I don't trust runners. What are they running from? They never say. Plus, running sucks. It is an evolved response to situations of great danger and should not be considered a sport. Since running of any kind normally results in lower back spasms, projectile vomiting and partial paralysis, I am always nervous when running gear of any kind turns up at my door. Thus the recent arrival of a pair of Montrail Mountain Masochist GTX trail running shoes was the cause of great consternation.
This quickly escalated to the salty bile of fear in the Flogger household when it became apparent that I was the only one available to test the damn things. To counteract the sobering effect of the situation I grabbed a beer to help me strategize. Unfortunately one beer led to another and the next day I found I had somehow been signed up for the Eklutna Challenge, a typical Alaskan suffer-fest involving a three mile run followed by a fifteen mile mountain bike.
In a fit of uncharacteristic stoicism I decided to accept my fate. I would minimize the suffering by avoiding training of any kind. On race day I found myself fully enclosed in my own little sphere of hate and pain. Then the race started. The run actually wasn’t that bad, and I credit the aptly-named Mountain Masochist GTX for pretty much all of that. At just 23 ounces for the pair they were vapor on my otherwise leaden feet. Puddles were no problem thanks to the waterproof Gore-Tex membrane. What really impressed me was the performance on mud and loose gravel, where the Gryptonite rubber tread provided billy-goat sure-footedness no matter the incline.
The shoes actually made the run seem mild, and my feet even felt just fine afterwards. My ass is another story, but that's a bike problem and I won't bore anyone but my proctologist with it. If you absolutely, positively have to run, I can highly recommend the Montrail Mountain Masochist GTX.