Xero Shoes - Mesa Trail WP

I use the Xero trail mesas waterproof (wp) when the trail near me is wet and muddy. They work pretty well but this trail is more rocky than muddy so the muds not ever too deep.

Xero Mesa II are my favs! Never loved a shoe this much.

I've used Xero Shoes Mesa Trail 2 WP with wool socks and spikes or chains in conditions down to about 15 below

Very much depends on the terrain. For most ground types I've moved to hiking in sandals. If it's really rough ill go with trail running shoes, currently the Xero Mesa Trail

The grip is not the best, nowhere near what a good Vibram sole will give you. I haven't had any slips yet but it's noticeable. Also check out VJ Sarva running shoes if grip is a concern

I currently use Xero Shoes Mesa WP 2 and I'm quite happy with the performance. For lighter trails I use Xero Z Trails or Panta Zaros. I've found that small stones get stuck in between the toes of Five fingers and wear away at the mesh. I wouldn't recommend the waterproof Mesas for warm conditions, the breathable version is better

I dunno about y’all but I’ve had my prio’s and my mesa trails for years and like, theyre still as good as the day I bought them albeit more muddy

I used the all black Xero Mesa Trail II for this purpose, and also as my daily. Was quite satisfied with them but for the fact that the cleats-like sole tread tended to cause calf pain when running with them on pavement for more than a half hour and not staying very mindful about short strikes. I recently wore this pair out (got maybe 2 years out of them), and they were sold out of my size. Tried and returned the all black Xero Scrambler Low EV, as they weren’t as narrow and low profile as I liked with the Mesa Traill II. Ultimately opted to switch to the all black Xero HFS II, and I’ve been very happy with them. I’ve thus far been preferring them > the Mesa Trail II for the lone shoe I wear traveling, as they have been better for my mix of road running (no pain) + light hiking and trail running (the less extreme tread has seemed fine) + daily. When I’m not traveling, I use the all black Altra Escalante 4 for road running; olive Nike Pegasus Trail 4 Gore-Tex for heavier duty hiking/trail running, rain, and snow running; and the HFS II for daily duty.

Yes. I have a pair of zero mesa trails. Definitely on the minimal side “feel the trail” type shoes. But I like the feedback I get on varying terrain. That said I’ve never done longer than a 3 day trip in them. Boots till have a place for me in the high alpine and occasional sno shoing but even then I also have a pair of on gore Tex runners for winter. Also have rock plate trail runners for running purposes , since the zeros do hurt with heavy impact. But still nice and nimble.

If barefoot trailrunners are an option for you, I have the Xero Terraflex and Mesatrail. The first Terraflex held up about 1500km of hiking and 3000km cycling. Now they look very rugged and the outsole is pretty flat, but they are still in one piece and I still wear them occasionally in the garden or on construction yards.

Xero Scrambler Lo and now Mesa Trail

I love the Mesa trail but on longer more technical runs I go with the Altra king mt pretty low stack but has a rock plate. It’s a pretty great shoe

I use trail running shoes like this sometimes (in addition to using them for actual trail running), especially when traveling and packing light. They will wear out faster (since they’re not intended for using on asphalt/concrete surfaces), but they are comfortable and work just fine for me. I can’t recommend specifics - I have been using Xero Mesa Trail and am planning to switch to Freet Calver because the Xero aren’t quite wide enough for me, but these are barefoot/minimalist shoes and not for everyone! Your best bet is probably to go to a running shoe store that sells trail shoes and try a few on. (Hopefully someone local to you might be able to suggest a specific store.)

My experience is that Xero Mesa Trail II is about as wide as Altra Lone Peak 9 regular width (Altra original fit wide is a good bit wider than anything Xero does). I think Altra Experience is narrower than Lone Peak - it’s Altra’s “standard” fit (instead of “original”). (I haven’t tried the Experience personally though, just read reviews - I have tried tried lone peak 9 in regular and wide width, and also xero mesa trail.) I’ve never had toenail issues (except when I bash my toes on things haha), but I use exclusively xero mesa trail II for trail. The limited cushioning as compared to Altra will take some getting used to (rocks can really hurt), but they work the best for me (I feel nimble and really stable in a way I don’t with taller shoes like Altra). When I’m doing mostly road or road and dry dirt, I swap between freet pace and xero hfs original (hfs 2 is too narrow for me), and sometimes Altra Escalante 4 when I’m running only on flat terrain (for some reason I’m prone to knee pain on long flat runs, and the extra cushion prevents it). Sorry - that’s lots of info and no solid advice, but maybe my experience can help? Altra has a good return policy, so I would probably order a pair of lone peaks and see how you like them (probably regular fit, not wide). If they’re too narrow, try the wide width. If they fit well but you want a closer to the ground feel, try mesa trail or vivobarefoot.