The Rossignol Venosk. All photos: iRunFar/Bryon Powell
Door-to-trail shoes have always been around — just marketed under different terms — and the Rossignol Venosk ($140) is the French brand’s take on a simple and versatile workhorse that offers comfort and performance. Although the brand is best known for its snow-sport equipment, they are making a name for themselves quickly in trail running as well.
After recently testing the Rossignol Vezor (review), I was eager to take on its sibling, the Rossignol Venosk. Both are adaptable and value-laden shoes. As I wrote in the Vezor review, Rossignol is reading the temperature of the trail running world and applying its product design knowledge to its trail shoe line.
The Venosk has a 28-millimeter stack height at the heel and 22 millimeters at the forefoot for a smooth 6-millimeter drop. It has an actual weight of 9.2 ounces (260 grams) for a U.S. men’s 9 — lighter than the Vezor. Overall, versatility is the preferred and dominant descriptor of this shoe. It fits well, grips on a variety of terrain, has a light, breathable upper, and provides a responsive ride perfect for shorter runs. With road miles, snow miles, and deserted technical miles, the Venosk showed up ready to navigate many solid runs.
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Rossignol Venosk Upper
The Rossignol Venosk upper is made of a breathable engineered mesh and has a solid toe bumper.
The Rossignol Venosk upper resembles the Rossignol Vezor in character and aesthetic appeal. The Venosk is slightly wider throughout, especially at the toebox. A wide, forgiving toebox is a clutch design in the realm of endurance and facilitates higher-volume days. The mission of the Venosk is truer endurance, as opposed to the Vezor’s speedier goals. Despite providing more toe room than the Vezor, the Venosk still has a narrow and tapered look, just less so. Its length helps with overall space.
I had a much easier time dialing in a performance fit with the Venosk, aided by two major design ingenuities. A double-lacing system with a wider set of lace holes at three distinct locations on both sides has the capacity to marginally release the upper from a tighter wrap. This allowed me to dial in the fit at a more precise level for more volume and relaxation. Next, a double insole system accommodates different foot shapes. As with the Rossignol Vezor, which has the same insoles, the first thing I did was remove the 2-millimeter flat insole below the main insole. The latter is patterned with mild compression beads for extra underfoot feedback. This dual insole system allows the wearer to choose their precision fit based on their feet and running needs.
The engineered upper mesh, made partially of recycled materials, is comfortable, light, and breathable. It sits atop an extensive internal midfoot wrap that provides extra support. It is both snag-resistant and technically resilient, especially if venturing off-trail or accidentally losing the trail in the desert. Cacti hurt. In snow and in 100-degree Fahrenheit weather, the upper felt supportive. It dried quickly and allowed airflow.
The toebox has a suitably thick TPU bumper, and the heel is solidly built, notably on the medial side. The wedge heel design keeps the gait on track and the heel locked in. The lateral midsole pushes up just slightly, but the shoe supports a lateral heel landing while providing enough medial support to help reduce overpronation through the later parts of the gait. This does not mean you have to land on your heel, but the design is there.
The high heel sheath aids slip-on and covers the Achilles. I could see how the raised heel collar may offend some people’s ankle bones.
The one hang-up I have with the Venosk is the tongue. While it is held in place with an internal midfoot wrap, I found that it still tended to shift.
Rossignol Venosk Midsole
The EVA midsole of the Rossignol Venosk uses the brand’s Sensor 3 technology to provide underfoot support.
The Rossignol Venosk uses the brand’s Sensor 3 technology to create a dependable, long-lasting underfoot experience. The midsole is made of a monoblock EVA foam that is injected rather than compressed, which supports more athleticism on the trail.
The Sensor 3 concept uses three zones underfoot to enhance shock absorption, comfort, and overall cushion. The system, which adds and removes foam in certain areas, focuses on properly supporting three proprioceptive nerves in the foot to improve balance. This affords the midsole to provide propulsion with increased ground feel. It also provided me with decent road miles when I needed them. With close to 150 miles on these shoes, I can still feel the midsole support and comfort. I am keen on a solid EVA foam despite the increasing popularity of some higher-end options.
Rossignol Venosk Outsole
The 4-millimeter lugs on the Rossignol Venosk offer grip on trails but also run well on roads.
The Rossignol Venosk outsole is a rubber that is going places. It has a well-designed tread that undoubtedly takes the shoe from doorsteps to the dirt beyond. The Venosk uses Rossignol’s Sensor All Terrain Rubber, a proprietary blend with superior grip. As a runner with a fondness for shoes known for their grip — like the VJ iRock+ (review) or the VJ Lightspeed (review) — and those with Vibram Megagrip, I know when an outsole is primed for traction and friction. The Venosk outsole works. I trusted it on all terrains, from snow to desert granitic soils and dirt singletrack in between.
The best thing about the outsole in combination with the overall shoe design is that it runs well on the road. When I briefly hurt my back, I had to forego all my cushioned road shoes for the Venosk because it allowed more leg feedback instead of increasing the chain of discomfort. In a nod to its versatility, it slid in as a road shoe without hesitation. The hoofed heel and the midfoot midsole reveal allow for some of this flexibility.
The 4-millimeter lugs aren’t overly aggressive, but the unique single and double quadrilateral- and trapezoid-shaped lugs both trend the gait forward and offer keen medial to lateral stability. I have never seen anything like it before. The lugs frame the rim of the outsole nicely. There is likely a method behind the lug design and placement, but for what it is worth, it works.
Rossignol Venosk Overall Impressions
The Rossignol Venosk is a versatile and athletic road-to-trails shoe.
I have genuinely enjoyed my adventures in the Rossignol Venosk. It is a remarkably adept and athletic-fitting trail running shoe. The heel drop, low weight, familiar — yet enhanced — midsole, and keen outsole design welcomed an array of possibilities. There is pep in the Venosk step. It can stride slowly for miles, but it can turn up the intensity when needed. It is brand and a model worth trusting, and it can perform across the seasons.
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Call for Comments
- Have you run in the Rossignol Venosk? What did you think?
- What other road-to-trail shoes do you like?
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