Question:
Background Info: 6ft 220lbs, heavy
runner, normal arch, runs only offroad
on trails. Terrain: Rough, rocky
trails with tree roots, gravel,
mud, uphills and downhills. Shoes
I'm Considering: North Face Ultra
100, Montrail Vitesse, Montrail
Leona Divide, North Face Coyote
Ridge, New Balance 904.
Answer:
The Leona Divide is intended to
compensate for overpronation. The
Vitesse is more flexible and less
stable (more suitable for someone
with high arches provided that they
behave as high arches usually do).
The 903 is a tank of a shoe and
completely different from the 904.
The 904 is basically New Balance's
attempt to create a Montrail/The
North Face etc type of trail shoe
(minimalist but highly functional
and specific) and they did a great
job of it. The 903 was basically
a motion-control trail shoe. BTW,
someone said that the Vitesse is
heavy. It is only 12 oz. in a men's
size 9 which is lighter than many
cushioned road shoes. By comparison,
the NB 804 weighs 14.1 oz in size
9.5.
I run in
the Vitesse and love them. I also
use them strictly for trails as
they are intended to be used. Another
great advantage to this company
is that they have made only very
minor changes to the Vitesse in
the past 5 years (although there
is supposed to be more tweaking
this fall apparently).
