Berghaus Phobic Stable Endure - First
Look
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Price: £75
SRP
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Weight: 710 grammes (pair size
43)
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Features:
Trail-running shoe with EHS (Ergonomic Holding System), LPP
(Low Profile Protection), Opti-Stud Running sole, pressure
distribution plate, Dupont Engage performance cushioning
foams, Ortholite performance sock liner with 3D formed heel
cup.
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What's It For?
The new for this year Phobic Stable Endure is one of three shoes
that take up the baton from last year's Phobic
Light - the others are the Phobic Stable Dry, which
has a Gore-Tex lining, and the Phobic Light Flow, a lighter, less
protective shoe.
The Stable Endure is, like the original Phobic, a trail-running
shoe, but beefed up with a medial post for increased stability and
revised protection for the upper. Again it's designed to shed water
and dry fast and to be used for trail running though as with most
trail-running shoes, there's no reason why you shouldn't also use it
for lightweight walking. It's also intended to be more 'rugged' than
its predecessor.
The Techy Bits
Berghaus has gone a little label crazy on its footwear with lots
of three-letter acronyms - EHS and LPP to name two of them. The
really key features are the Ergonomic Holding System, which is the
external mouldings that help to seat the foot in the shoe - you can
see it running from heel to forefoot for example and the Low Profile
Protection, which is designed to strategically protect the mesh upper
from damage.
The Phobic bit means that the materials used are treated to shed
water and dry fast if you do get wet. The theory is that anyone
running off road in the UK is going to encounter water, so you might
as well live with it.
The Running variant of the Berghaus Opti-Stud sole makes an
appearance. It's been designed to give great grip off road, but also
through the unusual stud shape to stop studs from folding over and
pushing back into your foot.
How It Performs
We found the original Phobic Light 's external protection
mouldings actually pressed uncomfortably on our feet and the good news
is that the more subtle toe bumper and other reinforcement no longer
does this, making the Stable Endure a lot more comfortable for us.
The last on recent Berghaus footwear is light years ahead of its
older models as well and we found the shoes felt really planted on
our fairly typical British feet. The slick lacing system and, erm,
EHS, gives a glove - like fit that's ideal for off-road running where
it's crucial for your feet not to slop around inside the shoe.
That, along with a reasonably low EVA mid-sole, helps give decent,
stable performance on uneven ground. And as with other Berghaus
footwear we've used recently, the Opti-Stud sole unit gives
tenacious, toothy grip on softer ground and is, in this incarnation
anyway, fine on rockier terrain as well.
One thing worth noting, is that despite the pressure distribution
plate, the thinner forefoot cushioning means you can feel small rocks
underfoot through the front section of the sole unit. That's not
really an issue for running where the pay-off is sensitivity, but if
you're used to a stiffer-soled walking shoe or boot, you may find it
disconcerting at first.
Finally, the Phobic element of the shoe, as we said in our review
of last year's model, works well for quick drying, but doesn't really
repel water noticeably better than other shoes in our opinion anyway.
A big bonus though, is that the mesh construction makes the shoe hot
weather-friendly.
We've been very impressed with the latest footwear coming out
of Berghaus and the Phobic Stable Endure is no exception. Early signs
are that it's a good compromise off-road shoe with almost as much
grip as a pure fell shoe, thanks to the excellent sole unit, but much
more cushioning for frequent use on mixed ground.
Fit was glove-like for us and stability feels good. We also like
the extra ventilation and quick drying nature of the Phobic
construction. It's early days on the uppers' durability front, though
we expect the EVA cushioning foam to get an abrasion battering on
rocky terrain.
A cracking trail -running shoe, that also makes a decent
lightweight walker as long as you can cope with feeling the odd rock
through the forefoot. Note there's also a less lurid grey/silver
colour option for the more discrete user...
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Great grip, good compromise between cushioning and off-road
stability.
Pay-off for forefoot sensitivity is some rock feel
underfoot.
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Know more or want to?
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product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
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Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
forum.
Amos
