Montrail Hardrock 08-Best Trail Running Shoes
One of the big eye openers for me at this years Primal Quest Montana race was the footwear. With 10 days, 548 miles, 100,000 feet of total vertical altitude gain, huge temperature swings and lots of water, I was anxious to see what these wilderness athletes would be wearing on their feet.
As the racers trickled into and through the Check Point and Transition area after the Bridger section of the course I had a chance to spend some time with them. I talked with them about their packs, food, electrolyte replacement, hydration, socks and boots. Except no one was wearing boots. The surprise was that everybody was wearing low top, lightweight trail runners. Not one racer was wearing boots and only one wore mids. The theory is that light means fast but there is a trade off. There always is. In my opinion, lightweight means light structure and support which means that your feet take an awful beating.
I saw this scene often during the Primal Quest Montana race. The trick is to avoid blisters in the first place but that is easier said than done. Incidentally, despite the best efforts of these medics, all that tape came off during the next segment.
The exception seemed to be those racers that were wearing trail runners that were a touch heavier but offered more structure in the uppers and support and protection built into the bottoms. The Montrail Hardrock shoe was the most popular example of this type which meant that I had to get a pair for evaluation. That is exactly what I did, boy am I glad that I did.
Compare these to most other "trail runners" on the market and it is obvious that they offer more support, structure and protection. I think that means less trauma to the feet and less time in the medical tent.
Here are the stats on the Montrail Hardrock 08.
Class-trail running shoe
Height-low, 7 loops/holes
Materials-synthetic rubbers and fabrics
Insulation-none
Waterproofing-none, it is meant to drain and dry quickly
Cushion-stock foot beds are very good, dual density midsole for midfoot support and pronation control. Full length TPU plate protects foot from rough terrain and stone bruising. Comfortably soft but firm enough to offer precision and control.
Flexibility-excellent without being sloppy or too soft
Tread-Grytonite sticky rubber gives pretty good traction and wears well but could be a little more aggressive. Lateral traction bars help with downhills
Volume-moderate to full
Width Availability-yep, regular is a D and the wide is a EE
Weight-my 45s (11US) weigh 1 lbs 1 ozs per shoe
Crampon Compatibility-n/a
Quality-very high, made in China (unfortunately)
Break In-none, they were comfortable out of the box
These Montrail Hardrock 08s and my favorite Smartwool Walking Light Mini Crew socks are the best trail running combo that I have evaluated so far. Still light but supportive and protective enough to actually handle wilderness trails.
Regular readers know that I am not usually prone to gushing but I gotta to tell you, I love these shoes. I have tried a lot of so called trail runners from some of the biggest names in the business and while they are fine running shoes they are simply too flimsy on the bottom to handle anything more then soft dirt trails and rockless dirt roads. The trails I run are not groomed and they are strewn with loose and embedded rocks. Several miles in the lightweights result in several days of sore feet and stone bruising. They just can't handle this kind of terrain. Period.
Montrail spent some money on the footbed and the well padded collar hugs the ankle nicely. Supportive but very comfortable. Note the full length TPU plate showing through the traction bars in the tread.
Not only is this my favorite trail shoe but it is easy for me to recommend it to my readers because Montrail offers it in a wide version that will fit the EE crowd. Fewer companies are offering widths in their lines and I would like to thank Montrail. A wide in this shoe is greatly appreciated.
So the Hardrock is a great shoe, is there a catch? Maybe. Montrail is now a Columbia Sportwear company and I hope that it doesn't effect the quality and integrity of the Montrail label. These are great shoes and I sincerely hope that they continue to be. I saw the 09 line at the Summer Outdoor Retailer show. They have made some minor cosmetic changes and added a mid height version of the Hardrock which I think is a good thing. The bad part is that Columbia is a big company and that means suits. MBAs and accountants care more about units sold and increasing margins than making kick ass trail shoes. Want proof? The Vitasse shoe has enjoyed a cultish popularity for many years but it is going away because it didn't meet sales goals.
Let's hope that the shoe guys at Montrail stay at Montrail and continue to make great shoes for people that want great shoes. However, I am going to order another pair of Hardrock 08s to keep on the self, just in case.
