I’ve entered the Marathon Des Sables in 2007, and am looking for a pair of trail shoes that will suit the desert conditions and not cause my feet to sweat. I see that Montrail have introduced the Susitna XCR, which not only uses their new Extended Comfort Range concept which is claimed to be “…more breathable and cooler than their previous waterproof/breathable constructions…”, but also has attachable gaiters for keeping out sand (in this case). I was previously warned against the GoreTex breathable concept, because it wasn’t! The last thing I need is seven days in the desert with sweaty feet, as this and the sand will undoubtedly cause blisters. Does anyone have any experience of the Susitna XCR shoes, are they truly breathable? Any other shoe recommendations for use in the MDS?
