I purchased these shoes for OCR racing. I ran a Rugged Maniac in Florida this year and the Merrill trail running shoes I used had absolutely no traction on the 12 foot warped wall so I started looking for shoes that would give better traction and performance in outside conditions. I use the New Balance Zante shoes in Ninja Warrior training and competitions like most other people and love the fit and traction they give for warped walls. The Zante 2's, 3's, and 4's are very poor for wet, muddy, or icy conditions because they have a very flat sole with only minimal sipes to maximize surface area. The New Balance Kaymin Trail v1 has the same tread pattern but it is built up with higher lugs for muddy environments. The black shoe has uncolored sole material which gives the most compliance and traction. The shoe upper also has more guarding on the toe box to help resist abrasion and the mid-section of the upper is rubber coated for more water resistance than the Zante style shoe. The shoe weight is heavier than the Zantes but not a lot. I thought that the Kaymin Trail v1 shoes would be a good step up for OCR.The Kaymin Trail v1's come in two widths. The D(M) standard and 4E extra wide. I wear the 2E wide in the Zante 3's and they fit like a glove. Unfortunately, the Kaymin Trail v1's are not available in 2E width. This turned out to be a critical problem. The D(M) width is too narrow in the toe box to be comfortable for running any distance. Especially after the foot expands from exercise. The 4E width is ok in the toe box but very wide at the heel. Even after lacing up the shoes to the last eyelet, my feet would slip in the heel and could come off in sticky mud conditions. I tried heel inserts to narrow the width at the heel and they help until they get wet and move or come off. Under normal dry conditions of trail running, the shoes do not come off or rub so they are usable for that purpose. I ran several times in the shoes (25 miles) to break them in and get a feel how they fit. I found the shoes to be comfortable after I put in a silicone gel insert (I do this for all my shoes because I have high arches).I used these shoes for a Spartan Sprint race that was held at a ski resort. Since it had been raining for days prior to the event and the race was delayed due to thunder storms and lightning, the course was wet and muddy. These shoes were great for traction on the muddy hillside with matted grasses and vegetation. My feet really did not slip on the slippery ground, on tree roots, or on the rock surfaces. That was excellent. The shoes were less good on the rope climb with ropes that were wet and muddy. The rubberized upper of the shoe was just too slippery to give good traction. I had to use a lot more pressure and more wrap around the leg to get enough traction to do that obstacle.I also had some traction issues when doing the 8' vertical walls. My normal technique is to run at the wall and push up/off with my feet to boost up to the top. These shoes did not give me great traction on the smooth wall so it was more difficult to get up. These shoes were much better than the Merrill trail running shoes I used for a previous race but I was hoping for greatness. When I practiced in the gym under dry conditions (no mud), the shoes gave good traction (not nearly as good as the Zante 3's I normally wear). In wet and muddy conditions, the traction was a lot less. I am not sure if any shoes would have been much better since a lot of people were having problems. I believe that this tread design is a better compromise between high surface area traction on dry/clean surfaces and mud shedding traction of really deep lugged mud running shoes.Another area that people who run OCR's should be aware of is shoe drainage. These shoes are very good at keeping water out because of the rubberized areas. They also keep the water in. The shoes do not have good water drainage. Once the shoes got water in, they retained it for the rest of the race. For races longer than a sprint (5K) this could be more of a problem. It was not a problem for me in the Spartan Sprint I ran.To summarize, the New Balance Kaymin Trail v1 shoes have improved traction performance on wet and muddy surfaces over many trail running shoes. The deeper lugs and tread have a design that doesn't retain a lot of mud/debris but still gives more contact area for traction than many deep lug tread designs. The rubberized coating on the upper shoe makes them more water resistant but the shoe also retains water and doesn't drain which would be a problem for longer races (8+ miles). The shoe upper is also more slippery than an normal fabric shoe upper which makes rope climbs more difficult in wet/muddy conditions. The shoes come in only two widths (D(M) and 4E) which are either too narrow or too wide for my feet. This is probably the biggest negative for me since shoe fit and retention during a race is critical.By far the best shoe for me and my lifestyle! Keeps feet warm and dry outdoors, good traction and excellent comfort! A shame they got discontinued.Spend a lot of time on my feet at work and needed new shoes to get through my longer days 15+ hrs these have been wonderful. Due to medical issues I have poor circulation as well as tendinitis in my feet which causes bad occasional swelling and these shoes are comfortable on my good days as well as the not so good days - very lightweight, very forgiving (if you have feet that swell or even a wider foot) and some arch support* I absolutely recommend! Shipping was fast and they arrived a few days earlier than the original estimated delivery was for.Extremely comfortable running shoes with good cushioning. I normally have to go up a size for my athletic shoes to fit well because workout shoes generally tend to run small. Ended up having to return my first pair of these precisely because I bought a size up, and exchanged them for my actual size 12 wide. I was very pleased when my exchange arrived in the mail. They fit perfectly. Order