New Balance MT1010 Review: Minimus Amp is a new low-drop option

The following review was put together by the hardest-to-please specialty running shop owner around (this means honest, no-gloss reviews for us!), Ken. Ken has written for us before and has the most excellent, in-depth review format around. Take it away, Ken!

New Balance has pretty much blazed the trail for the big companies in minimal footwear since the beginning of 2011 with the introduction of the Minimus Trail and Minimus Road 10 introductions. New Balance is adding another layer to the mix with the Minimus Trail 1010.

My first reaction when I saw this shoe at The Running Event in Austin, TX at the New Balance booth was that this shoe wasn't needed. The current Minimus Trail was so good how could something be added to the mix that looked and seemed to provide the same function? Well read on below and you will understand why this shoe is needed in your mix of minimal trail shoes and is currently a favorite for Anton Kupricka.

Basic Facts:
Price: $110
Midsole/Outsole: EVA with Vibram Outsole
Drop: 4mm
Widths available - Medium/Wide

FIT: If this is one area where the 1010 lacks, its in fit. Full disclosure though my 1010 that I have been wearing was a manufacturer sample and not a production model so modifications might have been made from sample to production. The reason I say the fit is not completely up to par is because I am comparing it to the Minimus Trail 10 which has an incredible fit for most feet. It has a great mid foot wrap with near perfect toe box shape for most people. Not to mention the great use of flexible, soft and breathable materials. The 1010 is not performing in some of those characteristics.

Lets talk about the toe box shape. Even though this is built off the same exact fit as the other minimus shoes, the materials they use to make the upper end up looking baggy and not smooth when they wrap around the foot. The material is definitely not as soft but it for sure does not follow the rough rip stop material of the trail zero. The mid foot seems like it is not quite dialed in and again a little wide for a minimus shoe but I have high hopes for the actual production model. I did not notice anything wrong with the heel fit except for the fact that the back of the heel was a little abnormally high. You might be able to see this in the pictures.

Now, going sockless in it…don't do it. It is not as sock less friendly as previous Minimus shoes. I would put it on the same par as going sock less in the Trail Zero, not a fun experience. My feet had the worst blisters as the bottom of the shoe was a little too slippery and combine that with the baggy fit, my feet were not happy. Once I had socks on though with the shoe I had no issues. Overall I would give the fit of this shoe a B- rating.

PERFORMANCE/RIDE: First perception when I put on this shoe was mixed. I put this shoe on and immediately noticed one of the larger lugs under the ball of my foot was a little more pronounced. That quickly subsided though as I continued to wear it. I did really notice the extra stiffness in the forefoot because of the rock plate. It was a welcomed feel compared to my Minimus Trail 10's. The rock plate is what really makes this another great minimus shoe to have in your collection of trail running shoes. Everytime I go out for a run with the first minimus trail shoe I always am wishing for something just a little more protective on rocky trail. I always seem to find the edge a rock just right and it can sometimes send a numbing feeling to the ball of my right foot. Well, in this shoe I do not have that problem. I feel I can effortlessly run as fast as I need to on a rocky trail and not even worry where I am stepping. The thin, light and protective rock plate in the 1010 does its job. I feel this is probably why Anton has gravitated more to this shoe. It protects his foot on the rocky trails of Colorado but now has the minimal characteristics that he has always looked for. I am sure he has a pair that fits his foot perfectly so he might not be running into some of the fit issues I did (haha).

As far as how this shoe transitions, I felt no issues here. It was as smooth as I have come to notice with minimus shoes. It truly did feel like I was running on the trail 10 bottom with some extra protection in the forefoot. Thats the best way I can describe it. This shoe does have a Vibram outsole too and seemed to maybe even have more grip than the trail 10. I think the Vibram rubber they used on the bottom of the 1010 was firmer than the trail 10 which is a good thing as that will help durability. PERFORMANCE/RIDE Grade - A

DURABILITY: This portion of the review will be a little short as I have not worn this shoe to the point of noticeable wear. I use this shoe for walking around and for running in. The one main thing for durability that I notice is the firmer outsole Vibram rubber on this shoe versus previous Minimus Trail shoes. I think that change alone will be a welcomed one to show less wear in a longer time frame. No issues with upper durability yet for the duration that I have had these shoes.

OVERALL: Like I said in my portion of the review above about the PERFORMANCE/RIDE of this shoe, I would say this is a must have in your trail running minimal arsenal if you are a fan of the MT10 Minimus Trail. These shoes are available at Elite Feet Brighton starting late August and we ship FREE to anywhere in the country (48 states). You can reach the store at 810-225-9123 or email me at ken@elitefeetsports.com with anymore additional questions.