u/altapowderdog

Shoe: Nike ACG Zegma Trail. US size 11

Runner Profile: 6', 175lbs. I typically run 6 miles x3 times per week at a jogging pace (8:00-10:00 minute miles). Occasionally I'll run a 1/2 marathon (typically a 1:45-ish time for road, 2:00 for trail).

Use Case / Reason for Buying: I bought this for trail running, backpacking, and potentially as an option for my next trail 1/2. My Hoka SpeedGoat 6s died early, and these had better step-in feel and toe room than the SpeedGoat 7 did, so I figured I'd give them a shot.

Fit Impressions: My Brannock device size is 10.5, but I have a high mid foot and prefer to have some toe splay, so all of my running shoes (except for the Neo Vista 2) are size 11. These fit perfectly. The toe box feels similar to Norda: Not too wide like Altra, but wider than Hoka or past Nike shoes. They have enough stretch to slip on easily, but also good lockdown so your foot won't slide forward when going downhill. While breathable enough, the upper is not a fancy MATRYX or anything like that, and does feel like it won't be quick drying like some more expensive trail shoes. Sometimes I find the "collar" fabric on shoes to be irritating, but these ones are pretty soft and minimal - I don't notice them at all.

Random Insole Note: These have a glued-in insole. I'm not sure why they did this for a trail shoe. This just makes it more difficult to knock dirt out of the shoe... and if you pull the insole off of the adhesive to remove it anyway, the resulting sticky surface will probably just end up collecting sand and dust. I'm not going to list this as a "negative" just yet, because I haven't gotten this dirty enough to matter, but it could be a pain if the ankle collar doesn't do its job perfectly.

Walking Impressions: The 4mm drop is immediately noticeable, and because of that these feel more like a Hoka Bondi than a Nike shoe. They have that ultra-thick-forefoot sensation, and a rocker that drops away quickly when walking. These would be pretty great daily casual shoes for people who just end up using them for that. I know this isn't a backpacking subreddit... but if hiking with a very heavy pack, these won't give you the firm stability that a boot or Norda 001 gives you (even though stability when running is good).

First Run Impressions: I took these for a short 4 mile test run through some easy single-track trails in the woods. Trail feel is very minimal (even less than the SpeedGoat 6, which was already minimal). The flip side of that is that comfort was great: the ZoomX is quite soft, but stability doesn't suffer at all. There is a tiny bit of energy return, more than the SpeedGoat but less than something like the AeroGlide 3. This first test didn't have tricky enough terrain to properly test out traction, but early impressions were good. Overall... not mind-blowing, but also no issues and very comfortable. They do feel like an upgrade over the SpeedGoat6.

TLDR on my 1st Impressions:

Positives:

• Fit is great: good ankle collar, wide-but-not-too-wide toe box, true to size
• Looks way better than a Hoka, but the ride is very similar to the SpeedGoat
• Soft (1st run was just 4 miles, but will be comfortable for longer)

Negatives:

• The upper doesn't seem like it will be quick drying
• Soft (very little ground feel at all)