Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

48 years old, 5' 11" , 180lb. 5 - 6 miles a day 4 days a week on Indiana dirt single track trails. Roots, rocks , actually hilly. Neutral feet, fairly wide and usually run in Vasque blurs and Montrail hard rocks. Normal guy. Bought these together in touch with the trail but felt like the barefoot toe shoe craze was not a good idea on my trails. Love these shoes!!! Heel support feels strong but forefoot freedom is just what I was looking for. Maybe I'm crazy but split toe sole actually feels like it works and feels like my toes are more independently involved in the toe off. Elastic band across top feels snug on mine despite other reviews. These are the right mix of minimal weight, sole, etc but still protect my feet from bruises on the hidden roots and rocks that would have nailed me by now in the trends toe shoes. Tread feels adequate and does not load up with sticky mud! A plus Run 2 a 3 days a week in these and feel happy every time I put them on. Recommend highly.

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

Brooks clearly intended the whole Pure line to be their entry in the minimalist niche. Without getting too deep into semantics of "minimalism" and what it means to different people and companies I can say that for me this shoe missed on one important aspect, toebox width. The moment I put my feet in these shoes I felt my toes locked down. While it's great to have the rest of the foot locked I prefer to either have space or material stretchy enough to allow the toes to splay. These shoes have neither and I don't have particularly wide feet (all my other running shoes are D). Other than that the shoe seems pretty good: light, low to the ground, low heel-to-toe drop.

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

Bought these a few weeks before a 50K so had to wait to test them as I didn't want to try something new so close to the race. Finally recovered from the run so took them to Busiek Trail north of Branson, Mo. This is a rugged horse trail so lots of rough terrain and some smooth stuff, creek crossings, pretty much everything. These shoes made me want to run way faster than my lungs could handle! No way you could run on your heels, they instantly had me up on the toes and flying down the trail. I did not have any traction issues, even on loose small stuff. At one point I put on the brakes on a rocky section and my foot sort of folded up on me, kind of scary but it didn't hurt me. Shoes felt super agile on some technical descents, I was able to move back and forth among the rocks with ease. I'm coming from the Brooks Cascadias, compared to these you certainly feel more of the trail but it's not bad, really helpful for placing your feet where they need to be. I crossed the creek at least four times and no issues here, they drained instantly. Also shoes keep trail debris out well. I do feel like these shoes are a little wide, expected them to fit tighter across the width--the Nav Band sticks up when it's pulled tight. Legs hurt after running in them. I think you need to move into these slowly as you would with barefoot running. Jury's still out on whether these are long distance shoes. Nice job Brooks!

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

I started getting into running when I went barefoot, wearing the Vibram Five Fingers, and then decided that trail running would be my thing. I was stuck between the barefoot options and the minimalist options. For the road, I would definitely go barefoot, but trail running downhill seems to require more cushion from impact and that's where these shine the most. It'a amazing how much of a response you get from the ground while still being protected from bruising and heavy impacts. I'm glad I went with these over the barefoot trail runners. I haven't had both but I definitely feel as though I can run faster, farther, and with less fatigue, which ultimately equals a more enjoyable run :)

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

First of all, I have been running exclusively in Vibram five fingers for about two years now. I suffered a stress-fracture in my foot a few months ago (from a non-running accident) and did not run for a while. I have been an exclusive road-runner doing half marathons and marathons, but wanted to get into less strenuous, more enjoyable runs and trail running. I figured the pure grit would be not only a good rehab shoe, but a good way to get from the road to the trail while still staying relatively minimal.

The shoes were great for walking, and performed surprisingly well on the roads minus traction issues which i will discuss shortly. I had never done trail running before, but they seemed to be great and fast. A little heavy for my taste, but remember I'm coming from barefoots. My big problems with the Pure Grit are two-fold. First of all, they made my feet hurt!! I am very certain this was due to the support in the shoes, and if you are an avid minimalist/barefoot runner who is still hoping to use these shoes for some road running, I would look for something else. On my first long trail run (7 miles) my feet hurt so badly that I took the shoes off and ran in my socks the final three miles carrying the grits in my hands. Within a mile of going shoeless, the pain was gone. Again, if you're not a minimalist and are used to shoes with support, I highly doubt this will be a problem for you.

