You might guess from its name that the Minimus 10 v1 is light and flexible with a low heel-toe offset, and you’d be right: at just 7.5 ounces and with only a 4 mm height differential, the Minimus keeps you close to the ground. What might come as a surprise, though, is the kind of ground the Minimus wants you to get close to: dirt, gravel, sand, foliage, mud, and everything else you might find on the trail. With their firm and responsive sole, these top rated New Balance shoes are begging to be used for trail racing. (If you get lost along the way, though, having a Leatherman multi-tool rather than a microplane lemon zester stowed in your back pocket might be more useful.)