best value choice: toread big red pao trail running shoes

Friends who enjoy outdoor trail running know that you need to choose a pair of professional trail running shoes before participating in this sport. Today, I bring you a review of the performance of the Toread 2018 Big Red PAO-F1 trail running shoes under complex road conditions. Special thanks to Codoon and Toread for providing this review opportunity.

Unboxing

The Toread 2018 Big Red PAO-F1 trail running shoes come in a vibrant red shoe box with white lettering and the PAO series mark. Of course, we can't forget the Toread logo.

The bottom of the shoe box contains company information and product quality warranty details. Since 2013, Toread has donated 1% of its annual profits to public welfare foundations for environmental protection, scientific research, education in western regions, and disaster relief. This deserves a thumbs up.

Opening the box, the shoes are wrapped in wax paper, which includes care instructions and some outsole design patents like SAFREE.Unwrapping the wax paper reveals a pair of bright red trail running shoes with an eye-catching color combination.

Shoe Details

The shoes feature a quick lace system, making them more convenient and faster to wear. The laces provide even tension when tightened, preventing them from loosening and ensuring a good fit. The shoe opening also has two 'hook-shaped' structures to further secure the laces. The lace fastening area is marked with 'TOREAD RUNNING,' highlighting the brand series.

The upper is made of high-density knit material, which is breathable, tear-resistant, lightweight, and soft, allowing for better ventilation and comfort. The upper shows minimal stitching marks due to the seamless bonding process, making the shoes lighter and more comfortable, and providing a better fit to the feet.

The Toread Big Red PAO shoes are equipped with Flight material cushioning, which improves shock absorption by 20%-40%, providing a comfortable feel. The heel-to-toe drop is suitable for most trail runners. The thickened midsole absorbs the ground's impact with each step, protecting your feet from significant impact. This is especially important for runners on hard city roads and downhill trails, as it helps prevent knee injuries.

The rear strap design makes it easy to pull on and dry the shoes. The embedded 3M design provides safety for night running, making the shoes both cool and safe.

Similar to most trail running shoes, the Toread Big Red shoes have a toe cap with anti-collision design. The TPU-injected toe cap effectively protects the toes from hard objects or rocks during downhill runs, reducing pain from impacts and enhancing the durability of the upper and sole. The upturned toe reduces toe compression, and the shoe body design provides a snug fit. The forefoot flex design enhances vertical performance, driving energy forward and improving agility and stability.

The midsole of the Big Red shoes features an X-shaped insert to prevent sprains. The outsole uses SAFREE Grip bionic anti-slip technology, combined with Toread's professional anti-slip tooth structure, significantly increasing friction with the ground compared to regular rubber. This helps you handle various complex environments with ease, enhancing outdoor experience, safety, and comfort.

The outsole of the Toread Big Red shoes features 'conical' lugs, which is a highlight of the design. The lugs are about 3mm thick, providing excellent anti-slip performance in complex environments, enhancing traction on wet surfaces, and maintaining durability even on gravel roads.

The insoles are made of foam material, which is soft, lightweight, and elastic, enhancing cushioning, sweat absorption, and comfort.

The midsole is filled with breathable holes to increase sweat absorption and ventilation. The internal stitching is well-crafted. The tongue is connected to the sole with mesh fabric, preventing it from moving during runs.

Wearing Experience

The biggest difference from regular road running shoes is the softer midsole, providing a 'stepping on clouds' feeling with each step. It's said that the Big Red shoes run large; I usually wear size 41 in Asics road running shoes, and size 41 in the Big Red shoes fits perfectly. After tightening the laces, my feet are well-secured without any movement, and the shoes fit snugly.

To test the trail performance of the Big Red shoes, I planned a hike with friends to the Iron Tile Temple in Pengzhou, covering about 13 kilometers with an elevation gain of around 2000 meters. The route included cement roads, tractor paths, forest mud trails, and gravel roads, providing a comprehensive test of the shoes' trail capabilities.

It rained that day, making the uphill path slippery and steep. My friend walked ahead quickly, and I was sweating profusely trying to keep up. The Big Red shoes performed well in terms of anti-slip and traction on muddy paths. It took me 3 hours and 4 minutes to cover the 6.4 kilometers uphill, setting a personal best for climbing to the Iron Tile Temple.

The downhill test was the ultimate challenge for the Big Red trail shoes. The thickened midsole absorbed the impact of each step, protecting my knees. The quick lace system stayed secure during the fast descent. On several gravel sections, my toes felt no discomfort, unlike previous experiences with road running shoes where my toes would hurt and even bruise. I twisted my ankle twice during the descent but felt no pain. However, the anti-slip performance on wet rocks was not very good. The shoes performed well on muddy flat surfaces, but caution was needed on muddy downhill sections. The dense vegetation soaked me, and rainwater flowed into the shoes, but the insoles and midsole absorbed the water well, and my feet quickly felt dry again.

I also tested the shoes on an asphalt road, running 10 kilometers with 1.2 kilometers of uphill and downhill each. The 'stepping on clouds' feeling was prominent on flat surfaces. The shoes, weighing only 300 grams each, felt light during uphill runs. The outsole's anti-slip and stability performance was excellent during lateral movements, and the forefoot's traction was impressive during downhill sprints, making the shoes feel almost weightless.

Summary

The Toread Big Red PAO-F1 trail running shoes are suitable for runners of all levels, whether you're a beginner or an experienced trail runner. The shoes provide excellent support, preventing foot movement inside the shoes and ensuring stability on descents. They offer great value for money, with an official retail price of 599 yuan, but available for 312 yuan during a promotion on their Tmall store.

Pros:The upper is made of high-density knit material, which is breathable and tear-resistant. The Flight material cushioning improves shock absorption by 20%-40%, providing a comfortable feel. The heel-to-toe drop is suitable for most trail runners. The seamless bonding process and dual lace fastening system make the shoes lightweight, snug, and comfortable. The embedded 3M design provides safety for night running. The midsole features an X-shaped insert to prevent sprains. The SAFREE Grip outsole offers excellent traction and durability while being lightweight and anti-slip. The responsive outsole system, upturned toe, and snug fit design reduce toe compression and enhance vertical performance, driving energy forward and improving agility and stability.

Cons:Due to the breathable design, the shoes are not waterproof. The anti-slip performance on wet rocks is also lacking.