I have seen these mentioned on one or two threads. I haven't really got on with Walshs in the past but these look quite substantial and are currently being sold at Sportshoes unlimited for £50 so look a good buy. Any comments appreciated on:
- Cushioning/comfort over long distance
- Grip - the stud looks quite good, is it OK for fell as well as trail
- Wear of studs and uppers
- Fit compared with Mizuno Harriers and Solomon Speedcross
Hi Tony
I'd never tried Walshes before I got a pair of the Spirit Peaks
comfort is good
cushioning is good (better than Harriers)
grip not really top-end fell, but not bad
wear - don't really know yet - early indications are that the sole might do quite well, but the uppers may suffer if you're doing a lot of scuffing through heather/bracken
the fit is a lot more "neutral" - not shaped at all
I really like them - I did the first half of my 15 Trigs in them
only 2 bad points:
the insoles slide about (backwards!) - am thinking of trying some from other shoes...
they don't drain - this is their main prob - water gets in and stays in - squelchy :thunbdown: - considering perforating them manually! :w00t:
Scramble the rock face through the glare of morning sun — to run
Hi Tony, got mine at a bargain price at Sportshoes too. Found them pretty much as Daz says above but the uppers on mine have worn through very quickly where they flex over the ball of the foot. Went and got them patched as there's loads of wear left in the soles.
Hi MM I got a pair of the boots which are based on the shoes and all things seem ok apart from one major problem, they are lethal on wet rock. I suppose most things are not very good but I have ended up on my a@#e a couple of times and I only use them for walking in.
- Cushioning/comfort over long distance: Great.
- Grip - the stud looks quite good, is it OK for fell as well as trail: No - average on rock, poor on wet grass /mud, lethal on wet rock.
- Wear of studs and uppers: Seems alright
- Fit compared with Mizuno Harriers and Solomon Speedcross: I have wide feet and they fit well - would say more room and give in the toebox than MWHs, which pinched me a bit.
I have the spirit Lites, found them pretty good. They have worn a bit, all the fabric on the inside of the heel cup has gone but that's a problem I often have, although strangely not with wave harriers or walsh pb extremes. ALso scuffed on the uppers where the toes crease.
The spirit lites DO seem to drain ok, they are pretty comfy and supportive. I have done the yorky 3peaks as a runner/walker in them and found them fine on tarmac, rocky paths and bog, and a couple of weekends ago did the fellsman as a jog/walker in them, with no blisters or sore spots at all.
So, I will be trying to repair the inside of the heel cup fabric with a bit of patching, and if that works, I'll stick with them. I like them, but being tight I won't buy shoes that don't last very long.
Many thanks for the feedback everyone. I think I am happy to accept some minor problems for the comfort/cushioning they seem to offer - I'll give them a try if I find they are a reasonable fit.
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