Ode to the VJ MAXx

The East coast has some brutal trails. I DNFd Manitou’s Revenge in 2021 for a variety of reasons but one of them was the shoes I wore flat out did not have enough grip. 

VJ had been on my radar for a bit, but it wasn’t until I reviewed The VJ Speedhiker for Believe In The Run and loved it so much, that I not only applied to be on Team VJ but I immediately purchased the MAXx.

I’ve use the MAXx on 3 extremely gnarly races. Eastern States, The Ring, and The Barkley Fall Classic.

These are 3 of the hardest races on the East Coast and the MAXx performed. Slick rocks, mud, creeks, roots all the BS on the East Coast didn’t even cause this shoe to flinch. 

The upper of the MAXx is extremely comfortable and drains water well. The midsole has a great amount of cushion and the outsole is the best I’ve ever used to keep me from falling on trails. For what this shoe offers the $160 price tag is more than fair. You will receive some great trail miles and the shoe won’t blow out early on the technical terrain like a lot of the more expensive options. 

This shoe gives confidence with it’s superior grip. 

The only improvement I recommend for future versions is a slightly more comfortable upper (less abrasive) especially around the heel. I wear this shoe for long periods of time doing ultras and I think that would really improve the shoe overall. Just please keep the rest the same! It kicks ass! 

All around, the MAXx currently is my favorite trail shoe.

If I do a tough mountain East Coast ultra that’s all I’ll wear. I’m so excited to see new versions of this shoe come out. I’m all in on The MAXx and if you find yourself looking for a shoe to handle rugged terrain, you absolutely have to try it. 

Here’s a link to The MAXx review at Believe In The Run: 

https://believeintherun.com/shoe-reviews/vj-maxx-performance-review/

-John Calabrese @breezytrailhead