Our team is sponsored by Scott, so I chose a pair of the Scott Aztec II for trail running since I’m mainly an Xterra athlete and train on a lot of trails. I’ve been very pleasantly surprised by the trail performance and stability of the shoe, and I’m impressed with the durability. I train on a lot of rocky and jagged trails, and the Aztec II’s really grip the trail well and hold traction. The sole feels very solid on the jagged and off-camber rocky sections, and has enough of a forefoot plate that I don’t get jabbed by any rocks. The tread is “sticky” enough with a good pattern that slipping on the downhill sections isn’t a concern either. I run a lot of trails, and I’ve trained in the same pair for about 4 months and they’re still holding up well, which is very surprising considering the trails that I run. Probably the most impressive part of the shoe is its weight; its incredibly light for a training shoe. Its stable enough to do the heavy training, yet its actually light enough to race in. If you’re a fairly neutral runner looking for a great trail shoe that will provide great stability, traction, and longevity, try the Scott Aztec II’s.