shoes.

Krusty_Clown

I love my Inov8s. The roclite 315's are so comfortable, I've taken to wearing them daily (and for hikes). Instead I bought a pair of mudclaw 270s, which I'm just going to keep for IMRA races. Like slippers they are.

CiaranC33

After reading the posts here and few other sites I have decided that I am going to invest in a pair of Salomon SpeedCross 2 Shoes for the wet evenings training ahead. Maybe from here.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/run/8/Salomon_SpeedCross_2_Shoes/5360031844/

Just wondering from people who have run in the Salomon SpeedCross 2 what are their sizes like.
I take 9.5 in Asics and 9 in Saucony.

Thanks,
Ciarán

n-dawg

I always buy my off-road shoes very tight. Normally I take a 10-10.5 but my inov8's are a 9... almost wish I'd got a 8.5! What tends to happen with mine is they stretch a lot when they get wet and then my feat slip in them.

wiggle are probably much cheaper then any shop in Ireland but if you can try them on first here do.

O yea when you try them on jump forward and land putting as much forward pressure as you can... if your feat slip there too big (Thats the way I do it anyway). I should point out I have narrow feat so that might be why my feat slip!

ThisRegard

Try them on somewhere first if you can. When I was getting my Salomons, wings, I read on the wiggle reviews to get a half size bigger than your normal size due to their fit. I seem to be opposite to n-dawg in that my previous trail shoes were also a half size bigger than normal.

rkav410

Does anyone out there use custom made orthotic insoles in their trail shoes? If so what trail shoes do you use?
I used to use Saloman XA Pro 3Ds which I thought were the best shoe I have ever run in. I was about to replace them with a pair of XT Wings when I realised that these already have pronation control built in and apparently you should only wear your orthotics with neutral runners, but nearly all trail shoes have some built in pronation control! Not sure what shoe to buy now!

copacetic

n-dawg wrote: »

I always buy my off-road shoes very tight. Normally I take a 10-10.5 but my inov8's are a 9... almost wish I'd got a 8.5! What tends to happen with mine is they stretch a lot when they get wet and then my feat slip in them.

wiggle are probably much cheaper then any shop in Ireland but if you can try them on first here do.

O yea when you try them on jump forward and land putting as much forward pressure as you can... if your feat slip there too big (Thats the way I do it anyway). I should point out I have narrow feat so that might be why my feat slip!

I'd agree with this, smaller the better to avoid any heel lift or sliding forward when going downhill. I've found salomon too narrow to go smaller though, inov8 are relatively snug also

Krusty_Clown

n-dawg wrote: »

I always buy my off-road shoes very tight. Normally I take a 10-10.5 but my inov8's are a 9... almost wish I'd got a 8.5! What tends to happen with mine is they stretch a lot when they get wet and then my feat slip in them.

wiggle are probably much cheaper then any shop in Ireland but if you can try them on first here do.

O yea when you try them on jump forward and land putting as much forward pressure as you can... if your feat slip there too big (Thats the way I do it anyway). I should point out I have narrow feat so that might be why my feat slip!

Wish I'd read this advice before buying my last pair of inov-8s. Makes a lot of sense now. Got a nasty blister from the shoe sliding forwards and backwards on a downhill.

Slogger Jogger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Wish I'd read this advice before buying my last pair of inov-8s. Makes a lot of sense now. Got a nasty blister from the shoe sliding forwards and backwards on a downhill.

This is a rule which doesn't apply to all, so you'd want to check it out before you buy online. I wear size 9s in road runners and hilll runners inc. inov8s. I have never had any loosening up or blisters. Depending on the terrain I might tie laces tighter to ensure I don't lose the shoe in the bog though.

Fi H

rkav410 wrote: »

Does anyone out there use custom made orthotic insoles in their trail shoes? If so what trail shoes do you use?
I used to use Saloman XA Pro 3Ds which I thought were the best shoe I have ever run in. I was about to replace them with a pair of XT Wings when I realised that these already have pronation control built in and apparently you should only wear your orthotics with neutral runners, but nearly all trail shoes have some built in pronation control! Not sure what shoe to buy now!

