Trail shoes to satisfy speed demons

There's a growing segment of the trail community that has a need for speed.

For the record, I am not a trail runner, but in response to several reader requests for information on new trail shoes, I asked a few experienced runners to check out some of the latest shoes and see how they rate on Northwest trails.

After running countless miles in a variety of shoes, lead tester Betsy Rogers — a Seattle-based personal chef and marathon runner — said two shoes stood out for her and her running team: the Vasque Blur SL and the Fire Road shoe from The North Face.

Betsy noted that the Blur SL provides a deep, contoured heel cup and wide forefoot section. That means the shoes lock down the heel, eliminating slipping (which creates blisters), while providing room for your metatarsal bones to flex and move naturally during long runs.

Tester Matt Hagen, also of Seattle, said that the roomy toe box initially felt sloppy and too loose, but for long grueling runs that extra space would be appreciated since feet swell as the miles add up.

Matt pointed to the gusseted tongue as a key feature for a trail-running shoe, since it keeps pebbles and trail debris out of the shoe.

Underfoot, the Vasque shoe provided exceptional traction on most trail surfaces (rock, mud, organic duff) and Matt noted it offers good foot stability on uneven terrain. The Blur SLs sell for $100. See www.vasque.com.

The other favorite, especially among female testers, was The North Face's Fire Road. This model is a bit narrower in the forefoot than the Vasque shoe, but with an equally secure heel box.

These lightweight shoes proved very secure both around the foot and on the trail. The outsole's dual-density lugs (firmer lugs under the ball and arch for extra bite in the power zones) provided firm grip on downhill runs, regardless of trail surface.

Betsy said the lightweight uppers reduced drag and foot fatigue: "It was easy to forget I was wearing shoes at all, since there was no discomfort while trail running."

The Fire Roads, $95, are ideal for runners with narrower forefeet, who enjoy fast and light runs on our Northwest trails. See www.thenorthface.com.