i ran my first 100 mile ultramarathon in these shoes. i love how tough they are. the upper seems unpenetrable and i've never had a tear or issue with it not protecting my foot. this shoe also has a protection plate in it. this shoe has a full length TPU plate that protects the foot from rough terrain and provides support during long runs.

the only think i don't like about this shoe is the heal cup. it's deeper than my heal needs it to be. so it rubs and often creates a blister when i run long in it. an all around great stiff shoe.

Runner's World Spring 06 'Best Trail Shoe Debut'.

These shoes seem real stiff until broken in. Once they are broken in, they run alright. I tend to roll my ankle with stiff shoes, so I tend to start with soft ones. The traction is good on rocks or dirt, and wisp away mud well when it's real wet. The fabric did not fare all that well, the mesh deteriorates rather quickly.

My favorite shoes. They have a nice wide toe box and are one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever had. I don't run marathons in them but they make a great everyday shoe. Good in the mountains or if your on your feet all day at work.

I decided to retire my Montrail Hardrocks to everyday/weekend use and upgrade to these for use only on runs. I met up with some friends for a Dec. 31 9 miler on our normal trail route, and couldn't have been happier. The shoe felt great right out of the box (Hardrocks took a little longer to loosen up) and my feet felt excellent afterwards. I wore them on a couple more runs and then did a 25k on Angel Island, again, with nary an issue. They breathe really well, are very stable and supportive, and seem to do well on both flat, hard sections and on more technical terrain.

Montrail makes great shoes and I needed a new pair. Got these for a great deal on SAC. Def a little stiff at first but feel great. Awesome traction and nice material. Have held up well so far. I would buy another pair!!!

I'll start by saying I was a die-hard Vitesse fan. I tried a few other models and these became my go to shoe after I figured out my size. In the Vitesse I was an 8, Cont Divs 8.5.
They're pretty stiff so running on harder surfaces will definitely take its toll. A bit heavy for me but they provide a lot of protection. I've had several pair over the last few years and they hold up to high mileage really well.
One thing I don't like about them is the ride height in the heel. I feel like I'm higher off the ground than I was with the Vitesse. The heel cup is also pretty deep, giving me some blisters on certain occasions.

Not a bad overall ride for an "overbuilt" trail runner. I bought a pair of these last season and while they feel secure on foot I did not find them so durable. I managed to catch a root on my home trail on the HURT Trail 100 course and completely ripped off the top of the toe box. Okay, so it happens. My biggest beef, the Montrail of old would have replaced these in a heartbeat. Columbia; however, basically told me I was SOL. Alas, the last pair of Montrails I owned.

Bought'em online and had to send them back. I've had a couple different pairs of Montrails and I always wear a 10. Ended up trying them on in the store and had to go to an 11.

Love the shoes though. Once you break Montrails in they're pretty hard to beat.

I wrote this specifically to warn others about the sizing discrepancy (in my opinion that is).

I love the look of these shoes with them being trail runners. They have a great look and cut but after my first short overnighter with these the Montrail logo on each side of the shoe started to wear off. So on one side it says M il, and the other side Montr il. I know the logo doesn't effect its performance but I would think the logo should stay on, even when used in the backcountry.

these are a great pair of trail running shoes, very comfortable, great traction. i ordered the same size as i get for all my other shoes but find that the toe-box is a little small, and is a little uncomfortable when running a lot of downhills. but it is such a great shoe that i am ordering another pair, a 1/2 size bigger. hopefully these will let me fly on the downhills.

This is my 3rd pair in 3 years. I love them. I run almost exclusively on singletrack trails in the ROCKY mountains. The sole is very good at protecting my feet from sharp, pointy rocks. I've tried lighter, thinner soled shoes and have had a lot of trouble with sore feet following a run. these babies may not be the lightest, fastest shoes around but they last a whole running season and protect my feet very well.

Upon receiving the product, I wore the shoes around the house just to get a feel for the fit. Wasn't overly impressed but stayed with them and now I have come to believe it took time but I am satisfied. Not going to rate them five stars because of the fit of the left shoe is not 100%. Otherwise, the satisfaction continues.

