Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2019 i Runner's World

Denali Tietjen “Queen of Athleisure” p.76 Run right when you wake up. When I do, it makes me feel like I’ve prioritized myself, which gives me more of a capacity to be present throughout the day. ALSO: Every now and then—like once a week or once a month—go for an unplugged solo run. No music and no watch. These runs are very intentional and remind me why I still love this sport. Matthew Meyer “Race Medal” p.58 On the really hard days when I don’t feel like going out, I reach out to my training partners. Shared miles aren’t shorter, but they somehow feel easier. ALSO: After a hard workout, a cold shower beer is the ticket. But really, take recovery seriously. That’s when your body processes all the work…

In any given race around Minneapolis, MN, runners wear the Mill City Running singlet among the various pace groups. All of these Mill City runners range in age and ability, but they share a common understanding. “The back supports the front, and the front supports the back. That means if you’re finishing a local 5K and you’re running 14:50, you’re going to circle back and cheer on your teammates as they come in,” says Mill City Running co-owner Jeff Metzdorff. More than 400 athletes in the running club have connected through the local shop, which is one example of a running specialty business that’s embracing an inclusive approach to the in-store experience. And that’s necessary because in the past decade, many running retail locations have closed because of fierce competition…

I have a deserved reputation among friends and family as a borderline-infamous purger. I’ve gotten rid of a vintage Gucci handbag, a beautiful copper pot, and my wedding gown. But I still have all my race medals. One is for Hood to Coast, a 199-mile overnight relay from Mount Hood to Seaside, OR. My husband drove the team van, and when it was my turn to sit in the front seat, I asked him whether he wished he were competing. “I would rather stick a fork in my leg than ever run another race,” he answered. Yet he’s saved the medals from the two races he’s run, both of which he signed up for under duress. We’re not the only ones with a medal-hoarding trait, Nike running coach Jes Woods…

It’s one of running’s most enduring and important questions: What should I wear today? And with good reason. In the most practical terms, when we nail the answer to this seemingly simple query and ideally match our apparel to our effort and the weather, we run better—and we feel better as we do so. But our devotion to this stubbornly perplexing question is not only about maximizing performance and comfort. Getting our clothing and accessories right can also prevent injury, help us feel strong and confident, and make a statement to the world about who are.…

WHEN I FOUND myself body-checking my overstuffed sock drawer to close it, I knew it was time to Kondo the heck out of my running-sock collection. As I said a few quick thank-yous, one thing became clear: My Stance Run 360 socks bring me the most joy. In them, I never have to worry about a hot spot, a blister, or a crinkle underfoot, thanks to the breathable mesh knit and seamless construction. The slightly reinforced toes protect my toenails. The unique combo of softness and stretch, plus the built-in arch support, wraps the sock around my foot with the firm but pleasant comfort of a prerace hug. When you run and work out as much as I do (what even is a rest day?), you also need a sock…

VESTS ARE THE best. Plain and simple. And running vests—stylish and functional—are the very best vests. The bulk and insulation of a jacket are too much for me, even for the coldest winter run. Those sleeves are nothing but an invitation to overheat. Instead, I pop a vest over a long-sleeve and stay warm on chilly runs without getting soaked in sweat that freezes if I slow down. It’s not just me. It’s scientists too! “I like to think of a vest as the most ‘warmth-for-its-weight’ piece you can wear,” says Geoffrey Burns, an ultramarathoner and Ph.D. candidate at the Michigan Performance Research Lab at the University of Michigan. “Vests trap the heat at your torso and give you the majority of the warmth of a jacket with half the…

THE SWAMPY DAYS of summer mean one thing for many of us runners: Body Glide gets applied liberally to everything below the shoulders. But one place I don’t worry about chafing anymore is where the sun doesn’t shine, thanks to Saxx Kinetic Run shorts. The shorts’ origin story, as the company tells it, is that dudes were cutting out the crappy liners from running shorts and wearing Saxx underwear, which features a “BallPark Pouch”—essentially a hammock that keeps your bits from rubbing. Saxx realized there was an opportunity, so it built a pair of running shorts with its signature underwear built-in. I was dubious when I received a pair to test a couple years ago. Perhaps it was the $75 price tag (since reduced) that made me frown. Or maybe…

