First Thoughts - Mizuno Ascend 4

With the VIP discount and a coupon, I got new shoes from Road Runner Sports for under 40 bucks. After wearing them around the house for a week, I decided to try the Ascends out on a snowy 5 mile trail run.

So far, I LOVE these shoes - for many reasons. I ordered a 7.5, same as all my running shoes, and they fit perfectly. The Ascend is very lightweight and flexible. The traction is better than my Cascadias and the shoes have a bit more needed stability. The very best part of this shoe is the low heel counter, which means that nothing is touching the almost gone achilles nodule.

I don't think the Ascends are water resistant, and my toes did get a little cold while running through deep snow. Once I got back to the road, though, my feet quicky warmed up. It helped wearing SmartWool socks too. This shoe isn't as cushiony in the forefoot, but that didn't bother me during this run. Hopefully, this will hold true for longer runs too. I'd say this is one of the most comfortable pair of running shoes I have ever owned.