[at-l] New Balance 801 Trail Runners

["Peter Nyberg" <pnyberg@pipeline.com>]

Ordered a pair of these shoes from LL Bean, and received them on Friday.  I
was looking for a pair of shoes that would offer a little better lateral
support than my street running shoes (Nike), without much added weight. 
They seem to fit the bill.

Right out of the box, I noticed that the NB shoes were a lot stiffer in the
heel area than the Nikes.  I was only able to give them a 1 hour test hike
(with full pack, of course), but that the tendency for my foot to shift
around inside the shoe when walking on uneven ground was significantly
reduced.  

The NB shoes tipped my kitchen scales at 28 oz for the pair, compared with
24 oz for the Nikes.  I forget what Jardine's recommendation was for shoe
weight, but I'm pretty pleased with this.
------------
Other reasons I chose these shoes:

New Balance shoes are available in half sized and widths.

All synthetic uppers.  The add copy claims this will help keep feet dry. 
Maybe, but I figured that they will dry faster than shoes with all or part
leather uppers.

Available through LL Bean.

A gap in the sole between the heel and the toe for that gaiter string to
run through.

$84.00
------------
So, I think I've found my hiking footwear for the rest of the warm weather
season.  I'll let you know how I feel about them after my trip through the
100 mile wilderness in Aug/Sept.

Peter


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