With Sheffield being an outdoor city, it is natural that we get a lot of people in the shop asking for fell and trail shoes. However the huge variety of shoes available and shoe jargon can make it seem a bit daunting to try and pick the right shoe. In this blog we will try to explain some of the key things to look for.
The outer sole is the layer of rubber and foam running along the bottom of a running shoe which provides the shoe with cushioning and traction. On trail and fell shoes, lugs line the outsole to provide traction on a variety of surfaces, the longer the lug the more grip the shoe will give on mud and rocky surfaces.
Fell shoes are designed to be used out the hills on rough tracks and trails, which could be rocky or muddy, and so they need a good grip to keep you upright. The lugs’ depth can vary from 4mm, which is suitable if the ground is dry and solid, up to 8mm if the ground is likely to be wet and muddy. Having space between the lugs also allows the mud to shed out from the shoe rather than getting stuck.
Spotlight shoe – La Sportiva Mutant – an extremely stable and versatile shoe, with a 6.5mm lug and integrated gaiter, it is suitable for trail and sky-race races and training over medium-long distances and on technical terrain.
Trail shoes have less aggressive lugs, often having a 4-5mm lug depth, and therefore are more suited to trail paths or hard pack tracks. Some trail shoes have extra grippy compounds added to the outsole, such as Continental Rubber or VibramTM, which provides additional grip on rocks and dirt.
Spotlight shoe – VJ Sport Maxx 2 – The MAXx features VJ’s famous Superior Contact outsole made of our own butyl rubber compound, offering the best grip on the planet in any terrain. The midsole is finished with a full length rockplate that protects the runner’s feet from sharp edges and protruding branches. The rockplate also makes the shoe torsionally more rigid and increases energy efficiency.
Traditionally fell shoes were designed to be raced in, with a focus on lightweight shoes which gave a high level of ground feel and so provided very little cushioning. This is a style of shoe that is still very popular, however as the trend in racing has moved towards longer distances, the need for more cushioned fell and trail shoes has increased. How much cushioning you go for may depend on how many miles you plan to race, previous experience of how your feet and body feel when running or past or current injuries.
Spotlight shoe – NNormal Tomir 2.0 – Constructed using Nnormal new supercritical foam compound, the Tomir 2.0 provides significant cushioning and rebound giving you a boost in each step, improving your performance so you can stay at your optimum level for longer. The two Vibram compounds make the outsole lightweight and the Vibram’s Traction Lugs increase traction by up to 25%, adding stability and improving surface area by 50%.
There are also now more responsive cushioned off road shoes, to help you run faster whether for fun or racing. ‘Responsive’ refers to the cushioning being able to efficiently transfer energy from your foot strike to the ground and return it back again, helping propel you forward more quickly.
Spotlight shoe – Hoka Mafate Speed 4 – The Mafate Speed 4 features a low-profile cushion bed that keeps your foot closer to the ground, and utilises a firmer material designed to provide an efficient push-off. With a soft breathable upper, and the two-part PROFLY midsole, this shoe is both light and responsive underfoot.
A shoe designed for running off road, whether trail or fell, should hold well in the heel so they do not come off if you get stuck in mud. Fell shoes can have a narrow sole, allowing them to dig into the mud better and give you more traction. The shoe should also support the foot laterally, so the foot does not slide around side to side, allowing you to be more nimble when you run.
One of the most important factors with any running shoe, whatever the terrain, is how it feels on your feet. This is very personal, and the best way to decide is to pop into the store, try a range of different shoes on and get the fit checked.
