Trail Runners @ REI

Hey Stephen…Depends on your feet, of course.

I have bought Brooks Cascadias and La Sportiva C-Lites at REI (both at gear sales though) but only use them for casual wear.

Personally, I prefer NB for my hiking footwear…and I don't trail run…so…not much help, unfortunately!

-Mark in St. Louis

Cheers Mark,

NB was not even on my radar.

The reason I was asking is my wife will be eith me and she will shoot me if I try on every pair in the shop :-)

I was just at REI yesterday doing the same thing! Try the NB minimus mt10 or Merrell trail glove for a very minimalist trail runner. Do be aware that the trail glove has some arch support (which I find very uncomfortable since I have flat feet) My favorite is the Vibram Five Fingers Spyridon. I wear five fingers daily and also have pairs for running. I just can't get back to having constricted feet (really hard to find shoes that are comfortable on my flat feet) after the freedom of wearing five fingers all the time.

REI usually stocks the Sportiva Wildcats and C-Lite, which are trail shoes to be reckoned with. My Wildcats are my very favorite trail shoes.

Cheers folks,

Just trying the Sportivas now.

I normally take a size 13e-14e so always have issues getting trail boots and trail runners.

No luck at all.

you can buy the inov8 roclite 295 and have it shipped for free to your house. They have size 14 online and if you don't like them you can just drop them off at rei for a return.

-Loki

Thanks Loki,

The nearest Rei is two hours away and only get to go every few months.

WTF!!!!??? When did REI start selling inov8s?!

My world view has just been shattered in the best possible way. Now if only I'd known about this when the 20% off sale was going on…

Stephen M , yeah that's a bit of a ways to drive to rei. At least if you ordered them online you would have a wider selection and gauranteed sizes. Then if there are shoes that don't work out you can multipurpose your next trip to rei as a trip to return the shoes you didn't like.

Stuart D, They started carrying them online only this year. You always have the aniversary 20% off coming up in a month or so.

-Loki

I just remembered that Zappos offer free return shipping on shoes, I will check them out.

TheClymb sells nicely discounted Inov8s multiple times each year … rather frequently in the last few months. Great deals once you've found a model/size that works.

I keep my eyes open and usually buy before I need new ones. The prices are often low enough to take a chance on a model I haven't tried before.

I got my 195s from theclymb. Unfortunately the clymb tends to only put up older model shoes/colors (hence the discount) so it's unlikely you'll find new models of shoes to try. Not a major issue except I'm in the market for trailrocs or the latest lightweight crop of roclites.

However the worse part is their wait. I took several weeks to get my flites from theclymb. Their business model is that they take pre-orders rather than selling stock on hand. So they fill up a pre-order, place that order with the company. The company then fills/makes the products and ships to theclymb, which then has to receive inventory before shipping to you. All those steps happen after they charge your card…it's great for them and they pass on the savings to customers, however it leaves me uneasy with customer support should I need to return a product that doesn't fit (which I haven't needed to do yet but that's a function of my diligence in product research more than the generic size charts they provide). Also their shipping is kind of expensive which eats away at much of the "savings." Aside from climbing ropes I don't find the discounts quite worth the peace of mind or inconvenience of using the site when nearly equivalent sales can be often had from other retailers with better return policies and shipping prices (zappos, backcountry, campsaver, rei).

Not critiquing Dustin's rationale … different vendors offer different kinds of service that suits different kinds of customers.

Foe this customer's needs:

the worse part is their wait
hence, buying before I need them.

Unfortunately the clymb tends to only put up older model shoes/colors (hence the discount) so it's unlikely you'll find new models of shoes to try.
as I said … once you've found a model/size that works. I care little about the color and I am not one to try something just because it is new, especially with shoes. I need an answer to "What problem am I trying to solve?" before switching shoe brand/model/size.

their shipping is kind of expensive
$8 to my zipcode for standard shipping … I see no reason to pay for faster shipping on something I won't receive for a few weeks anyway.

You would be lucky to find more than 5 pairs at an REI. Try on the ones that meet your needs and buy what fits.

I tried loads of different pairs but they where either not wide or long enough, the guy checked up the computer and they had no 13e-14e in stock.

Ah well, it was worth a shot.

Not sure if you have ever tried barefoot style shoes, but I would recommend the merrell trail glove II (http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Product.mvc.aspx/31962M/78032/Mens/Barefoot-Run-Trail-Glove-2?dimensions=0). They are extremely comfortable and remarkably lightweight (7 ounces per shoe). They are made from mesh which I think is great since nothing breathes better. Despite this they are very durable. If I am expecting to get them wet I'll either take extra wool socks or some waterproof socks.

Anyways they come in sizes up to 15 and since they are barefoot shoes, they are quite wide especially in the toebox. If you'd prefer something less prone to letting water seap in there are the merrell sonic gloves (http://www.sierratradingpost.com/merrell-sonic-glove-barefoot-trail-running-shoes-for-men~p~4847v/?filterString=s~sonic-glove%2F&colorFamily=04) which use softshell instead of mesh so are better for colder temperatures.

Thanks Loren, How are they walking on rock,

> The reason I was asking is my wife will be eith me and she will shoot me if I try on every pair in the shop :-)

Wow, that is the reverse of what happens in my household. My wife buying shoes means an all day endeavor and she tries on dozens, and dozens of shoes. Only difference is that when I buy shoes, it is usually just one pair; for her it is several pairs. Of course we are not talking hiking shoes for my wife. If I am shopping for shoes, then she starts shopping and buying — very painful.

I avoid shoe shopping with my wife at all costs.

Turns out there was not many pairs to try on anyway :-)

No problem. I find them to be good on loose rocks. They have a semi-solid pad built into the forefoot and a good amount of arch support/cushioning. This protects your feet if you step on any pointy rocks. The rubber part which covers the toe is quite stiff and protects your toes if you accidentally catch any rocks with your toes while walking.

For walking on solid rock they obviously have less cushioning than a typical trail shoe, but I have found it to be plenty at 9.5mm. What you lose in cushioning is made up for with the stability that these shoes give you since your feet are closer to the ground.

These are not at the extreme end of the barefoot market as they have a nice amount of cushioning, but if you have not worn barefoot shoes before just take care and go a bit slow to start with especially if you plan to do any running in them or carrying much weight. It took a bit of getting used to at the start, but I now much prefer minimalist shoes like these to my old bulky boots.

Have fun and let us know how the search goes!

I almost gave up on using Vibram Five Fingers on trails because of the thin soles of my KSO model. The Spyridon has a sole like a mountain bike tire and provides amazing protection, grip, and traction. I can't imagine using any other shoe despite the odd color schemes.