Mount to Coast T1 Trail Running Shoe Review

Bottom Line

The Mount to Coast T1 is one of our favorite new trail running shoes and is at the top of our guide to the best trail running shoes. It’s one of those pairs of shoes that make running incredibly fun. While there were many things that impressed us about this trail running shoe, the traction really stood out. Its ability to grip the steepest, most technical terrain gave us confidence no matter the surface underfoot.

But that’s not all we liked about the T1. Its construction is incredibly durable. The midsole’s responsiveness and propulsion are fun. It’s incredibly lightweight, adding to the shoe’s agility and racing capabilities. And the 4-millimeter heel-to-toe drop will work for most runners.

Of course, no trail running shoe is perfect. The dual lacing system certainly takes some getting used to and takes some adjusting to totally lock down your feet. And that incredibly durable upper construction makes the T1 less breathable than other trail running shoes we tested.

That said, if you’re looking for a trail running shoe that will work for everyday training and racing, log lots of miles, or consistently run rugged terrain with loose surfaces, the Mount to Coast T1 is for you.

Comfort

The Mount to Coast T1 didn’t require any break-in (we took them on a 10-miler right out of the box). Their overall comfort is slightly above average compared to the other trail running shoes in our best trail running shoes guide. It’s not that they are uncomfortable; it’s just not an outstanding feature on them.

The underfoot feel is soft and cushy, in a good way, thanks to Mount to Coast’s proprietary LightCELL midsole foam. The upper, while not as breathable, is comfortable and fits snugly around our feet. The overall fit of the shoe is solid. The T1s fit true to size and have a slightly wider toe box. 

What keeps these trail running shoes from being super comfy is the lacing system. We found that tightening the dual-lacing system to fully secure our feet could create pressure points on top of the feet. This is not at all a dealbreaker for us. But, if you’re going for the cushiest, most comfortable trail running shoe you can find, the T1 is not it.

That said, Mount to Coast designed this trail running shoe for ultrarunners. Meaning, it stays comfortable, responsive, and supportive for long distances. We took this shoe for multiple two-hour-plus runs without any issues with foot pain or fatigue.

Traction

Now we’re talking! This is where the Mount to Coast T1 excels. When you look at the bottom of the T1, it doesn’t look like it’d grip better than any other trail runner. But it does, thanks to Vibram’s Megagrip rubber outsole, combined with its Litebase technology and Traction Lugs. The brand says their lugs offers 25% more grip than other patterns, and we agree.

We took these shoes on steep, rugged, and technical trails with loose surfaces in Southern California’s coastal range and experienced almost zero slipping. While most people likely focus on climbing and steep uphills when assessing traction, we were particularly impressed with the T1’s ability to keep us secure — and upright — while bombing slick and steep downhills. 

Mount to Coast calls the T1 a racing shoe, and with the impressive traction, we can see why. Not only does it help increase efficiency on uphills, but it also inspires confidence and security on downhills. It gives you the ability to put on the brakes quickly and safely recover if you’ve missed your line and end up on a slicker section of trail than intended. Simply put: If you run on technical terrain or value traction, the T1s should be at the top of your list.

Weight

This is another area where the Mount to Coast T1 excels. At just 9 ounces (255 grams) per shoe for a men’s size 9 (U.S.), and 1 pound, 2 ounces per pair, they are the second lightest on our list of best trail running shoes. And we could feel it. The lightness definitely boosted the shoe’s agility and nimbleness. 

Combined with the impressive traction, the lightness of these shoes makes them excellent everyday training shoes as well as some you can throw on for races.

Durability

While we have yet to log hundreds of miles on the Mount to Coast T1 trail running shoes, we’re big believers in the company’s durability. For one, we’ve put hundreds of miles on the Mount to Coast H1s with zero durability issues. And Mount to Coast prioritizes durability and making shoes that will last for ultrarunners.

Mount to Coast employs a woven fabric upper that’s reinforced with DuPont Kevlar aramid fibers. (What a time to be alive when we have Kevlar in our trail running shoes.) The brand says the Kevlar aramid fibers are five times stronger than steel. The upper shows absolutely zero ripping from the outsoles or blowouts. And the rubber outsoles show almost no wear and tear after about 100 miles in these shoes.

Of all the categories we evaluate for trail running shoes, durability, traction, and weight are definitely where the Mount to Coast T1s excel and stand out from competitors.

Breathability

This is the category where the Mount to Coast T1s got the lowest rating. The brand claims the upper material is quick-drying and breathable, and while our feet didn’t overheat in these shoes, we wouldn’t call them exceptionally breathable. But that’s also kind of expected with such a durable, robust upper build.

If you run in warmer climates or breathability is your top criterion for trail running shoes, we recommend checking out other options on our best trail running shoes list.

Responsiveness

We found the Mount to Coast T1s very responsive. Mount to Coast uses its own proprietary midsole foam called LightCELL. The brand claims it’s 50% lighter than EVA foam, which is common in running shoe midsoles, and offers 45% more energy return. We don’t know how they measure that, but from our experience with the shoe, it’s more responsive and propulsive than most of its competitors. The shoe’s rockered design aids responsiveness. 

The T1s have a high stack height with 36 millimeters of stack at the heel and 32 millimeters at the forefoot, giving them a 4-millimeter drop. That stack height is higher than all but two other shoes on our best trail running shoes list (Hoka Rocket X Trail and Nike ACG Pegasus Trail). While the stack height is definitely on the upper end for trail running shoes, we found the T1s remained stable and propulsive.

Should You Buy the Mount to Coast t1?

For anyone running lots of mileage on the trails, we say yes. If you’re new to trail running or a casual trail runner, they’re overkill. But if you’re planning on running an ultra, spend multiple days a week running and hiking on trails, or are looking for an everyday trail running trainer that doubles as a racing shoe, the Mount to Coast T1s are an excellent option.

The TUNEDFIT Dual Lacing system definitely takes some getting used to. And while they might not be the most comfy or breathable options on our list, the T1s excel in every other category of importance to trail running.

What Other Hiking Shoes Should You Consider?

The Mount to Coast T1 sits close to the top of our guide to the best trail running shoes for men. But there are other similar winners that are worth considering too:

Nnormal Kjerag 02 Review: The new Kjerags are the only other shoe on our best trail running shoes list that’s lighter than the T1s. While they’re not as grippy as the T1s, they’re a good alternative for anyone looking for a trainer with racing chops.

La Sportiva Bushido III: Like the T1s, these also excel on rugged terrain. If you’re looking for a durable, high-performing, and slightly more affordable alternative to the T1s, the Bushidos are definitely worth a look.

Salomon Speedcross 6: Also built for technical terrain and loose surfaces, the Speedcrosses are excellent shoes for anyone looking to get serious mountain miles. They’re even more slightly affordable than the Bushidos, and excelled in our traction category, finishing second to the T1s.