Interesting, my Mesa Trail II has held up better than the Scrambler Low, but it's nice to see Xero Shoes has great customer service!

Ah, that's too bad! I really like the shoes and if I ever tried an ultra in a minimalist shoe, this would be it. I ran mine through a lot of rough terrain this winter, and was wondering if the issue was just with me. The upper material needs some work. This doesn't happen to the Mesa Trail II shoes. Thanks for the comment and happy trails!

I'm planning to make a video comparing the two asap. The Mesa Trail II is more minimal in the upper and the sole. I definitely feel the ground more in the Mesa Trail and the legs get more worked in them. They also aren't great for snow. Scramblers are more built up. I find the uppers to be quite padded/plush and the soles are more forgiving on rocky terrain with golf ball sized rocks. In my mind, this makes the Scrambler a good candidate for longer distances and the Mesa Trail better for shorter distances. They both have a nice generalist grip with the Scrambler being extra fun with the Michelin tread. So the Scrambler is more built up and protective, the Mesa Trail is more lean and minimal. The Scrambler is a small SUV, the Mesa Trail is a race car.

"and the soles are more forgiving on rocky terrain with golf ball sized rocks." Would you still consider them minimalist shoes? Can you still feel the ground with them? I'm currently wearing the Lone Peak from Altra on trails, which I belive are way more padded than the Scarmbler, or any Xero shoe actually. For an everyday walk on the street, I use the Xero Prio, and I love the fact that thy're basically a sock with a thin sole.

@@an.20.24 "Would you still consider them minimalist shoes?" A good question. They are zero drop and feel very grounded. I consider them minimalist in their philosophy of letting foot and lower leg mechanics work in full, combined with the zero drop and firm sole. However, they are not minimalist in the sense of Five Fingers or even Mesa Trail II. I don't feel the ground as acutely as with those shoes which let the wearer notice all the small details (sand, pine needles, hard pack, mossy, etc.) - there's less picking one's way through terrain. In essence, I can be lazier in Scramblers and they take less of a toll as the miles start to add up. In my mind, these would be intriguing minimalist long distance shoes, but may leave you wanting if you want intensive shorter training sessions. The soles really are great for scrambling and managing all of those rocks which tend to sting in leaner shoes. The uppers are thicker and a bit slushy on the Scramblers. In the winter, I appreciated the extra insulation but in the summer I'd be happy with something thinner like the Mesa Trail II. Finally, the Scrambler could make a nice hiking shoe, and I imagine the high top version could be nice in places where the vegetation wants to shred ankles. Hope this is useful. They are a fun shoe, something in between full minimalist and leaner trail running shoes.

Here's a quick video comparison of the Scrambler Low and Mesa Trail 2: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jM6GlrGgsdeXXXk.html

If I understand what you are asking correctly: the Scramblers are much more forgiving that the Mesa Trail II when it comes to hard packed, gravelly terrain - especially when your running motion is repetitive (like on a long road vs random trail surface). After awhile, you will likely encounter more fatigue in these than a heavily cushioned shoe, but you can definitely be sloppier with your foot placement and not get punished. I love running in the Scramblers even though the uppers are fraying.

I discuss this in the comments section under this comparison with the Mesa Trail II: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jM6GlrGgsdeXXXk.html . Since I track my dog instead of my shoes, it's hard to say exact miles. At least a few hundred, but they definitely wear faster than I would have expected. They've seen a good amount of bushwhacking, snow, and hard-packed gravel use. The uppers need work, the lugs seem soft (good grip, subpar durability), but the experience has been fun. I keep reaching for them.

I’m almost certain you’d need more time to adapt. If your ultra is right around the corner, I’d run in what your use to first. That being said, everyone’s feet and how they run is a little different. Listen to your body.

Here you go! :-) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jM6GlrGgsdeXXXk.htmlfeature=shared&t=29

@@Ruinyourknees oh NICE THank you!