My adventure of trail running in Vibram 5 Fingers has been thwarted by the significant snowfall that's struck North Jersey last week. This week the snow has been busy melting, and my Vibram's have been busy allowing water to seep in and allowing my feet to be assaulted and crippled by sharp rocks. I couldn't take anymore and I couldn't give up running, so I caved in and and bought these lifeboats. They are amazing! My running trail has turned into a small, snow covered river of melt and mud. The Razors cruised through and kept my feet warm and bone-dry. They were anointed repeatedly in several inches of water. No problem! The tread consists of a very predominant lateral pattern. I think this is important to mention because since my childhood, I've hiked on a lot of hilly terrain and learned at an early age to walk sideways for more traction on steep hills. The tread and grip on the Razors is very strong and eliminates the need for sideways-stepping up and down hills. Even more important to mention is that I found the predominant lateral tread can tend to slip more when navigating hills sideways. The only drawback I found is some foot discomfort from inadequate support around the toes and ball of my right foot, hence my 4-star rating.. I believe a good insole will take care of that. These are definitely the cat's pajamas!