The Mizuno Wave Ascend held true to its claim to be built for the mild over-pronator who requires a combination of cushioning and stability. After 5 weeks of 3-4 times a week wear on a variety of terrain, the Mizuno Wave Ascend held up nicely with only slight wear. The AIRmesh uppers only adds to [...]
The Mizuno Wave Cabrakan was an excellent shoe to test with the anticipation cooler weather right around the corner. When first stepping into the Cabrakan, the arch support and cushion were prominent. The shoe was immediately taken out to tackle the trails in Colorado high country. I was immediately impressed with the beathability of [...]
Running in the Brooks Adrenaline ASR 7 not only makes you look fast and hardcore, but also give you great traction and support. There are a lot of great trail shoes out there, but not all of them offer enough support for mild to moderate pronation. For the trail runner that needs a little support, [...]
One of Salewa’s promises is 100% blister free wear for its full line of approach, mountaineering and tech approach footwear. After months of usage of my Firetail tech approach shoes their promise has held true. As a tech approach shoe, the Firetail GTX has the features of a hiking shoe/approach shoe but is light enough [...]
Looking for a lightweight trail runner that can handle speed and rugged terrain? If yes, check out the Vasque Aether Tech. The shoes proved to have great traction in all conditions including snow, mud, loose dirt and gravel. Reinforced fabric also kept the feet dry and the socks mud free. It also helps increase the [...]
When I opened the box and looked at the lacing pattern on the Roclite 295’s knew instantly they meant business. Instead of the usual lacing pattern, these were laced with a loop at the top, then the top lace put through the loop. This pattern is what I used when I ran cross country in [...]
The Brooks Cascadia has been a favorite of trail runners around the globe, and the new Cascadia 5 won’t disappoint. We’ve been testing the Cascadia model for years now and it just gets better and better. We tested this shoe on all types of terrain and while these shoes do the job on hard packed [...]
Do you remember the Montrail Hardrock from the old days? Ok, so it hasn’t been that long since the Hardrock was a favorite among trail runners, but many runners, and their feet, have missed the Hardrock. In comes the Sabino trail, also by Montrail. Although it is not the same as the original Hardrock, Montrail [...]
The guys at ActiveGearReview tested out the CTR Cruise by Merrell earlier this season. Now it’s time for a female take on the women’s version of the trail runner. The first time I put the Cruise on I thought, “Wow, this is a comfortable yet burly shoe!” After wearing the Cruise on a not so [...]
Here at Active Gear Review, we typically test out trail running shoes or road running shoes. The outdoor industry has begun to produce shoes to meet the needs of runners that want a hybrid shoe, a trainer that can be worn comfortably on road and trail. In 2009, Salomon released the XT Whisper, a women’s [...]
Trail running can be a fun alternative to road running, but having the right kicks can make or break your day. We’ve been running in the Columbia Ravenous trail running shoes on the rocky, rutty, muddy, slushy, uneven trails in and around Colorado. While we are used to the usual suspects in the trail running [...]
With the 876, New Balance continues to improve upon their already award winning line of versatile trail shoes. Supportive yet not bulky, the MT876 is the go to shoe for those looking for a great mix of speed, durability, and support. Definitely not a stability shoe by any stretch, the 876 seeks to provide just [...]
The North Face Men’s Single Track is perfect for those of you that live in the city and find yourself hitting the pavement on your way to the local trails at the edge of town or within a local park. The Single Track is a lightweight trail running shoe that provides a good amount of [...]
Whether you are a dedicated trail runner who hates the pavement or the weekend trail running warrior, the Merrell CTR Cruise is a performer that is hard to match. We tested these shoes out on a number of different terrains and found them to perform best on the uneven rocky or rutted out surfaces. With [...]
At first glance, the Transistor FS appeared to be nothing more than a glorified road shoe – no large, ridiculously grippy lugs, no extremely heavy heel cup with an overly high back, no large plastic toe bumper. Where was all the tech? This is a trail shoe, right? Out of the box, we here at [...]
In pursuit of outright flight, here at ActiveGearReview we have made a number of daring attempts at the impossible. Activities such as hucking ourselves off of cliffs are commonplace, and while we do find the term “lemming” offensive, we’ll admit that it is sometimes apt. These shoes are built from top to bottom for all [...]
Long known for it’s hiking and mountaineering equipment, La Sportiva has been a staple of outdoor adventures for years. It’s no surprise that it’s “Mountain Running” series is as solid, durable, and feature packed as everything else they make. Introduced as the newest addition to it’s racing series, the Raptor definitely lives up to it’s [...]
Running in the Pearl Izumi’s syncroFuel XC this winter, in preparation for the spring shoe review, was a real treat. The syncroFuel XC is a women’s specific trail shoe that is perfect for training runs and race day performance. The syncroFuel XC, which is new this year, weighs a mere 9.6 ounces (for size 8 [...]
Montrail’s latest addition to their trail running fleet is designed for the go anywhere, do anything mindset. For those of you who can’t decide where to run until you step out the front door, this shoe is for you. Heavily featured is Montrail’s new Integrafit Technology – It involves a much snugger fit around the [...]
Pearl Izumi has an exciting 2010 planned. This spring, they will release the new Fuel line which will feature a road-focused shoe and the syncroFuel XC shown here, which will be trail-specific. The Fuel line is Pearl Izumi’s entrant into the performance stability category. Think of it as their answer to this category’s Goliath, the [...]
Supreme traction! This trail training/racing shoe from Salomon is made for your winter runs that probably should just wait until springtime. The Winter Contagrip outsole features spike-like lugs formed of a special compound meant to maximize traction on wet and slippery winter terrain, and they deliver in that department. At just 11 ounces, these shoes [...]
The Women’s Patagonia Release is a trail shoe that is designed to provide extreme comfort and support during higher mileage runs. The Release weighs 23 ounces/pair and is by no means a light trainer. The Release, however, does provide some excellent trade offs by providing incredible shock absorption and cushioning. The Release was tested on [...]
The Brooks Cascadia 4 is a neutral trail runner’s dream. The Cascadia was tested both on and off the trail and tester’s raved about its’ performance in both settings. The Cascadia offers great forefoot protection against rocks and roots thanks to a ballistic rock shield composed of a thermoplastic EVA sheath between the outer and [...]