I am using mine with north face trail runners no problem although i find the surface of the orthotics v slippery when my shoes ar efull of water and this causes my feet to slip somewhat!

mcgarry098

Hey does anyone know any really good cheap trail shoe suitable for gaelforce,.. think i know yer answer though which is gonna be you get what you pay for.
Money is really tight so the cheaper the better!

copacetic

the nike outlet in kildare has some basic trail shoes for €15/€22 at the moment, they are selling them off before they shut down for a refurbishment. 53 degrees north has a sale on too and have some asics and north face trail shoes on sale for €50 up.

Both have a limited selection of sizes.

Mr Freeze

Anyone here ever used the Mizuno Cabrakan trail shoe?

I was in Amphibian King getting a pair road shoes recently and had a look at some trail shoes too, they hadn't any Cabrakans there in my size, but that seemed like the trail shoe for me, as I need a supportive shoe.

Anyways, they sent me down a pair, and reading up on reviews beforehand they sounded good, no review stated they were waterproof, but I think they are.

Waterproof would be a bad thing wouldn't for adventure races that have kayaking or anything where the shoe will be totally submerged, is a waterproof shoe more like to hold the water in instead of drying out as you continue on in the race?

Enduro

CKWPORT wrote: »

Waterproof would be a bad thing wouldn't for adventure races that have kayaking or anything where the shoe will be totally submerged, is a waterproof shoe more like to hold the water in instead of drying out as you continue on in the race?

Correct. Bad idea for off-road racing in Ireland in general. There are lots of ways to fill your shoes with water without needing a kayak to help (Anyone who did DoNotHopOnPop's race in Annagh hill will know that all too well ).

spurscormac

mcgarry098 wrote: »

Hey does anyone know any really good cheap trail shoe suitable for gaelforce,.. think i know yer answer though which is gonna be you get what you pay for.
Money is really tight so the cheaper the better!

I've seen the Adidas Kanadia on sale in Elvery's at times for about half price.
Other than that, you could try startfitness, see what they have on sale in your size...
Trail Shoes

Mr Freeze

Enduro wrote: »

Correct. Bad idea for off-road racing in Ireland in general. There are lots of ways to fill your shoes with water without needing a kayak to help (Anyone who did DoNotHopOnPop's race in Annagh hill will know that all too well ).

Thanks Enduro!
Can the same be said for water resistant shoes!? Bad idea too?

jeffontour

CKWPORT wrote: »

Can the same be said for water resistant shoes!? Bad idea too?

My opinion would be you're better off with a shoe that will drain quickly after you land in a puddle. Any claims of waterproof or water resistance for shoes has to be taken with a pinch of salt, water will always get in once you are in anything more than a few mm of water.

gooch134

I am new to hill/trail running adventure scene. I have been trying to source a good durable fast running shoe. I have ran 3 marathons & completed an adventure race so my shoe would have to be performance related. I intend running the Dingle Adventure Race. This race requires a 25km cycle, a hike up & down Mount Brandon followed by a six mile Road Run. I would be very interested to hear from any experienced runners whom have ran this event last year as to their ideal running shoes for that terrain. The route includes road, rock, dry grass, wet grass, very steep ascending & decending. I have so far sourced the Salomon XR Crossmax, Inov-8 Roclite 285 & Inov-8 Mudclaw 272. I would also be delighted to hear the views from anyone who has tried the above shoes

spurscormac

gooch134 wrote: »

I am new to hill/trail running adventure scene. I have been trying to source a good durable fast running shoe. I have ran 3 marathons & completed an adventure race so my shoe would have to be performance related. I intend running the Dingle Adventure Race. This race requires a 25km cycle, a hike up & down Mount Brandon followed by a six mile Road Run. I would be very interested to hear from any experienced runners whom have ran this event last year as to their ideal running shoes for that terrain. The route includes road, rock, dry grass, wet grass, very steep ascending & decending. I have so far sourced the Salomon XR Crossmax, Inov-8 Roclite 285 & Inov-8 Mudclaw 272. I would also be delighted to hear the views from anyone who has tried the above shoes

I have the Salomon SpeedCross 2. Extremely comfy, did the Connemara challenge a few weeks ago in horrendously wet underfoot conditions and I couldn't fault it. The grip compared to my old road runners last year was on a different level.
I've also ran some short training runs, 5/6 miles on road/path to help break them in when I first got them & didn't have any issues with them at all.
You'll find them in Great Outdoors in Dublin & Galway, and I'm sure elsewhere too. Saw it at a great price on wiggle too at the moment if you're willing to go down that route.