Wade Nelson
Editor
As the racers trickled into and through the Check Point and Transition area after the Bridger section of the course I had a chance to spend some time with them. I talked with them about their packs, food, electrolyte replacement, hydration, socks and boots. Except no one was wearing boots. The surprise was that everybody was wearing low top, lightweight trail runners. Not one racer was wearing boots and only one wore mids. The theory is that light means fast but there is a trade off. There always is. In my opinion, lightweight means light structure and support which means that your feet take an awful beating.
I saw this scene often during the Primal Quest Montana race. The trick is to avoid blisters in the first place but that is easier said than done. Incidentally, despite the best efforts of these medics, all that tape came off during the next segment.
The exception seemed to be those racers that were wearing trail runners that were a touch heavier but offered more structure in the uppers and support and protection built into the bottoms. The Montrail Hardrock shoe was the most popular example of this type which meant that I had to get a pair for evaluation. That is exactly what I did, boy am I glad that I did.
Compare these to most other "trail runners" on the market and it is obvious that they offer more support, structure and protection. I think that means less trauma to the feet and less time in the medical tent.
Here are the stats on the Montrail Hardrock 08.
Class-trail running shoe
Height-low, 7 loops/holes
Materials-synthetic rubbers and fabrics
Insulation-none
Waterproofing-none, it is meant to drain and dry quickly
Cushion-stock foot beds are very good, dual density midsole for midfoot support and pronation control. Full length TPU plate protects foot from rough terrain and stone bruising. Comfortably soft but firm enough to offer precision and control.
Flexibility-excellent without being sloppy or too soft
Tread-Grytonite sticky rubber gives pretty good traction and wears well but could be a little more aggressive. Lateral traction bars help with downhills
Volume-moderate to full
Width Availability-yep, regular is a D and the wide is a EE
Weight-my 45s (11US) weigh 1 lbs 1 ozs per shoe
Crampon Compatibility-n/a
Quality-very high, made in China (unfortunately)
Break In-none, they were comfortable out of the box
These Montrail Hardrock 08s and my favorite Smartwool Walking Light Mini Crew socks are the best trail running combo that I have evaluated so far. Still light but supportive and protective enough to actually handle wilderness trails.
Regular readers know that I am not usually prone to gushing but I gotta to tell you, I love these shoes. I have tried a lot of so called trail runners from some of the biggest names in the business and while they are fine running shoes they are simply too flimsy on the bottom to handle anything more then soft dirt trails and rockless dirt roads. The trails I run are not groomed and they are strewn with loose and embedded rocks. Several miles in the lightweights result in several days of sore feet and stone bruising. They just can't handle this kind of terrain. Period.
Montrail spent some money on the footbed and the well padded collar hugs the ankle nicely. Supportive but very comfortable. Note the full length TPU plate showing through the traction bars in the tread.
Not only is this my favorite trail shoe but it is easy for me to recommend it to my readers because Montrail offers it in a wide version that will fit the EE crowd. Fewer companies are offering widths in their lines and I would like to thank Montrail. A wide in this shoe is greatly appreciated.
So the Hardrock is a great shoe, is there a catch? Maybe. Montrail is now a Columbia Sportwear company and I hope that it doesn't effect the quality and integrity of the Montrail label. These are great shoes and I sincerely hope that they continue to be. I saw the 09 line at the Summer Outdoor Retailer show. They have made some minor cosmetic changes and added a mid height version of the Hardrock which I think is a good thing. The bad part is that Columbia is a big company and that means suits. MBAs and accountants care more about units sold and increasing margins than making kick ass trail shoes. Want proof? The Vitasse shoe has enjoyed a cultish popularity for many years but it is going away because it didn't meet sales goals.
Let's hope that the shoe guys at Montrail stay at Montrail and continue to make great shoes for people that want great shoes. However, I am going to order another pair of Hardrock 08s to keep on the self, just in case.
Wade Nelson
Editor
Sorting through the fads and fashion of the outdoor equipment industry to identify and promote the very best wilderness gear for high end recreational users, backcountry professionals and government agencies.
Hardcore Outdoor is dedicated to those who can't or won't turn back.
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