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[Oisín]

Got myself a pair of "trail shoes" to hopefully replace the walking boots for anything other than snow and ice.

They are beautifully light and I can understand the saying that goes something like " A few grams saved on the feet is like a few kilo's saved on the back "

So guys, any comments from anyone who uses trail shoes? Was considering if I needed some waterproof type socks to combat the water intake.

Thoughts welcomed.

[FlapJack]

never used trail shoes before, let us know how they are with the water proof socks, mybe i could be persuaded to leave the boots at home

[Ed]

Got myself a pair of "trail shoes" to hopefully replace the walking boots for anything other than snow and ice.

They are beautifully light and I can understand the saying that goes something like " A few grams saved on the feet is like a few kilo's saved on the back "

So guys, any comments from anyone who uses trail shoes? Was considering if I needed some waterproof type socks to combat the water intake.

Thoughts welcomed.

My only suggestion is to alternate them with boots, slowly phasing the boots out, to build up the ankle / foot muscles which replace the support provided by the boot.

Great idea, and the waterproof socks should leave it very comfortable option.

I once considered this combo, sealskins and merrell chameleons, but went with boots because I was new to hiking.

[Oisín]

I think I agree with you on this. Only addition to my opinion would be that I hope to build up these muscles by wearing them for everyday use or forest path walks. This should be sufficient for building up some muscle.

[twentyclicks]

Nice. Most of the year I just wear wool socks and let the feet get wet. Waterproof socks would be warmer if it's cold I guess.
Not sure the grip on those is massive but should be fine for most things. Steep, slimey grass is about the worst. My merrell trail gloves have no tread so I got some Inov8s and Sportiva X-country for the muck. The lightness really is lovely.

I also recently picked up the Vivo neo watersport shoe as a camp/hut shoe on long treks, or coasteering etc. At the moment it does great slipper duty around the house 

[FlapJack]

has anyone tried the barefoot shoes, like the vibram five fingers.  Are the trail gloves bare foot? edit duh the Vivobarefoot it's in the name. lol edit

[LandyLiam]

I prefer to be in the hills with a pair of trainers on rather than boots, boots tend to be used only when i know i will be off track in the boggy stuff and when i camping and want to keep my feet dry, i still can't decide to go for boots or shoes on the MMM 

[Oisín]

has anyone tried the barefoot shoes, like the vibram five fingers.  Are the trail gloves bare foot? edit duh the Vivobarefoot it's in the name. lol edit

These are my second pair of thin soled shoes/barefoot mimic, I had a pair of the vibrams five fingers. I say had because I bought them wore them once and then lost the right shoe after capsizing a canoe. Talk about heart break.

Nice. Most of the year I just wear wool socks and let the feet get wet. Waterproof socks would be warmer if it's cold I guess.
Not sure the grip on those is massive but should be fine for most things. Steep, slimey grass is about the worst. My merrell trail gloves have no tread so I got some Inov8s and Sportiva X-country for the muck. The lightness really is lovely.

I also recently picked up the Vivo neo watersport shoe as a camp/hut shoe on long treks, or coasteering etc. At the moment it does great slipper duty around the house 

I'll throw up a picture of the tread in a few days when I get home. I'm not planning on buying super expensive seal skinz waterproof socks, but thinking of buying the MOD version, I'm presuming it will be similar.

I prefer to be in the hills with a pair of trainers on rather than boots, boots tend to be used only when i know i will be off track in the boggy stuff and when i camping and want to keep my feet dry, i still can't decide to go for boots or shoes on the MMM 

I'd try the trainer, with the weight you save you can carry more than enough spare socks to have dry feet at the end of the night.

[mregan]

I have a pair of salomon speedcross 3 and the speedcross 2 before that.  Best shoes I ever had.  So so light and the water drains from them if my feet get wet.  I have sealskins as well but if I am racing I dont bother with them.  I have the XA Pro 3D GTX shoes as well but I just wear them as day to day shoes.  I found with goretex trail shoe the water gets in and stays in.  Even if its a small puddle the water seems to get in.  Plus the soles on the XA Pro are terrible.  The Speedcross have a superb sole on them for the hills.


I have a pair of Salomon cosmic 4D GTX boots for the real bad days.  I find these lighter than most boots and comfortable enough to run in should I have too.

[Oisín]

Wee update. I've been out running in the shoes a couple of times and I love them, they fit really nicely and feel like slippers.

It is strange to feel a breeze blowing through your shoes to cool your feet down, but it is nice.

The tread on them is surprisingly deep, maybe 1-1.5cm I'd reckon. They are great for much and what not, havent tried them on a wet grassy steep ascent though. 

[twentyclicks]

It's the descent that really gets you. Slimy Commedagh... still get nightmares just remembering.

1.5cm would be massive tread even for a pure fell shoe. Think their literature states 4mm, although the pattern looks good... like a Speedcross.

havent tried them on a wet grassy steep ascent though.

[Oisín]

I will measure them instead of guessing and post the results. 

[whoRya]

Would folk agree on there being a distinction between a trail shoe (approach shoe?) and a fell running shoe?  It does get a bit cloudy at times.  I know you could argue it's all what you do in it that defines what it is.  I could run in boots, but I'm thinking about what is in the minds of the designers (besides new models to make more money!). 

I bought a TNF trail shoe and thought I'd try it out on the hills, plenty of cushioning on it.  I like a bit of cushioning still because I find when walking down the long trails like the Ott track, Glen River track etc. it is tiring on the feet at the end of a day.  If I was purposely out running and therefore light on my feet/less heel impact then I'd imagine I could be happy in a fell running shoe.

I guess what I'm saying is I wouldn't be thinking of putting a ruck on my back and slipping into Vibram Five Fingers for a dander. 

[twentyclicks]

I trekked the GR20 in Merrell Trail Gloves. I was ok for about a week before my feet felt beat-up (and we hit coatings of loose dust that I had no tread to grip). Very light feet meant all the ascending was a breeze, and the flexy vibram sole gripped and smeared great on the slabs and scrambles, but it proved a little beyond the conditioning of my feet in the end.

Trail/fell shoes is more a continuum than a distinction. A full alpine-style trail shoe like a Soloman Crossmax has shallow but aggressive tread for dusty dirt and 'trails', plenty of cushioning for the hard-packed rocky ground. XA Pro sits a bit lower for increased stability on more uneven trails and probably has a rock-plate to protect the foot in lieu of as much cushioning. Speedcross has larger lugs of softer rubber for softer ground, but still a moderate amount of cushioning...it will wear quicker on hard ground. The Fellcross/max? has a similar sole but is very low and flat for maximum feel and stability.

Inov8 ranges are similar, but even their most cushioned shoes are not that cushioned and they favour flexible soles rather than stiff/rockplate type setup. Terrocs are more trail shoe. Their roclites are very good compromise between all-round grip and wear, hence their continued popularity. I have 295s and find them very decent in the Mournes when walking off-trail. The mudrocs then mudclaws are progressively more for use on soft ground. The X-talons are more stripped out for racing.

La Sportiva have the trail Wildcats, then Crosslites?, then X-country (which I use for the 'fells' now...they would wear very quickly on hard trails, and are a closer fit than the Roclites for running contours).

Mizuno Harriers get good reviews from fell-runners, and obviously the Walshes are a pure fell-shoe. Most other companies trail shoes are just that IMO.

[Oisín]

Is there a dictionary I could get for all these new words I'm reading? 

Actual measurements are 0.5cm, silly me.

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