Scott T2 Kinabalu Review

 The chances a shoe company will provide me a shoe sponsorship are slim but when I find a pair of shoes that fit well and don't hurt my feet right out of the box I am going to give them there due.

Scott T2 Kinabalu

Out of the box
 These shoes are bright, felt light and did not hurt my feet when I put them on in the living room. After switching to a thinner sock they felt even better. My first few runs in the Kinabalu where 3, 5 and 7 miles, I experienced no weird rubbing, blisters or sore feet, they breath well and where lighter than other shoes I have worn, I was impressed.

Fit ~ I have a wide foot, narrow ankle
The toe box is roomy but does not feel loose. It was a little snug in the fore foot but the thinner sock had helped that. I altered the lacing a bit to keep my heal in place and have not had any trouble with the laces that other reviewers have mentioned, I tie a double knot. The Kinabalu keeps your foot secure and feels true to size. I wear an 11.

The Feel
Scotts " Aero Foam" provides great cushioning on a wide comfortable platform. The eride "Rocker" was designed to smooth transitions for heel and mid foot strikers into a more efficient fore foot strike. As a heel striker I  was not sure what to expect about the forced transition the rocker claimed but it was not alarming. I must admit however that I had some tender lower leg muscles after my first few runs but nothing that kept me out of the shoe.

The Tread
 The Kinabalu features a solid forefoot rock plate and well separated lugs heal to toe that provides good secure grip on the trail while climbing and descending. This is a trail shoe made for hammering through dirt, rocks, roots and mud not a trail/road hybrid. Scott describes the Kinabalu as the "ultimate light weight trail machine" and they are. I wore these on a rainy, muddy 22 mile slog and although obviously wet I did not feel like I was running on sponges do to the unique weep holes that channel water out of the shoe, pretty cool.


Notice weep holes back of left shoe and front of right just behind toe

 

Tread

Wrap Up
 I just completed The North Face Endurance Challenge, DC: marathon in The Kinabalu and they did not disappoint. They proved extremely breathable and comfortable in the 97 degree heat and where flawless in the terrain. This is my trail shoe for the summer and hopefully summers to come.

*I have been so Happy with this shoe that I have purchased the AF Trainer and love em'!