Show me your runners shops! You Ultralighters.

[Lamont]

I'm after a shop in or near Melbourne.
My Altra Lone peaks, Inov8 Race Ultras and Inov8Trail Talons are dying. If you can help you probably know these brands pretty well.
They are pretty light and tough enough-tears even if they start will allow you to get you out of trouble. Got many hundreds of ks with torn pairs. An extra 500ks with a pair of torn LPs 3.0.
These are indicative of what I am after-and I have the typical Ozzie foot-wider than standard.
What used to be a nine and half as a lad before we emptied Coburg and Brunswick of shoe factories and went to narrow imported stuff made to fit everyone other that Ozzies that live in barefeet much of the year.
Need a low drop (not zero-done that -not me) and rockplate as well and tongue gusset.
I like to keep a pair up my sleeve (or in the wardrobe anyway) is there a place in Melbourne or anywhere near to Melbourne where they have a good selection of proper mesh runners. Need a rockplate and some rand bumpery thing at the front.
I can see heavy and chunky Merrells, Keens and the usual stuff to try on not my thing though. Not this time anyway.
Been to the Katman-bah, Rebel bah bah, been to every shoe joint Bah bah bah. Duds.
Had an argument with some gormless pillock at Wildfire along the lines of --"Australia has always used American sizing" says the little toe rag.
This is the dross I want to avoid but I need a selection-come on you Melbourneites help me out.
Paddy Pallin last I went in there two years ago also near gormless-couldn't fit a spoon to a cup.
If I want waterproof breathable (comedy gold) boots they are everywhere. Why are we so poorly served and only offered heavy sodding GTX stuff almost everywhere!?!
The Katman had only one shoe that was mesh-ONE !?! -Saucony Peregrine-nice but not in my size.
I know Wildfire and Barefootinc and Wild earth sell more or less what I want but for the next pair I would like to try some on. All my runners have been bought on line from Brizzy, the US and the Euro.
Help a country hick out will you.

[Petew]

Sorry country hick, the only place I've found/seen Altras is wild earth. Luckily a mate had a pair in my size to try on.....

These kind of shoes are hard to find here unfortunately.

[crollsurf]

La Sportiva TX4 are super comfy for wide feet. Unreal for scrambling but not sure about durability. So far I've put 100km+ on them and they're fine but I can tell the soft grippy soles won't last as long as many others.

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[Neo]

Similar situation, Keen the only on shelf that are close to my foot shape.

Am very happy with the fit of Topo and just ordered a spare pair from wildearth.

[Lamont]

Similar situation, Keen the only on shelf that are close to my foot shape.

Am very happy with the fit of Topo and just ordered a spare pair from wildearth.

Yes Topos. Went into BPL in Melb after they told me they had Topos in my size-they didn't -buggers.Long trip! They seem perfect and I have been trying to source some to try them out, but not sure on the width. My foot has been expanding hugely when I go over 15-25 ks. Read some stuff that said wideish. Would love to try them on. If they go cheap I would take a punt online. Which ones did you go for? Durable?

[Warin]

The British also run 'wide' feet. In the UK I can walk into ANY shoe store get a UK size 8 and it will fit my so called in Australia "wide' feet. In the UK they are standard width... so buying from a UK ebay shoe store can be very good.. for me.

[Lamont]

The British also run 'wide' feet. In the UK I can walk into ANY shoe store get a UK size 8 and it will fit my so called in Australia "wide' feet. In the UK they are standard width... so buying from a UK ebay shoe store can be very good.. for me.

Thanks but as I mentioned that is what I have been doing. Inov8 also don't offer anywhere near the width they used to in most of their shoes. When they sold up they changed many of their lasts. The Trail talon is narrower for example than the Race Ultra- which is the earlier model. The 2018 Trail Talon is wider than the 2019 model. I have both and measured them. It's good if you can manage it -saves you money.

[Neo]

Similar situation, Keen the only on shelf that are close to my foot shape.

Am very happy with the fit of Topo and just ordered a spare pair from wildearth.

Yes Topos. Went into BPL in Melb after they told me they had Topos in my size-they didn't -buggers.Long trip! They seem perfect and I have been trying to source some to try them out, but not sure on the width. My foot has been expanding hugely when I go over 15-25 ks. Read some stuff that said wideish. Would love to try them on. If they go cheap I would take a punt online. Which ones did you go for? Durable?

My feet are wide in the ball area, big toes olngest and a bunion on the left knuckle. (i an tell by looking at a shoe if it is too narrow or tapers the wrong way)

I goy Topo ultra something US12 and the were so comfy first try I worried maybe a size doen would have been better! As it is they are fine.
The pair I just ordered ar the MT3 trail runner, even though I do have a split where the bunion is.
Not concerned, the structure seems it won't extend beyond that and I'll just patch it with some vinyl/rubber/glue compound.

[Lamont]

Similar situation, Keen the only on shelf that are close to my foot shape.

Am very happy with the fit of Topo and just ordered a spare pair from wildearth.

Yes Topos. Went into BPL in Melb after they told me they had Topos in my size-they didn't -buggers.Long trip! They seem perfect and I have been trying to source some to try them out, but not sure on the width. My foot has been expanding hugely when I go over 15-25 ks. Read some stuff that said wideish. Would love to try them on. If they go cheap I would take a punt online. Which ones did you go for? Durable?