KYLEENA HARPER WANTED to join her friends. They looked so happy on their runs. And she wanted to feel that way. “I don’t know a single person who runs that’s like, ‘I’m miserable’,” says the 29-year-old marketing writer. Inspired, she download the Couch to 5K app, and laced up. But after every run Harper was in agony. “My boobs would just go everywhere,” she says. “I was so sore because everything moved so much. The next day, I’d just want to stay in bed.” Even when she found bras that successfully supported her DD breasts, the straps would leave painful welts on her shoulders. “As soon as I was done exercising, the bra needed to come off immediately,” she says. Finding support was such a challenge that Harper questioned whether…

Steve Prefontaine is the epitome of running cool. He elevated the sport beyond a mere athletic endeavor into a rebellion, an act of defiance. Of course, his unmatched performances on the track were the foundation for this. At one point, he held every American record from the 2,000 to 10,000 meters. But people were drawn to Pre’s charisma and spirit: how he carried himself, his ultra-confident attitude, his swagger. Pre knew that. And he made it a challenge: see his style, copy it, make it your own. “Some people create with words, or with music, or with a brush and paints,” he said. “I like to make something beautiful when I run.”…

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY IS shrinking in size but growing in popularity, giving us more data than we knew existed about the way our bodies move. Today’s smart-watches, foot pods, and fitness trackers use tiny sensors to tell us how long we spend on the ground and how high we bound with each stride—metrics that are interesting to note but not terribly helpful when you’re actually on a run. But engineers have found ways to harness and analyze all that sensor data to deliver a single metric—running power—that promises to instantly quantify exactly how hard we’re working. It could change everything. Ask a cyclist about power and they’ll say it has already revolutionized training and racing—micromanaging your effort down to the watt means you can exhaust your energy at the exact moment…

IN TODAY’S WORLD, athleisure is life—and I am here for it. I love the fact that I can look good AND feel comfortable while running, shopping, going to work, and doing pretty much anything, really. But don’t take my humble word for it—even badass Serena Williams has worn Nike Air Force 1’s on the red carpet, people. But how did it start? How did we get to this place where comfort is now fashion? One woman: Stella McCartney. To understand, let’s back up to 2004. While brands like Lululemon and Athleta already existed, they were minor players in the fashion scene. But that year, Stella McCartney, head designer at Chloé, launched a partnership with one of the world’s largest athletic brands, Adidas. It was a game changer: The first line…

I NEED TO unload something. Years ago, I was running through a posh neighborhood in my town. It was one of those rare days when my heart and lungs were cooperating and I was cruising. And then: my colon mutinied. I walked. I doubled over. I tried to, uh, clinch everything. It was no use. This was happening. I found a bush. And I did something I am not proud of. Months later, while driving down the same road, a friend—totally unprompted—pointed to the spot where the crime had occurred and said, “Did you know the governor owns that home?” Friends, I pooped on a governor’s lawn. Let’s be real: Running has occasional, less-than-pleasant (though mostly normal) side effects. From missing toenails to runner’s trots, if it’s gross, we’ve looked…

WE DON’T APPRECIATE the little comforts when we have them. Take this, a luxury I’ve never replicated since high school cross country: the start-line laundry basket. Competing in Minnesota’s autumn meant snow was always a threat. And our warmups got nearly as much mileage as our singlets. But at every start, five minutes before the gun, a coach dropped a basket at our feet. The seven of us would fill it with jackets, hats, and pants, and be off racing before the sweat of our final wind sprints had a beat to cool. I never knew how good we had it until my first marathon, on another frigid Minnesota day, when I was deposited into my start corral with 35 minutes to think about how little skin my shorts covered.…

