New Fell Shoe about to hit the Market.

[Beneficial Dictator]

Was up at the New Balance factory in the Lakes whilst on Hols & saw the preproduction sample of their new fell shoe. Pretty Radical it is too.
A one piece tough looking fabric upper ( no stitching at all ) welded to sole looking very similar to the Inov8 330 / Mudclaw stud pattern. It also has a integral close fitting ( zip off with those flash new water resistant zip ) just over ankle gaiter to stop grit etc... getting into the shoe and cover the laces from the muck and mire. Tried on the only ones they had, size 9, slightly too small ( I am a 9.5 ). I was pretty impressed by the look and feel. They seem to take fell shoe design on too the next level. Walsh & Inov8 may need to up their game if these work well. They look to be a huge advance on the RX Terrain, New Balances current fell shoe. Price supposedly around £65 to £70 and in the shops from September. I look forward to seeing if they run as good as they look.
Remember you heard it here first. Cheers. Craig.

[phil cheek]

Chris Cripps & I have been fans of the RX for years & pay £30-40 in the NB shops in Cumbria.
CC`s comment to me on the new ones some weeks ago was ,gimmicky & pricey,but then he is a Cumbrian.
Any way I`m glad I`ve a good stock of RX in the garage,cos these new ones are going to have to be VERY good to be worth twice as much.
It is good to spoilt for choice compared to the old days of a Walsh or a Walsh.
Phil

[Colin Ardron]

Clearly you don't recall the really "old" days Phil when there was a choice - Walsh or the infamous Reebok Aztek or Ripple as it came to be known (no not a joke neither was it some kind of confection, but a strange blue off road shoe with a sort of baby poo coloured sole with horizontal ridges running the entire length of the shoe).

[thebunyans]

What about the green Rimington Pike?...

[phil cheek]

Rimington or Rivington?They were Ron Hills weren`t they?
There were ETA`s& I had a pair of Pumas that weren`t bad.

Phil

[Colin Ardron]

Then there was the Inter Premier with a waffle sole - all for under £10!

[mudskimmer]

I've still got my Reebock Aztec (blue with beige ridged sole), and Rivington Pikes (green), in my shoe museum in the garage - along with several pairs of walsh's, Innovate's a, and montrails, - not to mention the Nike Pegasus, adidas and New Balance off road shoes.
These shoes date back to 1986, when in those days the only small (size 5) fell shoe was the Reebock Aztec, and Rivington Pike - as there were so few lady runners in the fells in those days.

Perhaps I should open up my historical shoe collection to members of the public for guided tours, and charge a small fee so that I can buy myself some new socks !

I could also include a good collection of outer garments - 'The evolution of the jacket - mistproof to waterproof in 30 years' .......D'yer think I'd have many takers?

[Welsh Harrier (MC)]

My first two pairs of fell shoes were Reeboks and they seemed to be pretty good at the time until I discovered Walshies. I've been wearing New Balance road shoes for years - must be on my 20th pair by now but the problem with their fell shoe is that they don't do them big enough for me. Hopefully this new shoe should have a size 13?!

[phil cheek]

My my what big feet you`ve got said red riding hood

[Colin Ardron]

I've still got the pair of clogs that I used to wear when walking the six miles to the pit.

[mudskimmer]

Yeh, but are they road or off road clogs ?