minimalist shoes for ultras

Hi,

I've been wearing Nike Frees for the past few years and have been injury free ever since, so I'm sold on the minimalist thing, but have been thinking about trying another shoe.

Can anyone recommend a good minimalist shoe for ultras? (road and/or trail)

Cheers.

On the roads my go to shoe is Saucony Kinvara which is on the padded end of the minamilist scale, off-road I have been in New Balance for a while first MT101's, then MT110's and now MT1010's of which the MT1010's would be the shoe of choice, were it not for the fact the upper has split after 113 miles, only the outer mesh but still more than a bit annoying, might just be a rogue pair, I'll see what New Balance say when I send them the shoes.

I can second the Kinvaras for road ultras, having just completed the Thames Trot in a pair - and that included boggy fields and freezing flood water. They are certainly a bit more cushioned than some minimalist shoes. My minimal shoe of choice is the New Balance MT10s, which are awesome on all but very muddy trails. As many others will tell oyu, shoe choice is a personal thing. New Balance Minimus and Brooks Pure are my ranges of choice.

Thanks all.

It may sound contradictory, but I think I might need a bit more cushioning in my minimal shoes for when my running form starts to deteriorate after 40 miles or so. Just to take the edge off tired, heavy footfalls.

Does that make sense??!!

I ran NDW50 fine in VB Neo Trail, but they were not suitable for the mostly-road revised TT50 this Saturday (particularly since I had an injured ankle which put my form off so I was heel striking in a way I don't do normally). But for most trail ultras, I'd consider them fine. I've got myself a pain of Inov8 Trailroc 235s ready for Lakeland 50 - bit more cushioning than the Neos and superb grip.

Brooks pure flows for the road. The pure grit are good for certain trails, but are pretty lethal over wet rock, which is when I use inov-8s. Also have the NB 110s which are good too.

I've been given a pair of the new brooks pure drift to trial and they are pretty awesome. Very minimal, 4mm drop, but you can take out the innersole which takes them to zero drop. A really nice and versatile shoe.

+1 for the New Balance 110's, (4mm drop) I've used them for NDW100, fell races, 40-50 mile ultras in the Brecon Beacons and a few trail marathons. I'm still on my first pair which must have 600+ miles on them and are still going strong. I also wear then casually as my normal walking trainers.

You can get them for £35 online

I'm planning on running The Wall in Vivobarefoot Breatho Trails. Longest with them so far was the Kielder Marathon.

Vicky - I started running in barefoot shoes because I got knee pain all the time with regular shoes. Not had a bit of bother with it since, not once. 

I'm another with no knee pain since I made the transition of minimalist (with associated gait changes).

Field & Trek are selling vivo stuff off mega cheap at the moment - like £20 and £25 a pair for breatho trails and their other trail shoe which I can't remember off-hand what it is ...

cragchick - could you post a link? I've just looked at the Field & Trek site and I can't fine ANY Vivo stuff at all - and I'd certainly be interested...

Okay, cancel that - just found them. Anyone know whether, if I take a 4 (EU 37) for the Neo Trail and a 5 (EU 38 for the Neo, I need a 4 or a 5 for the Breatho?