Lowa Men's Amplux

Not cushy, but stable and they have a rock plate/shank.

I bought these on sale since they are the first-generation model. The present one is the Lowa Amplux ATR. I liked my Lowa hiking boots so much I figured I'd give these a try. Got these at the beginning of summer and the only other running shoes I've worn since then have been some older Adidas road shoes.

These are a great trail running shoe, and I've worn them hiking a couple times. Usually this is a $160-170 priced model, but I've seen them at various places on sale at close to the $100-130 price. If you are looking for a cushy ride this isn't the shoe for you unless you find a soft insole to swap out. The fit seems accurate and my heel is secured enough that I don't think I'd ever get a blister in these. They didn't have any break-in period and went straight to running in them. The shank sold me because two of the trails I've started running have lots of rocks and roots. These protect my arch much better than a shoe or boot without the feature.

It's been two years since Lowa got into the running shoe market and they only have the three trail runners at present. One other is more racing flat and there is another that's a bit cushier which can be used as a low hiker. I went for the middle model in their line and I'm very happy. The upper seems durable enough and its waterproof, but I seldom run when it's wet. Today though I had to slow down due to lots of slippery wet leaves on the trail.

Background

Not much. I haven't been a runner since my 30s but at 70 I started running again. I used to use New Balance or Saucony road models and I occasionally ran some trails. Now I avoid running much on hard surfaces and try to stick to off road.