Columbia Trient Outdry shoes. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

Price: £130
Colour: black/grey
Weight: 852g/pair (size 9½)
Construction: fabric/synthetic uppers/Vibram outsole
Waterproofing: Outdry
Country of manufacture: China
Sole stiffness: 2/10
Sizes: men’s 6-14 (40-47); women’s 3-10 (36-43)

The Columbia Trient Outdry is part of the brand’s Montrail collection, given a fresh push by the company this spring. Columbia took over the Montrail brand in 2006 and has put together a range of clothing and footwear firmly aimed at trail runners and ultrarunners.

The Trient Outdry is, according to Columbia, inspired by the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, one of Europe’s toughest mountain races, and is designed for high mountain running and ultrarunning, an equally tough market to succeed in for a running shoe.

The Columbia shoe’s upper is a combination of tough-feeling mesh and synthetic strengthening strips. Extra rubbery protection runs almost the whole length of the rand of the shoe and also extends upwards for part of the heel. The heel cup is very protective and also cradles the foot well at this point, with no heel lift on uphill sections of routes.

The toe section also has good protection from a slightly stiffened outer box. The forefoot is held in place well by two supplementary eyelets that lock the laces in place and prevent any slippage there. The laces lock well overall and didn’t loosen during our runs.

The Trient Outdry shoes have good underfoot cushioning. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

Comfort on longer routes was good, with just about the right amount of underfoot cushioning without it becoming tiring. The midsole has an EVA layer which absorbs shocks well. The insole is also well cushioned at the heel and midfoot areas, with a fairly standard forefoot section.

There’s an 8mm drop between the 18mm-high heel section and the forefoot, and this gave a neutral feel to running. The set-up works well on those section where you have to walk, too.

Foot stability on uneven and rocky sections of our test routes was good. The Vibram sole performed very well. On wet rock traction and braking was very good. It also performed well on wet grass and mud. The Trient Outdry has a 3.5mm lug depth – not designed for very muddy routes, but about the right size for mixed trail routes likely to be encountered in the mountains. The lugs are fairly well spread, so do shed any collected mud quite well.

There’s good padding round the ankle and on the shoe’s tongue and the foot felt comfortable in these areas.

Grip from the Vibram outsole was very good. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

This Columbia shoe has Outdry waterproofing, which kept the feet dry but also makes the shoes fairly warm if the temperature rises. Bear in mind that rain and puddle splashes will get into most shoes at the ankle area unless gaiters are worn.

Sizing on the Trient Outdry shoes was about average, and the forefoot area felt roomy enough for the tester’s foot with no sense of pinching.

These are comfortable shoes that have just about the right amount of cushioning for long trails. In fact, we think they would even be a good choice for trail walkers who are happy to eschew the extra ankle protection of a boot.

The Columbia Trient Outdry performed well on our tests. Photo: Bob Smith/grough

The grip from the Vibram sole was impressive, and performance on both dry and wet rock was very assured, as was grip on gravel and grass.

They’re not the lightest of shoes for the trail, which might be an issue for some runners, but the comfort and cushioning is good.

Performance 34/40
Comfort 25/30
Versatility 8/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 81/100

• The shoes were supplied to grough by Columbia