Oboz Ignition Trail Shoes: Fab for Feet

Wow! The Ignition Trail Runners were the first shoes I've worn from Oboz, a relative newcomer in the outdoor footwear scene, and I'm way impressed. They're bombproof, super comfy, and have insanely good traction thanks to an aggressive tread pattern. 

When I first inspected the shoes, I was surprised at the construction. The shoe is built around a padded bootie, which made them difficult to put on in the beginning (and Oboz warned of this in the instructions that came in the box) -- but over time, the booties stretched out and the shoe slipped on perfectly.

As I started running in my Oboz Ignition trail shoes, I immediately liked the construction better than the traditional tongue construction. First off, I noticed that less trail debris made it into the shoe -- the one-piece design functions like a gaiter. I also liked the fact that when I cinched the laces tight, there was no extra fabric to fold over itself and cause blisters. That can happen on shoes with a more traditional construction. Finally, I found the bootie cradled my foot really well. 

I've been in France for the last few weeks, and had a great opportunity to test these shoes in the forests of Fontainebleau. I love them. In the dirt and mud they perform admirably thanks to the incredibly aggressive tread pattern. I also really liked the lacing straps that surround the booties -- they allowed me to get really even pressure along the entirety of my foot, which meant my feet didn't shift around inside the shoe. Ultimately, that meant a better running experience that afforded me a lot more agility when I needed to quickly shift directions or jump over something in my way on the trail. 

A last thing I noticed is that there's a fair amount of support in the shoe. Many running shoes are simply too lightweight for me, and my feet -- particularly my forefeet -- start hurting if I walk too much in them (and I'm not striking primarily on the heel). This is a problem on steep mountain terrain when I'm not always landing on the padded heel part of the shoe. However, the Ignitions seem to have good cushioning throughout the shoe, as well as a nylon footplate for even more stability.

Available in men's and women's sizes.

Bottom Line :  With incredible traction and a comfortable fit, the Ignition trail shoes are like four-wheel drive for my feet.--N.W. (April 09) 

Price : $99 purchase now for $95 at

Click icon below for sale on Oboz - $69.97:

Manufacturer's Site: www.obozfootwear.com

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