Comments: I was so hoping to like these shoes but in the end, they will be relegated to walking the dog shoes. I've done about 100 miles in these shoes and they hurt my feet. They are good up to about 10 miles and then the outsides of my feet from the midfoot back to the heel start hurting real bad. I've tried adjusting the laces every which way...tighter, looser, elastic laces, etc... but no go. I ordered my regular size and they are roomy in the toe box, maybe just a bit too roomy but thats not where the problem is at. I guess I'm going back to Brooks shoes.
From: Todd, Lexington, KY
Comments: Hey gang, I wanted to wait a while before posting my thoughts. First off, I run about 50-70 miles a week. I don't have a life...lol and live near some nice parks. :) Anyhow, I have run some pretty severe terrain in these shoes, and I think they have become my favorite. I ran a 50miler last weekend and it was the first 50 I ran without changing my shoes or having any foot pain during or after the run. I also think that the sizing is true. I ordered my normal size. Initially the toe box seems roomy, thats because it is! It is designed for foot swelling etc. The nice fit of the heel and midfoot keep your foot secure etc. I have been looking for a 100 mile shoe and I think this is it. The tread pattern is good enough, not as aggressive as my Speed Cross 3, but aggressive enough for long distance, this would be a benefit too for any road sections in an Ultra. I will purchase more of these shoes, just get some blue ones too! The shoe also seems to drain well, I had wet feet for 49.3 miles last Saturday and there really wasnt too much squishing down there. I really don't have anything bad to say.
From: Gregory, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Comments: I wanted to love these shoes so much. They have a nice, roomy toe box, a well-fitting midfoot and nice plush cushioning for long miles. For me, though, the heel is way too big (read roomy). Even sizing down half a size and lacing them down as tightly as possible my heel would slip 1/4" just while walking, and even more when running. If they had a narrower heel then I think they'd be the perfect shoes (for me) for ultras. I'm coming from the Salomon S-LAB XT 4, which has a pretty snug heel, so maybe I just have a narrow heel. I just sent my size 9.5 back (I've always been a 10 in all my former and current shoes: New Balance, Pearl Izumi, Salomon and Mizuno).
From: Luke, Seattle, WA
Comments: These are the best NB trail shoes I've run in yet and I've been running trail with NB for 15 years. Light, great fit, comfortable with good cushioning, yet stable. I run dry and wet, with steep hills. Great shoe.
From: Gary, Poway, CA, USA
Comments: Good fit. Soft heel counter, i have a low volume, lower arched foot and I did follow the advice of sizing down a size and I'm glad I did. Initially, these shoes reminded me of a lighter version of some of the earlier models of the Cascadia's but as they have broken in, they have proven to be much more. I was impressed with the balance of cushion and moderate stability without feeling like the performance on trail was being compromised. Light enough to race in, durable enough after about 80 miles to train daily in. Good shoe.
From: MB, Bend, OR
Comments: These shoes have been great as a door-to-trail shoe. My only issue with them so far is that they don't seem to handle mud well for me (traction or shedding). Other than that I couldn't be happier with the construction, fit and overall ride on every other surface I've tried.
From: Luke, Winston-Salem, NC
Comments: I've put about 30 miles on the shoes so far, so these are initial impressions. For a trail shoe they are pretty light and well cushioned. I didn't need to adjust anything for the sizing from what I normally wear in running shoes. I've been wearing Cascadias and these are a little higher volume in the toe box, not huge, but bigger. The trails I've been running on have been lightly covered in snow and traction is good. At this point I'd say they're keepers.
From: Tony, Champaign, IL
