Nb mt876

[freedan]

Thought I'd provide a review of the NB MT876 that I'm using for trail running right now. New Balances are one of the few running shoes that fit me well. I have a wide forefoot and blow out the sides of Nikes, Addidas, and any euro type fit. I have worn 10.5 D NB road running shoes for years and the 876 has the exact same fit. I was looking for a pair of MT100 but those have been discontinued and nobody has them in stock. A replacement is supposed to come out in the fall.

It is definitely a different shoe than the road shoes though. The sole has a much more aggressive tread and has much better traction on trails than the road sole. Also the shoe has less rocker than the road shoes. There is less upturn at the toe and heal. There is also a Rockstop plate in the forefoot that is supposed to protect from rocks and thorns, it seems to do the job and doesn't affect the flex or feel of the shoe. The heel is slightly less built up than the road shoes and the more nuetral profile is noticeable.

The shoe has a mesh gasket at the ball of the foot to aid in drainage but the mesh is fine enough that sand and grit doesn't get in. Also, the tongue is attached and made of a neoprene type material. No debris have been getting into the shoe as I run.

Overall, I have been very happy with the shoe and is definitely more suited to trails than the typical road shoe. I have been doing 1-2hr trail runs on them and willl be doing some much longer runs in August and will report on the long term durability. If you have a wide foot, worth checking out. I still want to try out a even more minimal shoe like the MT100 though. I wish a manufacturer would take one of there track racing flats and beef up the materials for trail durability.