Montrail Claims Prestigious Awards

Montrail has just received two highly coveted awards from prominent outdoor publications. The Mountain Masochist shoe has received Gear of the Year Award from Outside magazine in the trail running category, and the Hardrock 09 was given the Best Run/Hike Crossover in Backpacker’s annual Gear Guide. Here is a link to the press release.

As you may know Montrail was purchased by Columbia. There has been a lot written and commented about how Columbia has ruined the Montrail brand of shoes. After testing the Hardrocks and looking at the new Mountain Masochist along wiht the above stated awards Montrail has addressed these concerns. I believe that Columbia has brought Montrail into the present with well designed shoes that meet the needs of the average trail runner. Once again this is my opinion and time will tell if I am correct. I believe that a large company like Columbia understands marketing and competition very well and based on competion from companies including Inov-8, Pearl Izuma, and Stumptown, has made the necessary changes to stay relevent and hold market share. I know that the trail runner does not care about market share, but a good product will lead to higher market share, especially in this market. I have no brand loyality when it comes to shoes, if It feels good I wear it. Most of us probalby feel the same way. So do not judge Montrail until you check out the new line of shoes and give them a try.

Montrail Hardrock 09 Preview

I just picked up a pair of Montrail Hardrock 09 trail running shoes. I plan on wearing them this weekend when I complete a 40+ mile training run for MMT. A few quick look / short run observations and comparisons about the shoes:

• Feels much lighter than the old version (I will post actual stats in the forthcoming review)


• Appears much more breathable than the old version


• Feels much more flexable (think running shoe, not hiking boot) than the old version


• Size run large (I wear an 11 in the old version and a 10.5 in the new)


• New lacing system distributes weight better


• Less "beefy" tread pattern than the old version


• Same width or maybe even a little wider than the old version

One other glaring difference I noticed in just a 2 mile run on grass is that my feet did not fall asleep. When wearing the old version on long stretches of flat non technical terrain (think fireroad) my feet would fall asleep. This eliminated me from wearing the shoe in most races. The other quick observation is the toe box could be higher. When wearing them with thicker socks I noticed a little rub on my right little toe. This did not happen when I was running in them, but I am anxious to see if this is an issue after many miles on the trail.

Look for my full review sometime early next week.

Brooks Adrenaline ASR4 - UPDATE

The Brooks Adrenaline ASR4 are a great trail running shoe. They are a natural for me since I wear the Brooks Adrenaline GTS  line of road shoes. I feel the ASR4 are build using the same technology / design as the road version.

The main difference between the two shoes are:

• The ASR4 have a larger toe box - this is a much needed feature for running down steep hills


• The ASR4 have a more durable "water resistant" upper - they do not keep any water out, this is a bad feature as they do not dry out as fast as the road version and your feet remain wet longer while running, but they are more durable


• The ASR4 have a much more aggressive tread pattern


• The ASR4 have a beefier toe guard


• The ASR4 are somewhat stiffer than the road version, but not too stiff as you can used them on the road with no regrets

The main similarities between the two shoes are:

• Brooks MOGO cushioning


• Similar pronation control characteristics


• Stability shoe

Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Rocks

Blue Ridge Mountain Sports is great. I bought a pair of Montrail Hardrock shoes there last week. I ran in the shoes over the weekend, the signal knob run. They did not work out and my feet were hurting 5 miles in. Then I place a second set of insoles in them with the arches cut out and ran 3 miles in them again. My feet fell asleep. These shoes are not for me.

I called up BRMS and asked if I could return them. I felt kind of bad returning used shoes, but he said clean them up and bring them in for us to look at. The next day I returned them for a full refund. What makes this even more remarkable is the fact that I bought them on clearance at 50% off. This store rocks. I will be a lifelong supporter of them. I just bought a pair of La Sportiva Fireblades on sale form there website. Support Blue Ridge Mountains Sports!

Tired Of Constantly Re-Adjusting Your HeadPhones? - Philips Surround Sound Headphone Review

Finding a set of headphones that remain in place comfortably while running has been a challenge. I have tried many models, including standard Ipod ear buds, over the head headbands, behind the neck bands, Sony ear buds, and Phillips ear buds. The Phillips ear buds (model # SHE5920/27 have provided superior usability while running. The sound is not nearly as crisp and clear as the Ipod earbuds, but this is not my main criteria. The earbuds stay in place while running. I have used this for over a year with no problems. They achieve their high usability level through rubber ear tubes. These tubes hug the inside of the ear while gently expanding for a smooth and steady fit. My first pair quit working after about a year of everyday use. You cannot expect much more out of a $15 pair of headphones. The new model now comes with an extra set of rubber ear tubes and a neat cloth carrying case. This case is much better than the standard plastic roll-up case that most earbuds include. I can fit my earbuds and a 2nd generation ipod nano in the case.

I highly recommend the Phillips Surround Sound Headphones for runners. I bought mine at Walmart for under $15.00.