Transitioning to Minimal Shoes

Over the past two years I've been transitioning toward more minimal shoes. This started with the Saucony line of lighter shoes: the Kinvara road shoes and the Peregrine trail shoes. In 2011 I ran mostly in Nike Skylons and Saucony Kinvaras on roads and easier trails, while I wore Montrail Mountain Masochists and Saucony Peregrines on tougher trails, but I never really liked the feel of the Peregrines much. The Peregrines felt harsh; I wasn't ready for them.

This year I've tried three models of New Balance Minimus, first the MT20, then the MT110, and most recently the new MT1010, but I've also changed my mind about the Saucony Peregrine.

Montrail Mountain Masochist,  12.5,  13.25 oz:  While in 2011 I liked the feel of the Masochists, they now feel very bulky, and I don't like the greater heel-to-toe drop anymore, probably because I've been running so much in the MT110s, which have a 4mm drop. I rarely use the Masochists now.

Saucony Peregrine,  12.5,  11.5 oz:  Recently I've discovered the Peregrines feel much better, especially for long runs over rocky terrain, so these are becoming my go-to shoes for long outings. They recently handled my Slide Mountain loop in the Catskills very well. Saucony came out with a second version of these shoes, which I may try at some point when I need more shoes.

New Balance MT1010,  12.5  EE,  9 oz:  I just got these last week, and though New Balance puts them in the Minimus line of shoes, the feel is very different from the MT110 and MT20. They feel spongy and the fit is not nearly as low or secure as the MT110 or MT20. These actually remind me of the spongy feel of the Saucony Kinvara road shoes, or the Nike Lunarglide (which I returned). I really don't see how these belong in the Minimus line. The rock protection is no better than the MT110, and they are not as stable. I wore them for over 6 hours on two outings, and they were extremely comfortable. On the plus side, they have fantastic grip on rock even on angles greater than 45 degrees, and I didn't mind wearing them. I think after the foam gets compacted they will be much better shoes. Overall slightly disappointed with the MT1010, which I thought was going to be similar to the MT110, but suitable for longer distances.

New Balance MT110,   12.5 EE,  9.4 oz:  The MT110 is a fantastic shoe in so many ways, and is the best trail shoe I've ever run in, by far. They feel like racing flats with some rock protection, have excellent feel, fit, control, balance, and are a joy to run in. I can't wait to try version 2 of these shoes. The drawbacks of the MT110 are they have minimal cushioning, but enough for long runs once you get used to them. They also protect against rocks much better the newer they are, but still hold up pretty well. The sole is split with rubber front and back and foam in the middle, so the middle wears faster. The upper could be sturdier, and sharp rocks cut into my first pair and shortened it's life. A work in progress, but a truly fantastic shoe.

New Balance MT20, 13,  8 oz:  The MT20, also with the same 4mm heel-to-toe drop as the MT1010 and the MT110, have almost no cushioning, but have excellent feel and are very good shoes to help teach natural running form. I like to wear them on short outings to feel the ground, but I prefer the MT110s for most of my running. Surprisingly, despite these having a Vibram sole, the MT110s which don't have better grip, as do the MT1010s (which have a different Vibram sole).

Pictured left to right below:  Mountain Masochist, Peregrine, MT1010, MT110 (2x), MT20