PRICE: $110 | TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 7.8 oz (m), 6.7 oz (w) DROP: 4 mm THE UNDISPUTED KING of lightweight trainers, the Kinvara has won multiple Runner’s World awards. The 10th iteration may not recreate the magic of last year’s Editor’s Choice–winning model, but it’s still a worthy successor. Like any good track workout, a run in the Kinvara is what you make of it. Need a racing shoe that’ll deliver without taking out a loan? Jared Ward dropped a 2:09 at Boston while sporting the $120 limited-edition Dunkin’ model. Just need a cushioned, everyday trainer with a breathable upper? The EVA-and-Everun sole will be your trusty companion for the next couple hundred miles. The upper is breathable and durable—residue from mud and salty roads came right off. At 7.8…

PRICE: $135 | TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 10.1 oz (m), 8.2 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm TRAIL RUNNING CAN break you down—wet boulders challenge your grip, pointy rocks tenderize your feet, and debris trips you up—so you’ll want a purpose-built tool before you tackle the next technical route. To survive (and enjoy all that), we find the Scarpa Spin RS a proper tool. Its rubber outsole grabs the trail with chunky directional lugs we loved while running on snowy and slippery trails. The Vibram Litebase tread is less than 1mm thick (minus the lugs), which helps Scarpa keep weight low. The midsole has 21mm of EVA foam at the heel and 13mm at the forefoot, which delivers firm cushioning that’s stiff but supportive enough for long runs. The upper is a…

PRICE: $150 | TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 10.1 oz (m), 8.4 oz (w) DROP: 7 mm YOU’D THINK THAT a $150 shoe with “cloud” in its name would be abundantly cushioned, but the Cloud-swift is more fast than pillowy. It’s a firm and responsive shoe, thanks to a sole made from foam cushioning tubes and a plastic plate that puts some spring into the midsole. The tubes are designed to compress on impact for a soft landing, and then form a firm base for a fast toe-off. That gives you a lively ride with adequate cushioning. Its sock-like engineered mesh upper is stretchy and highly breathable, and a comfortably wide forefoot accommodated our testers’ diverse foot types. For support, the upper relies on a band that wraps around both sides of…

PRICE: $130 | TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 10.5 oz (m), 8.8 oz (w) DROP: 6 mm THE ANCIENT SAMURAI battled by a code of honor called the Bushido, and this aptly named trail shoe is made for sole-to-singletrack combat. A reinforced TPU web shields the upper from trail debris and adds lightweight stability, while a compression-molded EVA midsole is firm from heel to rubber toe cap. Two distinct treads round out the shoe’s armor, with toothy, multidirectional lugs at the center, and beveled lugs that climb up and over the outsole’s rim. The combination bites into steep ascents, brakes hard on downhills, and anchors against sideways slides. Testers praised the Bushido’s burly traction and ruggedness that come in a surprisingly light package. The forefoot rock plate didn’t feel cumbersome—even after our…

Reuben Ingber, 31, of Rego Park, NY, thought of the perfect name for his first baby while on a recent run along the West Side Highway in New York City. The baby is due in August; until then, he is keeping the name a secret so you won’t steal it. Five years ago, 46-year-old Charlie Ferro from Coral Gables, FL, would have laughed in the face of anyone who suggested he run a marathon. He finished his first “still standing upright” this year at Walt Disney World, raising $2,800 for Leukemia research in honor of his father, who died from the disease in 2014. Phillip Weston, 27, of Johnson City, NY, wants to run his first marathon this year but admits he has trouble sticking to a training plan and…

PRAISE FOR SPLIT SHORTS Janji 3" AVR Split Short / $58 We test a lot of baggy run shorts, but haven’t forgotten about split-models. Janji’s 3-inch short is light and airy and looks good enough to wear off the track. On my run commute home on a warm April evening, a young dude on a BMX bike in downtown Allentown, PA, shouted, “I like your shorts, bro. Like, goddamn.” —Dan Roe Title Nine Tech Athena Sports Bra / $ 56 This is a good bra with a great back closure: The three clasps are on a wide band and, combined with Velcro-like straps, let you dial in the right fit and support. That makes it easy to get on and even easier to get off after a sweaty run. —Amy…

