New Balance Minimus Zero Trail

Here’s what will probably happen when you take your Minimus Trail out of the box: you’ll think, Holy cow are these things light.  And when you put them on your feet, you’ll have nearly the same reaction.  In a nutshell, that will be the hallmark of New Balance’s MT00 (as it is also called): the shoe is almost incredibly light.

At less than 5 oz, it feels like there’s almost nothing on my feet – and coming from an experienced barefoot and minimalist runner, that’s saying something. These shoes weigh less than Vibram’s FiveFingers (the standard bearer for light and minimal footwear), and even less than the pair of thin leather moccasins I often wear for trail running.

Another reason to rejoice is the flat platform, which corrects the primary drawback of the previous Minimus Trail. Last year’s model had a 4mm heel-to-toe drop, which is anathema to minimalist purists; the zero-drop platform on this version allows true biomechanics and an easy forefoot/midfoot strike that is the foundation of proper natural running form.

Although the outsole was one of the strengths of the previous model, New Balance did some tinkering for the new model, and from my testing may have done something of a disservice. The new outsole is even more deeply lugged than the prior version, which was already very aggressive and grippy in practically all conditions. Standing height of the outsole is 10mm in the heel and toe.

Traction is solid in all conditions, especially on wet rocks or mud.  However, spacing of the lugs is so wide that there is room for smaller pointy rocks to jut between them—think of gravel fire road—so if you’re not accustomed to minimalist running yet, your feet could feel a bit of bruising on highly rocky or technical terrain.

With increasing miles, I’ve also noticed that the softer black pods have become deformed, especially those that sit underneath the higher density green pods at impact areas. Of course, minimalist runners don’t expect much in the way of structure anyway, but the wear pattern after about 125 miles suggests that the overall durability of this new outsole is diminished compared to its predecessor.

Likewise, the revamped upper isn’t quite as comfortable against the skin as the previous model, which had a true slipper-like feel against bare skin. The updated Minimus upper is remarkably thin, paper-like and translucent, constructed from a durable nylon that resists scratches and abrasions quite well. However, it also feels coarser and less supple against my skin, and I did have a breaking-in period thanks to a blister on the top of one toe on my first 10-miler with this pair.

The upper also appears more permeable to dust and fine grit than the previous model; if you’re wearing socks, this isn’t a huge issue, but since the shpoes are intended to be worn sockless, this could be an issue for longer runs.