500 Kilometres with the Trail Glove 7

I really like the Trail Glove 7. I have walked and run in them for over 500 kilometres and so far they are still relatively fine. the soles wore out where my feet apply the most pressure to the ground but other than that they’re fine. The top is without holes, without bleaching from the summer sun and without fraying on the sides of the shoes where different fabrics join each other.

Fast Drying

If you get these shoes wet they will dry quickly. You don’t have to worry about the shoes getting wet. With other shoes they’re waterproof, which is great, if the outside is dry, but time consuming to dry if the inside gets wet. Shoes that dry fast don’t need to be waterproof.

Better with Socks

I tried wearing them without socks, and although some people dislike the feel of socks, I did like the feel of the inside of the shoes without socks, so I almost always wore socks with them.By wearing socks the shoes still smell fine, despite two hour walks in the middle of the day during heatwave days. They’re breathable.

Walking Sensation

For the most part these shoes feel fine when walking. If you step on stones you sometimes feel them through the soles, but that’s normal of most shoes. I found that at the right temperature these shoes feel smooth, almost soft, when you’re walking in the right conditions, like warm tires on a bike in the right conditions. They are comfortable.

Traction

When walking on dry surfaces they feel good. I never felt that I had too little traction. If I remember correctly I tried walking up a 45° cement surface without slipping, and other steep gradients without losing gradients, including dust covered stones and cement.

I did feel a loss of traction on a wet surface on a rainy day once or twice but that’s because the tread is completely gone. As these shoes get older and the tread wears away it makes sense to wear newer shoes on rainy days, and older shoes on dry days.

Overall comfort These have become my everday shoes. I wear them everyday, I even wear them for cycling when I am not riding alone, as I don’t need the support offered by carbon fibre soled shoes.

The Cost

You can get other shoes for 40-60 CHF but in my recent experience with such shoes I found that they rub the top of my toes, and the moss at the back of the heel gets worn away exposing the plastic that then causes blisters. With these shoes, except for the wear pattern on the soles of the feet, they’re fine. With other shoes I felt that my feet needed to get used to them, and within 200 kilometres the rear sponge would be worn through. With these they’re fine, so you get at least twice the distance.

And Finally

These are comfortable, durable shoes that I can wear whether I am walking with others or alone. I can wear them whether I am hiking in the mountains, or walking across fields. They even feel comfortable for running despite offering so little support. Instead of going for 300 franc shoes I went for shoes a third that price,and now I can run five kilometres without my knees refusing to continue. I find them to be very comfortable shoes. They work well for my walking style.