Best Floppy Heel Trail Running Shoe?

March 22, 2017 1:34 PM

I normally shop bargain bins and veer towards minimalist shoes for road running because whenever a shoe has a rigid heel counter, I tend to wear holes in the lining within a month. I'd like to find trail worthy shoes that fit my clown feet and have that same lack of hard plastic that wraps up behind my heel.

Preferences:
Rock guard in the sole
Decent cleats/lugs
No metal spikes
Pebble sized grooves that grab bits of gravel are a hassle
Available in something close to a mens 12.5E or a 13D
Not important, but bright offensive colors are delightful

I've found a lot of very close options once I let go of my typical $70 upper price limit (NB MT10v1 looks tempting), but so far it seems to me that gaining a floppy heel loses the rock guard and I can't find any store website that even bothers to list whether their shoes have rigid heel counters in the first place, so I'm hoping somebody can enlighten me to an option I haven't found through google or convince me that I'll be fine crashing through stream crossings without that. Thank you!

posted by mattamatic to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

I honestly don't know if my shoes have a concealed rigid heel counter, but if they do it's very pliant. They're from the brand On (here are their trail shoes). They're not cheap, but I've had mine for almost a year and the wear is minimal. Quite honestly, I don't think I could buy a different brand unless Puma starts making their old-style Faas 300 in a trail-rugged version (lordy I miss that shoe). I, too, grind holes in the heels of most shoes, not just the ones I run in. These have held up to the challenge.

On is really responsive in terms of customer service. You can contact them and ask this question and they'll get back to you pretty quickly.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:07 PM on March 22, 2017

I run a lot of my trail miles in the Nike Terra Kiger 3, which I think hits all your points. It doesn't have a heel counter -- the shoe uses Nike's "flyknit" upper, which is knit and soft and flexible all around, no plastic bits. The upper is absolutely the best part of the shoe, it fits like a sock. It's got good lugs that deal with most kinds of trail without issues. I'm not 100% if it's got a rock plate or not, but I can tell you that the sole is stout and handles even sharp, broken rocks just fine. I've run on basically everything you can imagine in it, with no issues.

If not the Kiger, I know that the Wildhorse does have a rock plate, and I think the same upper, so you could check that out too. I've not run it those myself, though.

The other shoe I've run in that you might want to check out is the Inov8 Terraclaw 220. Once again it's got a sock-like upper, no plastic, and a nice protective sole. Compared to the Kiger, it's a more minimal shoe: the sole's a lot more responsive, but a lot less cushioned. For me, that means the Terraclaw is limited to short runs, and most of my trail runs are long, that means I reach for the Nikes.
posted by jacobian at 6:07 PM on March 22, 2017

Seconding Nike Kiger. I also hate counters, want low or zero drop, and have similar needs. Fellrnr's increasingly out of date reviews of shoes share similar tastes. He likes Saucony Kinvara. I find those dont have enough lug.

As another suggestion, cut the toe boxes on something not wide enough.

Holler with what you chose!
posted by gregglind at 8:38 PM on March 22, 2017

On replied quickly with

"The heel counter on our Cloudventure model is indeed softer material and mesh, but still stiff enough to provide support and stability.
If you are looking for an even more flexible heel structure of the trail shoe, we would recommend trying out Cloudventure Mid-Top version, as the inner ankle "bootie" is made of a breathable and form-fitting material that provides your foot with more stability for rougher terrain.
You will likely find that the Waterproof version of the trail shoe will feel stiffer and more rigid, but that is due to the outer membrane and its ability to shield your feet from the elements."

But I'm a little leery of the spring parts on the bottom (especially after seeing this review). I'll see if I can find the Nike Kiger or Inov8s locally this weekend and try to put some miles on whichever I get before my next offroad half. Thanks!
posted by mattamatic at 12:10 PM on March 23, 2017

Quick update, the Nike Kigers went back to the store because they were simply too small vertically for my big fat foot so I tried the Inov8 X-Talon 200 (it was a wee bit cheaper than the 220 when I bought it). It's the most aggressive tread on a trail shoe I've ever used. They're superior in the mud, horrible on asphalt, and the heel counter is supportive, but not rigid. I'd describe the heel as halfway between hard plastic and nothing but fabric. I'm very pleased so far and look forward to finding out if it's really durable.
posted by mattamatic at 9:27 AM on May 11, 2017