When it comes to barefoot trail running shoes for women, the WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running shoe is in a class all by itself (click here for availability and pricing on the WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running Shoe
WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running Shoe Features
The WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running shoe was designed specifically to be worn barefoot (i.e. without socks), making it unique among lady’s minimalist trail shoes. With that said, it can be comfortably worn with socks as well (the manufacturer recommends going a size larger if this is your preference). The main highlights of this exciting addition to the Minimus family include:
- Rugged, reliable trail shoe that is nearly 50% lighter than the average minimalist footwear
- A synthetic mesh upper that provides excellent protection without sacrificing comfort
- Durable, highly-flexible, 4mm Vibram outsole that encourages a natural mid-foot strike
- Open, wide fit allows your foot to expand naturally as you make impact with the ground
WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running Shoe Reviewed!
Because my wife Cheryl had been an ardent supporter of the Merrell Barefoot series, she was initially a bit reluctant to “mess with a good thing” and try the WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running shoe. With a bit of nudging from me, she eventually gave in and agreed to take a pair of new WT10s on a test run along our favorite hillside trail.
Appearance-wise, Cheryl was fairly pleased with the look of the WT10. Although the overall appearance of the shoe is fairly conventional for her tastes, the sassy orange and tan design earned some style points. Personally, I thought they looked great.
Like me, my wife also has a fairly wide foot, and runs without socks, which makes it difficult for her to find comfortable shoes at times. There were no complaints about the fit of the WT10 though. She even commented on how much more open the forefoot was than her Merrell’s.
Once we hit the trails, she also seemed pretty pleased with the performance of the WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running shoe. Cheryl was initially a little worried about the 4mm sole on the WT10 (she’s used to the zero-drop heels on the Merrells), but actually commented during our run that she couldn’t feel any difference.
The only downside to the WT10 as far as my wife was concerned was the presence of heavy stitching inside. This caused some irritation and a mild blistering, but I have been since assured that it will wear down and become smooth with repeated use. The lesson here is that you may want to use socks for the first couple of weeks with these shoes.
Overall, Cheryl did give the WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running shoe a big thumbs up as she was quite impressed with its fit and performance. She felt that it was slightly-less minimalist than what the Merrell Barefoot Series offers, but thought that it was perfectly-suited for people who want to transition to barefoot trail running. To check the latest prices and availability on WT10OR New Balance WT10 Women’s Minimus Trail Running Shoe