All Terrain Trail Sneaker

A weekend trail does not call for an expedition boot. It calls for a shoe that holds the foot on the descent, grips wet rock and does not cook the foot in the heat. Low cut, light, and something you can wear on the way back without changing.

The All Terrain Sneaker is that. Mixed upper of suede and mesh, with suede at the wear points (toe, heel, sides) and mesh where the foot needs to breathe. A rubber rand runs around the whole front, which is what saves the toe when you kick a root.

EVA insole, textile lining and a rubber outsole with deep, spaced lugs, the kind that sheds mud instead of packing it.

Suede where it hits, mesh where it breathes

A fully closed trail shoe runs hot, and an all mesh shoe tears on the first rock. The split solves both: suede in the abrasion areas, mesh on the instep and the upper sides. The lace loops are sewn webbing, not eyelets punched through the upper, which spreads the pressure when you cinch down.

The outsole

Deep, wide, well spaced lugs, running in opposite directions at the forefoot and the heel. That is what holds on the descent and what makes the mud fall off on its own with each step, instead of caking under the foot. The midsole has cushioning height without lifting the foot too far off the ground.

It is a true low cut, stopping below the ankle. Good for marked trails, dirt roads and the ordinary day. Not a shoe for long traverses with a loaded pack, which calls for a locked ankle.

Technical details

• Upper: suede with mesh panels
• Toe: rubber rand around the front
• Outsole: rubber with deep, alternating lugs
• Insole: EVA, removable
• Lining: textile
• Cut: low, below the ankle
• Closure: laces, with sewn webbing loops
• Colors: Khaki and Slate Grey
• Not waterproof and no steel toe

Which size to order

Measure your bare foot, from heel to the tip of the longest toe, standing with your weight on it.

On the trail the foot swells and slides forward on descents. Between two sizes, take the larger one. Wide feet should also go up a size, since the last is medium width. The Label column shows the EU number printed inside the shoe; the Insole column lets you compare with a shoe you already own.

Care

• Knock the shoes together and brush dry after each trail. Dried mud stiffens suede.
• Suede is cleaned with a soft bristle brush, always in the direction of the nap.
• If they get wet, pull the insole, stuff with newspaper and dry in the shade. Never in the sun or near a heater.
• Apply a suede protector before the first wear if you expect dew and stream crossings.
• Do not machine wash. The sole glue does not like it.