Xero Mesa Summit Running Shoes Review

Barefoot running may seem to have been cast aside by the big brands, each crawling all over one-another to release the latest iteration of the Michelin Man’s joggers. For some though, big pillowy mounds of high-tech foam are of little appeal. Some prefer ground feel over a gooshy greeting to each step. Some prefer just a little rubber under their feet instead of an entire R&D department’s multi-year culmination of work. If you’re in that boat, the boat of the simple and slim approach to running footwear, you almost certainly know Xero. They recently launched the Mesa Summit running shoes focusing on trail use, and I’ve been testing them out for the past month or so.

Xero Mesa Summit Running Shoes Features:

• Ripstop nylon mesh uppers with 3D TPU overlays
• Functional tensioning straps
• Protective ESS rock guard
• 3.5 mm lugs to provide traction
• Flexible design
• Total stack height: 9.5 mm
• Weight: 610g (per pair in USM 11, as measured on my scale)
• MSRP: $125

Not For the Faint of Calf

Back in the 2011/2012 neighborhood, I ran in minimalist shoes. Very slim padding and zero drop. I’d just read Born to Run, and like many in the era, I had a bee in my bonnet about the merits of natural running and a return to the near perfect form that minimalist shoes demand. Of course, at that time, I was young and strong. Now, I’m a little less of both, and there’s a solid decade and half of cushy shoes in between me and that time in my life. So, as I set out in the Mesa Summit for this past month of running, I was nostalgic for the flat feel and the airy lightness of a shoe that aims to intentionally be less.

As a function of that, the Mesa Summits are light and breathable. At 610 grams per pair in Mens size 11, they could be lighter, I suppose, but I feel that asking for less on an already spartan, lightweight shoe is a bit needless. For me, they’re plenty light, and the mesh construction that lends to that weight shaving also leads to their breathability. That air flow is noticeable as you run, and if you ride a bike in them, your little piggies will be squealing with delight all the way home – such is the freedom of the breeze.

While temperature regulation is good, and the feet are given an easy pass in that regard, the nature of a minimalist shoe is to offer very little support and ask much of your feet. I’d forgotten that over my years of wearing cushy running shoes. For my first few runs, my feet were a bit sore. That improved over time. For all of my runs throughout the testing period, my calves were sore. That did not improve nearly as much.

The Mesa Summits are really only for ball-of-the-foot runners. A heal-striker would find themselves very uncomfortable, very fast. I run on the balls of my feet, and I have forever. Even still, I found the Mesa Summits required a lot of me. With such minimal padding, the impact of each footfall went directly to my calves.

I run often, I like to run far, and I like to think of my calves as one of my stronger muscle groups. They rarely fail me. The Mesa Summits absolutely crushed them, and after a little over a month of running in them, they were ultimately the reason I raised the white flag. Perhaps I’m too old to run in minimalist runners… but that can’t be it. I’ve seen some inspirational older folks cruising in minimalist shoes. I don’t think it’s just me though. The lack of padding on these shoes really works for a more niche group of runners – one which I must not fit into anymore.

Still, I wear the Mesa Summits often these days for walking, hiking, and everyday use, and they suit me well for those purposes. Lately, I’ve been thinking about what a great camp shoe they’d make on backpacking trips. While running in them though, I did have a few more take-aways. Firstly, their flexibility is wild. You can roll these shoes up into a ball. If you’re looking for trail feel, you will get it with these.

Secondly, their grip leaves something to be desired. For ordinary trail running on loam and roots, they are more than sufficient. For wet rocks and other smoother, lower-friction surfaces, they’re not the most secure. I actually found myself a little scared from time to time running with them post-rain on rocky surfaces. They skittered a few times on me while running over both mossy and damp schist, and once on wet sandstone. It’s not that the lugs aren’t large enough. It seems to be a matter of rubber compound.

Beyond traction though, the sole has a warranty up to 5,000 miles, which is notable. I’ve put perhaps 100-150 miles on my pair, and the soles really don’t look like they have another 4,850 miles on them. For most running shoes, the typical lifespan of 200-300 hard miles is a function of the death of the foam. Ultra-compressed and very sad, a cushy shoe will eventually feel like a weird brick under foot. With minimal foam in the first place, barefoot runners like the Mesa Summit don’t suffer the same weakness. Lifespan becomes more of a question of just rubber. So, will they last longer than my Hokas? Certainly. Will they last 5,000 miles? I strongly suspect not. Still, for both rubber and other materials, I anticipate a long, long life.

Fit: I typically wear a size 11 running shoe, which is what I tested here. They’re true to size, and I wouldn’t change a thing in the fit department.

Buy Now: Available from Xero