Montrail took a great shoe, the Leona Divide, and ruined it by making the fraternal twin to the Hardrock. I switched to the Brooks Cascadia.

I got these on steep and cheap for a great price cause I thought they looked cool...when I put them on they hurt my feet and felt like I was walking on ridges or something...but then I persevered and wore them longer and longer and finally they are becoming comfortable and I've even wore them to work on a twelve hour nursing shift...but the break in kind of sucked so I took a star away

I've been a fan of these shoes for a few years now. About to start my third pair. I get at least a year of life out of each pair so far. I used to run in a Nike shoes and then strapped these on my feet. Rocky trails became smooth and asphalt and hardpack became soft. They even performed solidly on the 22+ mile day hike up Mt. Whitney. My biggest fear with these shoes is that they will stop production of them.

These, like other that I have tried (Hurricane Ridge, Odyssey), are a great fit. I like a narrow heel and wider foot box. These have great cushion without being too thick, and great grip in the dirt and mid, and great ventilation. I use these for hiking and backpacking. These are basically the non-GTX version of the Hurricaine Ridge.

I've tried most every model Montrail has and these are my favorite with the Vitesse a close second. The wide toe box is critical for long runs. These are cool, fast drying and light for a trail shoe. They would work well in sand. Vitesse is warmer but resists sand better.

After only a couple weeks of use, these shoes are feeling like part of my feet. They are great on the trails and feel very stable without being overly bulky. My normal size fit perfectly.

This is my hiking shoe of choice. I've got about 1000 miles on them. I feel that they will last about 600 miles of long distance hiking. Pretty normal durability wise. I like the extra protection that the stiffness provides. I also have found them to be pretty durable, never had any seams pop, nor tabs rip off. They've got a great wide toebox that lets me wiggle my toes. The only downside is that they scoop and collect sand pretty badly. In sandy areas I often get a huge mound in the toe box. I don't anticipate switching to another shoe for my next couple of cross country (Mex-Can) hikes.

These are a replacement for my old Montrail Leona Divides which I've run in for several pairs over the past few years. I was bummed that they stopped making them. Montrail said this was the new version. Man, these are even better than the Leona's. Much more cushioning but somehow even more stable and better fit. Thanks!

This is a great shoe. Super comfy. I ran two extra miles the day I got them. Short runs barefoot in these babies are really nice - they breathe well, and have lots of toe room. The top and ankle support works really well, too. They always leave my feet feeling nice. And I'm talking deep tissue massage nice, which feels slightly strange to you because you just went running...
No worries at all with these shoes. If you like socks go with a half-size up, but I really recommend staying the size and trying them barefoot. Your call. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

I get my exercise on The Billy Goat Trail along the Potomac River's Mather Gorge in Maryland. The terrain is almost all rock, with at least distinct types in the two miles of the trail.
It takes stickiness to hold to the flat surfaces, stability to balance on the angles, rigidity to step on the points, and edges stiff enough for the little lips and nubs.
This shoe has all four, and is comfortable on the runs through the woods afterwards.
I'm on my third pair, with the fourth in the box, and am distressed that they're getting hard to find.
They do fit small, but that's what I need.

I haven't gotten to try these puppies out of the trail yet, but I love their fit. I replaced the factory insoles with Superfeet which helps with support.

Been using these shoes for a few months now and I like them a lot. I primarily run on trails and these shoes have held up really well..no signs of coming apart-These are Tanks. Yes they are a bit heavy but they are very solid shoes! I plan on using them for light backpacking as well as trail running. I went a half size up to allow for foot swelling on summer backpacking trips. I've had no blisters with these shoes and they give great support and cushioning. Overall these are great shoes in my opinion for trail runs and packing light...not a road race shoe..way too heavy. They do require a break in period.

These felt tight the first few days. I think they have too many lace holes which makes them difficult to loosen up towards the toes. After a few days they loosened up some but still a little snug in places. I figure it will take another week. If you use the last set of lacing holes it is very difficult to get the shoes off. Also, the laces are very smooth and untie easily unless you tie a double knot. They have good cushion inside so far. Will write more after a couple of months of use. I usual wear a 10.5 and ordered an 11. Definitely order a 1/2 size larger.

