New Balance Summit Unknown Review
Light, Nimble, and Race-Ready
Likes
- Lightweight
- Great traction
- Springy ride
- Rock plate protection
Dislikes
- Tongue slippage
What's New
A new model from New Balance, the Summit Unknown is designed to tackle varied trail surfaces at breakneck speeds. Built on the same platform as the popular 1400 road racing flat, the Summit Unknown adds an aggressive lug pattern and a slightly more supportive upper for next-level performance on the trails.
The Bottom Line
The Summit Unknown was designed to be a race rocket, and in that regard the shoe definitely delivers. Trail runners looking for a fast and responsive shoe that doesn't compromise on traction will be overjoyed with the feel of New Balance's new trail racing model. The protective rock plate and explosive toe-off make this shoe a beast to contend with when shredding the gnar, but runners with wider feet may want to consider a shoe with a bit more room in the upper.
Shoe Performance
Softness i
Ride/Energy Return i
Underfoot Protection i
Flexibility i
Upper Support i
Specifications & Fit
How It Fits
| Toe Box | Width: Narrow | Height: Low | |
| Midfoot Volume | Low | |
| Heel Width | Narrow | |
| Arch Height | Medium |
Shoe Specs
| Weight | Men's - 8.7 oz (size 9) | Women's - 7.2 oz (size 8) | |
| Stack Height | 27 mm (Heel), 17mm (Forefoot) | 10 mm heel-toe offset | |
| Terrain | Trail | |
| Stability | Neutral | |
| Sizing | True to size |
Our In Depth Look
Shoe Softness i
Our testers found the Summit Unknown to be quite firm underfoot but were quick to note this as a positive attribute.
Derek: "Since the Summit Unknown is meant for faster paces on more forgiving surfaces, it is a little firmer than most of the road shoes I’ve tested. However, it never felt firm to the point of being uncomfortable."
Diana: "The Summit Unknown feels firm underfoot, and the rock plate further contributes to this. However, I find that I like this in a trail shoe."
Ride/Energy Return i
Our testers appreciated the springy feel of the Summit Unknown. The quick toe-off lent itself well to its design as a race-ready trail shoe.
Diana: "It's easy to pick up the pace in this shoe. The shoe has good energy return and doesn't feel marshmallow-y."
Derek: "I found the Summit Unknown to have a good amount of toe spring for an explosive push off. The midsole foam wasn't super bouncy, and its responsiveness likely comes from the shoe's firmness."
Underfoot Protection i
The Summit Unknown is not a highly cushioned shoe, but the rock plate does provide a fair amount of protection on technical terrain. Our testers found this setup perfect for shorter, faster runs, but less ideal for longer efforts.
Derek: "The Summit Unknown wasn’t super cushioned, but with the rock plate the shoe does provide decent underfoot protection for shorter, faster runs on technical terrain."
Diana: "The rock plate in the Summit Unknown is quite protective, but there's not a lot of actual cushioning in the shoe. It doesn't have a 'soft and plush' feel; fans of HOKA trail shoes probably won't enjoy the Summit Unknown. But this is a great shoe for trail runners who appreciate a firmer ride."
Underfoot Flexibility i
Because of the rock plate, this Summit Unkown is not an extremely flexible shoe. Our testers found it to have a stable, balanced feel underfoot.
Derek: "The Summit Unknown is surprisingly flexible in the forefoot for a trail shoe with a rock plate. However, the shoe was fairly stable from side to side, which is a great attribute for a shoe meant for uneven trail surfaces."
Diana: "The rock plate in this shoe does stiffen it up a bit, but I found that it wasn't overly stiff."
Upper Feel i
While our testers were big fans of most aspects of this shoe, the upper was the one area that suffered a bit in its design. While the construction of the upper struck a nice balance between support and adaptability, small design features stood out as leaving room for improvement.
Diana: "I think that people with narrow- to medium-width feet will be happier with this shoe. You can't tailor or modify the upper if the factory design doesn't work for your particular foot. I did find the tongue to be a bit problematic, but it was more of an annoyance than anything. I found that after several miles, the tongue would slip down almost an entire inch. The mesh is fairly flexible, though, and I did not have any hot spots or irritation."
Derek: "The Summit Unknown's underlays do a great job at securing the foot. However, the mesh does have a little give to it, making it stretchier than some of the more protective trail shoes."
Individual Thoughts
Overall: "The Summit Unknown ranks among the best trail racing shoes I’ve had the opportunity to test. The fit was fairly snug, but it wasn’t too constricting for my narrow foot. For me, the tightest area of the shoe was the toe box. I didn’t have much room to wiggle my toes up and down or side to side. This fit is consistent with the purpose of the shoe, which requires a tighter hold for faster paces on technical terrain.
"This shoe performed great on a variety of trail surfaces, but its light and nimble design particularly excelled at fast ascents and descents. Due to the amount of cushioning, the Summit Unknown did not offer enough protection for my longer or slower runs. Additionally, the mesh upper was breathable and lightweight but wasn’t super stretchy. I didn’t have any problems with hot spots or blisters."
Softness
FirmSoftRide/Energy Return
Less SpringyMore SpringyUnderfoot Protection
LowHighFlexibility
RigidElasticUpper Support
StructuredAdaptableOverall: "I really like this shoe! I'm a fan of the amount of cushion, the stable platform, and the secure fit. My biggest complaint is the tongue, which slid down constantly during my runs. It’s not a great shoe for really long hauls, but considering that the intent was to be light and nimble, I think New Balance definitely hit the mark."
