Running, mud and the Merrell Long Sky 2

I have a lot of shoes. Recently I was given another pair to try. I was given these shoes for my honest opinion - to try them and see how I go. If I hate them, I’d say so (like pineapple). This is why I love my job.

Each pair in my garage has its place - there’s the “argh I need just get some easy distance in after the kids are in bed” shoes (yup, the roadies) and there’s the “I’m going for a short blat around Papamoa Hills”  shoes (the super lightweight but not very grippy trail shoes), and then there’s the one which I can trust on the super gnarly (fun) stuff…

When I’m barrelling down some technical muddy, rooty excuse for a track in the Kaimai ranges, I need to trust what’s on my feet.

For me, these are ones that let me feel the ground and stick to it at the same time. I need to feel that root or wobbly rock, and I need to know I’m going to stick to it until I push off again, otherwise, well, it’s going to hurt, and I’m going to look stupid.

For the last few years, my go-to has been Xero shoes - I feel so at home in their comfy-as, natural, minimalist range. In fact, I’m wearing some right now.

I also once tried the other extreme, and whilst it felt like I was running on a cloud (and two inches taller), I just kept tripping up as I simply wasn’t getting the feedback from the ground I needed to keep me upright. My proprioception was stuffed.

Then winter came along. As did the mud and slippery rocks and roots, and the grip just didn’t cut it. I was slowing down because of my shoes, not my fading fitness. I also found out if you try to climb Ruapehu with just 3mm of soft rubber between you and the volcanic rock, you’re in for a sole-crushing experience.

So, I need grip (mega grip) and ground feel, without the stabbing. Surely not too much to ask?

A few months back, I had an epic chat with the team at Merrell NZ and we introduced their VIP Partner discount, and I was lucky enough to try their brand-spanking new Long Sky 2 trail shoes.

To be honest, when I first put them on I was like “cool, but hummz, I can’t roll these up into a ball and shove them in my pocket like I can with my Xeros” so immediately I thought they would feel like running with bricks on. They also have this weird tongue which wraps right around the sides of the foot like a sock-glove thing. This felt strange.

But I like running and I like mud, so I gave them a go.

Within the first few minutes of technical slippery downhill I realised what I had been missing. GRIP! They stuck to the trails like glue, I could still feel the ground’s wobbles and my confidence (a.k.a. stupidity) to fly down the singletrack was back. 

I soon forgot about the shoes and enjoyed the mud.

I think this actually sums up a good shoe. One you can forget about. For the other side of the coin means they are annoyingly in your mind as you run, whether you’re blaming them for falling over, or cursing them as your feet take a pounding.

That weird tongue didn’t annoy me - in fact it made my foot feel at home, comfy and secure.

I didn’t have bricks on the end of my legs - in fact I had responsive, light but protective shoes which look great with or without mud (I prefer with).

These Long Sky 2s have become my go-to for my muddy trail runs.

Now, what’s really interesting is what Zoe (some of you may have digitally met Zoe at the other end of support@wildthings.club) had to say about them, coming from the other (running on two-inch high clouds) camp… She too was super lucky to grab a pair to try. Zoe is obviously a lot more professional than me as she wrote up a tidy, structured review. Here goes:

Pros

• Responsive to the ground under foot
• Sturdy and stable for my dodgy ankles
• Strong Vibram outsole and lugs, great on soft forest floor all the way through to wet slippery rocks
• Easy stretch access
• Nice colourway - a lot of people have commented on my shoes - female and male
• Durable - I've worn them alot and they still feel brand new - a lot of trail shoes don’t feel like this after a month of wear.
• Quick drying
• My feet aren’t sweaty but I think for people with sweaty feet it's a very breathable upper mesh.
• I didn’t realise this until a week ago but they also have reflective parts
• Low heel drop (4mm) provides great stability on the trails.
• Generous toe box allows toes to splay.

Cons

• You can feel the ground beneath you - this is what I find really interesting as I see this as a pro
• I haven’t run over 30 kms in them - could they be a little rigid in a 50km event?

Zoe’s Verdict:

The Merrell Long Sky 2 trail shoes are snazzy looking shoes that all my running friends have commented on. The tangerine colourway stands out from the crowd. They are a comfortable, mid-sole trail shoe which are designed to be durable and adaptable to the different elements and terrain New Zealand has to offer. 

The strong Vibram outsole and lugs feel great on both soft forest floor and wet slippery rocks providing traction over various surfaces. The sizing is accurate and the heel support is rigid.  I find them sturdy and very stable, especially on my dodgy ankles. A four millimetre drop makes the shoe fairly responsive under foot. The toe box is pretty generous and considering I usually reach for the wide option shoe, these fit well. The upper is comfortable and fits like a glove, my foot can easily slide in and out of the shoe without having to loosen my laces too much. The mesh on the upper is extremely breathable, it would be great for sweaty feet or for those extremely long harsh trail runs that make your feet swell as the mesh will expand with your foot.

The first time I laced the Merrell Long Sky 2’s up I ran 26 kilometres off the bat around Lake Tikitapu in Rotorua. They were a fast, comfortable ride that helped me feel light underfoot. Due to previously wearing more supportive trail shoes my arches in my feet were a little sore afterwards but upon running in them a second time, that went away. After slipping into a stream the shoes dried quickly; much faster than other trail shoes I own.

I really enjoy a bouncy trail shoe for ultra trail events due to cushioning under foot but for short - long mixed terrain trails and events where I’m wanting to go fast then this would be the shoe of my choice.

Interested?

Shoes are downright tricky. I’m sure some of you will love these, and equally, I am sure some of you will hate these. It’s such a personal experience.

If you’re keen to see which camp you sit in, VIPs can grab 10% off everything storewide at merrell.co.nz. Merrell has an epic 30-day returns policy so you can try a shoe on for fit and size and if it's not right, return it or exchange it for a different size (as long as you've just tried them on, rather than worked up some sweaty feet inside them on a run!)

Epic VIP Reward Upgrade

To celebrate the launch of the Long Sky 2 trail shoes, between now and 31st October, Merrell are extending your VIP Discount, so you grab an epic 20% off anything at merrell.co.nz!

Start shopping:

Long Sky 2 - Mens
Long Sky 2 - Womens