Now that I have been putting more miles on my existing running shoes it was time to start looking for a replacement. I came across Astral as I was working on my schedule for Outdoor Retailer Summer Market coming up at the end of July. I took a closer look at their website and liked what I saw. I ended up going with the TR1 Junction M’s. They appeared to be a well-built minimalist shoe for the trails. Here is what the Astral website says about them.

This burly yet lightweight hiker is equipped with our sticky G® Rubber, Balanced Geometry™, and an integral Top Shank™ for crushing miles of rugged trails or canyon.

• Intended Use: Light Hiker, River
• Uppers: Hydrophobic canvas with protective TPU overlays at toe and heel cap. Supportive EVA heel cup. Removable Polygiene® treated insole treated insole. Heel tab. Includes alternate color laces.
• Midsole: Level heel to ball, with Top Shank™ to reduce foot fatigue.
• Outsole: G.15™ high friction Rubber with aggressive 5mm lugs. Non-marking.

One thing I did notice other than how lightweight they are is the grippiness of the soles. Walking around on any hard surface almost feels like the shoe has suction cups built into the sole. The traction these shoes have is crazy.

I plan on using these as my trail running shoe from this point forward. I recently wore them on a 3 mile run and had no issues with foot fatigue or the physical build of the shoe.

Stay tuned for report on how these shoes stand up to repeated trail runs and different terrain.

This article was originally published on the Loadout Room and written by Scott Witner