Do I need trail shoes for UK mud?

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Nov 2020
8:02pm, 24 Nov 2020
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Homer
I have a deep love of splashing through the mud in Inov8 Roclites...but recently I do find myself picking up the Hoka Speedgoats.

The Speedgoats are great to do a bit of road and mixed terrain and will grip on trail.

Deep mud though....only the Mudclaws. But then how much of a run is really deep mud? For me, not that much so trail shoes that work on mixed terrain are good.

I use the Roclites on hills and mountains where the extra grip comes into its own
Nov 2020
8:08pm, 24 Nov 2020
18,700 posts
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Rosehip
roclites do seem to be more "all round " than most others. I couldn't run on tarmac or the gravel trails here in mudclaws. Hokas are too low a drop for my poor achilles!
Nov 2020
8:36pm, 24 Nov 2020
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K5 Gus
Hoka Challenger ATR is a good rail/trail shoe, as is Inov-8 Trailtalon
Nov 2020
9:21pm, 24 Nov 2020
4,182 posts
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K5 Gus
*road/trail* 😂
Nov 2020
12:16pm, 25 Nov 2020
4,053 posts
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Kieren
Thanks Rosehip for the advice and photo. That is exactly the type of scenario I am trying to work out value. I suppose even if the show grips the mud, there will still be slippage as the mud is thicker than the lugs? In which case, my pegasus might do for the very shallow stuff and all else, like deep mud is equal.

My use case has changed now - initially I just wanted to train on soft ground / woods as a break from tarmac to gear up for a half-marathon in 2021. Looks like a lot of races are full so I have entered a trail race at about the same distance so will likely need trail shoes.

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Homer, you raise a good point. - how much mud actually is there? On my run, I struggled up a short (15m) hill and then abandoned the run at a pit of deep mud. I probably need to scope out my local properly & be prepared to get pretty dirty. Maybe this Saturday!

Hokas do look tempting but having just bought a jacket & running vest back, I am way over budget. I've been looking at reduced kit - saucony do "ST" for sloppy terrain with 8mm lugs like the mudclaw on sale for just under £70.

Not sure I am confident enough to try the £30 own brand offerings from Start Fitness / Sports-Shoes.

I think Homer hit the nail on the head for me though. The large volume of where I will be trail running are:

1. Richmond Park - I know this extremely well and can run the trails and mud in road shoes
2. Canals - as above
3. Hampstead Heath - I've only run their last week as a general run and for cross country - the XC doesn't count as juniors have churned up the course before seniors get on it. So no idea what conditions were like before.

Between 1 & 3 - it is almost like the site mud is different but maybe it's just volume / depth
Nov 2020
12:20pm, 25 Nov 2020
47,859 posts
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Derby Tup
More Mile off-road shoes have their fans - cheap alternative to Inov8
Nov 2020
7:18pm, 25 Nov 2020
935 posts
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Muttley
Indeed they do, and I'm one of them. The Cheviot Pace costs about £30 a pair and will last me one year before the upper rots. Cheap n cheerful and just right for a slow recreational plodder like me.
Dec 2020
9:03pm, 2 Dec 2020
4,064 posts
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Kieren
As an update, I have entered a race in January sponsored by adidas who have a try before you buy system for their Terrex trail shoes, so I think I'll go with that on the day - hopefully wont roll an ankle in unfamiliar shoes (about 20K race)

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About This Thread

Maintained by Kieren
Sundays long run was on Hampstead Heath / Parliament Hill. It hadn't rained heavily so I wore ...

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