a superb, but flawed, option for minimalist runners

By Ben Reff Ranked #608 - Men's Trail Run Shoes May 1, 2010

I've been a big proponent of minimalist footwear and natural running technique for a while now, but my three fallback options of choice - barefoot, Nike Frees, and Vibram Fivefingers - simply weren't cutting it on the razor-sharp gravel roads surrounding my family's cabin. I've spent the better part of 6 months looking for a trail running shoe that could offer some trauma protection without getting in the way of my foot's natural mechanics.

So far the New Balance 100 is the best thing I've found. They're extremely lightweight (lighter than my Frees) and basically function like a more protective racing flat. The upper is basically a thin mesh with a few "strapping" features, and the sole is very flat and very low-profile. Despite the rock stop in the forefoot area, I haven't found forefoot flexibility to be compromised. The rock stop is only in the area where your forefoot actually makes contact with the ground, and thus the parts of the sole that need to flex still can. The heel rise is negligible, and my heel rarely ever makes full contact with the ground so it doesn't seem to matter anyway.

Of course, the shoe isn't exactly perfect. The plastic support around the heel is poorly designed and tends to dig into your skin, and might cause blisters if you don't protect yourself with a band-aid or give the shoes a sufficient break-in time. This problem is so universal among users that it's one of the reasons they are discontinuing the 100 this fall and releasing an updated 101. Additionally, the rubber outsole smells to high heaven. I'm not talking foot stink... I'm talking industrial-strength chemical smell. Don't make the mistake of leaving a brand-new pair in your closed-up room like I did the other day. It took a full day of airing my room out for the smell to disappear. Hopefully that goes away in time.

If you're looking for big, clunky, cushioned shoes to swaddle and pamper your feet, look elsewhere. If you're a mechanically efficient forefoot- or midfoot-striker looking for a decent trail runner to grip the ground and protect from sharp intrusions, the New Balance 100 might be the shoe for you. I've been shopping around for low-profile trail runners for quite some time and this is the closest I've found to my ideal trail runner.

View Details: New Balance 100 Trail Running Shoe - Men's

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