Initial Thoughts: Montrail Rogue Racer

Yesterday I picked up a new pair of Montrail Rogue Racers and took them on a short (3 mile) run.  For the most part, my favorite running shoes of all time (and the ones I use the most) are my New Balance MT100s (I haven't had a reason to update to the MT101s yet).  If I could do all my runs in the 100s I would.  While I love minimalist running shoes, unfortunately, my legs are not made of steel and any run over about 20 miles in the 100s destroys them pretty good.  When I started going on frequent long runs training for Leadville last year I had to find a shoe that had more cushioning. I settled on the Vasque Mindbenders and I couldn't be happier with them.  I never have any fitment issues, blisters, or anything other issues of any other kind.  They're amazingly comfortable even for 53 miles (the longest run I did in them; yeah, I didn't finish Leadville...this year....).  However, the cushioning comes at a cost. They're pretty heavy (obviously especially compared to the MT100s).

Since Leadville last year, I've been searching for a middle-ground between the MT100s and the Mindbenders. Something that was lighter than the Mindbenders with a little more cushioning than the MT100s.  I was excited when I heard about the Rogue Racer from Montrail.  I waited for them to be released and then waited to hear how other runners were liking them.  I heard nothing but great things so I decided to get a pair. So far I only have 3 miles on them so these are only my initial thoughts but so far so good. First off, they fit really well.  They're a little snug in the upper which I like but the toe box has room which is very important to me for the long long runs (Leadville for example). With the MT100s I had started running without socks and I loved it. I ran with no socks in the Rogue Racer and had no issues.  I didn't even notice the slight increase in weight over the MT100 which was awesome (exact weights below).

Left to Right: Vasque Mindbender, Montrail Rogue Racer, New Balance MT100

Mindbender: 13.30 oz

Rogue Racer: 9.15 oz

MT100: 8.30 oz

I threw the shoes on a scale because I was curious to see how the weights of my size 11.5 (in all shoes) compared to the manufacturer provided size 9 weights.  This isn't an exact comparison because this pair of Mindbenders has about 250 miles on them; the MT100s have roughly 175 miles; and, the Rogue Racers only have 3 miles on them.  The Mindbenders weighed in at 13.30 oz (which seems super heavy compared to the other two).  The Rogue Racers weighed in at 9.15 oz and the MT100s weighed 8.30 oz.

I have heard from one runner online that his Rogue Racers pretty much fell apart after 100 miles.  This is the only person I've heard reporting this issue so far so I'm hoping it's an anomaly and he simply got a bad pair. I have zero issues with the durability of both the Mindbenders and the MT100s.

I'm going to make the Rogue Racers my sole shoe (haha) for the next few months to see how they stand up and how the fit/cushioning, etc... changes over time (if at all) and to see if they can be  my shoe for Leadville this year.  My 3 miles run in the Rogue Racers was on totally non-technical terrain so I can't speak to the traction yet.

In sum, after my first short run, I'm excited by the potential for this shoe.  The only downside I see at this point is the price.  The Rogue Racer is $11o compared to $70 for the Mindbender and MT101 (MT100 can be found for $60 nowadays but you might as well go for the 101 for $10 more).  I'm not sure if the Rogue Racer will be $40 (57%) better than the Mindbender and MT101. We'll see. A $40 difference is huge for ultramarathoners that have to buy a new pair of shoes every month or sooner.  I have to think that the price will drop soon once the "newness" wears off. Or, Montrail knows that unltramarathoners will pay any price for the perfect shoe.  Again, we'll see. If they do fall apart after 100 miles I will be severely disappointed.

Stay tuned for more updates and I put the miles on them...