I am training for a half marathon, and have been doing a lot of running in the snow lately. These shoes are incredibly comfortable, and at the same time offer excellent traction on seemingly any surface. I absolutely recommend them for anyone looking for a reliable and comfortable shoe.

montrail continental divide is a great shoe!

I understand that everyone's foot is different. My "cruel shoes" may be your favorites. That said, these are the best shoes I have ever owned. For the first time, after hiking for a few hours my feet don't ache. I am buying a third pair to wear to work (yes, the shoes will look odd with my suit). My only warning: they are sized small. That is, I normally wear a US size 9 or 9.5. In the Montrail, I wear US size 10.

These shoes are easy on my feet - great padding and protection! They are very stable on tricky trails - anyone who has hiked in the White Mtns of NH knows what I'm talking about - I haven't twisted or sprained in them to date (knock on wood!). I've never had a shoe with better traction. They are sized small - I needed an 11 where I'm usually a 10/10.5. The toebox is roomy yet my feet don't slide around in them. I can go all day in them with the same pair of socks even - four or five round trip summits on Monadnock and my feet are still ok (just the feet, lol!). Not sure how well they'd do with any real weight - I use a fanny pack with two waters and a powerbar and an apple. For trail racing and all day blowouts though, I've never had a better shoe!

Wore these this summer on the Appalachian Trail. Got ~ 1,000 miles out of them before the rocks of PA & NY finally ate them up! Great comfort and support. Snug on the heel (w/o rubbing) and a nice wide toe box. DO order 1/2 size larger than you normally wear (a hint given me by one of the Montrail factory guys before I ordered). I'm replacing them. For colder weather, I use the Hurricane XCR. - Snakebait

I was a loyal user of the Leona Divide and loved them. Then they were replaced with the Continental Divide. I've been trying to break in a pair for 6 months and they still hurt my feet after an hour. Bring back the LD!!

I've been running in these since they came out a few years ago, before that I ran in Hardrocks, and it looks like I'll be going back to those, because it seems that Montrail no longer makes these (which I imagine was why I got such a good deal on them here at Backcountry--nearly half-price!). Fortunately I got the last two pairs in my size at a good price, they should last me through summer. These shoes are tough, very stable, and supportive. For trails and road they are my favorite (after running in them for years when I tried a pair of road shoes I felt like I was going to slide off the soles) I'm 5'8", 175lbs, and run about 30-40 miles a week

I've only gotten a few short runs on these shoes, but I'm very pleased with them so far. Very durable. They were a little stiff out of the box, but now that I've gotten them broken in I have zero complaints.

Did two hours (16+ miles) in them after "breaking them in" for a day....feet were fine. No blisters, no problems. The size thing is true, 1/2 size up. Even though the toe box is roomy, it wasn;t a problem and besides, you need a 1/2 inch for swelling. Did not feel the rocks like I did in my light weight Nike S+ (ok for pit/crushed gravel, not for anything heavier). They are a bit heavy but that's like asking for fat free nuts....it's not going to happen. You can't get superior protection in a lightweight shoe. Having accepted this, these shoes were great

As another reviewer said... This is a clunky shoe on anything other than an earth trail. Shoe feels heavy. Tried it on an asphalt track and it beat me up. The removable insoles are the cheapest I have seen on a name brand shoe. Will be throwing those away real quick. I did order a half size larger which is a good thing. It still feels someone narrow but is acceptable and the toe box is fairly wide which I like. Don't know how long this shoe will last, but it looks like it should go for ever... Time will tell. Can't say I would buy it again.

The shoes seem well constructed and ready for plenty of abuse. However, if you are thinking of these shoes as a trail runner be cautious - they are a bit heavy for a running shoe (there are other much lighter trail shoes out there for about the same price) and they run a bit small on the sizing. If ordering again I would order at least 1/2 size, if not a full size bigger.