Tarkine Giants 65 mile review

My size 12's came in weighing: Left 12.7 Ounces, Right 12.5 Ounces
Sample size weight: 9.59 ounces in sample size 9
Heel Stack: 39 MM
Drop: 6 MM
Upper: rafted from Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified mesh, the upper combines sustainability with durability. Reinforced TPU overlays add protection and structure for lasting performance
Outsole: The 4mm Superior Traction Rubber Lugs deliver confident grip on varied terrain, with multi-angled geometry for control on climbs and descents. Built from a durable carbon-infused rubber, they resist wear while maintaining flexibility and preventing debris build-up
Midsole: Made using a high-pressure, high-temperature “super-critical” process that infuses gas into the foam, creating an ultra-fine cell structure. The result is a midsole that’s lighter, more resilient, and more responsive than traditional EVA — giving you maximum cushioning, explosive energy return, and long-lasting durability
Fit: True to size
Cost: $151 MSRP USD

I ran in dry and wet conditions, on single path trails that are a mix of dirt, mud, sand, roots, rocks, straights, curves etc.  Your fairly typical forest trail.  I put 65 miles on the shoes with some double digit runs and short runs, running varying speeds and including some hiking miles. 

Laces: The laces are a nice ribbed style of lace that stayed tied during my runs, are not too puffy and look to be a durable quality lace
Tongue: The tongue is fully gusseted, which is always a plus for me
Upper material: The upper is Crafted from Global Recycled Standard (GRS) certified mesh, the upper combines sustainability with durability. Reinforced TPU overlays add protection and structure for lasting performance.  It is a very comfortable and supportive upper, as well as protective for those roots/rocks on the trail (I tend to hit my toe often)
Heel: The heel is nicely structured to keep the heel in place while not being to beefy or cumbersome.  I had zero issues with heel slippage, rubbing etc.
Collar: The collar is nicely padded, but not overly padded.  Consistent with my experience in the AutoPilot, the collar is padded just how I like it.  
Toe Room: The upper design has a nice design for toe room.  I was able to flex and splay my toes during the run.  I don't think the toe box is "large", but it is accommodating.

Dry surfaces:  The 4mm lugs and rubber, along with the protective upper, do a great job on dry trails.   This outsole can do standard to technical trails that are dry with no issues in my 65 miles.   On dry conditions they grip and protect well, I did not feel any rocks through the outsole on my runs.  

Wet surfaces: This is where the shoe struggled the most for me.  I took the shoe out in some true wet conditions and I started to run tentative pretty quickly as I did not feel confident in the grip upon landing on the wet conditions I thought could be slippery.   If it was just wet but sticky sand/dirt, the shoes were fine.  However, in some areas of where I was running the wet dirt could also be a bit unstable underfoot and the shoes were not finding grip in those conditions. 

I hit two uphill areas where I was basically on a hamster wheel with the shoes just slipping beneath me.   This is an area I hope Tarkine addresses in future iterations. 

Running short to mid distance (8-12 miles for this example): This shoe did well running in this mileage zone.  It isn't the most dynamic feedback midsole, it feels very much like traditional supercritical EVA foam underfoot to me, which tends to be a firmer underfoot feel with some good feedback when combined with the right mechanics of the shoe.
Running Long distance (Over 12 miles): The foam felt like it flattened or deadened out on longer runs.  If you like a firm feel without bounce back, this may work well for you on the trails.  I like some feedback/rebound on my longer runs to aid in the longer exertions of energy and assist the feet, but not all people are like that.   For me, I would want a little more dynamic feedback to use on ultra distance runs for sure.
Hiking: I enjoyed this shoe on short to mid-distance runs, but I honestly found the most enjoyment in hiking scenarios.  Either when I was outright hiking or taking fast paced walking breaks on runs or slowing down for technical areas to hike them (because falling at my age hurts). 

For the first iteration of a trail companion to their race day option (Trail Devil), I think this is a very good first entry.   I think the bones/structure of the shoe are done extremely well.  I will continue to use this shoe, especially for hiking on dry conditions, and also really like the design of this shoe.   The shoes are looking to be extremely durable which helps the environment and also the bank account for a shoe that is already reasonably priced. 

I do think they need to look into improving the rubber compound for wet conditions and continue to tweak the midsole foam (Maybe try an upgraded insole) to enhance the long mile experience.