New Balance Minimus Trail-MT10/WT10
Friday, March 4, 2011 at 9:10PM The much anticipated New Balance Minimus Trail have arrived. These shoes are New Balance's answer to the barefoot running fever that has hit the running community by storm. New Balance did a great deal of testing and running biomechanics research in producing the entire Minimus line; including the recently reviewed Minimus Road and the Minimus Life.
Men's Minimus Trail
Women's Minimus Trail
One of the first things I noticed when unboxing the Minimus Trail was a warning label attached to the shoe that read the following:
"Caution: This product increases the strain on the foot, calf, and Achilles tendon. Overuse of this product or use of activities outside of running and walking may increase the risk of sustaining injury.
This product should be introduced slowly into a running exercise routine. New Balance recommends limiting initial use to 10% of overall running workouts and very gradually increasing training time and distance."
This warning should not be ignored. There are some definite benefits of minimalist shoes. If used properly, improved running form and efficiency are chief among them. However, one is more likely to suffer injury than reap those benefits if one tries to do too much too fast.
Specifications
Weight:
Men's 7.1 oz
Women's 5.5 oz
Heel-Toe Drop:
4 mm (9 mm heel/5 mm forefoot)
Technology
- Vibram outsole
- ACTEVA® midsole for lightweight cushioning and flexibility
- Low profile sets foot close to ground to promote natural running form
- Wider forefoot allows toes to spread on impact
Fit/Feel
The NB Minimus Trail have a distinct, but appealing, look with almost no resemblance to the Miminus Road Shoe.
Shoe manufacturers often make road and trail versions of popular shoes so people can have a consistent experience on different terrains. New Balance threw this logic out the window and made very different versions in both look and feel; however, they are built on the same last which is why they are part of the same lineup. New Balance may have also needed to differentiate the Minimus Trail from its other lightweight trail shoe currently on the market, the NB MT 101.
Sliding your foot into the Minimus Trail sort of feels like putting on an Aqua Sock. The liner is comfortable with or without socks. One of the first things I noticed was the pressure from a rubber strip that spans across the shoe just below the toes. While noticeable, this pressure wasn't uncomfortable and thought of it receded out of the forefront of my mind before long. The material of the upper is fairly stretchy and I believe the intent of this strip is for shoe integrity and to help keep your foot in place.
Below is a video produced by New Balance featuring ultrarunner Tony Krupicka explaining New Balance's philosophy of minimalism and the Minimus line
If you are used to wearing a traditional running shoe you will also notice how close your foot is to the ground and the minimal heel lift. Barefoot purists wanting a truly barefoot experience may be slightly disappointed that the Minimus shoes for having a 4 mm heel lift, instead of zero. Most people, however, will barely notice the heel lift in the Minimus Trail as it is about one-third that of a normal running shoe (4 mm is about the thickness of two nickels). Going from a typical 12 mm heal lift, 4 mm is very low indeed and perhaps a more responsible introduction to barefoot inspired running.
Testing
I was a little more cautious about testing the NB Minimus Trail than other recently reviewed lightweight shoes, NB Minimus Road or Saucony Progrid Kinvara. Despite being dubbed a trail shoe, most of the trails around Las Vegas, Red Rock and Bootleg Canyon in particular, are quite rocky and not ideally suited for the Minumus Trail in my opinion. I ran first tested them on a short easy run at a local park and logged about 1.5 miles on pavement and 4 miles on a combination of dirt and grass.
The thin outsole sets your foot close to the ground and gives great ground feel but doesn't offer a great deal protection. This is done intentionally and, over time, your feet will become stronger. I had to be pretty careful about foot placements and felt like I was prancing around a bit at times. Although significantly less so than with the Vibram Five Fingers. The Minimus Trail definitely helps promote a midfoot to forefoot foot strike, yet this action felt more forced than with the Minimus Road.
On pavement/cement I was careful not to land on my heel and had a shorter stride. I noticed my upper body posture to be more erect and my feet were landing more directly underneath my body. The dirt track at the park has small rocks that are barely noticeable in other shoes but were quite evident in the Minimus Trail. In my opinion, grass was the best surface for running on in these shoes. Unfortunately, around Las Vegas open grassy areas aren't very abundant but can be found at most parks or schools. I felt comfortable picking up the pace a bit on the grass and found running on it the Minimus Trail to be pretty fun.
I have worn the NB Minimus Trail on a few such runs with similar results. In addition, they are comfortable to wear around town and their appearance allows you to do so without feeling self-conscious. The NB Minimus Trail are an excellent training tool if you are interested in experimenting with barefoot or minimalist running. However, I would encourage people to use good judgement and caution as you introduce them slowly into your training.
Barefoot Running, Minimalist, Minimus Trail, New Balance in Shoes, Trail Shoe 
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