Vasque Mindbender Running Shoes
May 1, 2011
You may remember my mentioning these shoes a while back when I first arrived in Durango. They’ll always have a soft spot in my heart because they were here waiting for me when I got here, so I could go running immediately without having to unpack my stuff or wait for the rest of it to arrive. I had my running tights with me so I just tossed everything on, and headed straight out the door, less than an hour after arriving in my new home, for my first run at 7000 feet after three straight days in the car.
OK, so that run wasn’t exactly epic. But the shoes were there for me when I needed them and for that I will always love them.
I’ve been a Vasque wearer for a long time, opting for Vasques for my gymwear for quite some time. I had never before tried a women’s-specific Vasque shoe though, so this was a fun experiment.
I have high arches and typically use a very well-padded, flexible shoe, which the Mindbender isn’t. Instead, it’s a rock-solid, very stable offering, seemingly targeted to the pronators in our midst (or so I’d guess, for its firm support and stability), with a rather impressive lack of bulk (9.9 ounces). Make no mistake, the Mindbender isn’t a cushy ride, but it’s much lighter and more nimble than stable shoes usually are. For me, the shoe was ultimately too firm and supportive for my already-shock-absorberless soles. I think that runners with flatter feet would absolutely love this shoe for its support without stiffness, stability without weight, and dependability without that dead feeling you sometimes get from a shoe oriented to pronators.
I enjoyed the feel of the shoe on the trail and found the sole nicely grippy and dependable. The fit was pretty good; the toe box very roomy and the laces quite nice. Is it weird to gush about laces? Well, considering the number of shoes that come with laces that don’t stay tight or don’t stay tied, I think it’s a fairly significant issue. Believe me, the Mindbender laces stay put. I did have a little trouble with pinching at the top of the laces, but I think it’s because I was lacing them too tight, being used to shoes with laces that loosen.
I don’t run in the Mindbenders as much as my other shoes, but this is because I have those high arches and really do need a softer shoe. Since most runners are pronators, I highly suggest giving these shoes a once-over for trail running. The combination of lightweight construction and stability makes them a serious contender for people who want to put in lots of miles on the trails. Personally, I need more flex and cushioning, but it’s important to understand that the only reason I found them too firm is that I have unusually high arches. My footprints in the sand only show heel, ball, and toe prints. If you have normally-arched (your footprint shows heel, ball, toe, and the outside of your foot as well) to flat feet, the Mindbenders will be a worthwhile investment.
[Edited to add: Oops! Forgot to mention that the picture above is an affiliate link to backcountry.com. If you click and buy, I will eventually amass enough wealth to receive a payout from the affiliate marketing originator. This happens, oh, once a year or so. Sigh.]