My feet are wide in the ball area, big toes olngest and a bunion on the left knuckle. (i an tell by looking at a shoe if it is too narrow or tapers the wrong way)

I goy Topo ultra something US12 and the were so comfy first try I worried maybe a size doen would have been better! As it is they are fine.
The pair I just ordered ar the MT3 trail runner, even though I do have a split where the bunion is.
Not concerned, the structure seems it won't extend beyond that and I'll just patch it with some vinyl/rubber/glue compound.

Ta. Sounds just like my feet -my left foot is also nearly a full size longer. Took me a while to realise after several shops measured only one foot the right, and I was too gormless to realise ( P.Pallin verilly) they should measure both and fit to the longer!

Actually I don't want a taper at all. I know like you, if the shoe pretty much goes straight out on the big toe side and it is wide I'll be right.
Will check them out -the MT ones were the ones I had been looking to try on.

Ta also Crolly, if I can find those in a shop I will try them on.

[crollsurf]

Hi Lamont, Mountain Equipment have La Sportiva if they are down your way

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[Lamont]

Hi Lamont, Mountain Equipment have La Sportiva if they are down your way

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Ta boyo-looks like Bogong in Melb. has the range of LaSs.
That entire range is branded like nothing I have seen. Wow.

[Neo]

Here is a photo of the bunion/knuckle wear on my Topo shoes, left only.

Nice vinyl surrounding it so not at all concerned. I love airy shoes.

[Warin]

I am right handed.
Left foot is bigger than the right.

When I try on shoes it is the left foot that gets the test. They usually offer the right and get a firm no, left foot thank you.

Probably why the right foot nails tend to go black

[Lamont]

Here is a photo of the bunion/knuckle wear on my Topo shoes, left only.

Nice vinyl surrounding it so not at all concerned. I love airy shoes.

How many hours did you have before that happened. One thing with Inov8s when holes start they are tiny and take a fair bit of abuse before they get too bad. Never had a blow out like that.

[Neo]

Just unlucky I think, shape of my foot and maybe scraped on a rock. Not long, say 200km? Didnt bother trying for warranty. Am confident only that little mesh section is affected, even ordered a similar spare pair as mentioned above.

Topo fit, breathe, light and comfortable for me.

[Moondog55]

Have you ever tried the cheap Dunlop KT?
When I wore runners it was these
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/dunlop- ... 275-black/
I have narrow ankles and a very wide forefoot [ yep bare feet as soon as the weather warms up] and they fit me although I have gone up a size recently as my foot stretches

[Lamont]

Just unlucky I think, shape of my foot and maybe scraped on a rock. Not long, say 200km? Didnt bother trying for warranty. Am confident only that little mesh section is affected, even ordered a similar spare pair as mentioned above.

Topo fit, breathe, light and comfortable for me.

That's a bugger. I have one on my Altra LPs that started at about 200ks got to about a cm but no
longer. The bottom is pretty bald now with what must be 800 ks plus. Looking at the Topos which is the model that ripped?

[Lamont]

Have you ever tried the cheap Dunlop KT?
When I wore runners it was these
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/dunlop- ... 275-black/
I have narrow ankles and a very wide forefoot [ yep bare feet as soon as the weather warms up] and they fit me although I have gone up a size recently as my foot stretches

Yep. I even had a steel capped pair of K26! Volleys galore also even .....Leather volleys. The sizing and quality went to hell when they sold out/up. Those look a little wider. I even loved the roof tiler version of the volleys with the big toe cap- but you never see them any more. I shall go into KMARK Geelong and check them out. Could bash them around home to see if they last. Ta for the reco if nothing else I could wear them for work.
Woops a daisy-it's Woolies. Now that really is a trip to the big smoke, Kmark is so easy to park-damn. Looks like a Banh Mi run as well. Have you tried them at the Hot bread shop MD?

[Moondog55]

No I haven't Looks like they have sold out completely too except in very small sizes

[CraigVIC]

One of the daycare dads is a trail runner and swears by thehappyrunner in Torquay for shoes. No personal experience though.

[Lamont]

One of the daycare dads is a trail runner and swears by thehappyrunner in Torquay for shoes. No personal experience though.

Ta, about to walk over there in the next days-will check it out.

[Neo]

The blue and black Topo model is their 'most off-trailey' model, ultraventure or something. The choice is either blue or red?

Again, its the quirk of my foot not really a failure of the product. Most every shoe that i have found to fit is due to some flex in the upper that allows me to hang out wider than the sole.

My usual rub and consequently wear points are the left foot knuckle and right foot little toe!

The spare I ordered is a bit less rugged by name but quite similar.

[with 5fingers I also went for the most traily model. Did a bit of restitching around some toes early on and just recently had a big toe blowout, might be able to patch it]

[ecowain]

Blue mountains running co in Glenbrook NSW stock Altra, topo, and Hoka models if you ever find yourself up that way.

Altra Lone peak
Topo Ultraventure
Hoka Torrent

[Lamont]

Blue mountains running co in Glenbrook NSW stock Altra, topo, and Hoka models if you ever find yourself up that way.

Altra Lone peak
Topo Ultraventure
Hoka Torrent

Ta anyway.