Looking at the rest of the list you have there, I see the Roclite 285 & Muclaw 270(not the 272) on start fitness, and the XR Crossmax on Wiggle.
For what you say, I'd be wary of the sole on the Roclites, looks quite like a road shoe, not sure how much grip for wet grass, descent, but prob fine on the road and other sections.
The Mudclaw seems to have a better tread for that, but I haven't worn Inov8s before so don't know how the trade off would be for comfort on the road section.
Can't see the sole of the Crossmax to see what its like, but having ran on most of what you listed in my SpeedCross, I'd recommend them if you can get them.

Krusty_Clown

spurscormac wrote: »

For what you say, I'd be wary of the sole on the Roclites, looks quite like a road shoe, not sure how much grip for wet grass, descent, but prob fine on the road and other sections.
The Mudclaw seems to have a better tread for that, but I haven't worn Inov8s before so don't know how the trade off would be for comfort on the road section.

Unless you are planning on changing shoes after the hike (before the road section) I would avoid the mudclaws. They're really not designed for road use, and you will find that it is quite an excruciating experience. The roclite would definitely be a better fit than the mudclaw.

The Salomon Crossmax is designed for that kind of dual terrain (road and trail), so might be your best bet. I have worn mine on both types of terrain and found them to be very good. Grippy on the trail/mud/grass and fast on the road. Might be better off buying from a bricks and mortar shop though, to ensure you get the right fit.

ThisRegard

spurscormac wrote: »

For what you say, I'd be wary of the sole on the Roclites, looks quite like a road shoe, not sure how much grip for wet grass, descent, but prob fine on the road and other sections.

I have the Roclite 295s and the grip is exemplary, are you sure it was the grips of the Roclite you looked at as the sole is nothing like a road shoe ? For example in the recent IMRA race on Djouce, which was wet and boggy in places, I never felt like I was going to slip at any stage (although I did have a fall but it wasn't due to a slip). I've worn them in so many wet and slippy races without fear of loosing grip, unlike for example in a pair of Salamons I have. I've also worn them in dry conditions on trail as they're so comfy.

spurscormac

ThisRegard wrote: »

I have the Roclite 295s and the grip is exemplary, are you sure it was the grips of the Roclite you looked at as the sole is nothing like a road shoe ? For example in the recent IMRA race on Djouce, which was wet and boggy in places, I never felt like I was going to slip at any stage (although I did have a fall but it wasn't due to a slip). I've worn them in so many wet and slippy races without fear of loosing grip, unlike for example in a pair of Salamons I have. I've also worn them in dry conditions on trail as they're so comfy.

I stand corrected and bow to your personal experience.
The image I was looking at was a smaller version of this: http://www.startfitness.co.uk/uploads/images_products_large/37797.jpg

In the smaller version, it did look like the tread wasn't very deep or wide, but seems its better from the larger pic & your own experience.

gooch134

Thanks a million for the advice guys. I have decided on the Roclite 295's. Now all I have to do is find a size 10. I have two weeks to get them. Really appreciate your inputs.

see ya at the starting line

HelenAnne

Hello!

I've read through this whole thread, loads of great suggestions, thanks, everyone! There are so many recommendations for trails runs for different types of races though, like adventure ones and multi-event ones, that I'm still not sure whar would be best as a 'basic' trail shoe.

So, question 1)
I've done one mountain run (run the line) & several urban trails & other trail races. I'd like a basic trail shoes that I could wear to IMRA races that have mountain & trail & bog & heather, and also to trail runs like Urban Trails & the reservoir run that have bits of tarmac / road mixed in with grass and trails. What sort of shoe would be best for this?

And 2)
You know the way with road shoes everyone gets gait analysis and takes time picking a shoe? Are trail shoes more like spikes, that once they're neutral etc they are fine becuse you dodn't need as much cushioning when you're not on roads?

