Tarkine, the world’s newest and fastest growing running shoe brand, that burst onto the scene with a successful crowdfunding campaign back in late 2021, have launched their second shoe – the Trail Devil.   The Trail Devil is a high mileage all-terrain running shoe, built for trail athletes, but suitable for road-to-trail running.

We slammed the Devils over 1000km of road and trail, and below is our review.

Specs

• Type: Maximalist trail shoe, versatile enough to be classed as all-terrain.
• Cushioning: Maximal.
• Support: Neutral shoe with a high degree of support.
• Upper:  High quality recycled (pre-consumer) mesh.  Reinforced with overlays over the ends of the toes.
• Midsole: Rubbery foam, not EVA. Best foam comparison out there would be Nike React.
• Midsole density:  Soft to medium.
• Flexibility: Moderate. Has a full-length outsole, so is more stiff than trail shoes with some exposed midsole foam etc.
• Outsole: Full length outsole with 3.5mm lugs.  High traction.

• Drop: 6mm.
• Stack heights: 39mm heel, 33mm forefoot.
• Geometry: Quite an aggressive rocker.
• Weight: Lightweight for a high stack trail shoe.  317 grams for men’s size 11 US, 290 grams for men’s size US 9. See comparison table below.
• Heel width: Standard.
• Heel counter: Padded and comfortable.  Moderately stiff counter but can be bent.
• Sizing: True to size.
• Toe Box width: Wider than standard.  Not as wide as an Altra, but wider than a HOKA.
• Most Similar shoe on the market:  HOKA Speedgoat.  The Trail Devil has a wider toe box, and is therefore a tiny bit heavier (we are talking a few grams here and there).  The Trail Devil has more internal padding and is more comfortable.
• Blister risk: Very low.  We tested out of the box with no socks, ad ran blissfully blister free.

• Cost:
  • $159 USD at tarkine.com
  • $240 AUD at tarkine.com
  • Ships worldwide.
  • Or buy online from their retail partners such as:
    • Running Warehouse Australia
    • Tribe and Trail
    • Running Works

A few trail shoe comparisons

The Tarkine Trail Devil competes with the major brands both stackheight and weight classes.

Cool things about this shoe

• Weight: As shown in the table above, the Trail Devil competes against the majors on weight.
• Soft midsole: It’s what everyone wants and Tarkine delivers.  Their midsole foam is soft without being too squishy.
• Elite athlete backed: Josh Chugg, Phil Gore, Brian Lyons, Erchana Murray Barlett, Fraser Darcy, Matt Gore, and many more of Australia’s best trail runners are behind this young brand.

 

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• Tough upper: The upper is comfortable, yet tough. It feels high-end and durable.
• A fast trail shoe: With quite an aggressive rocker, the Trail Devil feels like a relatively fast and flowing shoe when out on the trails.  An ideal shoe for those shorter trail races, where speed is key.
• Aggressive outsole lugs: The aggressive outsole lugs provide ample traction on the trails.
• Not a stock listed conglomerate: If you want to support the underdogs, then Tarkine is that brand.  A small company from Australia, they argue that they are the world’s most eco-friendly running shoe brand.  With 3% of revenue being donated back to environmental causes, it’s hard to argue with their claims.
• Eco-friendly: Check it out HERE.

Uncool things about this shoe

• Laces too thick: Yeah but who really cares hey, this isn’t a huge deal.  Tarkine have already stated that season two will have much thinner laces.
• Full length outsole pros and cons: Many trail shoes these days don’t do the full length rubber outsoles, instead leaving some exposed foam to soften the landing feel and reduce weight.  There are pros and cons to both methods; a full length outsole lasts longer and is gripper, but yes, the extra 3-4 grams comes with it.

To buy or not to buy?

The Tarkine Trail Devil is an awesome lightweight trail shoe. It is designed for those who want quite a lot of cushion and support, and who like to cruise along with a rocker.  For their first ever trail shoe, Tarkine has nailed it….

 

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Disclaimer:  Runner’s Tribe are afilliated with the founders of Tarkine, but they of course, did not write this review.

Written by Jacob Young.

 

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