Of bigger concern to everybody is the traction on the shoes. When dry and on trails, the grip seems pretty good (again i'm a rookie trail runner so I can't comment further), but when wet these shoes really do not meet Brook's standards. I fell hard after running through a puddle and I also noticed I was slipping on certain types of concrete/sidewalk. (Ever been walking down the sidewalk in sandals and suddenly your shoes slide like you were on ice....ya, that will happen in these shoes on certain surfaces).

Overall, I would say if you know you are running in exclusively dry conditions and are used to trail shoes/shoes with some level of support, give 'em a shot. They're extremely comfortable, fit very well, and look pretty awesome. However, if you're going to be in wet conditions, or are coming from a more minimalist shoe, I would pass on these. For runners looking to combine the road and the trails, I would look for something else. The traction really is designed for the trail, and while they work on the roads, the traction issues on sidewalk surfaces really are a hassle. I was constantly thinking about my shoes while running, NEVER A GOOD SIGN!

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

Since I just obtained my shoes, my comments are initial impressions. I cannot comment on durability or ruggedness. I found these shoes to be exceptionally comfortable - maybe the most comfortable running shoe I have ever worn. They are responsive and nimble on the trails although not to the degree of the lighter Montrail Rogue Racer. Cushioning is exceptional for a shoe leaning toward minimalist in nature and the midsole shape encourages a midfoot/forefoot communication with the ground. Subjectively, I loved the overall feel which was new and unlike anything I have run in previously. I was disappointed, however, when I encountered traction issues on my first little decomposed granite hill on the rather benign Lake Natoma trail. This shoe has the potential to be the best ever for me except for that! I can't believe Brooks and Jurek allowed that to pass the grade. Maybe subsequent runs will prove I prejudged, but I doubt it. I think the traction will be adequate on dirt. I would still recommend the shoe because of the exceptional comfort, surprising stability for its weight, and light, fast feel. Probably not a shoe for large runners or runners needing orthotics.

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

Replaced my Cascadias with this shoe. Very light and stable. Tried Nike Free last year but they had not structure. These are just as light and they are great for trail and road running. Great shoe!

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

I have been wearing minimalist shoes for a couple of years now and never experienced any pain. A little foot fatigue maybe. I purchased these shoes to start training on trails and I had to take them off less than half a mile in because my feet hurt so bad and I was still walking! When I tried them on in the store they seemed very comfortable, a little cushy, but no real significant problems noticed. However, on the trail my midfoot/arch felt as though someone were trying to fold my foot in half. It maybe the support in that area is stiffer than the rest of the shoe or wearing Merrell Gloves and Vibram's has trained my foot to flex in a different manner. Be wary if you are going from a minimalist/barefoot shoe to this.

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

These shoes were awesome! I used them for a Mud Run event. They stayed on throughout the entire time without the need for tape or having to be adjusted during the run. These shoes are very light weight, had good traction, and didn't absorb much water. Although they are very comfortable and have great cushion, I wish they had a little more arch support.

Comments about Brooks PureGrit Trail-Running Shoes - Men's:

Crazy fun shoes. Have run 3 marathons but now love the trail for most of my training. 44 years old and a bit of a heal striker. These shoes are fantastic for heal strikers wanting a more natural forefoot strike. I put on these shoes, and like a 5 year old getting back from getting a new pair of shoes, felt like I could run like the wind. Well, with today's technology and GPS, I found that on my first run of my 4.6 mile trail near my home, I cut two minutes off my personal best. Then another 30 seconds the second time, and another 20 seconds the third time. Crazy fast shoes likely from not smacking my heal on the ground that probably slowed me down a bit. Love the shoes and will have to buy a second set, or maybe the Pure Cadence for running the roads.