Somnio Westridge Trail Running Shoe Review

"Wow, these are light" was my first thought when I unpacked my new Somnio Westridge Trail Runners.  Actually, that's not quite correct, my first reaction was surprise about the shipping material:  I couldn't find a single piece of plastic and the shoes were fitted nicely into a egg-carton-like box that looked like it was made out of recycled material. Couldn't remember reading anything about an ecological angle on their website, but it registered on my radar.

I had been approached by Somnio to review their shoe (full disclosure) and after reading Born to Run I was excited to realize that despite their claim of individual support features, the shoes were light and didn't appear to be overbuild. Somnio is the new kid on the block and their claim to fame - according to their website - is founded on the principle that shoes should adapt to the individual and improve biomechanics. Every person is different, and they believe that every pair of shoes should be different, too, so they built a platform for making that possible. For me, that translated into measuring a few things like arch height and ankle-knee alignment before I was able to order.  There is no dealer in my neck of the wood that carries Somnio shoes, so Kara Henry of Somnio offered telephone help to walk me through the fitting process, but their online video clips and descriptions were easy to follow and the whole process was fairly painless and quick.   If you are interested in reading about their fitting, check out this.  I ended up with:

Left Varus Wedge: 2 Varus
Right Varus Wedge: 2 Varus
Arch Footbed Left: Medium++
Arch Footbed Right: Medium++
Cushioning: neutral55d
Shoe Size: 8.5

After noticing packaging and weight my eyes fixated on the gaudy bright yellow wedge in the sole on the heel.  Hm, colour design could use a bit of an update - neon yellow has been out for a while  - I understand in the new, soon to be released Westridge, the wedge colour fits more harmoniously with the design of the rest of the shoe.  Not that I am fashion conscious or anything ;-)

Despite usually wearing a size 8.5, I was a bit concerned about sizing and had asked that if the shoes fit small, I rather go for a 9.  To my relief, when I tried them on, the 8.5 seemed to fit perfectly.  I couldn't wait to take them out for a test drive and set out on a 75min trot through my neighborhood streets into Capilano Canyon.  The shoes felt much cushier and softer than anything I have worn lately, but not in a way that I felt unstable or bothered by it.    Certainly felt the arch support and the wedges under the side of my heels helping me in my gait.   Probably would not wear these shoes on a very long run without getting used to the support first.  

The sole and treads handled the technical trails of the Capilano Canyon well and I had a good grip while still feeling "in touch" with the ground.  The toebox had extra reinforcement, which can come in handy on our rocky, rooty trails.  

My only issue with the Westridge is with the sizing.  Despite fitting well when just standing in them, as soon as I started to run, my toes pushed forward and hit the top and front of the toe box.  Partly, I can blame the "online shopping/fitting" for this, but a contributing factor is also the softness of the shoe.  The upper is a very nice soft mesh and despite trying to tie the laces tighter, my feet seem to "float" forward, especially on the downhill.  

All in all, a great, lightweight yet supportive shoes.  My ongoing heel and Achilles issues did not get aggravated after a few runs with the new Westridge (for me always the litmus test when it comes to shoes).  Keep an eye out for them in the stores or check out the website at http://somniorunning.com/

If you want to give the Somnio Shoes a try, I definitely recommend to try them in person and get fitted properly - or at the very least - make use of their telephone and online support.  They also offer support after your purchase to help with adjustments in order to make the shoes work perfect for you (I will contact them and see if there is a solution to keep my toes in place and report back).