Montrail Hardrock

From 4LPH41337.com

Reviewing the Montrail Hardrock shoes, which off-road ultra-marathoners praise as one of the best trail shoes ever made for their sport.

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Josh's Take

I bought a pair of Montrail Hardrocks because I was looking to do more day races this year and looked to the off-road ultra-marathoner community for recommendations. The 2007 models were on sale, so I picked up a pair.

First thing I noticed about the shoes were that they were heavy--heavier than other trail runners I'd used by far. But their heaviness was designed in--these shoes are solid. The sole is a thick, supportive substructure. Based on the balance of the shoe, this is where most of the weight is coming. Out of the box, the level of traction these shoes provide in off-road environments is top-notch. I felt glued to the ground on every surface I took note to test--grass, gravel, dirt, rocks, wet rocks. To top it off, the stability of the shoe compares to other good trail shoes in which I've run.

The upper portion of the shoe is layered in cushion. Putting the shoe on, I felt full contact with it all around my foot, as if I were putting on a really thick sock. This includes the tongue and laces. A side-effect that seemed odd to me on first-impression was that it almost seemed over-cushioned. Under the ball of my feet I feel the cushion jutting up to meet my foot, applying upward pressure to the ball. I was apprehensive that this would be problematic, but thus far have not had any issues with blisters/bruising. To the contrary (per Montrail's design hopes) these shoes leave the bottom of my feet feeling pretty good after long runs of 10-20 miles.

Pros:

cushion, cushion, cushion
excellent traction
good stability

Cons:

heavy
heavier when wet

Summary:

Ultimately, there's a trade off with which one who is considering the Montrail Hardrock's is faced. Weight vs. Comfort. If, like me, you don't mind the extra weight if it raises your chances of an injury-free, pleasant race, then by all means the Montrail Hardrocks are kick-butt shoes that will do you well. But if you're looking to press the envelope by traveling ultra-light, you may want to pass them up for something weighing a few ounces less. As for me, I'll probably leave them at home for the sprint races. I definitely train in them and plan to use them for day races like I did at the Checkpoint Zero Adventure Race. And with the 2008 Hardrocks out, I can definitely recommend you try this shoe if you are also looking at some 24+ hour adventure races.

Reviewer's Background:

My feet:

Normal back-to-front roll
Normal pronation
Men's size 11

I ran competitively for 8 years in my not-so-distant youth. I've been through a lot of trail shoes, which I wore exclusively, whether I was running on or off road.