Calver

I've had my Calvers for about 150 miles (~250km) now, and both the uppers and outsoles are holding up great. The durability is refreshing after a pair of Altras essentially disintegrated within a few months.

The grip is solid in a variety of conditions, but especially in the mud. It's some of the most versatile grip I've found. However, I have had some slippage on algae-covered bridges/rocks like you might find where I primarily hike in southern Appalachia, though just about any other shoe would struggle on those surfaces. A softer rubber compound might have more grip in these areas, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice for the added durability.

I find the shoes comfortable while also providing great ground feel. For longer hikes, I did find my feet getting beat up, especially on descents littered with small, sharp rocks. Adding the OrthoLite insole was enough to fix this for me, and I assume a rock plate would be a good solution as well.

Overall, I love these shoes, and unless I need a warmer, water-resistant/proof option, they're my first choice when heading outside!

Amazing shoes, high quality and very comfortable!

As a long time VFF wearer I'd been using studded fell shoes for winter running. I wanted something that was as flexible as the leading minimalist shoes but as grippy as a fell running shoe. So far on some muddy UK clifftop runs the freet Calver have been very near to the best of both worlds. They don't quite have the stud mud penetration of some leading fell shoes, but the flatter studs on the calver make running on firmer surfaces much more comfortable than feeling the studs. The calver also don't hold mud like many other trail shoes. They are more of a fell runner. Super comfy and excellent ground feel and flexibility. Now they need to get to 500 miles without much going wrong and they might get that fifth star.

I normally buy size 41. I got these in 42 and they are nice and roomy. They are a replacement for vivo barefoot shoes that were rubbing a couple of my toes. These are a much better shape for me, a bit squarer across the toes. I can let my feet spread in toesocks with no rubbing, I haven't tried them with correct toes but I wouldn't expect them to fit in comfortably. They also have a more normal lacing system which I prefer. The colour maybe isn't what I would choose, it reminds me of a poison frog. They show up well at dawn and dusk. The grip is really good, I've had a chance to run on soft slippy ground and felt confident in my footing. Also the treads didn't get clogged with mud. I like the spongy free draining insoles.They are very flexible but the thickness of the treads means you don't feel every little stone you land on.

I run frequently in the Welsh hills, so conditions are general very muddy and wet, but these shoes handle it great. The lugs are solid, but most importantly don’t sacrifice the ground feel I love. They are solid and the lacing never lets me down.