New Balance MT101 Review | It Keeps Getting Better
MT101 picks up where the MT100 left off
The MT101s are the follow-up to the MT100 trail shoe. As a huge fan of new Balance minimalist trail shoes, I was very excited to learn more about the newest release from the company, and better yet, put them to test on some good ol’ rugged trail.
Thanks to a really cool dude at New Balance, I got my hands on a pair of pre-release MT101s just in time for the Laurel Valley Whitewater Run in the Foothills of South Carolina. Laurel Valley is a self-supported, 35-ish mile trail race and is known as one of the most rugged, toughest trail races in the Southeast – the perfect venue for putting the kicks to a serious test.
What’s different in the MT101?
In an email from New Balance product manager Bryan Gothie, he offered a summary of the shoe modifications:
The 101 is an upper only update that incorporates a ton of Anton’s [Anton Krupicka] feedback. He was looking for more stability in the upper, especially on the downhills, and some added lateral support as well. We also added a little more protection to the tongue and found a way to manufacture the heel EVA collar so that it finishes with a cleaner lip. Those are the big functional updates, cosmetically we decided to step it up a little. There is a little more pep to the materials on this version and the color choice, as well as the amount of, is also enhanced.
And once my pair arrived, I found all of this to be true, …along with a few other surprises.
The MT101 seems to be a wider shoe
The pair of MT101s that I received are exactly the same size as all of my MT100s (10.5) but the 101s are noticeably wider and roomier, and especially in the toe box area. Check out the comparison below between a pair of MT100s and MT101s, both size 10.5 — by the way, {click} any of the images in this review for a larger, 900px screen-filling view.
The MT101s are green, and the MT100s are the gray shoes. It’s tough to really see the width difference, but notice the different positioning of some of the support pieces, including the additional upper support at the bottom of the laces. The toe tip has also been changed to a tougher material that softens the blow when kicking a nasty root or rock. I welcomed this improvement often during the Laurel Valley race.
More side upper support doesn’t mean heavier
Notice a complete restructuring of the side support, and especially the upper. The material used for the lateral support feels like a tougher, more rugged plastic, as opposed to the cloth-like support materials in the MT100s; however, that new “fanned-out” support piece does utilize a sort of firm cloth and feels really snug around the top of the foot.
Here on the outside of the New Balance shoe you can see stronger attention to support in the upper. Again, {click} for a larger view on any of the shoe images.
Who doesn’t like a little more tongue?
Ok, that was bad, but I bet it got your attention. {wink}
The 101 has a slightly thicker tongue. Why? I really don’t know. The change is so slight, so I really can’t tell whether it matters or not. Still, the tongue is very lean and as minimalist as I’ve ever seen in any other shoe, and is still one of my favorite features of both models.
What about the achilles issue of the shoe back?
For one, I’ve never experienced the “digging” issues that others have reported. I believe this has a lot to do with heel striking, but regardless what I think, it’s a popular complaint in the comments of my MT100 review. New Balance has lowered the back a little (as you can see in the side comparisons a couple of images above). I thought the rubber might have come back a little softer this time, but it seems to be the exact same material.
Still smells bad. Hey New Balance – why the stinky rubber?
Putting the MT101s to the test at Laurel Valley
Let me just say right now that I am sold. I love the shoe.
Because of the new width, I probably could have tightened them down a bit more for the race as I found my feet jamming into the toe box during steep descents and I slid around in the shoe when negotiating some gnarly rocky sections. I didn’t get any blisters, though, so it must not have been too bad.
I ran Laural Valley hard, chasing some time goals, and the shoes performed perfectly, carrying me to a PR on the course.
The good:
- So very, very light. Under 7 oz.
- Good grip on the climbs. We got caught in a couple downpours and the shoes handled muddy climbs beautifully.
- Quick-dry. There are lots of water crossings at LV and the shoes excrete water very quickly.
The bad:
- Like the 100s, the shoes let in more dirt and debris than others. I found myself having to stop and pull crap out of them from time to time.
- Those lame laces. I’m just not buying into the New Balance sure lace™ concept. The laces come untied more frequently than, say, my road racing flats which are just simple, thin light laces.
The bottom line – the MT101 is an excellent minimalist trail shoe.
Period.
It’s light, rugged, grippy and fits like a glove. The new upper support feels nice and snug, and the increased attention to rock and root protection is noticeable and makes a real difference out on the trail.
I’m proud to report that I had one of my best days ever at Laurel Valley, scoring a 31 minute PR and 5th place overall, and I attribute much of this success to the MT101.
Would love to hear other’s experiences, so comment away!
