Wanted: Moon On A Stick Shoe

Unlike most here, I live/run in the flatlands of Cambridgeshire. Which, while not being too hilly, does have a tendency to be wet/flood, and once this recedes, most of my river side runs are in sloppy mud. So looking for something to allow me to move forward rather than appear to run on the spot like Wile E. Coytote trying to get back to the cliff edge, as well as being able to change direction without my legs slipping away like a giraffe on rollerskates.

Does anything out there fit the below remit:

• Similar sort of weight to a Roclite 295 (tried Kanadias, but felt a bit heavy/clumpy)
• Ability to not break my feet on the 15-25% of harder surfaces used to link sections (not tarmac, but farm tracks/access gravel roads etc)
• 40-60 quid
• Decent tread that does not fill up too much, like my 295s do...
• ...or not be totally useless in the wet mud, like my Merrell Mix Master 2s are.

I have ordered a pair of Cheviot 2s, but think they may be too focused for what I require, as they look like they would be murder on anything other than soft boggy ground.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERDUbAv8Qz0

This is only 75%.moon on a stick territory. Unless I've missed a requirement to grip on slick wet rock.

Salmonman Speedcross?

I'd go for the Speedcross. Mainly because I use them and like them. Studs won't last very long on roads but I used mine for both Bullock Smithy and L50 and they did fine! Used them over fells and they were adequate. Don't know how much they'd clog with sticky mud though, but the occasionally stamp or kick would clear them at a guess. Not really tried much else that would be of use to be honest.

Agree that Speedcross3 would fit most of your criteria, .........except the price. You'll be very lucky to find a pair for £60. But saying that I picked up a pair of "once used but too small" off eBay for £51 recently, so if you know your size in Salomons then worth keeping an eye out there ( and indeed for any shoe you know the size in ! )

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Originally Posted by Yaks

Agree that Speedcross3 would fit most of your criteria, .........except the price. You'll be very lucky to find a pair for £60. But saying that I picked up a pair of "once used but too small" off eBay for £51 recently, so if you know your size in Salomons then worth keeping an eye out there ( and indeed for any shoe you know the size in ! )

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I did look at the Speedcross 3s. Cheapest I have seen them for is £70ish. Also, I remember the Speedcross 2s, when I tried them on last year, being a bit narrow and having to almost go up a full size to get the width right. In the irunfar review, it is mentioned the toebox is wider in the 3s, anyone know if this is the case?

....also, is it just me, or does anyone else find it hard to justify spending £60-70+ on a shoe, when something like the Cheviot 2 exists for £25?

I haven't used the Speedcross2 so can't compare them.

If the Cheviot2 was as comfortable and long wearing and grippy, etc, etc as the more expensive shoes then yes it would seem foolish to pay 2 or 3 times as much - I've not tried it, so don't know if it is.

All in all though, ours is a pretty cheap sport compared to most - a lot can be spent on clothing ( as a recent thread showed ) but likewise you don't have to spend much and it lasts ages, and apart from races there's no costs to "take part", ie go for a run ( compare to golf or tennis or gym etc ).

Shoes are the main item that wear out and affect enjoyment ( ie are they comfortable, grip properly, etc ) so I don't mind paying a reasonable amount to get something that does the job really well. If I get 500 miles from a pair of shoes, then at say 9 min/mile that's 4500 minutes, or 75 hours, so basically about £1 per hour in running shoe costs, which is pretty good I think :-)

You make, several, good points, Yaks. I am still a firm believer in decent shoes can be had for sub-£60. Usually these will be the same shoes which would be £80-90, but are about to have a colour change or updated. So it looks like I will be watching the sales with interest, and might give the Cheviots a go for £25/30....probably a false economy if I don't get on with them, but can always sell them for a tenner ;)

I think the cheviots may well turn out ok for you. They'll probably do the business on the muddy bits, you'll enjoy that. It'll just depend on how they feel for you on the harder bits, and how long they last. I stuck a better / thicker insole in mine from an old pair of shoes, that improved the cushioning a bit
I think they're definitely worth a shot for the money, despite me having doubts about how long mine are going to last.

Just out of curiosity, what's the soil type.

I used to live in Northants, lots of clay involved. Thick gloopy stuff that stuck to your shoes until they where just mud wellies. I ended up using Walshs as a compromise between function, comfort, and the mud clearing characteristics of the shoe. Simple sides of the shoe made a big difference as well as the tread.

When the ground was hard underfoot, I just used to run on he grass verge.

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Originally Posted by richsund

I think the cheviots may well turn out ok for you. They'll probably do the business on the muddy bits, you'll enjoy that. It'll just depend on how they feel for you on the harder bits, and how long they last. I stuck a better / thicker insole in mine from an old pair of shoes, that improved the cushioning a bit
I think they're definitely worth a shot for the money, despite me having doubts about how long mine are going to last.

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Got a pair delivered today, and just went out for a 7 miler. I think they will be ideal for when the moonson season returns....or summer. They were not horrific on harder ground, just not something one would do too often. I do wish I had bought some when we had all that rain a few weeks back, rather than struggling in my Roclites. Saying that, they did give me a small blister on the back of my left heel, but that might have been initiated from playing football last night.]

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Originally Posted by shaunaneto

Just out of curiosity, what's the soil type.

I used to live in Northants, lots of clay involved. Thick gloopy stuff that stuck to your shoes until they where just mud wellies. I ended up using Walshs as a compromise between function, comfort, and the mud clearing characteristics of the shoe. Simple sides of the shoe made a big difference as well as the tread.

When the ground was hard underfoot, I just used to run on he grass verge.

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It is like that round here. Very sticky, especially near the some disused quarries I go near. I think, as mentioned above, the Cheviots should be good for when it gets that bad, but hopefully it will stay dry and I can just use my Merrell Mix Masters.

....although, the spaced out deep treads on the Inov8 X-Talon 212s look decent...:o

In that case I think id sacrifice a bit of comfort for something that sheds mud better, not just from the sole unit but from the sides of the shoes as well. I did all of my xc running in Walshs, never found anything that coped will clay xc runs better. They are though, harsh underfoot on hard surfaces by comparison. It never bothered me though.

X talons might be a good bet on that front, although I've never used them.

The Cheviots have loads of grip, but I'm not convinced they wouldn't clog up in clay.

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Originally Posted by shaunaneto

Just out of curiosity, what's the soil type.

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That's what i like to see, let's get really anal :thumbup:

I'd expect it to be Alluvial with a high clay or silt content, bit like taking a run near Knaresborough. Anything made by inov-8 is going to leave you feeling like you're running in clogs, microspikes are the way forward. Given the price bracket the only option i can suggest is NB MT840s.

Good grief not micro spikes, those chains will clog up in no time.

Crampons with anti snow bailing is what you need.

Right. I have taken soil samples and have sent them off for analysis. Once I get the report back, I will be able to make a informed choice on what to wear on my feet.

...weather permitting.

In all seriousness, I used xc spikes for a number of runs.

I think the soil type was a significant contributing for moving. It was a joy to be able to ride a MTB for more than five metres without the wheels seizing up into some hideous 26" mud pies. I used to think of it as a training aid, didn't have any hills, but I had feet that where carrying an extra 5kg each of mud.