1. THE LOCAL SHOP SWAG / $35 Smart shops make cool apparel that you want to wear all the time. This tech hat from Heartbreak Hill Running Company shows your Boston love. 2. THE DEPENDABLE RACE SHOE / $180 Nike Pegasus Turbos got the job done for Mill City Running shoppers, according to Metzdorff. The updated shoe may also fly off shelves. 3. THE CUSTOM EXPERIENCE Personalized comfort will keep you running. Find new 3-D printed fit stations for custom insoles by SuperFeet in stores like A Snail’s Pace in Orange County. 4. THE AWESOME (AND CHEAP) GIFT / $25 The local shop will always have something for the runner in your life. These Goodr sunglasses are an easy choice at Fleet Feet in Austin, TX.…

I didn’t plan for the run to suck. But it did. I was low on motivation—a common side effect of winter in Oregon, where it pretty much drizzles for seven months straight. And this late afternoon 5-miler was looking to be yet another chilly, puddle-jumping kind of run. My legs felt glassy at best, rubbery at worst. Did I mention I was low on motivation? I started out feeling sluggish, but still—I started. Over the 10-plus years I’ve been coaching, the question I get most often is “How do I start running?” It’s a simple—and yes, a loaded—question. Because the question is really code for “How do I do this run so I can end it wanting to run again?” And that’s really just another way of asking “How can…

FIVE YEARS AGO, before Tracksmith founder and CEO Matt Taylor launched the brand’s best-selling Van Cortlandt, the market for singlets was woefully limited. “You were either a professional runner getting free ones, or you got these very cheap freebies at races or from big sporting goods stores. Brands weren’t offering a well-made, highly considered race singlet.” So Taylor, with his background working with Usain Bolt and Puma as a marketing head, saw an opportunity for his new company. When it came time to design the singlet, one of the brand’s first four products, Taylor worked off three basic principles. First was comfort. “If you’re constantly playing with your shorts or top, it’s not going to be an enjoyable experience.” Then there was functionality. “It needs to meet the requirement of…

THE JANJI CAMBODIA collect ion demands a double-take. What’s at first merely a few funky patterns reveals itself to be a constellation of gesturing hands. Janji designed this shirt in collaboration with Chifumi, a Cambodian street artist, who pulls inspiration for his colorful murals from traditional Cambodian dances, which involve storytelling with hand postures that represent words like “fruit,” “flower,” and “grow.” Chifumi’s designs would be wild by almost any other brand’s standards, but it’s what we expect and deeply love from Janji The Cambodia collection is one of Janji’s two annual apparel lines influenced by an artist from a specific country. Five percent of each sale from such collections goes to clean-water projects in the region it’s named after. In addition to the Cambodia collection, the brand has had…

“The first time I ran wearing red lipstick was—appropriately enough—in Paris, the city of fashion, back in 2014. It was a great opportunity to finally break four minutes in the 1500m, which I hadn’t done yet in my career, and I was nervous. I applied red lipstick to help me feel bold and to take the edge off. I finished in 3:59.49. About six months later, I wore red lipstick again, this time during the indoor nationals, where I won the mile and two-mile events. That’s when people took notice, and the lipstick started to take on another meaning. Some criticized my look, people who wanted the sport to stay the way it was—masculine—and that made me especially motivated to represent my femininity on the track. I’m proud to be…

“I was always the team hair-braider. In high school, I’d braid the girls’ hair on the bus heading to track meets, and I’d do everyone’s hair in my hotel room before cross-country meets in college. My coach would say, ‘You’re wearing yourself out holding your arms up all morning,’ but I found the ritual relaxing. “Social media took it to another level: I started #FastBraidFriday on Instagram a year ago, and the photos poured in. People tell me stories of their races, too—how they won their state meet, how they ran their first sub-four-hour marathon—and it’s been really inspiring.”…