Thank you!!

mrroboito

Just to add my tuppence ha'pworth here, I have had two pairs of trail running shoes; Salomon Wings 2 and Adidas Kanadia. The Salomons were amazing (they are a little on the heavy side though), they took a good bit of abuse and just dried out and were ready to go again the next day with no fuss, no smell and no discomfort. I loved the lacing system and really missed it when I changed over to the Adidas as I never felt I could get the shoes and laces tight enough while the laces opened mid-race a couple of times (some tape sorted this for me though). I used them in a number of road 10ks as well as Moxie, Gaelforce, IMRA (x2), Urban Trails, while my training runs are on lakeshore (sand, stone, grass, forest) or forest/bog trails.
Anyway, after about 12 months part of the insole of the Salomons wore out and gave me blisters, other than that I would still be using them, maybe I can get new insoles. There are a few holes in the fabric part of the shoe but that's the very least I'd expect of them.
As for the Adidas, I have been weraing them full time (after going half and half with the Adidas for a month or so) since the turn of the year and they are smelly with awkward laces, a great big tear in the fabric upper already and I'm picking up quite a few random niggling injuries (there is absolutely no proof that this is the fault of the shoes but I have to suspect them as I had zero problems last year). I don't really like them but in fairness they have seen me through a few IMRA races and have performed admirably in terms of grip. They are also lighter than the Salomons.
I'm going to the shop next week for a new pair of Salomons I'd say, my research brought me to this page for a wee vent. Aaaah.

spurscormac

mrroboito wrote: »

I'm going to the shop next week for a new pair of Salomons I'd say, my research brought me to this page for a wee vent. Aaaah.

Have a look at Inov-8 for trail shoes before you splash out on the Salomons.
They have a great variety for all sorts of conditions.

I have an old pair of Salomon Speedcross, the sole wore quickly & they blister the crap out of my feet now if I race in them.
Though I will say, the mesh upper & quick-lace system are very good.

Have a pair of Inov-8 Trailrocs now, good for multiple conditions, and as I run in Inov-8 road shoes too, the fit and feel of the shoes is exactly the same.

Worth considering before you splash out.

mrroboito

I'd love a pair of Inov8s, they look cool, any particular model of Trailroc? In fairness to my Salomons the soles are still in fine order. I think that the Wings might have a more durable sole than the Speedcross though. Do you know of a shop that sells both brands so I can compare directly and easily?

copacetic

53 degrees do both. I've had speedcross and xapro from salomon and various flyrocs from inov8. Personally I've found inov8s more comfortable.

spurscormac

mrroboito wrote: »

I'd love a pair of Inov8s, they look cool, any particular model of Trailroc? In fairness to my Salomons the soles are still in fine order. I think that the Wings might have a more durable sole than the Speedcross though. Do you know of a shop that sells both brands so I can compare directly and easily?

I have the trailroc 245, its the middle model of their initial Trailroc range, with 3mm heel-toe drop (though they do have the uber-lightweight Trailroc 150 out now, though its as minimal as you can get).
I know that Amphibian King sell Inov-8, though not Salomon. I believe 53 Degrees North do both brands, you'd probably want to check in advance if they have what you're looking for in stock.

Note though that Inov-8 have no pronation support & are much more stripped back shoes than the built up looking Salomon. Having said that, some shoes do come with a 9mm heel-toe drop (not the trailroc, its got 6mm max).
Also worth noting is the fact that the Trailroc is on the wider last (used to be anatomic, now rebranded neutral or natural I believe), and most of the other trail shoes come in the narrower Performance last.

mrroboito

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll take a look at the Trailroc 255. They don't seem to have it in Blanchardstown though, just the 245.

b.harte

+1 on inov-8
I've a pair of Trailroc 255 and a pair of terrafly 303 (2nd pair of these on their way as we speak)
Be aware that the offroad shoes seem to run a bit small, I'm an 11 in the road-x line but an 11.5 in both the trailroc and terrafly.
All of them are really comfy, the wide toe box is great.
Grip wise they do what they are supposed to do.
The trailroc are really good on most surfaces, a bit harsh on road but perfect for offroad trails. The only slippage I've had is on sheet moss / slime on a hard compacted base, but to be fair almost any other shoe would have slipped as well.
I've had no issue on rocks, mud, loose gravel, grass, heather, small furry animals, expossed roots, etc.
I've even ran down a MTB downhill track in them,
HELMET CAM VIDEO OF TRACK
next week I'm going to try to run up it
The rock guard / bumper is great, I've felt the shoe get a few knocks every now and then.

The terrafly are not really a proper offroad shoe, but excel at runs where there is a road section or really hard compacted gravel, where grip isn't critical. The are more comfortable over distance than the trairoc, but are let down with lack of grip on proper muddy stuff.

