As you can tell from my description, I’m a runner who tackles ultramarathons. As such, I often reach for a variety of running shoes. It’s an opportunity to test new gear – sometimes a hit, sometimes a miss – but I also get to share my impressions with you. In this post, I’d like to review the Tarkine Trail Devil, a rather unusual model from Australia. This is a true long-term review because I bought them a year ago, and I’m not sponsored in any way.
First of all, I must admit it was really hard to find any info about Tarkine shoes. They’re an Australian company not distributed in Poland – or, likely, many other European countries. I was looking for shoes with a wide toebox but wanted an alternative to Altra, since Altra has had issues with quality control and durability. Someone mentioned Tarkine on Reddit; there was a promo with free worldwide shipping, so I decided to give them a try. Even with the promo, they ended up being the most expensive running shoes I’ve ever bought. Keep that in mind – it’ll be important at the end.
My first contact with the Tarkine Trail Devil was interesting. They have a really wide toebox -maybe not as wide as original Altra models, but there’s plenty of space. If you have wide feet, they can be a lifesaver. From this perspective, they’re very comfortable. The tongue is quite long, but even when I lace them tightly, it doesn’t cause discomfort. That’s another big plus. As for heel hold, I didn’t notice any problems, although I do have a wide foot overall. However, the laces are simply too long. Even when I use a runner’s knot or an extra loop, I’m left with a huge excess of lace and nowhere to tuck it. These shoes really need a lace garage or some way to lock them in place so they don’t flap around when running.
The Trail Devil uses rocker geometry, which helps your foot roll forward more smoothly – and it works. You can run fairly fast in them without feeling slowed down. They don’t exactly encourage a super dynamic stride, but they’re not sluggish either (unlike, say, the Altra Olympus). The front is only partially reinforced, so if you hit a rock on the side of your foot, you’ll probably feel it. I ran in very hot weather and never overheated in these shoes; they seem to breathe well.
Now, onto the outsole – the most important part of any trail shoe, and in my opinion, the Trail Devil’s weakest link. In theory, it looks good: 3.5 mm lugs with a proprietary design called “Claw.” However, in practice, it just doesn’t deliver. I’m not sure who these shoes are meant for. They’re far from ideal on technical trails, regardless of conditions. On a fairly basic summer route with a friend, I slipped and fell on a descent of small stones – totally unexpected. After that, I was much more cautious, which was wise because slips were frequent.
If there’s mud, you’re in trouble. The sole doesn’t shed mud at all, so the shoes get heavy fast. After any muddy section, you’ll likely need to stop and scrape the mud off with a stick or branch. And once it’s clogged, you lose even more grip, which can be dangerous. Another concern is comfort over longer distances. The outsole is tough, and the midsole is also firm, so my feet get tired during long runs. Even the high stack height (33 mm forefoot, 39 mm heel) doesn’t seem to help. On the upside, both the midsole and outsole appear durable. But that doesn’t mean much if I can’t comfortably use these shoes for runs longer than 15–20 kilometers.
Returning to my original point: these were the most expensive shoes I’ve ever bought. Were they worth it? Unfortunately, no. After a year of use, I still can’t pinpoint a perfect scenario for these shoes. They’re not great on technical terrain or in bad weather. They feel reasonably fast, but the high stack suggests they’re meant for long runs – where they fall short on comfort. So, where do they fit in? I only use them for shorter runs (a maximum of half-marathon distance). Given their high price, I’m disappointed. Next time, I’ll choose a brand that’s easier to find in Europe – and cheaper.