MY LEGS ARE dead. I just killed them. Hunched over and panting after my eighth 400, my heart feels like it’s trying to make a break for freedom from my chest. This is all normal. What’s not? That my headband is still in the same place it was when I stepped onto the track. Until I discovered Athleta’s Vital Headband, I had accepted a life of distracted running with sweat pouring into my eyes and hair flopping about my face. Maybe I have an odd-shaped head or maybe it’s the texture of my hair. But for the last decade, I was, at least while running, a mess. Now I’ve run long, run fast, and done scary-intense CrossFit workouts without stray hair flying or sweat stinging my eyes. The Vital fits…

I HATE ADMITTING it, but the plague is undeniable: With each turn of the calendar, I lose a little speed. I haul a little less ass. And I lose a few fractions—or in a bad year, seconds—when I hammer four laps and nine meters for a true mile. The mile was my main event as a young, too-skinny competitive runner. And I return to it at least once a year. It’s not just testing my speed, it’s feeling the speed. It feels too good to spin my legs as fast and as hard as they can carry me to ever stop. Even if the returns are diminishing. And to ensure that the only thing holding me back is me, I keep a pair of spikes handy for those days I…

PRICE: $155 | TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 9.8 oz (m), 7.8 oz (w) DROP: 6 mm JUST LIKE THE DOG it’s named for, the Salming Greyhound is fast—but a softy at heart. Salming does it with a midsole made of an EVA-blend foam that feels lighter and softer than Salming’s earlier midsoles, with no loss of bounce. “This shoe is made for short, fast runs,” one tester said. “I found myself running faster without thinking about it. I plan to use this shoe for shorter races.” The Greyhound’s thick stack height and ample cushioning still make it a great pick for going long. A lightweight upper keeps it comfy enough for big mileage days. Plus, the shoe features a full-length Vibram rubber outsole that can take a pounding from the pavement…

PRICE: $155 | TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 11.3 oz (m), 9.5 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm TRADITIONAL STABILITY SHOES are fading in popularity, but some gems remain. For example, 361 Degrees just updated its flagship stability shoe, which has all the tools to fight excessive pronation: A medial post constructed of higher-density foam prevents your foot from rolling inward as much, and a thermoplastic polyurethane spine reinforces the post and adds torsional stiffness. The midsole, a combination of traditional EVA foam and an EVA-rubber blend, delivers above-average rebound. “This is probably one of the stiffest shoes I’ve tried,” said one tester. “I ended up liking the responsiveness it had while also seeming to have plenty of cushioning.” The shoe felt stable midstride but pliable when it came time to toe off,…

PRICE: $100 | TYPE: Road WEIGHT: 9.4 oz (m), 7.7 oz (w) DROP: 10 mm THE LAUNCH IS somewhat of an underdog in the Brooks family of neutral trainers, outshined by two more expensive models—the luxuriously plush Glycerin and ever-enduring Ghost. But don’t overlook this model if you want a great trainer at a good price. The Launch is an affordable shoe for beginning runners seeking a neutral shoe that doesn’t hit extremes—it doesn’t feel like a marshmallow or skimp on softness. “They were just right in many ways,” said a tester. “They felt light but not minimal, cushioned without being squishy. They’re comfortable for marathon training or racing a 5K.” This comment hits on the Launch’s other strength: It’s a reliable trainer that will keep you happy on high-mileage…

LET ME EXPLAIN (1) With a track background, I’ll take downhills any day of the week. Uphills are my weakness. (2) Hats protect you from the sun and catch your head sweat. They’re clutch. (3) Huge fan of a quick wave. You never know how impactful it is for someone. It can change someone’s day. (4) There’s no better feeling than training hard and seeing a PR on the clock. It’s surreal. (5) You gotta shine bright like a diamond. If you look good, you’ll feel good. (6) I stay on my toes. That’s what my coach taught me when I first started. It builds speed and true strength. (7) I love my calves. They are always achy because I run on my toes, so not sure if they love…

