Enjoy the review, watch the video, and get ready to participate in the contest to win your own free pair of Patagonia EVERlongs!
I t is our honor at TrailAndUltraRunning.com to introduce the Patagonia EVERlong. This trail/road crossover is an incredibly lightweight performance shoe built on a 24mm/20mm stack height base (4 mm drop). At only 8.4oz it offers the weight of a racing flat with the cushion of a long distance ultra shoe. TAUR put this shoe on several of our testers located all over the country who ran it on roads, buff trails, dirt roads, and slammed them over rocks and roots to the tops of some of the gnarliest peaks in the Utah Wasatch and Colorado front range.
Jeff Browning – EVERlong developer and amazing ultra runner
A t first glace anyone putting on the shoe will notice that there are virtually no seams along the entire upper. Putting it on feels much like a slipper instead of running shoe. A lightly cushioned heel pod holds the heel in while the mid-section wraps the foot snugly in place, allowing for the double welded mesh forefoot upper to breathe and the foot to relax. While the tread doesn’t seem overly aggressive we found that it provided more than ample protection from sharp rocks, yet still maintained stability on loose dirt and rocks.
On average our testers put 70+ miles on their pair before providing their feedback. They were asked to use them in every condition, on both trails and roads, and see if they could beat them down. While the shoe didn’t work for everyone, the general consensus was that it was met with high marks. We rated each category on a scale from 1-5. In some cases the best possible answer was to give the shoe a “3”, assuming that a 1 and 5 were opposite ends of the spectrum. You’ll see in each section how our testers broke it down and their comments, both good and bad. Remember to watch the video at the end Comment on the article for a chance to win your own pair. You won’t be disappointed.
Fit around the heel: 3.3
In this category a 1 represents “too tight” of a fit and a 5 represents “too loose” a fit, with 3 indicating the perfect heel fit.
Pros:
T.R. – “First thing I noticed was there are “pillows” on each side of the heel box. They fit nice around my ankles and were not a bother. I ran back to back days with two different lacing options. One, laced out of the box with the top holes open and the next day with the last eyelets employed. I liked the top holes open (better foot/ankle action). No negative feel on the fit around the heel.”
Pete – “I love the soft and yet supportive heel fit feature. I have always struggled to understand the harsh and stiff heel in many road shoes.”
Cons:
Rebecca – “I felt my heels and ATs rubbing up against the back of the shoe since they didn’t fit in the back the best. I got used to it during the runs, but it still wasn’t the best fit.“
Toe box fit: 2.5
In this category a 1 represents “too tight” and 5 represents a “too loose” fit, with a 3 indicating the perfect to box fit.
Pros:
Mark – “I don’t require a wide toe box and while I enjoy a wider toe box these did not feel too narrow or limited.”
T.R. – “I ran in thin socks one day and thick socks the next – the fit was the same. The mid-foot and upper really hugs the foot so I am a HUGE fan of the fit of this shoe.”
Cons:
Matt – “Toe box is more generous than most, but found my pinky toes did feel a little crammed after longer runs, especially those with long descents.”
Sole durability and traction: 3.8
In this category 1 represented poor durability and horrible traction while a 5 indicated bomber durability and fantastic traction in all situations.
Pros:
Craig – “At first glance the shoes look like they will fall apart, but after putting a bunch of tough miles on them the tread still looked really good. I was very impressed overall.”
Pete – “I have used the EVERlong on roads, wet and dry trails, snow and ice, rocky and sweet smooth single track. The out soles have withheld the beating, better then a pinata on child’s birthday. “
Cons:
Mark – “They don’t have large enough lugs for loose rock uphill and downhill running.”
Cushion and Comfort: 3.0
In this category a 1 represented “not enough cushion” while a 5 represented “too much cushion or squishy”. A 3 was the perfect amount.
Pros:
T.R. – “What a surprise – the EVERlongs were more comfortable than I first guessed pulling them out of the box. I like my cushioning and these shoes provide it in a stealthy light package. I was doing small loops that passed my truck in case I needed to swap due to sore feet…It never happened. I hit all types of terrain on the test and even went our of my way to get into the rocks and pound the descents and I am very happy with the comfort of these shoes. “
Pete – “The EVERlong is an amazingly comfortable shoe. The shoe is like being tucked into bed by your mother. You feel safe and ready for a long nights rest. In these shoes, my feet easily and comfortably could run a marathon on the roads, a 50 miler on the trails or cheering for your favorite team at the stadium. “
Cons:
There were no negative comments regarding cushion and comfort!
