With shoes, there’s always an element of personal preference and fit, but the overall performance of a shoe should be there regardless of foot type and running style. Natural stride combined with trail conditions will show the best and worst of each pair of shoes. First up is the END Stumptown 12 trail running shoe.

About the END Stumptown 12 Trail Runners

I’ve been a big fan of END Footwear since their official launch last Fall. The crew is solid and they are dedicated to changing the way shoes are built for the better. The Stumptown 12 was one of the original launch products and is considered a key shoe in the END trail running lineup. Stumptown 12′s are built with a combination of lightweight softshell materials, supportive cross members, basic support and a trail-worthy outsole all wrapped up in an eco-friendly package.

Stumptown 12 Specs

• Seamsmart synthetic and mesh supportive uppers
• END Evo Biosmart midsole with medial post
• Co-molded protection plate
• Trail radius regrind outsole
• Synergy heel system
• Stumptown 12 Technical Specs (PDF)
• 11.5 oz (Men’s 9), but real-world weights are lower
• MSRP: $85

END Stumptown 12 Review

Out of the box, the Stumptown 12′s feel very lightweight. Other testers have noted that they weigh more in the 10 oz range (see iRunFar), which feels more like it and puts them on the lighter-side for trail shoes.  The softshell exterior is very comfortable and extremely thin/breathable due to the minimalistic build approach to the uppers. I’ve worn other softshell trail shoes in the past and the materials were a bit thicker than these, so mid-summer running wasn’t as comfortable–not so here.

I’ve found that even though these are softshell, breathability is outstanding. The flip side of that breathability is that they don’t protect you from the elements as much as other softshell designs.  But, if you consistently run in an extremely wet environment, you can choose to go with a Gore-tex or eVent shoe. I have not run in a full-on downpour, but I have run in the snow and slush with these. I found that the sides of the material did absorb moisture fairly easily, but also dried out quickly as well.

Cushioning on the Stumptown 12′s is very straightforward with the EVO Biosmart Midsole.  The shoe is built with simple cushioning and a little added support via the slight rear-medial arch post. I’d say these are a shoe that’s built for the majority of runners who don’t need oodles of cushioning and nor do they need gobs of support, just something in the middle.

The Trail Radius Regrind Outsole provides tenacious traction on both uphill and downhill terrain. Most of the trails I ran on were still fairly damp and tacky with a few moderately-loose sections. Never once did I feel like traction was compromised. Stability was pretty good overall with an ever-so-slight tendency for my foot to roll to the outside. For my feet, it seems like just a tad more lateral support would do the trick. As-is, they are still solid and I never once rolled my ankle, I’ve just felt more supported in other shoes.

As mentioned above, breathability is surprisingly good for a softshell. I could even feel the breeze blowing on my feet, which is always welcome (so long as it isn’t of the 15-degree variety) since my feet tend to get pretty hot.

Performance on the road is good as well. The only thing that would make me hesitate running long distances on-road is the lack of cushioning. They do provide excellent cushioning on the trail and acceptable cushioning on the road, but for a flat-footer like myself, I need a little more cushioning in a dedicated road shoe. But, for their intended purpose, I’d say they are solid trail shoes with the ability to run on the road when necessary.

NOTE: I didn’t test these shoes with the stock insoles. Because I have very flat feet, I need more support. So, I ran in these with both the SOLE Dean Karnazes footbeds and Superfeet Blue insoles. I’m 5’11″ and weigh 175 lbs. with regular-width but pancake-flat feet.

Good Stumptown 12

• Softshell exterior keeps out water, dirt and sand, yet breathes well
• Tread provides excellent traction
• Eco-friendly and sustainable material usage
• Very lightweight, yet still durable
• Capable on and off-road
• Trail flat efficiency
• Excellent pricepoint

Bad Stumptown 12

• Entry can be difficult with the collapsible heel
• Center lace strap limits cinching
• Middle-of-the-pack cushioning

The Bottom Line on the END Stumptown 12 Trail Running Shoes

These shoes are a great entry into the market with innovative materials all wrapped in an eco-friendly package. Performance has been excellent overall with no red flags to speak of. All materials are holding up very well and this shoe is definitely very smart looking for both trail or urban assaults. On top if it all, the modest $85 pricetag should ring home with those looking for a versatile shoe that’s both green and affordable.

