Name: Heather Oakes 
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Height: 5’7” (1.74 m)
Weight: 140 lbs (64 kg)
Email address: alekto-at-yahoo.com     
City, State, Country: Decatur, GA, United States
Date: August 31, 2004
Backpacking Background: I have had very little experience hiking and backpacking until about two years ago. Day hiking and weekend backpacking comprise most of my limited experience. The most consecutive nights out has been three. I tend to backpack in warm, humid climates such as Georgia and Florida, with a good amount of hiking in the mountains of north Georgia and I have never hiked in freezing or below yet. I am moving towards lightweight backpacking as I get a better feel for what I really need on trips that are longer than a weekend.

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Owner Review for Montrail Hurricane Ridge XCR Trail Runners

Bio Notes for Specific Product: I wear a size US 7.5-10 depending on the brand, as I was told Montrails ran small, I purchased a US 9.5. I have a narrow heel, medium width, Morton’s Toe, and I am a pronator. From a personal comfort level, my arch easily blisters and is rubbed by almost any built-in arch, so I keep to flat-footed shoes.

Product info:

Manufacturer:  Montrail
Year of purchase: 2004
Website: http://www.montrail.com
Listed weight: 12 oz  (340.2 g)  per shoe        

Weight upon arrival: 14 oz (396.9 g) per shoe

MSRP: USD 115

Size: US 9.5
Product description. – A waterproof/breathable trail runner, the Hurricane Ridge XCR features a Gore-Tex lining, synthetic leather/mesh outer, a rubber-coated leather toe cap, and a carbon rubber platform with pronation control.

Field Info:

a. Locations: All over middle-north Georgia, from the Atlanta area to the GA/NC line on the AT. Product was primarily tested in the mountains of north Georgia. They have been used on and off pavement as trail runners.

b. Descriptions: Sea level to 4,000+ ft (1219 m) on the Appalachian Trail. Trails have ranged from immaculately manicured state parks, to practically bushwhacking in wilderness areas. They have crossed streams and rivers, and been used over very rocky and slippery trails.

c. Weather conditions: Day hikes in any season, but the overnight trips have only been in spring or summer. The weather has been mostly warm and humid for these shoes, with some day hikes in freezing weather with no snow. No monsoon-like Florida rain, but light to moderate rain has been experienced wearing the shoes.

d. Reports:

I have taken the Montrails on numerous day hikes ranging from 5-13 miles (8-20.9 km) on trails of varying conditions. From February to May when I was training for the 4 day hike on the Appalachian Trail, twice a week I hiked up a short but steep (elevation change of +683 ft/208.2 m in less than 1 mile/1.6 km) trail at Stone Mountain Park in metro Atlanta that had a paved or rock surface. Some sections of that trail were steeper than others and did not have railings; I never had any problems with the shoes losing traction on a dry trail but I never tested them on a risky-looking wet trail in Stone Mountain Park. Other dayhikes in local state parks and forests established the Hurricane Ridge as being fairly comfortable on rocks, having very good traction descending, and being water-resistant to minor drizzles, small stream crossings and morning dew.

In May, I hiked over 40 miles (64.37 km) of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia in 4 days 3 nights. The conditions were mildly humid on all but one day when it rained moderately. My pack weighed over 30 lbs (13.6 kg), so I utilized Dr. Scholl's Tri-Comfort Orthotics insoles for extra comfort. I generally do not need much ankle support but some of the downhill scrambles had me wishing for heavy boots. A short rest after a tricky part of the trail, and I was fine. I could feel the weight difference between the Montrails and my old, heavy Vasque boots the first night, and was pleased to still find my feet comfy. The shoes remained fairly comfortable when dry, but after a few hours of rain I did get a few blisters and cursed the shoes in colorful ways. They did not dry out particularly fast overnight, but the direct sun and heat of the following day did dry them eventually. Descending muddy trails and rocky ridges were where the Montrails excelled. They have very good traction and bend to my foot without feeling so thin that I can feel every pebble beneath me.

Two overnight backpacking reports; the first being 7 miles (11.3 km) in, 5 miles (8 km) out in the Cohutta Wilderness, the second being the strenuous Coosa Backcountry Trail in North Georgia of which no one seems to agree on how long it actually is any given day (between 11-13 miles or 17.7-20.9 km). Both of these trips can be described as having very lightly maintained trails. Gaiters would have been nice for preventing the numerous scratches on my legs, but the shoes left the trail muddy but unscathed. Both trips were in June so it was hot, humid, and buggy. Without rain, the shoes worked well at keeping out the water and chafing generally associated with that kind of humidity but did not keep my socks and feet completely free of the damp. At a few points, the trails would be become blocked or disappear necessitating some negotiations around the trail generally in a few inches of mud. I am happy to report I only slid once with no injuries.

 Summary:

 No trail runner is going to be completely waterproof, and the Montrails did get soaked after a moderate afternoon storm only drying out after a few hours in direct sun, but they held up like troopers in the muck, mud, streams, light rain, and humidity that pervades the South. They are not as breathable as I would like considering the weather I am accustomed to hiking in, but I had meant the waterproofing addition of the Gore-Tex to be my trade off. I would give the Montrails an average grade in keeping my feet dry from the normal sweat and humidity of the South, but had these been tested in lower humidity I would have possibly noticed whether or not they are more breathable than the average sneaker. The grooves on the sole grip slippery rocks with a comic-book like tenacity, with stiff soles that keep my feet from feeling every rock while still flexible enough for me to move around in. I have yet to find a shoe for the trail that keeps my feet happy after hours and hours of wear, these are no different and I admit to a certain level of arch and heel discomfort if hiking over lots of rocks or with a heavy load, but my toes are never crowded descending. After experiencing a certain amount of discomfort, I began using Dr. Scholl's Tri-Comfort Orthotics on all backpacking trips and any trail over 10 miles (16 km). I have not tried any other kinds of insoles or footbeds to this date. On all trips I used SmartWool thin and thick socks depending on outside temperature, and a poly liner for backpacking trips mainly for olfactory purposes. Since purchase in January of 2004 and from checking after every hike, I have had no abrasions, delamination, or damage. I generally just dunk them in a sink or hose them off if they are too muddy or I step in smelly things, but I take no special efforts to keep them looking new and as a result they are less yellow/blue and more gray/brown. The fit is excellent and overall I’m very happy with them. I would easily buy these again, but I may be checking out other models or brands that do not have water-proofing as these did not perform well for that function, and I will always be looking out for something even more comfortable.

Things I Like:

1.      Traction

2.      Toe comfort

Things I Don’t Like:

1.      Arch/heel Comfort over extended periods/heavy loads

2.      Not as water-resistant as expected