Patagonia Footwear is hitting the trails hard this year with a big expansion of their trail running line. These new light-and-fast kicks are supposedly Patagonia’s lightest shoes they’ve ever made, and are an indication that their focus will be on performance shoes next year.
First up is the Patagonia EVERmore, the company’s lightest shoe to date at 6.2 ounces for women and 7.8 ounces for men. The EVERmore features a durable, breathable air mesh upper with protective overlays and drainage ports to dissipate water after stream crossings. A soft, counter-free heel, integrated footbed and flexible midsole and outsole should allow the foot to naturally connect with the terrain with plenty of cushion (10mm in the heel and 6mm in the forefoot) and a rock plate for ultra distance protection.
Another shoe is the Fore Runner Evo, an evolution on an already popular trail beast that gets an update this year. Expect the changes to be a more durable, protective and precise-fitting upper. Of course the shoe still has the 4mm drop that it’s known for, which will keep minimalist runners looking for excellent ground-feel very happy.
Rounding out the new line of trail runners is the Gamut, a more traditionally cushioned shoe for long distance training and multi-surface running. Patagonia says it is a true multi-tasker with drainage ports and protective overlays. For added protection the Gamut features a durable leather toe bumper, a forefoot shock and absorption plate and a multi-density, sticky rubber outsole for wet and dry traction based on varying conditions.
Overall, it’s good to see Patagonia Footwear expand their trail running offerings, as the quality of the Patagonia seal is enough for me to head out on the singletrack with their shoes on my feet!