Comments: Absolutely love these, I will buy many pairs, only flaw so far is I wish they had a gusseted tongue. I thought I would hate the synthetic upper but I love it can‚t say enough good things about this shoe. Be careful though, the lower profile and smaller amount of drop will cook your calves at first. Also for sizing I usually don‚t mind my toes to be near the end of my shoes but when I bought these I was urged to go up a whole size I'm so glad I did it‚s like I‚m bare foot.
From: Trent, Golden, CO, USA
Comments: I just wore these for my first 50K two days ago. I had to cut off the outsole lugs on the outer half of the forefoot due to the lateral build up and major blister issues along the inner edge of my forefoot and big toe during training runs. After the modification, they felt level and comfortable. They're very pointy, so the size that fits your foot best might have you tripping on rocks and roots if you're not careful. The not-really foot shaped footbed has weird seams that can rub the foot wrong just forward of the lateral heel, as well as a hidden chunk from the upper's heel cup that poked under this area in the left shoe. Some overnight compression with a c-clamp seemed to fix that, but I still can't go sockless in these. Besides, they let so much dirt and tiny debris in that socks and gaiters are mandatory. They're a work in progress but they did get the job done.
From: Gil, Derry, NH, USA
Comments: This is an all around great shoe. I put in a little over 100 miles a week and these shoes have just enough to them to get me through all types of runs. If you are new to a lightweight trainer i would recommend easing into them. Start off by using them on slow easy doubles and slowly bring them into your regular training. I can get about 300-400 miles out of these shoes (regular trainers I can get about 500 miles). Feel wise here have to be the best shoe i have had on my feet. No need for socks anymore either. I was never big into sock but other trainers would make me blister; I have not had this problem with these shoes. I recommend this shoes if you are seeking something lightweight trainer with a low heel-to-toe drop allowing for an effortless forefoot strike. Good for roads but great for trails.
From: Anonymous, USA
Comments: Absolutely the best shoes I have ever worn in my life! they fit like a glove and they are so comfortable for trail running. minimalist shoes forces you to become a better runner; you don't want to strike on your heel with this shoes. It will hurt your calf at the beginning if you haven't run on minimalist shoes before. But after you get used to it, you will love to run on trails and enjoy the awesome feel of the ground and nature.
From: Ivan, Blacksburg, VA, USA
Comments: I love the room for my toes with this shoe. I haven't gotten any toe blisters yet. The one thing I do have trouble with is debris. I run on dirt roads and trails and I get so much grit in these shoes. With thin socks, it's really hard to ignore. Any ideas?
From: Susan, Thetford, VT, USA
Comments: absolutely perfect shoe for trails! excellent traction, sheds mud like crazy, and super light! This is the first trail shoe review i have ever written. new balance has definitely figured it out. thanks!
From: Anonymous, the great PNW!
Comments: Best shoes I have found for road and trail. Also no problem with Morton's toe issues. Just ran the Land Between the Lakes 50 miler. Had other shoes in drop bag (just in case) never needed to consider a change. The rock plate is nice to have even when running along roads.
From: David, Georgtown, KY, USA
Comments: I was pumped for this shoe, but it still managed to exceed my expectations. I have the first gen. Minimus Trail, which I like, but it isn't enough shoe for the technical, even jagged trails I run. The 110 doesn't have too much more bulk, but the step up in protection is vast. I have bombed ridiculously rocky trails in these, and I have yet to feel any pain on the bottoms of my feet. Part of that is the rock plate, but I think it also encourages you to be more conscious of your footing, which in itself decreases impact. I love the last on this shoe too. The back half of the foot is quite narrow, while the front is wide...it's shaped just like--my foot! To me, this is the only design a shoe should have. It hugs most of the foot while providing plenty of room for toes to splay, encouraging a forefoot strike.Running well is effortless in this shoe. The faster I go the more my form improves. My foot is well-protected, yet it gets good feedback. It has phenomenal traction: the many
small lugs are great on soft surfaces, while the sole sticks to big rocks beautifully. The 4mm drop seems to be the sweet spot for me. Best shoe I have ever worn! I didn't think it would be enough shoe, but I think I'm going to wear these in my first ultra this May.
