Gear – Dynafit Feline Superlight & Feline Ghost 100 km Review

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.

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.

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.

Specs:

• Ghost = 11 mm drop, 260 gm (8UK)
• Superlight = 12 mm drop, 290 gm