Ground my poor ASICS Gel-Cumulus road shoes into nothing on
the trails, and since I have another pair of those NIB, I
opted to get at least one pair of trail shoes and see what I
think of this genre.
Inspired by Dot's remark about the REI dividend burning a
hole in her pocket, I went there too and spent mine towards
a pair of Vasque Lightspeeds.
I chose them because they are relatively lightweight; the
forefoot has a great degree of flex; the soles seem designed
for traction on dirt; and the colors seem selected to
camouflage the prodigious amounts of filth I kick up running
offroad (this is not so much a matter of vanity, as a matter
of being allowed back into the house).
In the few trail runs I have taken in them so far, the
traction is a great improvement over my ASICS road shoes, as
is the stability on varying terrain. Where I encounter short
stretches of paving, the cushioning is adequate -- though
I'd not choose this shoe to run the roads. The fit of this
model is roomy in the toebox and snuggish around the heels.
Lacing system allows for good adjustment. Very solid so far.
Anyone use the NB 807 AT? I almost opted for these, but they
didn't have my size.