Review: Mammut Aenergy Trail All Mountain Trail Running Shoes

Mammut’s iconic mastodon logo lets you know they mean business. That rugged animal ruled the wildest terrain and that’s just what the Mammut Aenergy Trail All Mountain shoes are built for. At home in Europe or here in the Wasatch, I gave them a good thrashing on my local trails.

Mammut Energy Trail All Mountain Shoes Features:

• Uppers feature lightweight polyester knit with high-level breathability and abrasion resistance
• Breathable textile lining and thermoformed tongue for seamless fit
• Mammut CORE Plus foam midsole for cushioning and rebound
• 360° TPU reinforced rand for protection from rocks and trail debris
• Ortholite insole for long-lasting cushioning and step-in comfort
• Heel drop: 8mm, Stack Height: 34/26mm
• Suitable for mid-distance trail running (10k to 30k)
• Weight: 11.3 oz each (size 11.5, actual)
• MSRP: $149

Mammut-ing around

Admittedly, the name of these shoes is an absolute mouthful — Mammut has a way of doing that. That said, these long-named trail runners have gone from a brainful of questions to a mouthful of answers throughout the test period. They went from “these feel odd” to “I get them now” after coming to enjoy their more traditional approach to a trail running shoe. I’m not saying these are old-school, but they do feel a lot like an old, trusty pair of trail runners from 15 years ago — just with modern materials and construction.

From the outset, there’s no denying the 34mm heel and 26mm forefoot stack heights. While 34mm in the heel is typical these days, having an 8mm drop is where these get more traditional. Yes, I have run in shoes with that much drop over the past few years, they haven’t felt like they have 8mm drop. The Mammut Aenergy Trail All Mountain Shoes definitely make that drop noticeable because of the outsole’s rocker position underfoot.

As mentioned, my first few steps felt like I was wearing heels. And, it did take a few trail runs and hikes in them to become accustomed to their particular balance point. I say all of this, not as a bad thing, but a “thing” when it comes to these shoes. If a more traditional drop is your jam, you’ll hop in, lace-up and hit the trails without skipping a beat. But, if you’re running in something with a more modest drop, it may take a minor warmup to get used to them. So, just give yourself a couple of runs to feel just right.

I appreciate the traditional lacing pattern with looped eyelets for a smooth, consistent pull. The spacing and placement allows proper fit and adjustments without fuss. I do have a little bit of trouble pulling the correct end of the laces on the uppermost section, but it’s a 50/50 chance each time. I appreciate the combination of the laces and a padded tongue that delivers the proper fit without pressure points. While it’s always important to find the proper lace tension, going a little tight didn’t result in any pressure or bruising on the top of my feet.

The CORE Plus midsole is super-comfortable and offers just the right squish for my middle-aged joints. I appreciate, to a certain extent, that they lean towards cushioning over responsiveness. The polyester knit mesh uppers have proven durable and airy while the red/white/blue color scheme has also fit in nicely with my America 250 celebrations this summer. Happy Birthday, America!

A Mammut for running and hiking

Like most shoes, I broke these in for a few days around town. One of the first chances was the local town parade, where I first appreciated the patriotic color scheme. Once I felt comfortable, it was time for one of my fast hikes, then trail runs.

Unlike some trail runners, the Aenergy Trail All Mountain is just fine with road approaches. Whether you run or hike on that bit of asphalt, the treads won’t hold you back. Once your foot lands on that first bit of dirt, you’ll definitely feel more at home.

Cushioning on the trails is consistent, but lacks rebound or “pop” to propel you into that next step. The ramped feel does some of that, to some extent. However, for me, the ramped design is a less-efficient way to propel you into that next step. On the good side, the outsole lugs are great at providing traction both uphill and downhill. Only the most loose conditions caused problems (but those same conditions would give those same problems to any shoe).

While these feature a more traditional toebox, there is plenty of wiggle room for your digits to splay and act independently with each step and push. Because of that, I can see wearing these in colder months with a midnight sock without feeling crammed inside. As it is, I’ve been wearing a variety of lightweight socks and breathability has been excellent. There are more airy uppers, but these won’t be like putting your feet in the sauna.

Back to the 8mm drop. While I did become accustomed to it, I can truthfully say that it’s still not my jam. On some descents, I felt like my feet were going to burst out of the uppers — not because the shoes were insecure, but it’s just that noticeable to me. Thankfully, however, that feeling was only my imagination and my feet remained locked in place on even the most challenging descents. Again, the ramp and the torsionally-flexible shoe design did cause a fem moments of lateral instability.

While Mammut has given the Aenergy Trail All Mountain a 360° TPU reinforced rand, don’t expect a numb ride because that reinforcement is pretty minimal overall. On the good side, trail feel is superb. But, on the bad side, an unintentional step onto a sharp rock can be felt through the heel or forefoot. Over the course of a long run, a few of those steps can be fatiguing. Additionally, there is a small heel window in the outsole where rocks have gotten stuck.

I love that Mammut included a heel pull tab to aid shoe entry. All trail running shoes should have that simple feature. Interestingly, Mammut also included a semi-integrated cuff. In my experience, these types of designs are hit-and-miss. My opinion is to either go full cuff or no cuff at all. After slipping my feet inside, I always have to pry out the flexible cuff from around my ankle. And, truthfully, the cuff doesn’t do anything to prevent rocks and scree from entering. I get more little rocks and debris inside these shoes from that gap than any other shoe I’m testing.

Lastly, these shoes feel more adept at long training runs versus fast-paced racing. Honestly, that’s what Mammut intended, so it checks out. At 11.3 oz each, they aren’t lightweight shoes, but they don’t feel heavy at all on the trails. For my moderate pace, they are just fine, but if you’re a speedster, you might feel a bit bogged down by their lack of zippiness.

Sizing: I’m wearing a size 11.5 US in these shoes, which is the same size I wear in nearly any other trail running shoe brand. My feet are normal width and I have pretty low arches, for reference. 

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