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I’m looking to buy some running shoes for a UK winter. Budget under £100 preferably under £50. I’ve only owned hard packed and rocky trail shoes before so not sure what has the best function here.
I now live in an area where there is a lot more mud. I will be doing 90% of my runs on fells, forests and fields.
Are Walsh shoes any good? I have worn ino8 for the last few years but would like to try something new. I don’t think salmon tread is deep enough and I’m not a big fan on their lacing system.
So what’s good for cold, wet, muddy winter fun?
I find walshes excellent for muddy fell terrain. They are not well cushioned at all, but that doesnt matter if youre running on soft surfaces. I also find they last better than inov8s.
I recently ran the ROC Mountain Marathon up in t'Lake District in the Adidas Terrex X-Kings. Crazy big lugs and conti rubber. Grip is excellent and like the comment above, not much cushioning but was very soft in most places anyway. When the winger gloop is in, they'll be my trail running shoe. Think I got them for around £80 in the end.
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I’m a fan of these (I’ve mentioned this before on here) if you keep them off-road they wear well, the heal may not fit you so try them on first.. always deals for <£90 in Runners Need or Snow & Rock.
Mrs Kilo use the Speed Cross too seems to like them.
I like the Salomon ones with goretex...it keeps your feet dry for a bit..at least from dewy grass. The tread is great for mud, and the lacing system is bearable.
Mine have lasted well, unlike two previous pairs of Inov8 which fell apart quite quickly...the sides split, and the soles fell off!
Have about 10 pairs of Salomon - 3 are Speedcross
Will buy them again when they wear out.
might not be quite what you are after but just picked these up at a great price.
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/scarpa-mens-neutron-gtx-running-shoe-p432111
Speed Cross are fine on soft stuff, but horrendous on wet rock or even very steep, damp tarmac, just super slippery.
La Sportiva Mutants have similar levels of grip and cushioning, but much better grip on wet rock if that matters to you - really nice shoes and the extended ankle helps keep debris out. Saucony Peregrines are similar again, but like the Salomons, unnerving on hard, wet surfaces.
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Oh, you mean there’s another kind of winter cross-country? 🙂
Yep, 12 or 15mm spikes 🙂
Why would you run on wet tarmac in off road shoes?
Of course they’ll be slippery!
[url= http://moremile.co.uk/mens/footwear/running.html?footwear_type=2869 ][/url]
There's a whole thread on the FRA forum about More Mile cheviots. Great price but some complaints about longevity.
Speed Cross are fine on soft stuff, but horrendous on wet rock or even very steep, damp tarmac, just super slippery.
^^^
This absolutely. I found Speedcross so bad on wet rock and tarmac I had to take them off for the last half mile (downhill tarmac path) as I was going over all the time. Ended up retiring them to shopping shoes.
A bit like tyres, you need to be a bit more specific about the terrain you will be running on as there are as many nuanced styles as you get in mtb tyres.
For what its worth I'm an Inov8 fan and use the Rocklites for wet trails and X-talons when it gets really bad. Walshes remain to be an excellent shoe for racing, but as mentioned above they have little cushioning.
Why would you run on wet tarmac in off road shoes?
Of course they’ll be slippery!
Because events,training runs, often start/finish on paths.
Last year’s terraclaw 250 cheap from sportsshoes is my currently daily shoe. Not best for when really muddy but otherwise bob on. Xtalon for racing/best/mountains. Salomon are a bit overbuilt for me.
BadlyWiredDog - Member
Speed Cross are fine on soft stuff, but horrendous on wet rock or even very steep, damp tarmac, just super slippery
Yeah I’d agree, Moss covered rock though would be tricky in anything.. I don’t run on tarmac so can’t comment, that’s why I said run off road in them.. only time I’ve found them to be super slippy is on those wet decking bridges the F.C. are keen on putting down these days, but again you’d slip if wearing most shoes on that stuff.
Anyway, you do have to try them on because the heal and heal cup isn’t for everyone IMO.
Another Inov8 fan here
Why would you run on wet tarmac in off road shoes?
Of course they’ll be slippery!
Because you might have to run on the road to get to the off road stuff. And it might be steep. But mostly I just mentioned that to make the point that not only are Salomon Speed Cross a bit rubbish on wet rock, but they're even slippery on tarmac too.
The La Sportiva, inov-8 and Vibram sole rubber compounds are all significantly better on wet rock, ditto Walsh. Sorry for any confusion.
For proper soft stuff, it's hard to beat mudclaws or similar. I only used these for a few years but recently got terraclaw 250s for more mixed/hardpack terrain. Mudclaw lugs are getting ripped apart from road segments (plus they aren't very comfortable on hard ground).
I don’t know many people that use Walsh for long stuff, but some swear by them for short and mid distance, off path Lakeland fells. Whatever your standard, / distance, I can’t imagine your going to find anything much better that other styles by INov8, if you’ve been using that brand for several years without problems. Personally I use Salomon, (Fellraiser and more latterly Spewdcross) and find them a good compromise between comfort and grip on most surfaces. No probs with the laces.
I've been impressed with the grip from my Adidas with Continental branded soles.
I also have older Saucony Peregrines which are great trailers shoes, except in wet rock, where they are terrible IMO.
I'm another Inov8 fanboi generally, but the best winter / full off road shoes I ever had were Adidas Equipment Adiprene/Traxion thingys (sorry, don't recall their name). Those ^ Adidas Terrex X-Kings would be on my shortlist, for sure.
Salomon are a bit overbuilt for me
You've clearly never used any of their good shoes then; the S-Lab range.
Try the S-Lab Speed, they'd be my go to shoe for fell running / mud
Inov8 sale on sports pursuit at the moment. We'll worth a look.
I found my saucony Xodus to be great, very sturdy on rocky and wet ground. Gutted to throw them out in the end. Comfy too, did a few trail marathons in them.
I wouldn't go for anything with gore-tex if your are planning some proper trail running through ankle deep mud and puddles.
You've clearly never used any of their good shoes then; the S-Lab range.
Try the S-Lab Speed, they'd be my go to shoe for fell running / mud
You’re quite right. They look alright, but fail my “how much!” test 🙂
It was partly the cost which got me intrigued with Walsh shoes as they are half the price of a lot of inov8 and Salomon shoes. I hope to be mainly running in forrest and wooded areas or grass and mud. I live near the Peak District. Inov8 shoes are good but are they twice as good as Walsh to justify the extra price?
I've had a couple of pairs of dynafit shoes off wiggle this year and they've been awesome (compared to salomons, inov8s, Walshs etc I've had over the past 10 years). One of those brands that seem to just fit my feet, and excellently made.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dynafit/
Mud claws and walsh both seem to be about 60 quid on sport shoes.com