The Shoe Killers

In the beginning of the year I began to experiment in earnest with zero drop hiking shoes. I purchased a pair of Scramblers from Xero Shoes which you can read about here.

I wore them with increasing regularity on local hikes and then began the real test. I took them into the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont.

The rough trails of New England can eat trail runners for breakfast. Abrasive rock and roots can snag and tear lightweight mesh. After just a few weeks in the mountains, both shoes sustained a tear in the exact same location near the forefoot of the shoe. I do love these shoes. They are one of the most comfortable mid-boots I’ve ever worn, but they lack the durability of my older heavy duty suede and mesh Altras. Two years in, my Altras still don’t have any tears or holes, despite countless forays into the mountains. Perhaps the manicured gravel trails of Colorado are better for the Scramblers. Have I given up on Xero? Absolutely not. I might try a pair of the Ridgeways. They look similar to my Altras in design and materials. The Scramblers will get a dab of silicone on the damaged areas to hold them together until the soles wear out. I’ll keep on adding miles and we will see if they make it through to January, a full year.