ben brockway
Reviewed: 22 April 2002
It Doesn't Work In The UK
Look good. Hard wearing, especially given the sticky soles.
Another good example of US design being inappropriate for much other than street wear in the UK. Relatively heavy, they have quite built up heels leading to a relatively unstable platform for off road use. The sticky sole, which is fine on dry rock and pavement, is of little use on grass or wet rock. In essence I did one serious run in them - on my stag weekend! - and managed to turn both ankles coming down off Pen y Fan before sliding repeatedly on wet grassy slopes. The laces are about 2ft too long and keep catching in the cleats and undoing, easily cured though with hot knife.
Very comfortable, excellent for travel, solid hard wearing shoes - just don't expect to go trail running in them (unless perhaps on a canal towpath or railway line). If you want fell shoes, buy walshes! Having said that I often run to work in them and I've never had a blister. These rarely get off my feet, which may explain their smell. Rating would be 1,3,3 for use as a trail shoe, but for general use:
