Trail shoe?

jkwoody22

jkwoody22

League ball huer
Anybody try the Nike wild horse or the new balance hierro? What are the pros and cons, I want something a little more aggressive than the new balance turfs I wear, play infield on dirt, tried the Salomon’s and the Nike huaraches, both to narrow in the toe box, I miss the old boombah trails
 
D

duffman99

Member
I've been using Adidas Terrex trail shoes and Altra Superiors for the last couple of years and had no complaints. If you have a wide foot, Altra trail shoes are super roomy, widest toe box I've had on my feet. I wish I could have gotten the Boombah shoes I had to last more than a season.
 
basilray

basilray

Active Member
Been wearing some UA Horizon Trails for a long while now, and they're holding up great. They were reasonably priced at the time, and as a guy who NEVER ventures into the grass.

They'll get replaced for being disgusting long before they would be for wear/tear.
 
jbo911

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
Older Saucony have a nature toe so just be careful if that. I can confirm that Altra have the roomiest toe box on the planet. Never played in them though. I have some asics Fuji racers that are pretty good, and most asics are available in wide.
 
clementeunknown

clementeunknown

Addicted to Softballfans
Altra Lone Peak 6 are amazing. I had recurring turf toe until I wore these bad boys. They are extremely light and have an aggressive tread pattern. They're not hideous to boot
 
jbo911

jbo911

Super Moderator
Staff member
jbo911 said:
Older Saucony have a nature toe so just be careful if that. I can confirm that Altra have the roomiest toe box on the planet. Never played in them though. I have some asics Fuji racers that are pretty good, and most asics are available in wide.
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That should say narrow toe. My auto correct can be wild.
 
2

#25

Addicted to Softballfans
I'm using the Nike LaCrosse turfs. I don't know if they are what you're looking for but definitely worth checking out. Great traction, comfort, and fit for me. Just throwing out another option for you to look into.
 
roland365

roland365

GDC SILVER STATUS MEMBER
Just ordered ASICS gel venture 9
Tried them on before felt comfy and good tread pattern. Used to play on boombah and they were the worst. I think my foot problems stemmed from wearing those turfs.
 
stang7222

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
roland365 said:
Just ordered ASICS gel venture 9
Tried them on before felt comfy and good tread pattern. Used to play on boombah and they were the worst. I think my foot problems stemmed from wearing those turfs.
Click to expand...
It doesn't take much. I have a pair of running shoes that are pretty uncomfortable but totally necessary bc I have very high arches. I can't run in just any shoe off the shelf, it hurts my back after less than a mile. Anyway, at about the 500 mile mark I ordered a new pair of shoes. Exact same model from the same company. Those shoes gave me plantar fascists after my second run. So I'm back to my first pair which are pretty ratty and well beyond their recommended lifespan bc anything else causes injury. You may have to take off your game shoes between games to give your feet a rest.
 
Hiltz

Hiltz

Built for comfort
jkwoody22 said:
...tried the Salomon’s and the Nike huaraches, both to narrow in the toe box, I miss the old boombah trails
Click to expand...

I got a pair of Brooks Cascadia 16's last year, they're golden if you like a roomy toebox and heavy cushioning.
 
blakcherry329

blakcherry329

Well-Known Member
stang7222 said:
It doesn't take much. I have a pair of running shoes that are pretty uncomfortable but totally necessary bc I have very high arches. I can't run in just any shoe off the shelf, it hurts my back after less than a mile. Anyway, at about the 500 mile mark I ordered a new pair of shoes. Exact same model from the same company. Those shoes gave me plantar fascists after my second run. So I'm back to my first pair which are pretty ratty and well beyond their recommended lifespan bc anything else causes injury. You may have to take off your game shoes between games to give your feet a rest.
Click to expand...
Have you tried different inserts? I have Salomons that have "after market" inserts. I do that with all of my sneakers or turfs.
Salomon is my go to. I was thinking about getting a pair of Hokas goretex for morning games with the dew, but couldn't pull the trigger for $170
 
RokRaider826

RokRaider826

Ex Softball Who-re
stang7222 said:
It doesn't take much. I have a pair of running shoes that are pretty uncomfortable but totally necessary bc I have very high arches. I can't run in just any shoe off the shelf, it hurts my back after less than a mile. Anyway, at about the 500 mile mark I ordered a new pair of shoes. Exact same model from the same company. Those shoes gave me plantar fascists after my second run. So I'm back to my first pair which are pretty ratty and well beyond their recommended lifespan bc anything else causes injury. You may have to take off your game shoes between games to give your feet a rest.
Click to expand...
I have flat feet so I have to change out the insert in about 90% of all of my shoes. I found a company that make the best inserts for a very reasonable price, Protalus. You should look them up and see if they can help you out. They have wonderful customer service and will answer any and all questions you might have.
 
stang7222

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
RokRaider826 said:
I have flat feet so I have to change out the insert in about 90% of all of my shoes. I found a company that make the best inserts for a very reasonable price, Protalus. You should look them up and see if they can help you out. They have wonderful customer service and will answer any and all questions you might have.
Click to expand...
When i finally wear out my current shoes I'm going to hit up a running specific shoe store that scans your feet and see what they have to say.
 
stang7222

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
Hiltz said:
I got a pair of Brooks Cascadia 16's last year, they're golden if you like a roomy toebox and heavy cushioning.
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Tell me more. Are they lightweight? Breathable? I have Brooks running shoes and love them. If given the option, which would you rather play 5 games at 3B in: Cascadia 16s or off the shelf Mizuno turfs?
 
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Hiltz

Hiltz

Built for comfort
stang7222 said:
Tell me more. Are they lightweight? Breathable? I have Brooks running shoes and love them. If given the option, which would you rather play 5 games at 3B in: Cascadia 16s or off the shelf Mizuno turfs?
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They're not super light or breathable because they're built solid with thick, heavy midsole cushioning. They have mesh panels but they're small. All the reviews I read before I bought them said they're among the most stable trail runners and are great for heavy guys. The most common complaint was lack of feel on trails because of the thickness of the midsole, but that's not a factor on a ballfield and I didn't notice it.

I've owned Mizuno turfs before and had to add aftermarket midsoles because the stock cushioning flattened out by mid-season. They're lighter but the uppers are relatively flimsy. Double-header or 12 games on the weekend, doesn't matter; I'm choosing the Cascadias.

Also worth noting, the Cascadias have semi-hard bumpers over the toes to protect from rocks and sticks while trail running. I typically wear out the toe area on my right shoe from dragging my back foot on my swing, the bumpers are placed right where my cleats normally let go. I haven't had the Brooks long enough to see how they'll hold up but I'm thinking the toe bumpers will help.
 
stang7222

stang7222

Addicted to Softballfans
Hiltz said:
They're not super light or breathable because they're built solid with thick, heavy midsole cushioning. They have mesh panels but they're small. All the reviews I read before I bought them said they're among the most stable trail runners and are great for heavy guys. The most common complaint was lack of feel on trails because of the thickness of the midsole, but that's not a factor on a ballfield and I didn't notice it.

I've owned Mizuno turfs before and had to add aftermarket midsoles because the stock cushioning flattened out by mid-season. They're lighter but the uppers are relatively flimsy. Double-header or 12 games on the weekend, doesn't matter; I'm choosing the Cascadias.

Also worth noting, the Cascadias have semi-hard bumpers over the toes to protect from rocks and sticks while trail running. I typically wear out the toe area on my right shoe from dragging my back foot on my swing, the bumpers are placed right where my cleats normally let go. I haven't had the Brooks long enough to see how they'll hold up but I'm thinking the toe bumpers will help.
Click to expand...
Ordered. My Mizunos are like 3 years old so need replacing anyway.
 
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