CAN TAKE THE HEAT
The 874 is built like an elite road racer: a slender torso atop a powerful lower body. A weird physique for a shoe? Perhaps, but the combination of an almost lacy, two-layer mesh upper wedded to a thick midsole and luggy tread works extremely well on soft trails and mildly technical routes, especially in hot, arid conditions. A socklike interior mesh liner translates to a secure footbed and a snug, responsive feel. While a hard plastic plate and stiff forefoot shielded our feet from trail obstacles, most testers thought the upper had insufficient side armor and toe-box protection for running on sketchier trails. 11.7 oz; newbalance.com