Fast, light, and explosive. The grip on this shoe is tremendous; it holds where others squirrel out. Tiny Loose stones and gravel on steep faces? No problem. Slimey rocks? Not even close to being an issue. If you wanna set PRs, CRs, and FKT’s, this is your shoe. It’s almost unfair. Come out to race in these and you’re essentially bringing a gun to a knife fight.
I have been a VJ fan for more than 4 years now wearing the Ultra2’s and original Maxx’s for all my trail running and OCR events. The first time I put a pair of these new Maxx2’s on my feet I knew there was something different about them. The fit was perfect sizing down a half size. The cushion with the new SuperFOAMance midsole was phenomenal without giving up responsiveness you would normally give up with a well cushioned trail running shoe. The full rock plate gives you the added protection you need for those rocky technical trails. The new lightweight upper material with the wider toe box along with the now fully attached tongue gives you a whole new feeling especially on the fast downhill technical trails. Of course like all VJ’s the grip is still the best grip on the planet. VJ not only hit a home run with these new Maxx2’s they put the ball over the center field stands for the game winner in the bottom of the ninth!!!
I bought these sneakers at the end of 2022 when I was living in America with my family, but I didn't test them there. We returned to Kazakhstan last spring, but it was only this February that I ran in these sneakers for the first time (photo from the Burabay Ice race on the ice of the same-named lake in northern Kazakhstan). I liked them from the very first step; there was absolutely no need for a break-in period. They provide excellent grip on ice and compact snow, you can control every step well, very comfortable and cozy!
The sizing of the shoe was very different than all the other running shoes I wear. I went up a whole size to fit toes comfortably. They we very comfortable overall in the larger size but the heel was a little loose. The grip on snow and ice was great. The shoes were truly waterproof. What I love best about them, however, was the color. What a gorgeous shoe! I wish you made the blue available to women as well. I also wish you made all your shoes in wides and offered all models in more color choices.
Used this shoe in a Spartan race and a savage race. It definitely has better traction both in the mud and on the obstacles than my trail running shoes. I also think it drains water a little better, which makes for some lighter running. It is pretty minimalistic in terms of cushion. The exterior seems a bit thin, but so far is holding up well after around 30 miles on the trails.