VJ Shoes MaXx 2 Review

The Ride

When I first slipped the VJ MaXx2s on for their maiden voyage, I knew they were going to quickly become my favorite shoes in the rotation. They are lightweight and have plenty of "bounce" with each stride. Although they don't have a noticable rocker, the MaXx2 feels like a racing shoe. I found myself choosing them over my Salomon Pulsar 3s for any kind of hard effort on even slightly technical terrain. The VJ MaXx2 excels on uphills and downhills alike; their nimble construction and somewhat low stack height provide just the right amount of ground-feel to promote efficient descents. In contrast to highly cushioned trail racing shoes, the MaXx2 doesn't feel tippy--which I was a bit worried about with the softer foam used for the midsole. The only type of terrain where the MaXx2 doesn't shine quite as bright is on non-technical flats, which makes complete sense given the target market and the shoe's features. During the gravel road sections of a recent mountain race I ran, I noticed that the MaXx2 felt a bit squishy underfoot at faster paces.

Traction

VJ never skimps on their outsoles. They pride themselves in crafting shoes that have "the best grip on the planet" and it couldn't be more evident than in the MaXx2. I've put these shoes to the test, running through rivers and descending wet and rocky slopes, yet the grip never fails. Not only is the traction supreme, but the durability of the outsole is impressive. The 93 miles logged in my pair haven't been gentle in the slightest; I've run miles on pavement and sidewalk, rocky trail, and even several fast gravel road miles. Yet the outsole shows no obvious signs of wear.

Lockdown

I've personally found the MaXx2 lockdown to be fantastic throughout the midfoot and heel. My fiance has a pair and he's noticed that the midfoot doesn't feel as secure as his other VJ shoes. Some other reviews online have mentioned an issue with the heel slipping, but that has not been my experience. I've noticed that the heel cup has a grippy fabric lining that seems to prevent my heel from slipping once it's inside. I have a very narrow foot and VJ's Fitlock technology seems to make a huge difference in midfoot security when I compare to other brands. This may not be the case for everyone though!

I usually wear a size 8 in Hoka and Salomon trail shoes, but my VJ size is usually a 9. I ordered a 8.5 in the MaxX2 and I'm happy with the fit, and wouldn't want to go any smaller or larger.

Initially, I was surprised by the amount of toe room I had. In contrast to their more aggressive racing model, the Xtrm 2, I felt like I could run for multiple hours in these without having any discomfort or blistering. The additional toe room makes for an even more stable experience on trail, so I really hope VJ sticks with this concept moving forward. 

I'm a firm believer that trail shoes shouldn't really need a ton of "breaking in" to feel comfortable, and the MaXx 2 certainly lives up to my expectation. So far, I've only had one small blister on my left Achilles from debris falling down into the heel cup after descending a scree slope--an inevitable part of mountain running.

The upper is durable, yet comfortable. I appreciate the work that VJ put into reinforcing the shoelace eyelets--a feature that can be overlooked in trail shoe construction. The upper material also dries fast when wet.

The VJ MaXx 2 is an easy choice for any mountain runner or obstacle course racer. It showcases all that VJ Shoes has to offer in a relatively affordable ($180) shoe. While it's probably not the most comfortable choice for a long ultra (the VJ Ultra 2 is likely a better fit), most trail runners racing 50K or shorter would enjoy this shoe.