Overall Rating: 4.0
Final Words
The Patagonia EVERlong was a fantastic surprise for all but one of our testers. It is worth noting that the tester who did not have a good experience in the shoe was our only female. Without having another female tester in the shoe we can’t conclusively determine if this a one-off issue or across the board. It can be safely assumed though that the EVERlong is a great option for nearly everyone. We recommend you give it a try for yourself and see what you thing. Here are a few additional comments regarding the EVERlong:
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Craig EVERlong -
EVERlong Profile -
Patagonia Everlong on the Mountain -
Patagonia Everlong Climb -
Patagonia Everlong Run -
Patagonia Everlong
T.R. – “I love when I am wrong. I pulled these out of the box and was already having hesitations about the tread and cushioning. Way to go Patagonia – You have nailed it with this shoe. The tread gets you more places than you would think (although I did not test in the wet) and the comfort is spot on. The upper is really impressive for a shoe that looks so basic. The tongue comfort and foot wrap is just perfect.”
Pete – “I had the opportunity to product test these shoes prior to final production. I received a pair and ran more then 350 miles in the spring. Several months later, I ran with Jeff Browning. We discussed his initial reasons for creating the Everlong and how closely he was involved in every step of the production process. Over the past 10 years, I have been able to test a wide variety of products. Very rarely, I have been so immediately impressed with how my testing impressions were so closely related to the athletes original ideas. The EVERlong is a fantastic road/trail shoe.”
Matt – “I really enjoy wearing this shoe. If you are someone that runs roads and trails, looking for a single versatile shoe to take good care of you, or want a fast, lightweight racer for your trail racing – this is an excellent option. They’re light, they look great, and the ‘fit and finish’ is top notch.
“GIDDYUP” ….pretty cool. Nice looking shoe.
Giddy up
The answer is…
Giddyup
Giddyup!
Giddyup!!! Looks like amazing shoes for the trails:)
Great write up, and definitely a shoe I would look into. One of the biggest missing links in running shoes is a good “hybrid” road and trail shoe.
Nice looking shoe – looking forward to trying it out – “Giddyup”!
Great review. Wish there was a running store closer than 70 miles from here. I’ll have to make the drive- “giddyup”
These shoes sound great! I’m currently in the Altra Lone Peak 1.5’s and Merrell Pace Gloves for trail and would love to try out something different. I also want to run that trail!! GIDDYUP
Giddy up
Ever since meeting the Patagonia people at MMTR I have been salivating over their shoes. Time to “giddyup” and get some!
Nice review. Would like to try them on for my first 50 miler.
Giddyup
Jeff’s slogan is on the shoe! GIDDY UP
Nice video to promote the “giddyup” that this shoe offers as signature!
Is there a reason why my comment is still awaiting moderation…as I see many others posted since!
(original was on the 16th)
Curt, My post was also hold back for moderation, no idea why!
See above in the contest description “hint: we will be hiding the answer comments, so watch the video to make sure you get the answer right – it’s a pretty sweet video!”
Don’t worry – if you’ve submitted a comment, we’ve got it entered! Sorry for any confusion!
Love the look of that shoe. Can’t wait to try. GiddyUp!
**Shared on FB, Twitter @eye0eye0 and G+ 🙂
I’ve noticed in previous reviews that you only have one woman testing (haven’t read enough to know if that’s standard or just for this one and whichever other review I read) and I don’t get that. Women are shaped and run differently from each other, and we run on trails. Perhaps enlisting another 2 women would balance out the testing and give us women a better picture of the product.
Giddyup!
Nice Review. I want them….perhaps win them? Answer: Giddyup.
Thorough review with some great pictures Craig. Bronco Billy with his signature “GIDDY UP” Maybe these shoes could help me “smell the barn” towards the end of my next race.
“Giddy Up”…loved the video…I want the chance to run where he was running!
GIDDYUP indeed he is booking it!
Awesome looking shoe all great features!
I thought I would chime in on the women’s side. I just got back from a demo this weekend of the shoe in Michigan and we had a lot of women demo the shoe with the Dirty Herd trail running group in Grand Rapids, MI. 59 people showed up for a trail demo. The majority of our women shoe testers had similar feedback that the men in this review had. It’s been very positive. We also have a handful of women that have been testing it for quite some time (speciality running employees). I recommend trying them on at your local retailer when they hit the shelves, as we worked hard on the design and fit and I think it shows. Look for them in November at few select retailers and February for the remainder. I’m on my 14th pair and they’ve been holding up beautifully. I’ve raced all 6 ultras this season in the shoe (100k, two 50 milers, a 50k, and two mountain 100 milers). Giddyup.
-Jeff Browning
Thanks for the input Jeff! Great job on the shoe, the hard work really does show through.
