In the course of cross-country running in the past few years, people kept asking me such questions: "What running shoes should I wear to participate in this competition?" "Can you recommend me a pair of suitable cross-country running shoes?" And "How about these shoes?" And so on. In my opinion, the choice of cross-country running shoes seems not so difficult. First of all, we should know the structure of our feet, and then screen them according to road conditions, distance, appearance, design, price and other factors. This is a problem that can be solved by observing, thinking and learning from experience.
Looking at the competitions around us, it is not uncommon for running shoes to be improperly selected, and there are also a few foot problems caused by it. Maybe you just feel a little uncomfortable during cross-country running, or your feet have serious problems, which is probably related to the running shoes you choose. With more and more cross-country runners, a large number of novices have joined the sport. You may be a road runner, an outdoor sports enthusiast, or a little white with no sports experience. The choice of cross-country running shoes is quite different from the choice of road running shoes and hiking shoes.
The purpose of this content is to introduce cross-country running shoes to you, according to the classification of different functional types, corresponding characteristics and applications, possible confusion and important selection suggestions. I don't want to recommend a particular brand of shoes, I will quote some pictures to illustrate. No pair of shoes is suitable for everyone, and the particularity of personal physiological structure will affect your choice. Let you have a clearer understanding of cross-country running shoes and master some basic skills of selection, and then you will have a chance to find shoes that suit you, which is enough.
How to classify a pair of cross-country running shoes?
All running shoes can be divided into different categories according to various principles. Similar to road running shoes, major brands and large websites divide cross-country running shoes into several categories according to different conditions, so that everyone can choose according to their own needs.
1. Classification by usage scenario
The representative of light cross-country running shoes is VASQUEVertical Velocity /VASQUE.
"light" cross-country running shoes
When I say light, I don't mean that shoes are light. The light shoes here are used on simple and mature roads, such as fire exits, park trails, forest deciduous trails or American cross-country style Singletrack. The characteristics of this kind of shoes are: the appearance is similar to that of traditional road running shoes in Dachuan, and the lightweight design is conducive to fast running. The characteristics of cross-country running include slight protection of toes and soles (partial missing) and short teeth of large soles to ensure grip. Generally speaking, this kind of shoes doesn't have much sense of disobedience when running on the expressway, but it is not suitable for rocky and high-tech roads.
Typical rough cross-country running shoes represent Solomon Speedcross series /Wiggle.
"Rough" cross-country running shoes
The so-called rugged type means that most of these running shoes are suitable for muddy ground, rock roots, steep slopes and other technically rugged mountain roads. The characteristics of this kind of shoes are: tough appearance, firmer upper material, sufficient toe and sole protection (mostly embedded with rock disks or similar materials to reduce the impact of rocks and roots), support and elasticity of the midsole, and diversified teeth of the sole, providing multi-angle grip effect.
Solomon XA Pro 3D II GTX/loading room
"Jungle" cross-country running shoes
The so-called "off-road" means that its use environment is not the ordinary Shan Ye trail, but the wild jungle. These shoes are usually used for arduous explorations or competitions. The characteristics of this kind of shoes are: the appearance is close to the traditional out shoes, and the weight is between the two. It has most of the characteristics of "rough" cross-country running shoes, but it is strengthened in some aspects. Including: the upper material is more durable, the midsole is more durable, and some models are more waterproof and protective.
Hoka One One's all-terrain shoes Speedgoat 2/ mavielabas
"All-terrain" cross-country running shoes
The concept of all-around running shoes is not universal, but usually these shoes are found in the main products of major manufacturers. Its characteristics are: balanced and widely used. Shock absorption, multi-terrain grip and stability are not complete. Top and ordinary all-terrain cross-country running shoes usually have differences in materials and technology, but this does not affect their positioning.
Classic ice and snow running shoes La Sportiva Crossover 2.0 GTX/Hudyblog
"Ice and Snow" cross-country running shoes
This is a slightly narrow classification. This kind of shoes is usually used in snow/high altitude in ice and snow environment, but it has the characteristics of most cross-country running shoes. Its main features are: waterproof design of high-top shoes, durable uppers (some of them adopt double-layer uppers, and the outer layer is waterproof). In addition, a few shoes used in icy terrain will be inlaid with steel nails to prevent slipping (for example, many shoes of IceBug and SpikeCross are unfamiliar to Salomon).
