ZoomX Zegama Trail Running Shoe (Men)

After spending quite a few days in this shoe, I have some remarks so as not to mislead the highly adventurous individual wishing to grab a decently priced pair of trail shoes. It should be noted that I did not select this pair for any highly technical trails or summits- but after a week-long 125 km trek across the western Nakasendo trail, I do have some insight on the shoes strengths as well as it's faults. The first gripe is the gluing of the insole, which is common in the Nike Trail series. If you are an insert snob OR utilizing an orthotic support, you will find this to be a major inconvenience. Luckily, the glue can be removed with a little soap, hot water, and elbow grease, (too much grease will result in scraping off the support foam underneath!) My second is the available room in the toebox- for many this is a selling point for a Nike shoe, who have run snug in the past. The issue with the Zegama is the inability to snug up the metatarsal area- if you are moving too freely, you will get hot spots hours in to your trek! You have been warned. There is also no rock shield- plan your steps with the grace of a mountain goat when descending rocky off road stretches! The pros- the Zegama boasts excellent grip. Even on slick, moss-covered rock after an afternoon shower, the Zegama held fast on moderate grades. It has an excellent bounce due to the Zoom X reaching the midfoot- I hardly felt the 40lb ruck in my heels when I was carrying for the first 3 days! There was noticeable crushing in the foam by the end of the trek, (I contribute most of this to the ruck I was carrying.) For the weekend warrior, you can expect these shoes to last for 8-10 months with average use. Final note- don't expect these shoes to be waterproof! The top is breezy and light, which means you WILL be feeling that light rain and existing moisture on the trail. The ankle gaiter does have some give- leaving smaller detritus to find its way into your socks. In summary, it is an excellent shoe for less technical expeditions. The shoe is responsive and comfortable for short distances. However, it is not a shoe you should be walking in for 20km/day excursions. You will find yourself changing socks periodically due to hot spots forming from its loose forefoot. For individuals with narrower feet finding themselves in the occasional inclement weather, I'd encourage you to check out the Juniper 2 or other brands to find that all-weather pair that can be the Samwise to your journey.