VJ MAXx Shoes - Trail Running Shoes Women and Mens - Made for Rocky and Technical Mountain Trails and Obstacle Course Races

I really love these shoes. I wore them right out of the box for a 3.5 mile run then a 4 mile hike. Must say that the tongue did irritate the spot right by my ankle bone a bit even with socks and that might take some getting used to, and the only reason I rated you a 4 not a 5. They are much lighter than my Speedcross which have been my go-to shoe for years, yet on the rocky trail my foot was fully cushioned.

Great grip on the obstacles! I am now purchasing another pair for when we compete in back to back races so I’ll have a pair dry for the next day.

I like em

Held up well on the trails..Comfortable fit

Best grip on any athletic shoe ive ever had

Best shoes everCan’t go wrong

Initial thoughts: VJ MAXX5'10" (177cm) tall, 180lbs (82kg). Run/hike road/trail 15-20mi (24-32km) per week since mid-2016.1st Workout: 4mi Trail Run, easy grade and terrain.2nd Workout: 4mi Hike, upwards of 30 degree grade, rough/sandy/rocky terrain.Pros:-Confident grip/lugs-Heavy duty construction through out-Was looking for more cushion compared to the XTRM and the MAXX deliveredJust OK:-I own the VJ XTRM and I love the fit at 11.5US (EUR 46), but the cushion wasn't enough for my weight. I ordered the MAXX for more cushion with the same size, but these run longer than expected. The fit of the MAXX is not the same as the XTRM for me and I would have been better off with size 11 (EUR 45.5).-The toe box is a bit too wide for me. I like to feel like the medial and lateral aspects of my forefoot are one with the shoe. Perhaps this is due to the sizing as outlined above.Cons:-During the trail run, my Achilles tendinopathy was fiercely aggravated. My go to, reliable shoe for the past 4 years has been the Salomon Speedcross with a drop of 10mm. The MAXX has a 6mm drop. Not sure if the 4mm difference made that big of a difference, but I have unhappy Achilles presently. Given this, I will likely resign the MAXX to training days as opposed to Spartan Race days like I had intended.....unless of course my experience changes with time.

Purchased my first two pairs directly from VJ and almost instantly fell in love with them. I used to wear Solomon Speed Cross 4 for all my OCR races, but my feet were so sore because of how narrow they were. After talking to a friend who had heard about VJs from her running coach (an elite racer) I decided to to give them a try. I've never looked back and have in fact introduced several of my racing friends to them, and they love them. I've literally spoken to racers in the coral at every race I've been at in the last year about how much we love our VJs. If you do OCR racing you will love this brand, but it is worth comparing options to find the model that is right for you. I've worn these in all my Spartan races (Sprint, Super, Beast) as well as 3 days at OCRWC and they never let me down. I find they are even becoming my regular training shoe because of how grippy they are. The fit is a little tight, I've heard some racers recommend getting them wet in the shower and wearing them for a little while to "stretch" them. I wear a size up from my regular shoe size.ProsComfortableSUPER DURABLE -Mine probably have more miles than VJ would recommend.LightweightFantastic traction on the trailsGrippyCons (super minor)Wish they had a slightly wider toe box or a wide version.The tongue gets torn up, it's mostly cosmetic but seems to be from the eyelet design.Pretty strict return policy - No returns if worn. My recommendation is try them a little on a treadmill to see how the fit/feel is.