The best thing I've found about inov-8 in general is how good they are straight out of the box, just a really comfortable fit.
The only gripe I have (and it might be just to do with my foot shape) is the last lace eyelet is vary far back, I find I have had to delace to get a good fit without the laces pinching into the top of my foot. (all 3 pairs I have are the same)

I also have a very battered and torn pair of adidas kanadia and they are a good shoe, I never suffered with any pain / niggles with them, there are firm on hard surfaces so I stuck in a pair of insoles. Similar story with the mesh going to bits, the toe box gave up early, but some needle work and duct tape did the trick. There are on special at the minute on sportsshoes.com so might be a viable option.

Having said that, inov-8 are a far better shoe, albeit at a premium price.

Bertie

ThisRegard

Another plus from me for Innov8. I'm on my second pair of Roclite 295s and love them, they're the most comfortable shoes I have. I also have a pair of Salomon XT Wings 2 which were fine for short runs but any sort of distance left me with shredded arches. While waiting for my second 295s to arrive I wore the Salomons to a race and it felt as if I was wearing platforms, felt very unstable and awkward after wearing the roclites for so long and I ended up going over on my ankle.

mrroboito

I'm intrigued by the Salomons platform thing. I've read that in a few places. Maybe I was a bit spoiled by them, bouncing around in highly padded luxury all the while entertaining vague notions of transferring to a minimal drop (and eventually to just socks). They actually have a drop of 12mm. Anyone know what the drop is in the Kanadias?

spurscormac

mrroboito wrote: »

I'm intrigued by the Salomons platform thing. I've read that in a few places. Maybe I was a bit spoiled by them, bouncing around in highly padded luxury all the while entertaining vague notions of transferring to a minimal drop (and eventually to just socks). They actually have a drop of 12mm. Anyone know what the drop is in the Kanadias?

Google is your friend...seems its 11/12mm according to this site
runningwarehouse is usually good to give the drop, but doesn't appear to have the Kanadia listed.

statss

guys...read the thread from start to finish....good info here....almost settled on the salomon cross max as they claim to be "door to trail" as this suits me as it's usually 5/6 miles from my house to the mountains. however I want to try out 2/3 different brands before deciding....which is the directly comparable inov 8 product? is it the roclite or trailroc?

also, I'm assuming either shoe would stand up well to normal hiking?

spurscormac

The Trailroc & the Roclite are both Inov-8 jack of all trades shoes, look at the rating for Hard/Loose/Soft on each shoe:-

Trailroc 245
Roclite 243

From that you can see that the Trailroc is better for hard surface, but apparently not as good on soft (not sure I'd agree on the soft rating myself).

The other main difference between the two shoes is the last, the trailroc is wider fitting than the roclite, so worth considering if you have wider or narrower feet, or try both to see which suits you best.

Here's the link for the entire Inov-8 trail collection

Actually - looking at that, some of the roclites have a comfort fit & there's also the terrafly to consider for good hard ground performance - not so good in the loose or soft though.

nerraw1111

I’ve had the trailroc for over 3 months and they are great for trails, fire roads, stone/rocks etc.

They’re not great on thick mud though but that is in comparison to the likes of the mudroc or x talon. Trailroc tend to slide rather than grip in heavy mud.

In the mudroc, I’d be confident on sticking most foot placements whereas with the trailroc, I’d be a bit more cautious on mud and water logged grass etc.

They are perfect for trails. I used them in the recent Wicklow trail race and they were brilliant. Great in the snow and the general slop and puddles of Djouce but still comfortable to hammer the fire road descents and tarmac. 26km and they were comfy right up to the end. The x talons/mudroc are not very forgiving on fireroad/road.

I’ve never tried Saloman so have no idea how they compare.

Jnealon

More Mile cheviots from start fitness might be worth a try.
Talking to a couple of imra guys who rate them and the online reviews are quite good

statss

I went to try out the Soloman Cross Max yesterday but was told they were no longer stocked, I was directed towards the Soloman XR Mission in it's place. Some difference between these things and my road runners :eek: They felt okay though and I could see myself using them for recovery road runs aswell. Need to try the Innov8's now to compare.

mrroboito

I bought the Inov8 Trailroc 255s. Went into 53 Degrees North in Carrickmines and tried them on. They fit beautifully and I was able to get them properly snug with the laces. I wore them indoors for a day or so and then to work for two days before deciding to keep them and go for a run. Did an 8k trail run and it was all good. Very happy with them so far and I don't see why that would change (I hope I still feel the same after the Cooley Legends half marathon next week).
I still have nothing against the Salomons and I'd have no hesitation in recommending them.