As part of the Trail Team I get some shiny kit to try out and wear, Mammut the mountaineering company were providing us with our running kit from shoes to jackets and all in between.
Now trail shoes are a very personal thing and I was worried that I would not like the kit provided and it would not be comfortable or fit me well as I normally have a strong preference to what goes on my feet.
I will review the clothing in another review but here is my review of the Trail Shoes provided.
Although I obviously have been given these shoes free by the team sponsors I will try to review them as honestly as I can as if I had bought them myself.
Mammut MTR 201 Dyneema Trail Shoes
Firstly take a look at these things when new, they are a bit flash and certainly will get you noticed. They look great out of the box in white, red and green and look like something Killian Journet would wear.
I really like the colours and think the shoes look the business although why white for a trail shoe?
They have a cool speed lacing system where you pinch and slide a locking toggle down then tie the laces as normal then in the tongue there is a small pouch to tuck the laces into. I found this was really good for stopping the laces catching in long grass and mud and getting pulled open. This is actually a really useful feature.
Once on they fit really well with a snug fit held in position by the red bands that the laces pull on to evenly distributed the tension.
The toe box has a protective bumper that deflects most stones and roots should you kick something. The shoe feels flexible and the fit around the heel is comfy and secure.
The grip from the sole and tread is very good on most terrain and on the weekend I spent in Chamonix with the team they were the perfect shoe for the terrain. Good grip on muddy trails and loose descents. They shrug of water and mud well and seemed to fit week and not rub anywhere even when wet.
As you can see after about 300 mikes the are not white anymore but other than the dirt they show little wear and tear. They look like they will last a decent amount of miles which is handy as they are not cheap to buy. The only place I could find apart from the Mammut website were asking £148.00 for them plus postage so even more expensive than my Hoka’s which is surprising.
Apart from the price they are a really great pair of shoes and really comfortable to wear for long or short runs on trails and soft or loose terrain. The only thing I really think would improve them and make them my first choice shoe for trails is that they have no rock plate and on hard rocky or stony ground there is some protrusion through the sole of sharp stones and rocks. This means particularly someone like me who is a heavier runner and covering longer distances the risk of damage to the feet from bruising is higher.
In summary its really like the fit and style of the shoe and they seem really tough and durable. They are a tad expensive and hard to get though the price may cone down if they become more popular and are easier to buy in the UK. If they had a good rock plate then I would buy them again in a heartbeat but i have other similar shoes with a rock plate that cost less to buy.
Please feel free to add your comments.