Gear – Dynafit Feline Superlight & Feline Ghost 100 km Review

This sign on the trail during my first run seemed appropriate.

This sign on the trail during my first run seemed appropriate.

I have gone through several pairs of shoes over the last season without finding any real standout do-everything winners. The most recent are the Feline Superlight and Feline Ghost courtesy of Dynafit. Long a manufacturer of sweet skimo gear, Dynafit recently entered the trail running game and developed the Feline Superlight shoe for the 2012 season. This move seems to makes sense as lots of ski racers are runners and might even need a shoe during a big mission.

I received the shoes just a few days after pulling my calves/Achilles in a race. I was hesitant to test out a new pair of kicks while recovering from an injury but was hopeful that a slightly more supportive/cushioned shoe would be beneficial. Since then, I have put in at least 100 km on the Ghosts and over 200 km on the Superlights. With my calf soreness, I initially mainly used the Superlight because of its better cushioning but now have started to transition to the Ghost for trail running.
My first impression was that these shoes seem to really fit my feet well (even better than my ski boots!). I have not gotten a single heel blister which is a common theme for me early in the season. I also don’t seem to get too much pressure on my toes where the shoe flexes. Fit is pretty arbitrary though so i’ll leave it at that. They do seem to fit true to size though as I was able order the correct size on the first try.
Dynafit Feline Superlight

Dynafit Feline Superlight

The Superlight is a solid comfortable shoe with an aggressive tread on the Vibram sole. The sole seems pretty solid on muddy, wet roots and rocks in Squamish. Other than climbing shoes (with sticky rubber) I have never had a shoe hold this secure on wet granite. It’s still not a climbing shoe but scrambles well. The cushioning takes the edge off sharp rocks. The shoe upper has a standard tongue with an unusual mud flap/semi gator. It is a rubberized piece of fabric sewn over the top of the laces. It closely resembles the rubber cover on the Dy.N.A. Race boot (which keeps snow out – necessary on all tongue less boots) Presumably this is to keep out debris though the tongue is still in place to serve this purpose. Lacing is facilitated by a red fabric tab that is used to tighten the lower laces. I do really like the hole in the top of the tongue to help tighten things up.

Dynafit Feline Ghost

Dynafit Feline Ghost

The Ghost is a lighter shoe with a slightly more traditional design. The sole is still well lugged for good traction on trails though not quite as aggressive as the Superlight. A little slippery on wet granite slabs but much better than some other options. The upper is much lighter with a very thin material – almost see through – that allows much more breathability. The tongue and laces are a standard design and much thinner than the Superlight. The Ghost is definitely light – I have used it for several interval sessions and am impressed by how it feels on my feet. I am definitely looking forward to using these in the Squamish 50k.

Both models have a solid, durable rubber toe-cap that protects the toe and most of the forefoot. I find this lacking in lots of shoes as I drag my feet a bit when I run and so I stub my toes a lot. Having extra protection here is definitely worth the weight cost.
I’ll post up my final thoughts on durability at the end of the season after a few more races and a bit more training.
Car packed to do something fun.

Car packed to do something fun.

Specs:

  • Ghost = 11 mm drop, 260 gm (8UK)
  • Superlight = 12 mm drop, 290 gm
Pros:
  • Medium cushioning
  • Good toe protection
  • Light weight (Especially the Ghost)
  • Comfortable/Blister free (for me)
  • Great traction (especially the Superlight)
Cons:
  • Tongue cover on Superlight seems maybe a bit gimmicky except some specific situations
Overall:
Both shoes are great so far. I love the traction of the Superlight – it performs well on wet rock and snow. The Ghost is a good lightweight compliment for races and harder workouts. I think the best quiver would be to have the Ghost and the Superlight Gore-Tex Model. The only question remaining is durability.

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