Author Topic: Higher State Soil Shaker test and trip report!  (Read 2000 times)

WhitstableDave

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Higher State Soil Shaker test and trip report!
« on: 15:34:28, 14/11/20 »
I recently bought a pair of Higher State Soil Shaker shoes from SportsShoes.com for the incredibly low price of £29.99 - inc. p&p!

While they're described as trail-running shoes, I was intrigued by the rugged, grippy-looking soles and I wondered how they'd work as off-road walking shoes. Some very positive reviews combined with the low price settled the matter - I'd give them a try. Various colours were available, and I went for the least understated!  :)



The Soil Shakers arrived quickly and they fitted me perfectly. I was impressed by the look and feel, but the insoles were simple foam and didn't provide the arch support I like. This is normal for me and, except for Merrell shoes, I've always swapped the insoles for something more supportive. In this case, I happened to have a pair of Superfeet Trailblazers available (that hadn't solved a Berghaus boot problem) so I used them. Okay, the insoles cost more than the shoes, but I'm sure that cheaper replacements would have have done the job.

I did my first walk in the Soil Shakers yesterday - 12+ miles on mostly damp tarmac, which I usually find to be the slipperiest of all surfaces - especially when coated in a thin layer of oily clay! I was really pleased with the grip, which was far better than my Merrells - my usual favourite road shoes. And despite walking a fair distance in brand new shoes, my feet felt fine.

With the road test completed, this morning my wife and I did a woods walk which was entirely off-road where the surface was often very muddy. The Soil Shakers are meshy and not in the slightest bit waterproof, so I wore a pair of lightweight Bridgedale Stormsocks. I've previously tested medium weight Bridgedale Stormsocks with non-waterproof Merrells with total success, so my confidence was high!



The shoes were really excellent. They were light, comfortable and gripped superbly, and the socks kept my feet bone dry throughout.  :)



The route we took this morning was almost entirely in nearby woods. A couple of weeks ago, we were walking through the woods when we kept seeing trail runners. On investigation, it turned out that a race was in progress: The Maverick Adidas Terrex Original Kent 2020 no less. I found the routes online (5k, 10k and half-marathon) and we decided to walk the 10k route with a view to running it another day. (Note: it's not easy to navigate woods with a GPS while running!) The car park was a little way from the route, so the potential 6.2mile run became an 8.1mile walk.





So, all in all, a very successful morning. I'm impressed by the amazingly cheap but excellent Higher State Soil Shaker shoes, and the reconnaissance has shown us a 10k trail run route that we're looking forward to trying soon!
Walk, Jog, Run : our YouTube video channel.

One F

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Re: Higher State Soil Shaker test and trip report!
« Reply #1 on: 13:50:14, 15/11/20 »
Interesting that Higher State are now supplying trail shoes. I haven't looked at sportshsoes site for quite a while so thanks for the heads up on the footwear  :)


I do have a few bits of Higher State kit and have found them equally as good as better known brands and of quite a bit less expensive too.


Off to window shop now .....

 

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