Update:
I've now logged about 50km of off-road running in these HH Trail Cutters - variously tested in slippy mud, snow, thick grass, dead leaves & gritty trail; plus a few km worth of pavements for accessing runs (so far no actual mountain use and no testing on wet rock as yet).
Now, I don't have anything else to compare them with in this fell runner category, but first impressions are very very good. They are light, grippy, very quick drying and offer just enough cushioning to make the pavement & frozen ground bits bearable. Having come from a road shoe & trail shoe background, I'd say that they win out in many areas and have actually forced me to improve on my foot-strike technique (relying less on heel cushioning and more on my calf muscles to give energy return). The wide lacing going down close to the toes makes it easy to get a snug fit, and the reflective HH is reassuring when I've been using them at night & needed to cross roads etc.
I can't say how they compare to the known options from Walsh, Inov8 etc. but they're definitely worth a try and so far no signs of wear or damage. Looked in the Bicester outlet this weekend and they still had some 11.5, 12.5 & 5s in stock. Nearly bought a third pair but just managed to contain my urges!
I also used the LIFA Charger shirts to good effect; they fit me extremely well - especially the neck - and I've used this weight of LIFA for many years so know what it's pros & cons are. Basically an excellent baselayer if you understand the subtleties of using polypropylene instead of the 'wicking' options on the market.
One of my best kit scoops of late then!
John
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