Review: TrekSta Men’s Evolution Trail Shoe

At the time of writing, I have used these shoes in the Brooks Range of the Alaskan Arctic, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, The Mahoosuc Mountains of Maine and to climb 14,000 foot mountains in Colorado. In short, they're great and the NestFit foodbed is amazing. Traction is superb. Check out more about these shoes at offyonder.com.The TrekSta Evolution is a really great all-round shoe. Putting them on and experiencing the NestFIT insole for the first time was a unique experience. The textured insole felt odd at first, but once my foot was in the shoe and settled the tri-density footbed and well-researched last wrapped around my foot and felt very secure.

Since getting a pair I have tested them in the Brooks Range in Alaska, along the shore of the Arctic Ocean, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, in the Mahoosuc Mountains in Maine, and on the rugged Sawatch Range along the Continental Divide in Colorado. Along with plodding through numerous airports (they slip off and on easily for security), mashed in my luggage, and on nice strolls in various parks. They handled each of these conditions admirably and remain my go-to shoe for anything active. Even replacing heavy hiking boots at times.

In Alaska, I tromped across the tundra and soaked my shoes in the morning dew as well as in the marshy grasses where the permafrost has prevented the spring melt to absorb into the ground. My feet stayed perfectly warm in my Teko wool socks and the shoes dried easily by the fire that evening. The grippy sole did well along the wet rocks and logs of the White and Mahoosuc Mountains (though I did push the edge some and slipped here and there). And finally, amongst the jagged rocks on and off trail in the Sawatch Range in Colorado, the Evolution provided superb traction and support.

Other technical aspects I appreciate about the shoe are the ribbed laces that keep them from coming untied amidst the rigorous pounding and the mesh sides allow for breathability. The downside of the mesh is the shoes are far from waterproof. The one feature I’ve not yet had a chance to test is the IceLock system built into the sole for icy conditions.

I’ve been looking for a good trail shoe for some time and the TrekSta Evolution has filled the need nicely.

About the author

Adventure Correspondent Cameron L. Martindell is a freelance adventure travel and expedition writer, photographer and filmmaker who founded Offyonder.com in 2000. He has contributed to Elevation Outdoors Magazine, The Gear Junkie, National Geographic, The Christian Science Monitor, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Outside, Backpacker, Wired, Australian Geographic, Mountainzone.com and others. He has been to all seven continents and lived on five of them, including a four-month stint at the South Pole. Cameron has more than 10 years of mountain search and rescue experience, is an Eagle Scout, has been an Australian bush firefighter, competes in sailing regattas, plans national and international youth programs, guides Oregon rafting trips and Australian bush backpacking trips.

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