The following review was written by ATRA gear wrangler Sarah Barber and features Mount to Coast road and trail shoes in a comparative assessment.
The words “mount to coast” seem straightforward—simple but also inviting space to elaborate. In the context of running, my regional bias immediately invoked an image of Mount Hood stretching into the sky roughly two hundred miles from the Oregon coast. For most people this route is done as one of the largest relay races in the country, but as a solo mission, it becomes an extreme ultramarathon undertaking.
Transcend with Mount to Coast
It would have been a great backstory to explain the origins of the Mount to Coast footwear brand, but the company is based in Hong Kong—not the Pacific Northwest. It was publicly launched about a year ago, though veterans from other major shoe companies had been tinkering with prototype shoes for several years prior. Their intent was to serve the unique needs of ultra-distance runners. For the record, I don’t count myself as an ultra-distance runner, and I don’t think my needs are particularly unique. However, after reading that this brand is, “for runners who transcend distance,” I was titillated. Sign me up. I wanted to transcend!
Honestly, the opportunity to test-drive anything from this ISPO award-winning and new-to-me outdoor brand was immediately compelling, but indecision only fed my obsession with running shoes (which at times borders on fetishism). Mount to Coast currently offers five different models. I defy labels, identifying as a trail runner who also races on the road and track, so I chose two styles: the H1 for off-roading and the R1 for paved routes.
Performance
Hovering around 8.5 ounces, the H1 and R1 are similarly constructed lightweights that punch above their class when it comes to in-game performance. Thanks to Mount to Coast’s proprietary CircleCELL and LightCELL midsole foams, the energy return of these kicks exceeds that of well-known materials like PEBA and EVA. Even still, the company claims enhanced durability of these cushioning substances and thus longer lifespans—key ingredients for transcending distance.
Comfort
Another key to transcendence is comfort. Enter Mount to Coast’s distinctive TUNEDFIT Dual Lacing System. My quizzical expression during unboxing was short-lived because the moment I slid my foot into the H1, it all made sense. The forefoot section of laces snugs up with a quick-release design that’s completely separate from the midfoot section, which uses a traditional shoelace. As Stephen Hawking famously said, “Perfection simply doesn’t exist… Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.”
However, if you get the length correct—and Mount to Coast runs true to size—this fit system pretty much guarantees a perfect fit for your imperfect foot. And because of its clever design, that perfect fit can be adjusted on the fly, such as when your foot shape swells and morphs in the back half of an ultra.
Tread patterns
Mount to Coast calls their H1 a “road-to-trail” or “gravel” shoe, as it features less aggressive outsole lugs than the T1, which looks like it’s designed to go full-send on a technical descent. By contrast, the tread on the H1 is visually unintimidating, but I found that the trademarked VersaGrip outsole bit into terrain like a wild beast that won’t let go. And unlike a toothier trail shoe, the H1 rode smoothly on asphalt, endorsing my decision to leave my car in the garage and run from home to the nearest trailhead.
The ride
Interestingly, when compared to Mount to Coast’s road warrior, the R1, the H1 has a perceptibly softer landing. It’s not sloppy by any means, but the R1 feels firmer underfoot despite it having a greater heel-to-toe drop by 2 mm over the H1. Still, both are responsive and propulsive, encouraging quick turnover and making me feel fresher than objective mileage data suggests I should be. Maybe that’s related to the ZeroSag midsole insert originally used in the suspension system of race cars—if Mount to Cloud meant to give my legs an everyday F1 vibe, well, I guess that’s what transcendence feels like.
If you find yourself needing a shoe that can handle a gravelly trail and a sidewalk in suburbia—perhaps even on the same day—Mount to Coast’s H1 and R1 have you covered. Either model can handle both. Whether you’re transcending distance or just running away from your responsibilities, these shoes are ready for action. In fact, I’ve almost considered running all the way back to Hong Kong just to thank the designers, but as stated earlier, I’m not actually an ultra-distance runner. I’ll just send them a really enthusiastic email instead. But no matter whether you’re transcending or just pretending: Mount to Coast will get it done.
