REESE: I do think this shoe has some good qualities, but I wouldn’t call it a super trail shoe. It lacks the pop and responsiveness of a super shoe. To me, a supershoe needs to improve running economy and, therefore, speed. And also, a super shoe usually, not always, has a carbon plate. This shoe doesn’t make me feel faster, and it doesn’t make me feel more efficient.
While I might not have a lab where I can test either of those things, the feel of a supershoe is pretty obvious. It has too aggressive an outsole paired with a lacklustre midsole. The Cr Foam Pro in this shoe does feel a little less flat than the Cr Foam in the Pure Trail X, perhaps due to the lack of rockplate, but it doesn’t live up to Craft’s claim that it provides a “combination of cushioning, stability and explosive rebound.” Zero explosion. I would struggle to run a trail marathon in this one. I think it would be better suited for shorter efforts.
Additionally, the toe box/toe protector. Not great. My big toe goes numb in this shoe. While the shoe has room laterally, the toe box felt narrow, and my big toe was pressed against the top of the stiff plastic upper, causing a decent amount of discomfort. I’m typically a US W7.5, but a W7 fits me well. Again, my toe was squashed despite technically being the correct size. A Women’s 7.5 would have been far too big. The wider platform is nice, but I did notice on technical descents, the shoe felt like it wasn’t as secure as I would have wanted it.
