Shoes for Borrowdale

[nutkey]

I realise that nothing has grip on wet rock - but after going up Scafell Pike (first time up it, my word there's a lot of rubbish up there!) last night in damp but not soaking conditions, and slithering all over the place on the boulders, not to mention the scree, I'm beginning to think that just because my Wave Harriers have served me well on the Edale Skyline in a drought, and are reasonably comfortable running down a tarmac road, doesn't mean they're the right equipment for a damp Lake District.

In a fit of madness, I entered Borrowdale. My recce so far (covering most areas other than the race route due to woeful inability to navigate in clag) tells me that I might as well wear roller skates. Would a pair of Innov8s be much/at all better? My mate seemed to cope better in his, but unfortunately he wears size Bigfoot, so I can't try them out...

[Derby Tup]

Inov-8 Mudclaw 270

[Rockhopper]

I currently use Inov8 rocklites 312 you still have to take care on flat wet rock but the grip is fantastic on everything else. Not that comfortable for long road sessions but thats not what they were intended for. Ive completed various off road marathons distance events in them and still got all my toe nails and no real blisters to speak of and am training for an ultra in august which i will be running in them.

[Tussockface]

Heed the Tupmeister.
Borrowdale definitely takes a full-on fell shoe. I've worn Walsh Ultra Extremes, as the uppers are very tough, which is good over a lot of loose, sharp rock. Of course, they're not brilliant on wet boulders, but nothing is. I'm a Wave Harrier fan; but not on this race.

[trilathon]

my Mudclaw's were like ice skates up the messy back end of that big hill,
infact I nipped into Keswick and bought some old style roclite 285 for 50 notes, as I thought they may have a geater surface area in contact with the rock
not tested 'em yet so it may be invain

[mudclawed]

nowt really works on wet rock IMO

[stevefoster]

nowt really works on wet rock IMO

My well padded bum seems to work ok!

[stumpy]

Any of the sticky rubber Inov-8s would be better on the boulder field than the Wave Harriers. Good shoe though the mizuno is, it's totally pants on wet rock. The Roclite sole would probably be best here, but wouldn't give best grip or contouring elsewhere on the route and I;d agree a 'proper' fell shoe would be better overall. I'd probably choose a mudroc 290 over a 270 or 330 as a compromise, as I do find the mudroc sole a tad better on damp boulders (possibly due to a bit more contact area), but that said, the muclaw would be better off Scafell Pike down to the corridor route!

[stevefoster]

Beware the non-sticky mudclaw sole, reccied Borrowdale in a them, slipping and sliding all over, did the race in sticky soles, job was a good un. Wave Harriers, as said by stumpy are not up t'job. I use mine for walking the dog and have ended up on my bum on wet cobbles. Although i am a clumsy ox sometimes!

[joeyd]

I'm a Borrowdale virgin too. Do the more experienced forumites think my La Sportiva Crosslites will be up to the job or shall I use it as an excuse to get some new shoes? My current shoes have done me well thus far...

Jo