At a slight 329g per shoe the Versatrail can rightly lay claim to lightweight credentials. It has a spacious fit, favours breathability over any kind of waterproofing and is aimed at light hikers likely to stick to easy trails in the warmer months.
The first thing you'll notice, though, is the time and energy-saving lacing system. It takes the form of a stretch cord fitted in the traditional way, but is simply tightened and secured by a handy drawcord. You'll have the shoe fitted effectively and comfortably in seconds every time. A nice feature that works well.
Fit-wise it is a broad shoe, which will suit some users more than others and marks it out as footwear built more for ease and comfort than for technical terrain or agile placement. The comfort is moderately impressive, coming mainly from that suppleness of design rather than any particular innovation of padding or cushioning - but it is nevertheless an easy shoe to wear and forget about during a day on the trail.
Durability and protection are not the Versatrail's strong points. The synthetic rand and EVA heel bumper will go far towards keeping your feet safe on an established path, but put them onto scree or other technical terrain and they are quickly out of their depth. The upper is soft and breathable, rather than resiliant, and there is no toe box to speak of.
The plus side of all those factors is that the Versatrail is extremely cool when in use and extremely accommodating of your foot from the off. It definitely compromises for your comfort, rather than the other way round. The rubber outsole carries only small and relatively shallow lugs, but performs well in the kind of terrain this shoe is intended for.
In conclusion: Light, comfortable, non-technical and quick to dry, this is a great choice trail shoe for walkers and hikers. Take them off-trail and they won't excel, but use them for path-based wanderings in the summer and they'll quickly prove their worth.