When choosing shoes according to usage scenarios, you need to know the following points:
& gt& gt& gt Choose the right cross-country running shoes according to the terrain and environment. Try to choose shoes according to the terrain and environment you will come into contact with, which will make you run more comfortably. If you want to find shoes specially used for competition, you still need to know the track and terrain of the target competition in advance, and then choose as needed.
& gt& gt& gt cross-country running shoes are not everything. Even shoes designed for specific terrain cannot guarantee excellent performance in all situations. For example, in the mud with heavy rain, or on the hard ice in winter, shoes can play a very limited role. Cross-country running shoes can't provide you with everything. Your own ability and experience are equally important.
& gt& gt& gt If you really don't know how to choose shoes according to the terrain, the all-terrain model will not make a big mistake. Because it is designed for a wide range of application scenarios, performance balance is its biggest feature.
2. According to the type of buffer.
Barefoot five fingers shoes vibram Five Finger Trekking Promotion Expert/Andrew Welch
Moderate and low earthquakes (barefoot &; Minimalism)
The main feature of this kind of shoes is that there is no midsole or the midsole is extremely thin. The main purpose is to provide a natural running feeling, and the protection of ankle, knee and calf muscles is poor and demanding.
AsicsFuji Trabuco 6/ Deporvillage magazine
Normal buffer
For most cross-country runners, ordinary cushioning running shoes are the mainstream choice. It is the most stable choice and quite suitable for most people who have just come into contact with cross-country running. Both traditional road running shoes manufacturers and some minority manufacturers have a large number of this type of shoes. This kind of shoes usually have a balanced performance, provide a certain degree of shock absorption, have a good road feel and a satisfactory weight. This kind of shoes is usually loved by pragmatists.
Hoka One's early giant Stinson ATR/Ginger Runner
High buffer type
When it comes to high cushioning shoes, we have to mention the popular trend of thick soles in recent years. This kind of shoes usually have a thick midsole, which can provide sufficient cushioning and excellent foot feel. Its weakness lies in its relatively poor feeling of the road surface, and it may cause ankle sprain if it is not used to it at first. Before Hoka One One subverts the concept of cushioning with thick soles and light materials, these running shoes are usually heavier. Of course, so far, similar shoes of various families have done a good job in weight control.
When choosing the cushioning of shoes, you need to know the following points:
& gt& gt& gt Choose barefoot or minimalist shoes carefully. Regarding this kind of shoes, the author agrees with the following sentence very much: just buying barefoot running shoes can't make you a barefoot runner, but barefoot running technology is the key.
& gt& gt& gt buffer is a good thing, or try more. Shoe cushioning can provide protection for runners, but everyone's demand for cushioning is still different. You may have different preferences for the cushioning of running shoes at different times when you are in contact with cross-country running and participating in different competitions. Conditional enthusiasts can try to choose one that suits their own conditions.
3. Choose by descending height
Height difference is a problem that most people will ignore, including me. Height difference refers to the difference between the forefoot height and heel height of a pair of cross-country running shoes. Generally speaking, the height difference between front and rear is closely related to the thickness of cushioning material. Usually, the height difference of a pair of cross-country running shoes will be in the range of 10- 12mm. According to the height difference, it can be divided into three categories. The first one is zero drop, which emphasizes that the front and rear feet are highly consistent. The representative brands are five fingers shoes and ALTRA. This concept emphasizes the most primitive way of running. Followed by low drop, low drop probably refers to running shoes with a height of 0-4mm in front and rear feet, and minimalist running shoes mostly belong to this category. In addition, the front-rear drop greater than 4mm can be classified as high drop, which is usually relatively wide.
Altitude drop indication /Ian Corless
When choosing shoes, you need to know the following points:
& gt& gt& gt The falling height of a pair of cross-country running shoes has nothing to do with the thickness of the midsole. You can choose running shoes with thick soles, high cushioning and zero drop, or you can choose barefoot running shoes without cushioning like five fingers shoes (here is just an example).
