Mudclaw 330′s The Full Suss of Fell Shoes
Posted in Gear
These shoes encourage you to fly down hills with what may seem like reckless abandonment but in these shoes you are in control. You know that if the foot hits the ground then you are not going to slip. Almost to the point of feeling like your knees will pop out before your shoes slip.
First time I wore them I was hooked. I had spent a summer being too timid on downhills after a nasty ankle injury earlier in the year. This solved that problem instantly. My fear of slipping and twisting my ankle disappeared. These shoes are the fell shoe equivalent of a full suspension mountain bike. They may be a bit heavier than a lot of bikes shoes at 330g (the clue is in the name) but what this extra weight loses in speed, it make up for in the ability to run over rough ground at high speeds. The grip is second to none yet the shoe still feels nimble enough on technical ground should you want to mess around. they are also aggressive enough just to power through stuff. I now don’t avoid the odd loose stone and shale, I positively run at it and over it without giving it a second glance.
A definite improvement on Walshes for me! I believe this is feel of extra grip is more to do with the stability of them, which is excellent! A wider base of the shoe than your standard Walsh give them extra stability. This stability is another key factor in the confidence to let go when it gets a bit steep.
Another comparison to a full suspension mountain bike is that due to their grip and design, once you hit smooth hard ground then the advantage of these shoes are lost. On smooth trails or any bits of road that you may have to endure then they do feel slightly oversized and awkward. They are still comfy due to the rubber studs giving some cushioning but ideally you want to keep those studs in pristine condition. These shoes are made for mud, grass and bogs, steep traversing and eyeballs out descending. They are NOT made for solid ground.
My dad would call them shit-kickers! He has a way with words. I would just call them my favorite fell shoe.
October 16th, 2008 at 9:38 am
i can not get on with these all they rip my heels to shreds but i do agree about the amazing grip. i came across your blog via the fell runners forum-congratulations on RAB!
October 17th, 2008 at 11:04 am
Hi Kate,
Thanks re: the Rab. Saw from your blog that you were there as well! It was a great event and loved the overnight camp.
I have had similar problems with Inov8 shoes in the past but found that steaming the heels helped. When I got these 330′s it seemed to me that the heel was softer than previous models so maybe Inov8 have changed the design?
Anyone else notice this or have my feet been battered into an inov8 shaped foot?
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
[...] running fells I am generally in inov8 330’s but on the roads I am in a pair of heavily cushioned and quite heavy nike road shoes. On top of [...]