The Mount to Coast C1 is made for the long haul. All photos: iRunFar/Eszter Horanyi
The new Mount to Coast C1 ($180) was created for distance, endurance, and longevity. It was designed as a reliable daily super trainer. It was constructed to perform every day, day after day. It was built to inspire running as an integral part of each day. It is the road running shoe I have been searching for … for years.
Perhaps it was a heaping spoonful of stubbornness or a giant cup of lack of self-awareness, but I didn’t know I needed a maximum-stack super trainer to find stability, smoothness, and endurance on the pavement. I have an increased fondness for road running again because of the C1, not just because it makes me taller. The general specifications and look of the shoe are counter to my usual low-stack, low-drop, rigid-comfort trail running shoes. Who have I become? Alas, I can finally comfortably and smoothly run more than 13 miles on country roads without fear of losing circulation or losing myself in overly cushioned foams. The C1 has the looks and spark of a shoe that might have “Max” or “Super” in the name, but it ultimately shakes out as a strong endurance performer, offering a smooth, balanced ride.
The Mount to Coast C1 is a value-laden running shoe. Compared to the Mount to Coast C1 other models, the C1 is slightly heftier with a claimed weight of 9.4 ounces (267 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9. This extra weight may be largely attributed to the increased stack height — 42 millimeters at the heel and 36 millimeters at the forefoot for a 6-millimeter drop — and a dual-density midsole. The C1 fits true to size, and even with the high stack, the shoe runs relatively light — not super speedy light, but light. The rocker also helps the miles roll resiliently onward and forward.
Many trail runners start out as road runners and eventually transition to the dirt. Trail runners also occasionally gravitate toward the road for efficiency, speed, daily training, or to fulfill that marathon itch that was never fully scratched. There are a lot of reasons to stay loyal to the road. I personally love it. Road miles accentuate the breadth of running, and Mount to Coast has pushed open doors for runners craving long road ultras and multi-day endurance events on pavement. Fear not, Mount to Coast has models adept at trail running and mixed terrain as well.
If you haven’t heard of Mount to Coast running shoes yet, I implore you to pause, read, and approach with keen adventurous curiosity.
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Mount to Coast C1 Upper
The Mount to Coast C1 has a wide last and a roomy toebox.
The Mount to Coast C1 upper is refreshingly simple. Long miles in the C1 were refreshing and enjoyable, predominantly because of the wide last and roomy toebox.
The C1 uses a TUNEDFIT dual-lacing system for precise lace adjustment. Simply, this is a nearly equal separation of the laces. The toe-adjacent half of the laces are equipped with a quick-release cinch cord lace with looped eyelets. The top half of the laces are normal and secured with a knot. This design is something I would love to see on the brand’s trail line as well.
Since the C1 sits on a wide platform and is geared for longer mileage, the dual system allows for accurate flank and top fits — and is ideal for adjusting on the fly. The upper mesh is all the things needed in a road running shoe — light, breathable, and ventilated. Several different mesh weaves integrate and fortify the upper. Tighter mesh bands structurally support the upper and provide increased protection in high-wear areas.
The heel is padded and rimmed with lower lock-in stiffness, and neither design variable is overdone. Even the toebox comes with a little fortification for those moments when the pavement turns into a sinuous dirt road. Locked in place with an internal midfoot wrap, the tongue sits nicely padded, not pillowed. The C1 uses a simple insole — which highly resembles the Ortholite insole in many of my other shoes — and it has held up for well over 100 miles. This shoe was made for distance and enduring comfort — a balance of cushion and performance at every turn.
On the aesthetic side, the C1 turns heads by boasting an all-white colorway highlighted with their signature black mountain logo on the lateral side. Quick strips of red flash and fade at the midsole impact and push-off points, while the lower lacing system loops red across the top, making for a clean look.
Mount to Coast C1 Midsole
The Mount to Coast C1 features a dual-layer midsole with varying thicknesses from front to back.
The dual-density midsole in the Mount to Coast C1 have a dual-density midsole that combine CircleCELL bio foam directly underfoot and atop a rubberized EVA. There is more EVA foam at the heel, leading to increased firmness while thicker CircleCELL foam in the forefoot increases softness. It’s an elegant balance of stability and comfort to enhance turnover.
The two different foams in various thicknesses through the shoe — from landing to push-off — were one of the main reasons I could run endlessly and smoothly in the C1. The midsole, with its 42-millimeter stack at the heel and 6-millimeter drop — maintains a high degree of soft firmness allowing for a smooth ride. The cushion is present, but not the main underfoot event. And what it may lack in spring is made up by the rocker.
Noteworthy too is the durability of the dual-density foam system. Compared to my usual lighter and faster road shoes, the C1 has undoubtedly outperformed many of the PEBA foams. And yes, you can bend this shoe — it has nice flexion, which is good for foot mechanics.
Mount to Coast C1 Outsole
Both layers of the midsole are visible in the middle of the shoe. Mount to Coast C1.
The Mount to Coast C1 outsole runs with the theme of the shoe — simple, clean, and enduring. The rubber layout, patterned with the company’s mountain logo, is designed for an efficient heel-to-big-toe transition. At the midpoint, both midsole foams as scalloped for extra flexion. The outsole rubber protects the midsole and adds traction at key points, notably at the heel and the forefoot. I have run well north of 100 miles in these shoes, including some light trail running. There is slight wear at the landing and push-off points, but I am confident I can log more than I can in my other road shoes, especially if I keep to the streets. Other highlights of the outsole include no cracks or crevices for rocks to lodge, and the traction is sufficient for wet days on pavement.
Mount to Coast C1 Overall Impressions
The Mount to Coast C1 TUNEDFIT dual-lacing system allows for precise adjustment.
The Mount to Coast C1 has a keen, firm-to-soft roll through for a smooth comfort step after step. It provides a well-balanced and stable ride. Even though it looks like a heavy, wide super trainer and specifications say it is maximally cushioned, the design and construction temper the ride for endurance, for the body and performance.
Nothing in my road shoe rotation compares to the C1. In many other road shoes, I can barely run more than five or six miles because they are too tapered, tight, and overly cushioned. The C1 is the best endurance road running shoe I’ve tried. It has given me a renewed appreciation for the pavement and the simple pleasures of running through and out of town. It has even held up nicely on interval days and those moments when I found myself on the trails.
The C1 has maybe inspired me to run a marathon or a road ultra — a new frontier. In my view, that is why the C1 is here.
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Call for Comments
- Have you tried the Mount to Coast C1? What are your impressions?
- Can a good road shoe turn a trail runner to pavement?
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