Eager has been a properly revered model within the climbing and out of doors area for a few years. Two years in the past they acquired into path operating, with a reasonably high-stack path cruiser referred to as the Search. Final yr, they launched the Roam, a barely much less premium model of a day by day coach for the paths. Their newest entry into the trail-running area is the Wander, a low-profile various to a number of the higher-stack sneakers we’re seeing in path operating.
Specs
Class: Path
Males’s: 282 g (10.0 oz.)
Ladies’s: 218 g (7.7 oz.)
Offset/Drop: 4 mm
Stack top: 26 mm/22 mm (males’s), 24 mm/20 mm (ladies’s)
Lug depth: 3 mm
$170
Higher
The higher is a sturdy, abrasion-resistant mesh, with reflective components and good safety on the toe, on the medial and lateral sides and within the lacing space. It has a thickly padded, gussetted tongue, a properly padded heel collar and a standard lacing system. The toe field is comparatively broad, with room in your toes to splay. It’s not probably the most breathable higher we’ve ever encountered, however our tester had no specific points.
One colourway is generally white, with a gum sole that makes it engaging for informal put on.
Midsole
The Wander will enchantment to trail-running purists who wish to really feel each undulation of the path, and who usually are not bought on excessive midsoles. It has a comparatively skinny layer of reasonably agency midsole cushioning (and kudos to the model for this revolutionary, biodegradable cushioning materials they’ve adopted).
The heel drop is low, at 4 mm; that is decrease than a lot of the competitors, so if you happen to’re accustomed to operating in a shoe with the next drop, you’ll wish to take your time breaking this one in, in order to not stress your calves and Achilles tendons. The geometry is kind of completely different than most path sneakers we’ve examined; the low drop encourages a midfoot or forefoot strike.
The midsole has a rock plate embedded, which, along with offering safety, lends stability (although this already a really secure shoe, contemplating it’s so near the bottom, in addition to being comparatively broad).
Outsole
The Wander has a beneficiant layer of proprietary rubber on the underside that’s been examined to face up to as much as 1,000 km in coaching! The outsole lugs are comparatively shallow, and applicable for hard-packed or reasonable trails.
Verdict
The shoe within reason gentle, however very versatile within the forefoot. This detracts a bit from its responsiveness, making it finest for simple, informal path operating, slightly than for racing. (Word that this isn’t a shoe designed for high-performance coaching or racing, so if you happen to’re chasing a PB, you’ll wish to use a distinct shoe for that.)
When forefoot placing, our tester discovered there’s so little cushioning that, after a 17-km run, the balls of their toes felt a bit tender, so it’s extra applicable for shorter, extra informal outings, or for climbing. Total, it’s a really properly made shoe, and at solely C$170, offers glorious worth.
