Our reviews are 100% organic. We do not accept payment for reviews or bundle with advertising budgets. In most cases, the brand is providing the product to our reviewers free of charge. Over the past several years, there has been a tendency for specificity in the trail shoe space. One pair of shoes can be used for comfortable training days, another for steep climbing and another for grinding through 100 miles. And as successful as shoe brands have been in catering to the ever-more-refined needs of trail runners, there is still a lot to be said for a single shoe that can serve each of those purposes reasonably well. For those of us who appreciate that kind of trail shoe, rabbit’s High Country is a cause for celebration.
The shoe is an all-purpose, all-conditions shoe that provides a comfortable and responsive ride on a wide variety of terrain. We might call it a “workhorse,” but there’s also a bit of thoroughbred in the High Country, as it feels equally suitable for 50k races or 100-mile adventures. Many components of the High Country shoe are pulled from rabbit’s Dream Chaser 2.0 road shoes, while others feature new innovations developed specifically for this model.
Uppers of the High Country consist of a dual-layer mesh made from 60% recycled content. The inner layer moves moisture away from the sock, and the outer layer is perforated for easier ventilation and faster drying. The dual layer structure in the forefoot works well to keep debris out and has proven durable against abrasions or punctures. A gusseted tongue keeps the upper connected securely to the midsole on irregular terrain. Cushioning around the ankle and stability of the heel collar are in the “just right” range—neither too excessive nor too minimal, and we didn’t require any breaking in period for comfort.
Inside the gusseted tongue is an impressive Konnect insole. Made by a company called Blumaka, this is essentially a 5mm thick layer of Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane (ETPU) called “foamlock” that prevents slipping. Blumaka claims this compound provides 14% higher energy return and 17% more cushioning than standard insole foam, and this may be the case. But what it does exceptionally well is keep your foot in place on the insole over irregular terrain. This is most noticeable for us on steep downhills: where our toes tend to touch the front of other shoes, the High Country keeps them in place. It wouldn’t surprise us if this kind of insole becomes more commonplace with other brands, because there’s really no downside from a performance standpoint. The High Country also comes with traditional EVA insoles that can be swapped in.
Shoe layer schematic
Midsole composition of the High Country borrows heavily from the Dream Chaser road shoes, consisting primarily of Flowstate EVA foam that is lightweight and resilient while delivering strong energy return. Embedded between this Flowstate foam and a secondary EVA cavity are two small narrow Carbon Trax plates to maximize support and energy return. The plates are not very long, extending from approximately the front of the heel to the base of the metatarsals, so they do not create excess rigidity, and they are completely separated from each other to accommodate irregular footing like talus or roots. The combination of these elements creates a very smooth overall ride quality that is comfortable for cruising miles but responds easily when you want to pick up the pace.
Wide midsole base of support
Stack heights in the midsole are a generous 38mm/33mm, providing plenty of cushioning for long distances but not too much for plodding on shorter days. The shoe is also relatively light for its stack height—not quite on the level of HOKA’s EVA or other superfoams, but enough to maintain a feeling of agility with the tall cushioning. We appreciate that the midsole silhouette and base of support extends sufficiently beyond the perimeter of the footbed to provide increased stability on technical ground, and even more impressed that rabbit got this ratio right when other companies are still being challenged by this issue.
360 grip outsole
Below the midsole, a proprietary compound called 360 Grip is made from sticky rubber carved into 4mm lugs that have strong traction in wet and dry conditions. We tested it in muddy snow runoff, dry steep gravel fire roads and rocky stream crossings and felt confident in each type of terrain. The outsole compound has several cutout areas to shave weight, but all of the critical areas including both sides of the heel and the entire forefoot are covered, so there are no areas vulnerable to rapid breakdown. Since this is our first testing of the 360 Grip compound, we can’t speak to its overall lifespan, but after about 100 miles on our test pair, we haven’t had unusual deterioration of traction or lug thickness. Some of our runs include 1–2 miles of pavement on the way to the trailhead, and the outsole lugs roll smoothly on the asphalt.
The rabbit High Country shoe is an impressive debut trail model from a company that has a knack for understanding both the needs and ethos of the trail running community. Rabbit may expand its shoe offerings to become more specialized in years ahead, but in the meantime, they have a model that serves a wide range of runners quite well. High Country shoes are available in men’s and women’s sizing at www.runinrabbit.com.
Features and Specs:
- Weight: 11.1oz men’s / 9.4oz women’s
- Steck Height (heel/toe, in mm): 38/33
- Heel-Toe Drop (mm): 5mm
- Upper: 60% recycled mesh with gusseted tongue
- Blumaka Konnect non-slip insole
- Midsole: Flowstate Foam with Carbon Trax plate
- Outsole: 360 Grip rubber compound with 4mm lugs
- Single colorway option for both men and women
- MSRP: $180