The following review was written by trail runner Sarah Barber and features Ace from VJ Shoes. The footwear was provided by corporate member VJ Shoes at no cost for the review. Barber lives and trains on the trails near her home in Boise, Idaho.
Ah, winter. Here we are in the thick of it, and I’m struggling to find a word that doesn’t seem to exist yet. This word needs to convey a peculiar mix of emotions that is seventy-five percent dread, twenty-five percent eager anticipation, and is accompanied by an involuntary outbreak of goosebumps and shivers. It’s likely a European word that doesn’t have a perfect translation to English. And that, THAT my friends, is how I feel about the first snowfall of the season here in my hometown.
However, VJ Shoes can take full credit for the one-quarter enthusiasm I feel about blizzards. This forward-thinking footwear company has just launched the Ace: a waterproof winter running shoe with studded soles designed to uphold VJ’s perennial tagline of offering “the best grip on the planet.” So if your little corner of the planet is covered in snow and ice, the Ace has got you covered.
Ace from VJ Shoes: Studded and waterproof
I spent three weeks waiting for snow and admiring the lightweight red-and-black sneakers from the comfort of my sofa adjacent to a smoldering wood stove. During that limbo, I counted seventeen steel studs on the sole of each shoe, totaling thirty-four for the pair. Upon closer inspection, I realized the studs were like tiny Torx screwdrivers, except these little stars had five points instead of six. Either way, the idea of running with thirty-four studs had me a little—er—starstruck. I’ve never run with more than one or two studs at a time! (giggle)
I read the fine print on the lateral aspect of the upper: “WATERPROOF” it said in capital letters. Hope so! Because what good is a winter trail shoe that leaks? In slightly larger capital letters, the medial aspect of the upper proclaimed: “FITLOCK.” That means my foot will be as secure as a vault – no slop in the heel, plenty of extra support through the arch, and no jammed toes due to forward sliding.
Barber on the trails testing Ace from VJ Shoes.
Fit
Speaking of jammed toes, VJ Shoes usually advises customers to go up a ½ size to adjust for their products’ notoriously snug fit. But the Ace was developed with seasonally appropriate thick wool socks in mind; as such, VJ crafted a roomier toe box with a smidge of extra length. If I could offer anything to R & D, I’d suggest all their shoes be constructed with accurate sizing. My women’s size 10 in the Ace felt almost bespoke, but other same-sized footwear made by this company have been uncomfortably tight.
VJ’s online description of the Ace highlights the EPTU Foam midsole, which is just the right amount of cushion to keep the runner comfortable. The skeptic in me wasn’t sure she wanted a squishy sneaker on a surface of fluffy powder. Fortunately, my apprehension was wasted. When I finally took my first few steps on snow, I was delighted to experience a stiff responsiveness that rivaled a two-by-four. This suits my preference, and I suspect even those accustomed to the high-stack, pillowy treads flooding the market these days will find themselves appreciating something a little more stable when navigating the frozen tundra.
Check out the sole of Ace from VJ Shoes.
Traction
The best feature of the Ace is its studded sole. Remember the early days of strap-on traction devices that felt like running on wire coils? Spoiler alert: users actually were running on wire coils. But even later variants that sported alloy spikes or chains offered the similarly awkward sensation of an extra layer between the sole of the shoe and the surface of the earth. The risk of injury incurred through a slip-and-splat on ice is only slightly greater than the risk of injury from a sudden change in form and footsrike due to one of these well-intentioned contraptions.
VJ’s Ace flips the script with fully integrated traction built into the sole of the shoe, and it’s far more effective than any of the aforementioned gizmos. That being said, just as studded snow tires are loud and clunky on pavement, the Ace will reveal your presence the moment you hit a dry patch of trail. This might be the one drawback of such a specific pair of kicks. Unlike Yaktrax or Microspikes, the Ace cannot be stuffed in a pocket mid-run.
If safe and focused winter training is your path to a successful spring season, you’ll be armed for whatever nature delivers and you won’t mind having spikes on your soles for those dicey days. Imagine a world in which slipping is a rumor and falling is an outright myth: this is the world in which the VJ Ace exists. And I plan on spending the rest of the winter there.
Ace from VJ Shoes ideal for snow-covered trails.
Ace from VJ Shoes: Specs
Heel drop: 4 mm
Lug depth: 4 mm
Midsole stack height: 38mm/30mm
Weight: 8.3 oz (235 g)
MSRP: $180
Editor’s Note: To read more articles about and by Sarah Barber, visit this link.
