New Balance Minimus Trail 10v1 (NBMT10v1)

For the better part of two months, I have been precariously cycling through my shoes to get the most out of them. Though it did extend their lifespan a bit, this eventually led to them crapping out at the same time. 

Do you know what that means? New shoe time! Oh yeah!

New Balance's rebirth of the MT10v1

The path to obtaining these shoes was long and difficult. Originally, I was going to go with the Merrell Trail Glove, but they didn't have enough room for the top of my foot. I was about 0.5 mile into my run when I decided to head back and swap them for my Skora Phase. I finished the 6 mile run, but when I took off my sock my foot was actually bruised! Back in the box they went, and my search continued.

A couple weeks went by with me looking at every trail shoe under the sun. Then, I stumbled upon the MT10v1. A scoffed at the 4mm drop. #ZeroDrop4Lyfe! However, the more I read about them the more I wanted them. Review after review, people kept proclaiming how they were the greatest shoe ever, and that they were excited that New Balance brought them back (I wish Skora would come back 😩). The only downside I saw were people complaining about the sizing. "Order a size larger" and "GET THE EE!.

It was done. I ordered a size larger, but didn't get the EE. I have very narrow feet, so it should be perfect. Two days later, they arrived. I opened the box, laced them up, annnnnd they're too narrow. Eff.

Fortunately, I  ordered through Amazon Prime. I quickly set up the (free) exchange, and the new pair arrived in my mailbox within three days. That alone is worth the cost of the prime service to me.

Originally went with black on black, but glad I switched colors

I laced them up, and the felt great. A little loose around the ankle, but now I had more wiggle room at the widest part of my foot. The toebox isn't as wide as I would like either, but those are my only major gripes.

Low-cut, no wrap around feel. 

Even with the looseness of the ankle, the shoe still fits well. That is mainly because of the strap that goes across the base of the tarsal area. Another strap running from the mid-foot to the heel that does something similar. However, with a plantarflex, it looks a little silly.

Plantarflex to show weird strap bulge

With a bum foot, I decided to take them out for an easy three miles on the roads. The tactile feel was great, and the shoes offered a good amount of protection. In my other shoes (specifically the Skora Phase and Merrell Vapor Glove), I tried to limit chunky stones as much as possible. However, with the MT10v1, I knew the crushed rocks were there, yet they didn't cause any discomfort. 

I also enjoyed the weight of the shoe. By no means are they a racing flat, but they hold somewhat true to their "minimalist" claim. I can easily see myself using them for anything from a 5k to a 20 miler. 

Crappy cellphone picture

The bottom of the shoe is made by Vibram (woo-hoo!) and is super grippy for the road. I hope this translates well to trail, which it should. The lugs are in a circular honeycomb pattern with a lot of nooks and crannies, aka dog poop catchers. They aren't super deep, but not non-existent either. The raised nubs are a solid rubber that should last long, whereas the recessed portions seem to be a softer, high density foam of some sorts.

On to the pros and cons.

Pros:

• Price - right around $100 depending on size and color
• Feel - They have a "glove" like feel around the foot, but not the ankle. More on that in the cons
• Looks - The sleekness of the shoe and the color choices are simple, but attractive. A+
• Laces - The length of the laces might be a bit excessive, but I enjoy having the extra inches. They also stayed tied for the entirety of my run without double knots.
• Tongue - It's stitched into place, so it won't roll or get smooshed 
• Sole - Not removable, which is a good thing because I usually take them out anyways. Thin!
• Outsole - Made by Vibram. Will last a long time.

Cons:

• Low cut - I wish the upper was about 0.5 to 1 inch taller
• Ankle looseness - The rest of the shoe seems to fit great. Maybe I just have small ankles? Maybe I need a half size smaller?
• No double eyelet - I love to lock lace my shoes to get a great wrap-around feel. Unfortunately, I cannot do this with these shoes.
• Toebox - It's a little narrow for me. I am used to a big open space thanks to Skora to splay my feet. Even with the EE, my pinky toe puts a little stress on the outside of the shoe.

With that said, I gladly welcome my new foot friends. I'll probably get another pair to cycle to make Yeti 100 training more consistent.

 

Skora Phase Shoe Review

When it comes to running shoes, I’m a bit different than most people. I’ve tried a lot of different types, but always enjoyed racing flats. As life sped up, my running slowed down. Cue heavy, padded, and elevated heel. Then, I tried a lighter shoe, coupled with Born to Run. This lead to minimalist toe shoes to even going barefoot for a good chunk of time. It was then that I found out I was a minimalist.

Up until this point and even now, I’m in love with Merrell’s Vapor Glove. I’ve faithfully put on 1,000+ miles between my three pairs. For a more protective, but responsive trail shoe I utilize the Merrell Trail Glove 2. But like all good running shoes, my favorite pair was modified into the Vapor Glove 2.0 – a better seamed, but a little heavier. No major complaints.

Well, except one. I guess with all the pounding I put on my feet (majority of it being asphalt), my big toe started to act up. This was double bad news because it started to act up right before a marathon. I hobbled across the line both disappointed and defeated --- but I still had fun! I told myself and agreed with my wife (to myself, not out loud of course) that maybe minimalist isn’t what I need for long distance.

I convinced my mom to buy me a pair of Skora Phase when home for Thanksgiving. I purchased them on Black Friday, so I received a sweet deal and a few pairs of Injinji socks for free!

Putting them on my feet to walk around the house, I immediately noticed the rolled heel. Mentioning it to my dad, he commented with a smirk, “Just like… your heel?” Things just got real (see what I did there!? Man, I’m funny… Oh, you didn’t? Well, maybe this will help. Skora’s motto is Run Real. Hilarious, right?!)

(Merry Christmas to me! Thanks, mom!)

The next detail I noticed was the lugs and rivets on the bottom. Being new, they had a lot of grip. Time will tell how long this will last, but it gives me some faith with the colder, snowier months upon us.

(After 10 wet miles, they still look pretty good. I'd say my Run Real form is par for the course.)

Finally, I was able to lace up and take them out on the road. My wife accompanied me for the first two miles and then she peeled off to run an Ultra or something. If you don’t know her, she’s pretty amazing.

During the first two, I had to run on the road and chunky rock. Unlike the Vapor Gloves, I could “feel” the rocks, but there was no discomfort. In the other shoes, I would avoid these rocks or crank out a faster foot turn over to help displace my weight. Not necessary with the Phase, but I still felt connected to the ground. The second test was a storm grate. No qualms. I could tell the surface texture was different, but the shoe stuck pretty well. Impressive, since it was drizzling all day.

Next came the track. With a Beer Mile in the near future, I figured I would try my new shoes on the track. Since I was emphasizing speed, I was hoping to be quick and light. Maybe it was from all the holiday food, but I just felt heavy and slow. Was this because of the shoes? I’m not sure. They did feel a little heavier than my racing flats, but that is to be expected. However, the insole is removable. Further research here is needed. 5:27 mile for those who are curious.

(Super reflective shoes!)

The mile back up home went extremely well. With my legs slightly fatigued, it was nice to see how the shoes responded to my shortened, “I think I’m dying” stride. To finish the last mile, I climbed a semi steep hill with ease. I was able to stay on my mid-foot with no heel strikes and pushed to the top. The downhill went equally as well. Actually, this was the most confident I’ve felt in a shoe going downhill in a long time.

(Sara and I before our second run. Phase on the left, Core on the right)

To make a long story short, the Skora Phase will be in my regular rotation. They will not be my 5K racing shoe, but will help with training. They will play a critical role with runs where the terrain is uncertain, anything over 6 miles, and maybe a few long(er) distance races.