Trail Shoes

I am a former fan of Garmont shoes, but the last two pairs in my closet were expensive and neither held up very well, especially considering the co$t. I have a pair of Timberland boots that are almost indestructible, and they're six or seven years old. Anyone know anything about the shoes?

What does the collective wisdom say about trail running shoes that come in sneaker form? I'd like to find a mix of comfort, cost, and durability. Say in the $100 range, new.

I'm interested in brands and specific models that might work for a guy with "difficult" feet. I am extremely fashion-challenged.

A subject that intrigues me also. I have similar parameters and have not yet found the answer.

My best fitting recent trail shoes are 5.10s, a model they don't make anymore (Mountain Master) that I found on the backshelves at Marmot, my second pair of these. If your fit issue is that you have a squared-off toeline such that your little toe rubs on anything that fits the rest of your foot, some of the newer model 5.10's like the Exum Guide still have that basic "bathtub" footbed shape. The sole will wear down in a couple seasons because it's soft climbing rubber but the rest of the shoe is bomber. Asolo also used to have a nice selection of those bathtub-type fits but I haven't found any that fit or feel good lately.

I've tried a couple pairs of La Sportivas on friends recommendations, these have not worked out. Footbed more pointed, have little-toe rub problem. Also many of the models are not waterproof in the least, I guess in the goal of being light or high tech. These also have barely lasted a season.

My perhaps rose-colored gold standard for a trail shoe is still the original Nike Lava Dome or the one that came just after (Caldera?). Someone probably got fired for making that shoe so damn durable.

I'm a fan of the Exum Guides, though I have fairly normal feet. The thin sole will deliver a pounding with a heavy pack, but they're secure on nasty terrain and are otherwise pretty comfortable.

While I haven't tried their full on boot models, the Keen trail shoes also have the "bathtub" fit that wolfs mentioned. The Keen GoreTex mid rise trail shoes I bought have been very durable and the soles have held up well.

Thanks for the data guys, I really appreciate it. I'm especially interested to hear about the poor durability of La Sportiva, as it's a brand I have been considering ... but will be very happy to cross off the list.

I'll add the suggested brands to my list for the weekend. Thanks for the recommendations, I hadn't considered Keen, and I hadn't heard of Exum Guides.

Salomon used to make some great hiker/light backpacker boots....some rad name like X or something...more boot than sneaker but still light, flexy, and supportive underfoot. Mine are still hanging tough after 5 years of moderate use.