Fall 2013 Trail Running Shoe Buyer’s Guide 
Table of Contents
- Merrell Ascend Glove
- New Balance Minimus 1010v2 Trail, $110
- Nike Free Hyperfeel Trail, $150
- Inov-8 X-Talon 212, $120
- Hoka One One Rapa Nui Trail (men’s)
- ASICS GT2000 Trail, $120
- Brooks Adrenaline ASR 10, $125
- Newton Boco AT, $129
- Nike Zoom Terra Wildhorse, $110
- Patagonia Fore Runner Evo, $120
- Skechers All-Weather GObionic Trail, $85
- ON Cloudrunner, $150
- The North Face Single-Track Hayasa II, $110
- Salomon Fellraiser, $110
- Mizuno Wave Ascend 8, $110
- Saucony Xodus 4.0, $110
- ECCO BIOM Ultra, $160
- Reebok Outdoor Wild, $85
Nike Free Hyperfeel Trail, $150
Category: Lightweight Dirt Dancers
Weights: 7.1 oz. (men’s), 5.6 oz. (women’s)
Heights: 21mm (heel), 18mm (forefoot)
Fit: Like all shoes in the Free line, the Hyperfeel Trail fits most feet snug as a bug, especially in the heel and midfoot.
Feel: Super light and infinitely flexible, this shoe feels low to the ground and amazingly agile, but with enough cushion to avoid the harsh impacts of most minimally designed shoes. After a few miles on the trail, it feels like it’s an extension of your feet, hugging the contours of your feet and flexing precise how your feet flex.
Ride: In a word: uninhibited. With modest cushioning and an easy-flexing demeanor, the Hyperfeel Trail is as nimble as you want it to be. This shoe is smooth and sublime on hard-packed dirt trails and gravel roads, which is where this low-to-the-ground model excels. The unique high-wrapping rubber outsole offers a bit of abrasion resistance, but the low-profile lugs (and lack of a rock plate) leave your feet a bit vulnerable on craggy technical terrain unless you’re a super agile runner.
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