Sure, your quads, hamstrings, and calves work hard to propel you forward. But there’s another muscle that’s a power player in your running: your diaphragm. With each forceful contraction, this key breathing muscle helps expand your lungs to bring in oxygen—a gas your muscles need to create energy, says Michael Jordan, D.P.T., Director of Research & Education at Fast Track Sports Medicine & Performance Center in Fairfax, VA. As it works, you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide, the buildup of which can cause anxiety and breathlessness. Bringing awareness to your breathing builds more efficiency, a steadier pace, and a calmer mind, even during high-pressure races, says Boulder-based pro runner and coach Neely Spence Gracey. If you focus on solid breathing, “you’ll be able to push through fatigue and maintain…

The Good: If the Shop Doesn’t Have Your Size or Color / “I would hope that they’d try to get their stuff from us, but if we don’t have the color they want or the size they want, or we can’t get it in a timely manner, then that’s on us,” Fitzgerald says. If You Must Have a Discontinued Shoe / “If you’re absolutely in love with the previous year’s model, oftentimes you can find those in a warehouse somewhere and some dot com will have a whole bunch of them. A lot of times your run-specialty store will have moved on to the current model,” Metzdorff says. The Bad: If You’re Managing an Injury / “Not to say that we’re medical professionals, but in the case of injuries or…

THE 2020 TOKYO Olympics will deliver on an eight-year mission for District Vision, arguably the first truly cool eyewear brand made for runners. Marathoners will dart down the streets of the city, and several will be wearing sunglasses specifically designed for the conditions in Tokyo, conditions that founders Tom Daly and Max Vallot have gotten to know well over the last decade. Before the childhood friends launched the brand in 2015, they spent two and a half years traveling between New York City and Japan—all to design one frame: the Keiichi Standard, made with the marathon in mind. The frame is named after District Vision’s development facility in Sabae, a city 136 miles from Osaka, known for producing long-lasting titanium eyewear. But Max and Tom’s interest in Japanese craftsmanship really…

I COULDN’T STOP wearing it. I just loved it that much. For four days during a cold spell (and while doing laundry, because ew) I tested Oiselle’s Flyout Wool Long Sleeve and no other top. Why did I keep going back to my washing machine? In chilly weather, I strap my watch on the outside of my sleeve because I hate baring my wrist. The Flyout’s watch window saves me from stopping midrun to remove my watch and roll up my sleeve when I start to overheat. The long, snug cuffs don’t bunch up under gloves. And, the thumbholes are essential on great winter wear. Beyond the most thoughtfully designed wrists of any running shirt, the polyester-wool blend is soft as flannel—like can’tstop-touching-it soft—but without the weight and bulk. And…

I DID IT. I found the perfect tights. There they are to the left, lighting up a page to announce their brilliance to the world. I’ve raved about them so much that my coworkers have started sporting them, too. One of them even started referring to them as “Parker’s Pants.” They currently make up half of my running tights wardrobe, and if money were no object, they’d take it all. If they’re ever discontinued, I’ll be heartbroken, likely distraught enough to empty my savings in rush to buy every remaining pair before their sweet, gentle fabric leaves this Earth for good—or lands in someone else’s closet. Why, you may be wondering, would I be so passionate about a running tight? What could make these so perfect that they could earn…

Florence Griffith Joyner, a.k.a. FloJo, has been honored in ways that few other track athletes can claim: If you didn’t catch her iconic one-legged bodysuit on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1988, you’ve seen it on Beyoncé, who dressed as the late 100m and 200m record holder for Halloween last year. You’ve seen her influence in more subtle ways, too: patriotic nail art (she wore red, white, blue, and gold acrylics during the 1988 Seoul Olympics; now a standard way to rep your country), the fluorescent leggings that now grace 5Ks across the country, and a full face of makeup before sports-friendly foundation became a thing. People liked to find fault in FloJo’s excess: Her nails were too long for the relay, her body was too muscular to be steroid-free, her…