Buy Now: Search for END Stumptown 12

The story doesn’t end there. The whole shoe manufacturing process for END was re-tooled from the ground-up versus other brands. Waste is re-used and unnecessary steps and components are removed from the shoe’s construction. As a result, I’m told that the number of hands required to produce a single pair of shoes has been reduced from an average of 300 for typical shoes down to about 150 for END’s shoes.

Lets look at a few shoes from the spring running line that’s available now from select retailers, Zappos.com and REI.com.

END WOW and LOL Water-friendly Running Shoes

Not just a running shoe with a few port-holes in it, these are completely built from the ground-up to be water-friendly runners. With enough mesh and holes to sink the Titanic, these lightweight and comfortable shoes would be heaven-sent not only in acquatic situations, but also on hot summer days when you want your feet to breathe. With a respectable $80 MSRP, these shoes are affordable. Oh yeah… the WOW is the men’s and LOL is women’s (in case the colors didn’t give that away.)

END OTG and YMMV Running Shoes

These are dedicated road running shoes that are built for speed, comfort and stability. The OTG (grey/orange) is posted for extra pronation support while the YMMV (white/red/black) offers straight cushioning. These shoes look smart and offer breathability second to none (a heaven-send for hot-footers like myself).  The designs differ slightly, but, like most END shoes, they share the same treads and many key components (there’s the simplification and sustainability story).  MSRP is an astounding $90 for the OTG and $85 for the YMMV.

Buy Now: Search for END Shoes at REI.com

A few months back, I heard about END (Environmentally Neutral Design), a small Portland, Oregon startup with big ambitions. I was intrigued enough by the secrecy of the company’s products (no products are currently displayed on their Web site) and their mission that I had to stop by the END booth for a visit.  I’m glad I did as I was able to chat with END co-founder, Andrew Estey and find out just what END is up to.

About END Outdoor Footwear

Not satisfied with building a “green” end product and ignoring the actual manufacturing process, END has re-engineered both the shoe designs and the production lifecycle from the ground-up. Their shoe designs may look like many other shoes from afar, but a closer look revelals the little details that allows END to reduce waste and manufacturing steps while still producing functional, stylish and durable products.

Other “green” products have been slow to sell because they lacked style and/or function. END is aiming to change the game by producing sustainable products that not only reduce their environmental impact, but will also nail the tastes of their target market of outdoorsy youth.

I’m told that a typical trail running shoe will take upwards of 300 hands to produce each pair of shoes, but END has cut that in half through product simplification and removal of unnecessary steps. All in all, this reduces materials usage, ensures a healthier production process (no toxic chemicals are used) and even a reduction in consumer pricing… something that has beleagured previous “green” products.

END is making huge efforts to get their products into the hands of world-class athletes who are flogging them in adverse situations. Feedback has been positive thus far and the product launch is poised to begin in September at REI, then in November on Zappos.com with a full-blown launch January 2009 at retailers nationwide.

The product line consists of both trail and road running shoes, versatile water shoes and sandals.  Here are a couple of highlights.

END Stumptown 12 oz Trail Running Shoes

A hot-looking trail runner that utilizes a mixture of recycled and new materials to produce the right mix of sustainability, durability and good looks.  These softshell shoes are built with simplicity in mind, but they are by no means a step back in function. I was very impressed with the overall design of these shoes and look forward to trying them out in person.

The women’s-specific version of the Stumptown 12 oz. is built specifically for a woman’s foot, which I don’t have, but I’m sure a woman will appreciate the improved fit and thought-out design.

A few more highlights:

• Single-mold, 25% recycled carbon rubber outsole
• 10% recycled EVA midsole
• Reduced amount of foam by 50%
• 25% bamboo infused linings in collar and tongue
• 100% recycled PET laces and webbing
• MSRP: $85

END Trail Thong Sandals

Functional and stylish flip-flops are hard to come by these days. With so many people wearing them day-in and day-out, it’s about time manufacturers (let alone green manufacturers like END) started building comfortable and anatomical flip-flops. The END Trail Thongs look great and sport a supportive footbed with super-grippy rubber outsoles. Cool flips for the flip-flopper in all of us.

A few more highlights:

• Available in whole sizes
• Single-mold 25% recycled carbon rubber outsole
• EVA/Cork footbed
• Leather strap

More Info: Visit ENDoutdoor.com