Toys for testing

I've got a bundle of toys to test over the next few weeks.

Five Ten (5.10) Marvel trail shoes

I've actually had these in hand for a few months but with prep for Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, the first edition of FEAT and a diminished number (like next to none!) of trail runs between when I got them and December, I only ran in them once. And once isn't enough to give a proper verdict.
Five Ten is a well-known brand in climbing circles; their soles are superbly grippy (Stealth rubber). Five Ten are also trusted by traceurs in the sport of parkour where grip and traction is crucial. And they are bringing this sole compound into their trail shoes. Locally, Five Ten offer two trail shoes models; Marvel being one and I think Phantom is the other.

Hi-Tec V-Lite Infinity trail shoes

Although I've had them for two weeks, I haven't run in them. My pair are just a dash too big - I'll be swopping them tomorrow. The colour is delicious, the upper is slipper-like (not rigid) but with toe protection and they have potential. I've run in the Hi-Tec V-Lite Trail Eruptions with comfort, only finding the shoe a little hard and rigid and possibly better suited to a heavier runner. I don't think this will be the case with the Infinity, which - like others - is going the route of a more tactile shoe.

Salomon XR Crossmax

These have just arrived on our shores and I'm going to collect a pair tomorrow! How exciting! Over the years I've run in Salomon XA Pro 3Ds (two evolutions) and Salomon Comps - but I've never properly settled into them. No specific issues (other than being quite hard) but just not a good fit for my foot - I like a snug fit.

As for the Salomon S-Labs - love 'em! Very tactile -  a soft shoe that lets your foot work and feel the terrain. I've really hammered my pair. On gnarly highveld terrain they have taught me to focus on my foot placement because the S-Labs are unforgiving with the absence of toe protection. It's nice; I feel more at one with the terrain.

The XR Crossmax is tauted as a road-friendly trail shoe and from images, it certainly looks like it carries more of the S-Lab lineage than XA Pro or Wings.

Toe Toe Socks

These Toe Toe Socks hail from the UK and are of the same concept as Injinji toe socks, which I heard about some years ago through the AR circuit.

I've got a pair of the running anklet socks to try. I'm wearing them tonight to get used to the feel of the fabric between my toes. The selling point around using these socks is really around comfort and blister elimination. The theory is sound - fabric rubbing against fabric instead of skin against skin should prevent the formation of blisters.

The fabric feels more like those white cotton running gloves than what I'm used to (more a cushion-foot sock) - the proof will be in the running. I also think that these would be quite neat worn with Vibram Five Finger shoes; and infact Toe Toe Socks has a thin liner-type toe sock for this purpose.

Lots to play with out on the road and trails! More on goodies in posts to come.