New Balance Minimus 10 Trail Shoes

Those awfully nice chaps at New Balance have sent me another pair of shoes to test and review (surely two pairs of shoes means I'm a sponsored athlete)

The Minimus range of shoes are designed to be a mid point between traditional running shoes and bare foot running. And obviously being trail shoes these are designed for going off road.

This is what New Balance has to say about the shoes

The Minimus was designed not to chase trends, but rather to satisfy individuals looking to achieve a closer-to-barefoot running experience, by encouraging a more natural foot position and foot-strike. The minimalist approach to footwear sheds not only weight, but also convention, in pursuit of a truly minimalist feel.

The original Minimus shoe features a 4mm heel-to-toe drop, ideal for those looking to transition to a mid-foot strike, or pursue a more minimal experience with less material between your feet and the ground.

An entirely different approach to trail running, the Minimus 10 Trail takes the versatile durability of a Vibram® outsole and combines it with a fitted, minimalist upper for a closer-to-barefoot experience.

The price of the shoes on the website is £74.99, but shopping around it looks like you can pick them up for between £65-£70

This is what I have to say about the shoes

Now, 'they' say that you shouldn't try something for the first time during a race. But what do 'they' know. I decided to give these shoes a test at one of the West Glamorgan Cross Country series races. I don't do enough off-road running, as I prefer the regularity of being able to plan my route by hitting the tarmac, and minimal cushioning is a new experience for me. So all in all whole smorgasbord of newness. 

My first impressions were that these were a striking looking shoes and the additional Vibrams branding was very prominent. As soon as I put the shoes on I could feel how light they felt, really didn't feel like I had a pair of running shoes on. Comfy too.

I'd run at Margam Park before and knew that it could get very muddy in parts, so I knew the shoes were in for a testing time. Has to be said that it was a horribly cold day, too cold for running for my liking (but I'm pretty sure this was no fault of the shoes).

As soon as we hit the first corner the mud was apparent, and the shoes held their own and I had no problems keeping my feet.

Now, if I'd read the pre-race information I would have seen that most of this race is on trail path, and when I say trail path, I mean trail path with horrible pointy stones. So when I wasn't off-road I did find myself having to find the path of least resistance.

Obviously the minimal nature of the shoes meant that they didn't give me much protection on these stones. But I am very much aware this is a limitation on my planning on the run as opposed to any short-comings of the shoes.

In summary I found these a great shoe to run in, however the design of the shoes meant that if you are unsure of the terrain the minimal nature of the shoe might cause some issues.

But my introduction to minimal running was a reasonable success and I think I should look further into it.