“I really like to bring a little fabulousness when I work out. When I first began, I thought I shouldn’t care what I look like, it’s just about performance and the work. I realized as I get older, you can still be fashionable and feminine while also being fierce and working out. I was chastised for coming to the starting line with makeup on, saying, she’s not taking this seriously. Then I won, and then it’s like, ‘Oh, you can do both.’”…

HEADWEAR HAS LONG been an arbitrary and overlooked running accessory. We can list iconic shoes—Cortez, Jazz, Kayano—or appreciate the rich history behind a Tracksmith top, but where has a running hat imprinted itself on our world? Yes, there were the painter’s caps donned in 1968 by Boston champion Amby Burfoot and in 1984 as Joan Benoit Samuelson took Olympic gold. But they just demonstrated that in 16 years, the running world couldn’t design anything better than the cheap cotton lid worn while touching up your siding. Now, the performance is here. It’s easy to find caps from brands big and small that are breathable, stretchy, wicking, and fit comfortably through the roughest runs. And I haven’t seen an earnest painter’s hat podium at a Major in decades. But these hats…

I’M STILL YOUNG (relatively!), but after two babies, incontinence can happen on any run. It sucks, but so does not running for fear of a wet spot. Even so, a recent long run turned me into the entertainment for a group of kids drinking beer and playing Frisbee golf as I passed with my dark green leggings turning extra dark at the crotch. That really sucked. But better luck came my way that week when I was asked to test the Knix Leakproof Dream Short. These women’s underwear have a built-in, three-layer pad, which is soft, flexible, and incredibly thin. The first layer wicks away moisture to keep you feeling dry. The next layer absorbs up to five teaspoons (three tampons’ worth). And the bottom layer prevents the liquid from…

PRICE: $160 | TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 9.5 oz (m), 7.5 oz (w) DROP: 4 mm NEVER HEARD OF VJ? The company is based in Finland and has been selling trail shoes in Europe since 1981. The XTRM is its first shoe sold in the U.S. One look tells you what it’s designed for—the gnarliest, muddiest trails you can find. “This shoe definitely lives up to its claim of best grip on Earth,” says one tester who wore the XTRM on snowy, slippery, and steep sections of the Appalachian Trail. Credit the toothy sole made of hard, durable rubber that bites into soft ground. VJ designed the XTRM to excel at mud runs and obstacle course races (OCR), so it’s no surprise that the 6mm lugs are widely spaced to shed…

PRICE: $110 | TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 9.9 oz (m), 8.0 oz (w) DROP: 8 mm FANS OF HORSE-RACING love a reliable mudder—a horse with a knack for laying down a great time despite mud and rain. True to its name, the Wildhorse 5 is what to reach for in sloppy conditions. Whether you consider yourself an Arabian or an Appaloosa, no run is too rugged for this shoe. Water stays out, stones don’t penetrate the outsole, and there’s just enough cushioning to save your calves on a daylong expedition. I jokingly told a coworker at the beginning of the testing process that this is the shoe I would wear if I were ever a contestant on Survivor; after logging triple-digit mileage in them, that statement isn’t hyperbole. You’ll have perfect…

PRICE: $140 | TYPE: Trail WEIGHT: 10.8 oz (m), 8.3 oz (w) DROP: 3 mm IF YOU REGULARLY run trails that are wet, you know not to dodge puddles—it just contributes to trail erosion and, eventually, you get wet anyway. Instead, splash through them with the Hydroventure, which uses a single-layer eVent waterproof upper to shield your feet from getting soaked. Gaiter attachments on the heel give you the option to strap on even more protection from mud and trail debris (gaiters not included). The new Vibram Megagrip outsole on this second iteration has a stickier hold over slick rocks and wet surfaces. Toothier, spaced-out lugs help keep you upright when the beaten path gets muddy, too. “Whether I was running on wet rocks, ice, gravel or mud, I didn’t…