I have used these shoes for a 50k trail race and a 100 mile trail race, as well as daily training. They are fantastic in almost all aspects. The grip is amazing on all types of terrain. They drain well and dry quickly. They feel great on my feet and strike a good balance between great cushioning and responsiveness over long distances. However, they cause severe blisters on both heels. The material that VJ has used here is a little on the sticky side and this creates a lot of friction in the heel area. I love everything else about the shoe, so I put multiple layers of KT tape on my heels just to be able to run in them. VJ, if you can fix this you will have 5 star shoes for sure, something that can be used anywhere and any distance.
Great shoe. I went down a 1/2 size from my normal shoe size. The grip is awesome and the midsole was excellent for about 90 miles. The midsole felt flat and did not filter out sharp rocks at about 90 miles. I think if VJ designed an insole like Inov 8 boomerang insole it would make these shoes a 5 star for me. Overall I love the shoe and will probably buy another pair .
Grippy as always. Very comfortable. Great long distance shoe with a pop for speed if needed. My only complaint is that it holds water/sweat. My solution is to drill some holes in the bottom which I have done for all my VJ purchases and it drains well after that. Will buy again
I LOVE all my VJ's but these were an expected find. A bit more rugged for hiking and more durable, very comfortable right out of the box and VERY grippy. I like how they come up a little higher than the Maxx2. So far my favorite VJ.
I've been using this for mountain runs, hikes and longer distance Spartan obstacle course races. Love the fit and cushion for this middle-aged runner, best all-around setup for me after trying all the major brands' max cushion trail shoes. I've put them through quite a bit of abuse and so far they've held up well. Highly recommend.
Was originally concerned about purchasing these - but the size was a perfect fit and very comfortable on the first run. Can’t wait to try them on my first swim run event next month. The Low Tides Boys were right!
Darn near perfect!
Love these shoes for the grip and comfort. One not so small point is the lack of a toe cap for when I stub my toe on a rock! I miss that, please do bring it back. Helpful on rocky trails.
I want to love these! So much that I bought another pair and sized up and to no avail. My toes hate these shoes and the larger size made my ankles sore because they were just too big. Amazing grip, good cushion, just not for these feet.
Just wrapped up the Mogollon Monster 100M in the MAXX 2. Conditions were dry throughout, so did not have to deal with any mud. Shoe performed admirably, tackling both runnable track, highly technical terrain, and everything in between. Mid sole and heal cup held foot in place incredibly well. Shoes lived up to their stickiness on the rocks! The durability of the upper was great and did not tear on any of the rocks, roots, etc. Rock plate did its job perfectly, and does not make the shoe to stiff.
Only draw back was that the breathability. The shoe always felt warm, but then again it was 80F and we were running in a desert for 50% of the time.
I rate this shoe a 5 of 5. It lives up to its advertising.
AP
My daughter has been wearing these for cross country and absolutely loves them! Great grip, comfy and she believes they make her faster :). Definitely recommend!
Bought my VJ shoes for the OCR World Championship and they proved to be comfortable and grippy enough for obstacles.
First time using this shoes for Tough Mudder and they were great. 100% recommend
I love my new VJ MAXx2. They fit perfectly and are fun to run with on trail. Love the brilliant green color and the way they make my feet feel.
These shoes were recommended by a friend. I chose a pretty substantial run/hike for a first run in these bad boys and fell in love. Big fan and a convert. I also have a standard - wide! - foot and I sized up a half size and fit has been spot on for me. Love them planning to get another pair.
Love these shoes. Recently used them for a Spartan Super 10k and biut another pair specifically for training! Best I’ve used for OCR.
One of my all-time favorite shoes for OCR. The aggressive grip is perfect for the muddiest, toughest terrains. Definitely more comfortable than the previous model. Love having it back in rotation!
This thing is light and feels nice on even terrain, but the stack height and heel-toe drop is too much for very technical trails & stability overall. I also think your foot does not sit low enough within the shoe’s upper. I wore these twice and rolled my ankle on a fairly moderately slanted slab on the second go. Lifting the heel decreases stability (try to balance 1-foot on just your toes), so this is not really for east coast technical mountain running. Probably fine for west coast or smooth single track. I think the most recent VJ lineup is style over substance, & catering to a new crowd
Thank you for your review Brian. And, yes you are correct this shoe is not made for East Coast technical, rocky mountain running. It is designed to be more of a speed trail shoe as stated in the description.
Fantastic grip, wonderful in wet conditions. I cannot recommend this shoe enough. Very sad its being discontinued.
Can do it all, really happy with them and how they fit/feel/hold-up during my test runs and every day routine.
VJs all day!!