From: Seamus
Comments: Feeling pretty bummed that NB replaced the MT101, I thought I would try its replacement. I received them yesterday and couldn't wait to hit the trail. I ran on everything from steep gravel fire road to technical single track. I loved the traction and grip and to my surprise, I felt very sure-footed on the downhills too. For my running style, these are the closest thing to a custom shoe for me. With the 4mm drop, the inner mesh layer, and the support on the upper at my little toe (I blow out all my shoes here), the shoe has solved all my issues. I have found my go to shoe!
From: Buddy, Chino Hills, CA, USA
Comments: Honestly, I think this is the first shoe I've tried out and have HATED. I'm now sending back my second pair, both the wide and normal width feels like a rock is pushing into the outer part of your forefoot every time you land. Reminds me a bit of the MR10 and of course that is just sitting on my self getting no miles. I'm trying to find a good minimal replacement for the MT101, maybe the Merrell Mix Master will work for me. But I cannot stand the MT110, worst shoes ever.
From: Alex, Augusta, GA, USA
Comments: I am a semi-minimalist runner who frequents roads and trails and averages 40-50 miles a week. By "semi-minimalist," I mean I still wear cushioned shoes on runs over 20 miles, and I wear zero-drop or barefoot shoes on anything less than 8 miles. Most of my favorite shoes have a 0-4mm heel-toe drop. This shoe--with the combined last of the Minimus, the super-grippy lugs, the light weight, and the easy price-tag--easily satisfies all of my needs in one package. Right out of the box, I took them on 11 miles of hilly road running, and I have since taken them on about a dozen miles of technical single-track, both wet and dry. The shoes are fast and secure. After a couple of days, I can say comfortably that they are probably my favorite all-purpose running shoe. I look forward to racing with them this upcoming weekend in a trail half-marathon, and I may even use them on some upcoming trail ultras I have in the spring. I definately will be purchasing more pairs of these. Anyone who likes fast, semi-minimalist (or "reduced," or whatever you wish to call it), lightweight shoes for all surfaces, this is your shoe.
From: Chas, Cornelius, NC, USA
Comments: Shoes run a little longer than the 101's. I had to go up to 9.5 in the 101's, size 9 is perfect in the 110's for me. The lateral side of the arch is built up and feels as though it's turning my foot inward on flat surfaces, I don't notice this on the trail. The grip is 100% better on dry loose ground, I haven't tested wet conditions yet. I will say these are the worst shoes I have worn in deep sand... The mesh toe collects the sand and makes it very uncomfortable, I had to stop and empty my shoes several times on my last run that included some deep sand.
From: Justin, Wash, UT, USA
Comments: The finest trail shoe in existence. This shoe is not so much an evolution of the MT 101 as an entirely new beast that evolved in its development to a state of near perfection. Starting at the bottom, the outsole is fantastically grippy and sticky. It works well even on the local smooth topped limestone rocks that litter our trails. Yes, it will hold a bit too much mud, but so do nearly all others. Gravel? Got that. Sticks and stones and slidey scree? Got that covered. Midsole: It's very similar to the NB Minimus road in terms of feel. Flat, firm, and nice and wide in the forefoot. Upper? The dual layer syn/mesh upper is pleasingly soft to the sockless foot, and is remarkable in its being seamless. It secures your foot exceedingly well due to the lack of give and play as you skitter about on steep descents. Krupicka indicates that it is highly durable as well. Some have indicated that they feel a slight rise on the outer portion of the forefoot, but I believe this may be intended as it helps the foot grip the ground on trails. It becomes slightly noticeable on pavement, but disappears in dirt. Bravo New Balance, Krupicka, and Skaggs, bravo.
From: Joel, Austin, TX, USA
Comments: Great shoe. New Balance fixed the pinky toe rubbing problem and the tongue dropping issue. The 4mm drop is going to take a little getting use to compared to the 10 mm of the 101. No issues as far as traction in the mud (yes there is mud in San Diego). Very happy with these at this time. My only issue is I am in between a 11.5 and 12 so no size is perfect, but the 12 is good enough.
From: Steve, San Diego, CA, USA
