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Columbia has been keeping the Montrail trail shoe line pared down the past few years, but their “pinnacle trail shoe,” now the Montrail Trinity AG II ($150), has been updated with a new Pebax plate technology designed to improve the ride, stability, and experience for runners of all paces. Kudos to Columbia for putting their proprietary higher-end technology in shoes that don’t require perfect biomechanics or massive financial investment.
The Trinity AG II caters to the runners who prefer a bit more cushioning and drop to maximize their comfort. The shoe has a claimed stack height of 32- and 24-millimeters at the heel and toe, respectively, for an 8-millimeter drop. The Trinity AG II is also a bit lighter, with an actual weight of 9.7 ounces (276 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9.
To me, these feel like lighter weight shoes, capable of anything from a hike with dogs to a shorter up-tempo run on smoother terrain. Nothing about these shoes is intimidating, which makes them a great option for someone curious about trail running, who may still use them for other activities as well.
Sizing note: I wear a women’s 9.5 in Montrail, which is the same as La Sportiva and New Balance for me. I wear an 8.5 in Salomon, and Brooks can be 9 or 9.5 depending on the modele.
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Montrail Trinity AG II Upper
The upper of the Montrail Trinity AG II is super comfortable and accommodating with the wider toebox, tapered midfoot, and the lightweight, breathable, stretchy mesh throughout. With temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit, the breathability has been awesome. Thin, smooth overlays form a continuous pliable rand around the entire upper/midsole junction, which keeps some of the sand, water, and debris from easy entry, and the same overlay material makes for very smooth integration of the lacing system.
The asymmetrical lacing throws the eyes off just a bit, but once your foot slides into the shoe, it’s all comfort and easy adjustments.
Montrail’s Navic Fit System uses a lace-webbing system to improve the security through the midfoot, and create that locked down feeling in the heel, which sits well in the structured heel cup. Flat laces remain tied with one double knot, and once I lace up, I don’t need to futz with the fit through the entire run. It’s a secure and comfortable fit.
The tongue is interesting because it’s well padded beneath the laces, then tapers to a thinned-out section against the ankle. Thankfully, it’s a pretty traditional tongue material, so it remains comfortable even against prominent tendons. The ankle collar is well-padded without being obtrusive, and drops down a bit extra for the ankle bones, which is fabulous, without compromising lateral and medial stability or comfort.
But let’s discuss the Achilles tab. It starts off fine, but then absolutely skyrockets to obnoxious heights for reasons I can’t quite grasp. The upper is so, so good until the Achilles tab — it’s padded and even flexible in the top inch, but it’s so tall that it subtly impacts my Achilles. I say subtly, because it’s not overtly noticeable until after the run or hike, when both Achilles feel bruised.
I haven’t known anyone else to have this issue, so I may be extra sensitive, but it was easily remedied with a pair of scissors. It’s one of two things I’d change about these otherwise interesting shoes.
The second thing I’d change is the removable insole. The insole that comes with the shoes is a very thin, flat foam strip with zero arch support. Thankfully, it’s easy to remove and replace with over-the-counter full-length insoles, but it frustrates me to add cost to the shoe, when not many years ago every trail shoe came with a great Ortholite insole with lovely support under the arch.
Hopefully, companies will return to including these with the shoes. Two suggested changes notwithstanding, it’s a really comfortable upper, once I slip that insole in and trim the Achilles tab down.
Montrail Trinity AG II Midsole
The midsole is where Columbia seems to have focused most of their updates for the Montrail Trinity AG II. The Techlight+ dual-density midsole system saves a bit of weight over the first version, while still maximizing cushioning and responsiveness.
The new addition of the Adaptive Guidance Pebax Plate is supposed to enhance forward propulsion and energy return, while still offering multidirectional stability. Note, it’s not carbon, but rather is a lightweight plastic polymer foam compressed to form a plate. I’m not a super shoe wearer — my body doesn’t tolerate carbon plates in any form — so I was a bit wary of how this might go, but my overall experience with this midsole has been positive.
With carbon plates, I feel like the shoe bosses me around, which results in cranky feet and other issues, but with this Pebax plate, I still control the shoe. The shoe feels pretty responsive over non-technical hardpacked singletrack with some occasional rocks and rubble, and is stable enough to keep my foot on the platform when on side angle slabs and cambered trail.
I haven’t noticed myself rocketing through space after push-off, so unfortunately it hasn’t made me super speedy, but alas, that’s probably what speedwork is for.
I don’t know that these are shoes I’d wear for an ultra, and perhaps they’re better suited for 5- to 30-kilometer distances overall. The forefoot protection feels a bit thin (Oh, hi, pointy rock!) and oddly disjointed from the squishier heel. The heel is almost marshmallowy, versus the firmer forefoot, which is more apparent at a walk or slow jog versus a moderate to up-tempo run.
Overall, I was happiest in these shoes during hikes with the dogs (embrace the squish) or quicker runs on fairly smooth dirt, when the thinner forefoot protection wasn’t an issue and the forward propulsion smoothed out the heel-to-midfoot transition.
Montrail Trinity AG II Outsole
The Montrail Trinity AG II outsole retains the same Adapt Trax wet/dry compound from the previous version, as well as the 4-millimeter lugs of various geometric shapes, in a pattern that promotes decent traction for popping up and down rolling singletrack hills.
I find the outsole perfectly adequate for most non-technical trails and dirt roads, where some gravelly rocks and sand are often floating on the packed dirt or slab surface beneath. They work fine after a short rainstorm, but aren’t aggressive enough for real mud or snow. That being said, they also don’t tend to clog up with too much dirt or snow, which is appreciated if those short sections are unavoidable.
The traction on the crash pad in the heels does well with short, steeper descents where you’re trying to avoid the bum slide, but again, they do better for me on lower angle terrain.
What I do appreciate about the midsole-outsole combination, is the mild flare at the forefoot and heel, which enhances stability when you do have those short stints of wonky rocks and roots. The increased surface area there boosts lateral and torsional stability and confidence at any speed.
Montrail Trinity AG II Overall Impressions
Overall, the Montrail Trinity AG II is a shoe perhaps best suited as an entry-level or all-comers trail shoe, for those who might find themselves run/hiking along gentler trails, groomed singletrack, and dirt roads — or doing shorter, quicker runs, where the midsole transition can smooth out and shine.
The Pebax technology levels up the experience a bit if you’re curious about plates, without forcing the financial investment of carbon-plated shoes. It may be handy to have an over-the-counter insole to slip in if your arches appreciate a bit of support, but all in all, it’s an interesting moderately-priced trail shoe.
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Call for Comments
- Have you tried the Montrail Trinity AG II? What were your thoughts?
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