La Sportiva Fireblades Review

I thought I'd give my personal nod to the best trail running shoe I've used, thus far--the La Sportiva Fireblades! I began running in this shoe about a month ago when Olga and I decided to each get a pair. These shoes fit me better than anything I've ever worn. The heel is narrow and the toe box wide enough to let my toes wiggle and swim a little. They, also, do a great job of preventing debris from getting inside the shoe, which is a big plus. I have to admit, I was somewhat skeptical when I first saw them out of the box--they look heavy duty. But, once I slipped them on, I, immediately, fell in love. They fit so well that my feet do not slide one bit on extended downhills. Although, I gave them some good trial runs up to 5 hours during training, the real test occurred at Zane Grey. These shoes performed exceptionally well on that rocky course. And, don't be fooled by the low profile tread. They grip very well on the rocks. There wasn't a place I wasn't afraid to put my foot down thinking I would slip. The outsole seems to be slightly more narrow than a lot of trail shoes, so there are more places to put my feet between rocks when I'm running. On the rare occassion where there was somewhat smooth flat sections of the course, the shoes felt more like a road shoe than a trail shoe. There are two places on my feet where blisters seem to always develop: my outer heels, which can become painful at the end of a race, and the balls of my feet, especially behind the big toes. I had absolutely no hot spots in those areas while wearing these shoes during the entire race! I had a few toe blisters, but nothing I can blame on the shoes and something I get during most races. I would almost put these shoes in the same category as a trail racing flat. I'll use these, again, at Pocatello, and if the trend continues, they're going to Hardrock with me for pacing duties. Now, I'm eyeing another pair, possibly with Wildcats.