The two great forgotten ones of trail running. The insole and tongue.
The insole of running shoes is one of the elements that most runners usually don't pay much attention to .
We can have the best shoe in the world ... if the template is not up to par it will spoil any expectation of a happy and trouble-free race.
- The two great forgotten ones of trail running and products
It is not uncommon to hear of sneakers that have insoles that move or wrinkle especially in high humidity conditions.
There are other insole features that may be a little less important but we should consider, such as antibacterial and anti-odor insoles. They are little things that are highly prized in the world of mountain runners.
You could say that the best template is the one you don't even know is there . That is, it does not give any problem. Comfortable, amortized and still in place.
The tongue of the trail running shoe also often ends up in the well of oblivion. However, it is a very important and fundamental element to avoid problems with the instep of the foot.
The tongue will be the main one in charge of compensating the tension generated by the laces.
A tongue must be quite padded to compensate for this tension, but be careful because if we have a tongue that is too thick, we could have breathability problems or water evacuation problems.
It is also important to see how this tongue has been constructed to ensure that no pebbles enter the shoe.
Nowadays almost all the tongues are sewn or are an integral part of the upper.
Sometimes there are pockets on the tongue that allow you to put in what is left over from the laces once the knot has been made. This element that could sow insignificant but is very important , especially if we have long cords, since if we do not have where to put them, they could get caught in branches , or even worse, they could cause us to trip.
Breathability and waterproofing of the mountain running shoe
I write these two characteristics together because they usually contradict each other.
It doesn't take a genius to understand that a more waterproof shoe will surely be less breathable.
It is very important to know where and in what conditions we are going to use the shoes.
If you run mainly in summer, in hot and dry areas, it is advisable to avoid waterproof shoes or those with protection against humidity.
A breathable shoe will be able to wick away sweat and dry quickly. A "cooler" and more breathable shoe will find it less difficult to evacuate the water when we go through a puddle or river.
If you run in humid and cold areas, you can think about buying shoes that have some treatment that protects against water . They do not have to be 100% waterproof, but at least they prevent your feet from getting wet right away, for example, with the morning dew.