Matt,
Thanks. I have to give Patagonia some serious credit here. After a couple of years in making trail running shoes, they realized they needed to do some things differently than “industry standard” in order to get a dialed product that they have such a strong reputation for as a brand in clothing. They increased their production window by 6 months in order for me to work very closely with the designer and give us real time for testing in order to get the initial few prototypes dialed. In addition, opening up their testing size to my foot (size 11) so they could get real, strategic feedback from their athlete in the field. I got to beat each prototype up thoroughly in the mountains before feedback on each round. This allowed us to go through several protos to dial in each feature that I felt was important in a trail shoe (heel, midfoot wrap, upper overlays, midsole shape/cushion, outsole traction (balance between enough vs. little enough to keep it light). I pushed them hard in this “new” process, but they stuck to their guns in wanting to truly make a seriously trail running shoe by giving the designer and I the time we needed to get it right. It shows and I’m truly psyched about this shoe, it’s good.
-Jeff
Quick question Jeff – I normally buy my trail shoes a half size to full size bigger. Do you find the need to do the same thing with this shoe? Thanks in advance and fun video to watch!
giddy up. Sorry no social media for me.
“giddyup” Sounds like another brands shoe that I enjoyed running in very much. I am looking forward to trying them out.
The signature is giddy-up.
Shared on my twitter: https://twitter.com/ededic/status/390940696682565632
Great review thanks. GIDDY UP
Looks like a good shoe. If they make size 15, I’d love to give them a beating on the trails around here. Giddyup! Good job Broncos Billy!
Giddyup
sounds like a great shoe – “GiddyUp”!
Those look perfect for me: Giddyup!
Great looking shoe! Shared on facebook! Giddyup!
Nice looking features…will have to give them a test run when they come to market. Giddyup!
Looks fantastic – I’d love to see how they handle the roots and rocks of New England. Slogan on the bottom of the shoe? – GIDDY UP
Giddyup! Interesting shoes! I like to compare them to my montrail fluidflex!;)
You had me at Patagonia
Great review! I’ve never run in Patagonia before, but I have heard good things. Bottom of the shoe says “GiddyUp” and I’d love to run that trail – beautiful!
I’ve been a big fan of Patagonia’s trail clothing for a while but was never sold on their shoes. The EVERlong however is something that I am seriously considering.
I am STILL in search of “that” shoe! After having surgery to remove a mortons neuroma 2 years ago I have been looking for a neutral shoe that has the right amount of cushion, support and traction. The Patagonia looks like it may be worth a shot!
Just ran my first 50k, and could have used a bit more “giddy up”!
Awesome review guys! I’m looking for a replacement for my New Balance 1010 V2’s due to a little tread durability issue, would you say these are as protective as the NB’s?
Curt, My post was also hold back for moderation, no idea why! Giddyup!
Seems like a quality shoe. I like a more minimal heel-toe drop, so 4mm is right up my alley. Hopefully it will add a little “giddy up” to my trail runs.
https://twitter.com/nomeatbarefeet
Great Video!! Answer to question: Giddy Up!
Thanks for the review and giveaway. I would love to win these – GiddyUp.
GiddyUp – Sweet shoe!
The slogan on the bottom of the shoe is ‘Giddy up’.
I think I tried the Everlong and Forerunner when Krissy Moehl came to the Patagonia store here in Toronto. Would love to try the Everlong again. M
Answer to question – giddyup (that is pretty funny actually – might have to steal that one 🙂 )
Good review, definitely can’t wait to try a pair! Giddyup!
Sweet shoes. Looks like the pluses out weight the negatives. I’d give em a try. BTW, it says Giddyup on the bottom.
Giddyup!!! Awesome video, beautiful run 😀
Answer – ‘Giddy Up’
Giddyup!
“GiddyUp” …can’t wait to try this one out
“giddyup”. Looks like a great shoe.
Great review, I’d love to test them out on the trails! The slogan on the bottom of the shoe is Giddy Up.
ANSWER: Giddy Up
I shared the video link on my twitter feed–Ultratri68
Thanks to everyone that entered the contest! After putting all of the comments through a very complex randomizing algorithm, we are pleased to announce the winner of a shiny new pair of EVERLongs is EMIR @ededic! Congratulations! We will reach out to you with instructions on claiming your prize very soon.
Thanks again to all of those who entered. We will have more giveaways coming up soon!
I can spot this shoe from a mile away. Really excited to take them for a spin. ” Giddy up”
Giddy Up is the slogan on the shoe. These are the best shoes that I have ever seen. I must have them! Are you hiring? It’s the only way that I could afford them.
I recommend trying them on at your local retailer when they hit the shelves, as we worked hard on the design and fit and I think it shows, They increased their production in order for me to work very closely with the designer and give us real time for testing in order to get the initial few prototypes dialed, Sounds like another brands shoe that I enjoyed running in very much. I am looking forward to trying them out.