The mighty Vitesse has been around for ever, if you like a shoe with a lot of cushion and protection you must give these a try! We run in the rugged Wasatch Range where you need a big toe box for the long technical downhills. The Vitesse has a anti roll lug that will keep you from rolling your ankles in the rockiest of terrain. This extra bit of confidence can go a long way when running a 100 miler! If you want to bomb the scree fields with happy feet, strap on the Vitesse for a ride!

Our Price: $89.95
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• Fit: Excellent. The shoe fit me very well (slightly bigger than “normal”) and feels very smooth. It has good breathability. The shoe features an ergonomically-designed footbed that looks a bit weird at first but really does not bother your feet.
• Toughness: Very Good. The bottom of the shoe is very well protected with new “snake-plate” technology.
• Flexibility: Excellent. The Rucky Chuckies are very flexible, unlike some of the other TNF running shoes.
• Side-to-side Stability: Very Good. The shoes felt extremely comfortable and allowed me to move over tough terrain effortlessly.
• Grip: Very good. Not super aggressive, but plenty to get the job done, especially on rocky terrain.
• Switchback Handling: Very Good. I had to stop and tighten the shoes very tight to handle some of the extreme downhills (so my toes would not hit the front of the shoes) and without an integrated lacing system this restricted my feet a little bit.
• Weight: Excellent. This is the shoes’ best feature! They are really very light for a trail running shoe. I almost did not feel any difference with my road shoes. I found some of the othe on the heavy side.
• Price: OK. At $109.95!
• Overall: This is a great and surprisingly light shoe for almost all trail conditions and can even be used on the road if needed.

You can purchase the Rucky Chuckies Trail Shoe right now for (MSRP109.95) !

Well it’s that time of year were you need a piece of light weight gear you can use and pack away during your trail run. The Marmot Motion Jacket is new for Spring of 2008 and is perfect for mother nature’s surprises, one minute the weather is raining and cloudy but later it clears up. That’s when all 16 oz. of this coat can be stuffed away in your running pack with ease. The Marmot’s Motion Jacket is new for spring and really caters to the trail runner!

Remember this is a single layer shell that will not wicker moisture away as well as the Marmont Windshirt, but this jacket is perfect for those chilly mornings at your trail race!

Happy Trails!

Gu Energy Gel is really food on the run! Gu is super easy to digest and gives you immediate energy when racing those long trail races. These gels contain maltodextrin, which is the key for your body to get back all those carbohydrates you have been losing. This carb combined with fructose raises your blood sugar level, allowing you to run fast for 20 to 30 hours. I recommend you train with GU so you know when and how much to consume.

I generally consume one GU every half hour or so along with a occasional boiled potato and peanut butter sandwich. Less food is better for your stomach on those long treks!

Retail Price: $29.95
Our Price: $26.96
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HAPPY TRAILS!

Wasatch Speed Goat

The GoLite Streak lumbar pack is built for runners who need hydration and performance without the weight of two water bottles. The Streak comes with a Grip water bottle, which fits into the angled holster. The foam mesh panels are breathable and stretchy, so your workout won’t be hindered by your hydration. A zip pocket holds your keys, cash, and gel, so you’ll be prepared for anything. Easy to pull the water bottles are sweet when you are tired, no wasted energy!

GoLite Streak Lumbar Pack
	Our Price: $29.95 Buy at Backcountry Review this product

I smell winds of change as Montrail was gobbled up buy the large corp. Columbia Sportsware. Columbia has decided to discontinue the Montrail Ultrarunning Team which I have been on since the year 2000.
So what do you do? Go try the La Sportiva Fireblade , this is a very well made shoe. The Italian shoe company has the same thought process as the other Italian companies I have used like Scarpa ski Boots and of course Ferrari’s. The Fireblade is a sleek fast trail shoe with no ex-tra bulky material, the shoe fits real snug around the heel and arch area with plenty of room for a big toe box. The stiff heel really helps with pronation control and rolling your ankle. I was really concerned about the skinny heel cup but it really works well on preventing the ankle roll problem. I have been used to floaty boaty shoes that were bulky and loose fitting, now I have shoes that fit like it should, if you like the roads and dirt I highly recommend this Fireblade as it runs real well on all terrain!

Purchase: La Sportivas Fireblade right now for (MSRP: $71.96)

Here is a trail shoe you can use year around, as the rugged Montrail Vitesse offers the softest ride you will ever try! The Vitesse has more cushion then any other trail shoe out there, this shoe gives you confidence to bomb the downhills. The Montrail Vitesse is constructed with a big toe box to minimize that toe bang you get on the steep downhills, the luggy tread with the extra lug outside keeps you from feeling the rocks and rolling your ankle. I have used over 60 pair of these trail shoes and I still have not found a better ride! Be aware, this shoe typically gets tough to find as the season rolls on, good time stock up!

You can purchase the Montrail Vitesse right now for(MSRP: $84.95)

The “ORIGINAL” Marmot DriClime Windshirt has been one of my favorite running layers for a long time! The windshirt is made with a DriClime material that wicks moisture away from your skin into the second layer. The Marmot Windshirt is perfect for three out of four seasons, I start using the windshirt in the fall and wear it into spring. This shell keeps the wind snow and rain from ruining your work out! Warning you will be wearing this Marmot to work!

You can purchase the Marmot DriClime right now
on sale for (MSRP: $84.95 sale price $67.95)

There are two schools of thoughts when buying a trail running shoe, the first one applies to trail running and road running, the shoe must fir your foot. Remember shoe companies are trying to make a shoe that fits every one’s foot and every one’s feet is different. Sounds like a tough task, ha! So with that in mind go try on shoe’s that fit your foot and compliments your type of stride.

Once you find a trail shoe that fits your foot and stride, you must consider the type of trail surface you are running on, a majority of the time. For example I run steep rocky terrain over 75 percent of my training miles, so I used the Montrail Vitesse for over the last 8 years. This shoe has a large toe box and I have long toes, that works well on the steep downhills. The Vitesse also has a anti roll extension on the bottom left side of the sole, this is one of the best features I have ever seen on a trail shoe! Last but least the Vitesse expels water quickly after running through creeks and the cushion keeps you sprinting through the scree fields with confidence!

There ya go, go evaluate your terrine, stride and foot shape and match up with a shoe then go enjoy the trails! Happy feet for all!

Wasatch Speed Goat

Here’s a better way to get hydrated, wherever you are: Just drop a Nuun® hydration tablet in your water bottle and get complex sugar-free electrolyte goodness that recharges your salts, but is more refreshing and efficiently absorbed than water or sports drinks. If you are tired of those over sweetened energy drinks, give Nuun a taste and you will become a daily user!