Columbia Ravenous Trail Running Shoe
June 30, 2010
My gear has an interesting life. I love hate to brag but I travel to some pretty unique places. Nothing worthy of a reality show or anything, but definitely places that most people never get to go to at all. Lots of such places, lots and lots. Most of those types of places are not exactly known for their amenities or easy ways to restock with supplies. As a result I have learned the knack of the packing balance; the fine art of bringing exactly the things I need to survive and those few extra things that will make survival fun. So on a recent trip to the wonderfully remote Aleutian Islands, I considered my packing balance carefully. I like to pack light (because, remember, I hate to carry things) but I also don’t like to suffer, so I had to pack my food, cooking gear, clothing, sleeping bag, decent work attire (like, normal work, not gear testing work) and research materials into one medium size duffel bag. I chose well, as far as duffels went, so I didn’t worry much about my gear getting wet as it sat on the open deck of the 100-foot crabbing vessel that was making its way through 15-foot seas to take me to my destination. I told you, things get interesting when I travel. However, seeing my tiny duffel teetering on top of an overflowing crab tote, swinging wildly in the wind while being hoisted over the water to the deck brought a flash of alarm and one thought: “My shoes!”
You see, my essential luxury item for this trip was running shoes. Running shoes are a tried and true way to get a workout in the bush (that’s what Alaskans call remote communities). I knew I wouldn’t be able to run out of the main village because of the very real and very substantial threat from grizzly bears, but even running circles around town is better than nothing. So I packed my latest true love, my Columbia Ravenous trail running shoes.
The Ravenous(es? Hm. Grammar conundrum) made the cut out of my impressive collection of trail running shoes in large part because they are my lightest pair. If I have to schlep bags I may as well make my life as easy as possible. I had a few running days on the Ravenous before this trip, but I wanted more time before writing a review so that I could get to know them better. The Ravenous shoes also came along because they are, quite simply, exquisite running shoes.
I’m a neutral runner with high arches, strong quads, and a penchant for running fast when she shouldn’t and therefore need a lot of padding. I put in a lot of miles, all of them off road, so I need good tough soles. However, I’m a delicate running flower with high, sensitive arches and touchy shins thanks to a healthy dose of pain-ignoring back in my team sports days. This is a balance that most shoes cannot strike, hence my joyful hysteria when I find good ones. The Ravenous hits the mark squarely and surely; appealing to a broad spectrum of runners while addressing the very specific (some might say fussy) needs of a small number of runners who just like it the way they like it.
I admit, I had my doubts about the Ravenous. It was so lightweight and flexible that I didn’t take it seriously as a trail running shoe. Until I ran in it. My first few runs in the Ravenous were in the Pacific Northwest of the US and the lower mainland of British Columbia, with loamy, smooth(ish), winding forest trails under my feet. I immediately knew the shoes were something special; they conformed to the trail yet kept my heel anchored in place. Ninety minutes into my first Ravenous run, my shins weren’t complaining, which is rare. On those first, early runs, I found that the Ravenous’s one weakness is twisty trails; the shoe is just too flexible to give a ton of support in those conditions. The heel cup helps to stabilize as much as possible, but I did experience ball-of-foot slippage during high-speed sharp turns. What can I say, I run on “interesting” trails. Anywhere else, though, you can’t go wrong. The soles are grippy and dependable, the heel cup is just stupendously cuppy, and the light weight minimizes fatigue. They are unbelievably comfortable with zero break-in time. If you encounter water, you will get wet; these are not waterproof in the slightest but they are not supposed to be. The good news is that they will dry fast and stay light.
Best of all is that they do have a women’s specific version. Of course they do, or else why would I be reviewing it here? The fit might be a tad bit better for long, slenderish feet, but I have normal sized, average feet with (as I mentioned) high arches, and they fit just fine in my regular size. For the first time in years, though, I’ve been able to run long enough for my feet to swell, making me wish I had 1/2 size up. So if you are buying the Ravenous you may want to consider that – it’s such a great shoe that you will want your runs to last forever.
So, all that is why I took them on my trip. And, no lie, I had two of the best runs of my LIFE in these shoes on that trip. I will never forget those runs. True, there were some other factors involved in making those runs so good, but as any runner knows, when you get in that zone you remember every detail. I remember the strange, particular volcanic gravel that made up the roads and how it felt like miles and miles of ball bearings, making things not slippery but easy, feeling like the world was rolling away from under my feet and rising up to meet my steps, and knowing that my next stride will feel the same. And I remember the shoes, the light, marvelous shoes, making me surefooted and strong, propelling me forward and on, under the Arctic sun. Which is really more like Arctic fog, where I was at. Regardless, now, when I head out for a workout, I just think back to those runs and remember that feeling, and try to get it back.
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