November 17, 2022

Redesigned for Fall 2022, this is a great, lightweight, truly minimalist trail running shoe with excellent comfort and ventilation. I had the original Mesa in my standard size. That original Mesa was said to run small, and mine were a bit snug. I had run at least one 50K trail race in the original Mesas, but had wished they had a bit more space inside for adding socks and a bit more space for my toes.

So, I ended up with a wear tester pair of Mesa II’s in a size 13. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, the Mesa II runs more “true” to size. This pair on me is a bit larger than needed. To allow space for warmer socks, a size 12.5 would have been ideal. But, this size is working for me and I love them. Where there was stitching near the toe cap and sidewalls on the prior Mesa, Mesa II has welded seams and a more high end look and feel. The upper looks and feels a bit leaner and thinner.

The insole on my left shoe work loose. For me this is something that can happen on some Xero models over time. Usually the right shoe is fine. If the left insole starts working it’s way out the back side of the shoe, I usually just take them out and enjoy a bit more space in the shoe, along with a more ground feel. With the Mesa II, I put a little Shoe Goo on the bottom of the insoles and that has kept them in place, as I didn’t need any more space in the size 13’s.

Bottom line, Mesa II is even better and the original Mesa was an excellent shoe. Xero Shoes usually have no need for a break in period. If your feet are ready, the Xero’s are ready to go. So, I created two reviews, one is brief. The other is my original review, where I wore the Mesa II’s outside for the first time at a beautiful 50K trail race in Northern Michigan. Check out both of those video reviews below.

I’ve found the tread feels great on trails. They feel OK on pavement as well, although the lugged outsole can be noticed on paved surfaces. I try to run with a faster cadence, keeping feet under my center of gravity, so I try to beware of a false sense of security from trail shoe treads. Avoiding falls is an important goal. There were lots of sneaky roots on the North Country 50K course, which featured some mountain bike trails. Many runners tripped and fell. I was one of them and that was odd. May have had something to do with extra length on the shoes, or just an off day on my part. Since then, I’ve run trails with no tripping. Typically I can run several 50Ks and even a few 100 milers with no falls.

#paidxeropartner

Let your feet be feet and make the world your trail. The improved durability and moisture wicking upper mesh encourages sockless use. Mesa Trail II, one of the best minimalist options, period. I love the Xero TerraFlex and look forward to future improvements to that model as well. Now that Xero has a 12.5 size option, more half sizes in general for men and women, I’ll be eager to try the TerraFlex in a 12.5 at some time in the future.

Check out Mesa II. Odds are good you’ll hit the buy button. Let me know what you think of them.