RAPID XT HOMMES

I absolutely love the original Rapids as a hybrid approach/trail running shoe, but the new XT's are definitely a step up in the traditional approach shoe category, far better than the Crux or the Gecko in my opinion. It has a wider toe box, great shape, feels very supportive, hikes and climbs really well, and is much lighter than it looks. Since they have a leather upper, my only suggestion would be to go a half size down, as mine seem to have stretched a bit! Other than that they're perfect.

The shoe fits a little on the big side. About 1/2 a size large I would say. The toe box fits wide and can accommodate a very thick sock. The sole is very grippy on granite, but I would say the tread depth is a bit shallow; It measures about 4mm where the tread depth on my Scarpa hiking boots is about 8mm. This shallow tread depth makes you "feel" an occasional rock as you hike over rocky trails, but it's not uncomfortable. I think these are a very good lightweight solution for summer backpacking.