The choice of>& gt& gt landing point depends on biomechanical structure and running posture. When buying cross-country running shoes, you'd better choose shoes with the same or similar gap as your existing cross-country running shoes (if you don't have cross-country running shoes, please refer to other sports shoes), so that you can better adapt to new shoes. This process needs to be slower when changing shoes with different drops.
& gt& gt& gt Carefully choose running shoes with low drop or zero drop. The stability of low-cut running shoes is excellent, but it is not suitable for everyone. Low drop is relatively more suitable for runners with middle and front palms. In addition, this kind of running shoes requires higher strength for your calves and joints.
These experiences make you buy shoes better!
1. Pay attention to the width of shoes.
I believe many people have been influenced by the width of shoes. Generally speaking, the choice of last for road running shoes is just as troublesome. Shoes that are too narrow will pinch your feet. When choosing cross-country running shoes, you need to pay attention to the width of front foot, middle foot and heel. Usually, some European and American brands are prone to insufficient width of the middle foot and toes. Usually, the midfoot width of the same brand is uniform, but the forefoot width will change due to different series or product iterations, which needs to be paid attention to in advance when purchasing. In addition, people with fat feet or special physiological structure need to pay special attention to the choice of brands and sizes. Try to go to a physical store before buying.
2. Carefully choose waterproof uppers
Outdoor people may rely on the waterproof performance of shoes, but for cross-country runners, the waterproof function is a bit weak. The biggest problem is the poor air permeability of waterproof materials, which can easily lead to discomfort such as blisters in shoes. On the other hand, most shoes are low-top, but waterproof materials are difficult to be completely waterproof in low-top shoes. If water is immersed from the tongue of the shoe when wading, the interior of the shoe may be in a wet state for a long time thereafter, leading to unfavorable results. Of course, waterproof is an inevitable choice in ice and snow high-top running shoes.
Rutting requires choosing shoes with rock disks among competitors in this terrain/running.
3. When do you need a rock plate?
The rock disk may not be familiar to everyone. It is a thin and hard material embedded between the midsole and the outsole. Rock disk is very necessary under the topographic conditions containing a lot of stones and roots. Compared with the all-foam midsole, the rock disk can not only prevent sharp rocks or roots from damaging or even puncturing the soles of feet, but also provide a better sense of road. However, the cushioning and comfort are slightly worse.
High price doesn't mean the best.
I believe everyone has a deep understanding of this, and inexpensive running shoes must be good. First of all, it is very important to suit yourself, and high price is not necessarily the most suitable choice. Secondly, the brands of cross-country running shoes in the market are complex, and the models, series, positioning, market prices, promotional discounts and other configurations are different. Therefore, there is no need to distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of running shoes according to the price when choosing.
5. Selection of running shoes weight
There is no fixed standard for the weight of running shoes, so there is no classification for the weight of running shoes. Heavy running shoes will increase the burden of running, but the protection and material are not better, so what kind of weight is the most suitable? Personally, I divide my weight into four ranges: heavy (more than 350g), medium (300g-350g), second medium (250g-300g) and light (200-250g). Cross-country running shoes under 200g are rare and are not classified separately.
Under normal circumstances, choose running shoes not to exceed 350g, running shoes exceeding this weight will affect the comfort and efficiency of long-distance cross-country running. For big brands of running shoes, shoes under 300g are ideal, and this weight can already provide all the excellent designs that a pair of cross-country running shoes need to take into account. I personally like shoes around 270g, and many classic shoes are in this weight range. If you need racing, you can choose light shoes as appropriate. If you need to deal with bad terrain, you can choose heavier shoes as appropriate (here refers to heavier shoes because of solid materials).
To retired NewBalance Minimus/Pinterest
Step 6 pay attention to the upgrade
For runners, the life of cross-country running shoes may be about 300 kilometers, or even shorter. If they exceed the running shoes, the uppers may tear, the soles may wear out, and even insufficient cushioning will affect the joints and running posture. If you have a pair of shoes that are especially suitable for you in all aspects, you can consider buying more pairs as a backup.