LaSportiva Crosslite trail running shoes

I don't consider myself a shopper, more of a buyer. In other words, I thoroughly research my purchases before I pull the trigger.
These shoes on the other hand were not the shoes I had intended to run on. I was set on a pair of Salomons, but the fit and feel of the Sportivas turned me around.
Aside from the ridiculous light weight of these shoes,(311g) they have serious lugs for traction. More than I will need on my runs along the North Saskatchewan river, but I figured they would be great for winter too.
They exceed my expectations for grip in the snow and, as I never run in icy conditions, they negate the need for anything else for winter running footwear. In fact the lugs are a bit dangerous decending wooden stairs, as they tend to catch on the leading edge and propel me forward.
I am also a big fan of the screeguard covering most of the lacing system. This is really smart as even small debris can ruin a good run. The uppers are mostly mesh for cooling an even feature reflective surfaces on the side.
Although they are not marketed as a forefoot shoe, the lack of heel cushioning and flexible midsole makes these a perfect winter or trail shoe for someone who runs on Newtons in the summer.

PRICE: About $100 CDN

Vibram Fivefingers KSO

A few years ago a friend of mine gave up his dream of developing a shoe that fit like a glove.
He discovered the Vibram fivefingers and quickly became their biggest fan.
Over time I saw the need for such a shoe, and jumped on the wagon.
Sure they look kinda odd, fit wierd, but get past that and you have a shoe for everything.
Honestly I have worn this shoe in all conditions, and have tried it in most sport applications where a binding
isn't needed. (Injinji even makes socks to fit the Fivefingers.) http://www.injinji.com/
I wore them a few days ago in the surf, thus the white wax on the toes, and I forgot i was wearing them within a few minutes in the water.
They saved my toes and soles on the sharp coral and lava and gripped the board tight.
The KSO(keep stuff out) is a tight fit around the circumfrence of the ankle and shielded me from the sand while running on the beach.
On land and water the fivefingers go with me everywhere.
Their line-up is expanding to leather uppers so check them out.

*Note* I would recomend buying the shoes a bit small if you can do it. They only come in full sizes and they expand with use, especially in the water.


PRICE:
about $80