your exact size when getting this shoe.The treads are nice and grippy. Good for running on more surfaces than just assault. I am extremely pleased with this pair of shoes and would recommend them to those with wide feet who don't want to guess if they need to go up or down a size for a perfect fit. If you're on the heavier side like me, you'll appreciate the extra cushioning & grippy treads.Bought the Kaymin Trail v1 Fresh Foam for walking, hiking trails, and bicycling. Seems they will do very nicely. The shoes feel like part of my feet and not something extra that I have to manage.There's excellent lateral and forward support, and the Fresh Foam cushion is very comfortable without being mushy. The mesh top will help with cooling and evaporation.I bought the black model with the gum-colored sole. The overall look of the shoe is rugged -- this is not a fashion sneaker -- and I appreciate the extra protection around my entire foot, from toes along the sides to the heel.I have used New balance for about 5 years now previously had the cush shoes, always seems well made just got the kayman trail fresh foam size 12 fits like all the other New balance except this one has a actual rubber sole and still the great foam midsole. I found New balance to run a size smaller, in Nike I wear a size 11 fyi.This trail sneaker is great. It is so light that is amazes me. It looks great in black too. It has a removable insole as well. The bottom is really thick. But the feature that I like the best is that it comes in 4E. It is very hard to find sneakers and shoes in 4E. Because New Balance offers this in 4E and all of the other New Balance shoes that I have ordered are the same 4E size it seems, I am a New Balance customer for life. This 4E is true to form and fits just like a 4E in 10.5 size. There is no break in time with this shoe--I walked 3 miles right out of the box with them.This is my third pair of these shoes. I run on the outside on my heels so I tend to wear them out fast. These are by far my favorite running shoes. I love the fit and the weight is perfect. I would say the get them a half size bigger especially if you have wide feet. I usually wear the new balance minimus trail but they don’t fit as good as these. I do feel like theses wear out a bit faster but you have to give to get.Good construction, thicker ankle support and (usefully), a much stiffer sole than my other NB's which were a cheaper model. However they were sold as having a Gore-Tex breathable waterproof layer which would normally mean they had a Gore-Tex logo on a tag somewhere. There is no evidence of this anywhere on the shoes or the packaging. Thye US WL Gore Co. do not let just anyone splash 'Gore-Tex' on their products, it is the only truly successful breathable waterproof membrane in the world that actually works which is why I wanted these shoes; it's use always adds to the cost; maybe up to double what you might pay. I have wide feet and they are for off-road running. I would expect New Balance to be a reliable enough manufacturer to trust, and maybe they are GTX but my advice to others would be, if you know what you want and certain spec. is important, buy these from a physical shop where you can talk to an expert. Having said that, they are supremely comfortable and the sole and midsole construction seems to have a genuine 'bounce' to it, very energy-saving ! The grip is poor on wet stone, e.g. polished sidewalks that you get in some cityscapes. But otherwise seem excellent, and look hard-wearing though I haven't used them enough yet to say if they are waterproof, or how hard-wearing the outsole is. The size is a bit generous, they are definitely an extra wide, 4E fitting at least ! I like the plain colour-scheme (I have the 2-tone plain black with the light brown crepe-looking soles), but I noted that some colour-ways and sizes in the same model, don't have the toe-protection layer on the outside of the big toe area (a shiny, harder plastic layer). (I find this essential, I have had cheaper older models of NB trainers and Karrimor's that wore through on the top above the big toe before the soles showed any wear). I assume that the seller's web-page has some pairs of old versions of the same shoe, these should be made more clear and/or cheaper. Also, I know it was the run-up to Xmas and I ordered these the day after Black Friday, but WHY did it take so long for them to arrive in Milton Keynes from BRISTOL: It is barely 100 miles !! UK Royal Mail parcels would have done it in a week even in the Xmas run-up. I sent something to Canada quicker ! I assume they were not in stock in the UK but in a warehouse in Taiwan where they're made.... I can't complain though because the delivery data on Amazon's e-receipt did say 21 days and that's how long it took.... I can't prove they aren't Gore-Tex lined but at the price I can't be bothered sending them back,they do the job, and anyway on fellsides water will get over the top, they're not boots. But check the spec., look at the pictures carefully for your colour pattern AND exact size / width combo., & use a credit-card so you're insured ! Or go to an actual shop !!:-/Finally got around to wearing these.. Played golf in them today to break them in and by the 4th my feet were soaked through on a damp course but sunny dry morning. My sole reason for buying these was due to them being “gore-tex”unlike any other gore-tex product I own there is no gore-tex logo anywhere and I don’t believe for a second they actually are. False advertising and deeply disappointed. If you’re after a basic trail runner then fine. If you’re actually after something to keep your feet dry them avoid like the plague!!These shoes have a great treat that doesn’t pick up lots of mud and rocks when I walk my dog. Super comfortable and easy to clean. Highly recommend!Muy comodos y ademas se ven muy bonitos puestos recomensadosVery comfortable trainer, wear them to work and walk more than 10ks a night, feet still feel comfortable afterwards.