Mount to Coast C1 Review

The Mount to Coast C1 is a max-cushioned road running shoe. It has a softer ride than the other Mount to Coast running shoes and a more pronounced rocker. It is ideal for keeping you moving on long runs or helping tired legs recover.

The upper is made from a soft engineered mesh. This is much softer than the upper on the other Mount to Coast running shoes and, together with the plush padding in the heel cup and around the cuff, gives the C1 a comfortable step-in feel. The fit is generous in the toe box and would accommodate a wider foot. If you prefer less room, you can adjust the volume with Mount to Coast’s dual lacing system. This is designed to allow the wearer to adjust the fit in the forefoot without having to unlace the shoes. It is useful if you are running an ultra and your feet have started to expand, but it is equally useful for tailoring the fit of the shoes to the volume of your feet. The bottom section of the lacing is a cord with a pull toggle, and the top section uses a conventional lace. The tongue has a nice level of padding and is very soft. I couldn’t feel the lacing or toggles through the tongue at all.

The tongue is gusseted at the top with a light mesh. The top section of laces threads through a tape on the outside of the tongue to help stop it from slipping to one side when running. When laced up, I found the fit to be snug at the heel and through the midfoot, with a roomy forefoot. The big toe line is straight, which means that the big toe isn’t under any tension, so the smaller toes are free to wiggle and function inside the shoe. This is good for foot health and strength, as well as helping to reduce how much the feet will swell on longer runs.

The heel cup is firm, which helps to give the C1 a very stable feel to the ride. Together with the fit of the upper, this makes sure that the foot is guided through the gait cycle by the shoe.

BROWSE MOUNT TO COAST C1 RUNNING SHOE

The stack height is 42mm in the heel and 36mm in the forefoot. This thick foam midsole is split into two layers. On the top is Mount to Coast’s Circle Cell foam. This is a soft-feeling foam that gives similar energy return to PEBA-based foams but is a lot more durable. The feel is soft, with some compression, without feeling like it bottoms out. Circle Cell foam also seems to keep its integrity, which means that it feels the same at the start of your run as it does at the end. It doesn’t get softer, as many foams do. The base foam is a rubberised EVA that is much firmer and stiffer. This makes the C1 a very stable-feeling shoe and maintains the rocker, or curved shape, of the midsole.

When your foot touches the floor, the curve of the midsole keeps it moving. This reduces braking forces and helps to maintain a quick cadence and upright posture, so you are lighter on your feet and make forward progress with less effort. In effect, the shoes carry you along, doing some of the work for the runner’s hamstrings and glutes. This makes it easier to cover distance and helps to rest the hamstrings and glutes, which is why they are a good option for easy and recovery runs.

The snug fit of the upper ensures that the foot follows the guidance that the shoe offers. This helps to make the runner’s gait cycle more efficient. A lot of running shoes with a noticeable rocker feel like they are controlling your gait pattern. You are locked into the shoes, and they are in control. The Mount to Coast C1 doesn’t feel that controlling. I was aware of the rocker, and it did feel like I was making less effort than would normally be required to move at an easy pace, but I still felt in control, and the movement felt easy and comfortable.

The base of the C1 is broad. This provides a very stable ride. Together with the stack height, this does make the C1 feel like a big shoe. This is something I am aware of when walking around in the shoes, but once running, they don’t feel big at all. The ride is smooth, plush and comfortable. The torsional stiffness and firm base make the C1 an exclusively road-running shoe. It functions best on smooth surfaces and is difficult to run in over tree roots or similar slightly rough ground that you might encounter on a dry track. The rubber on the outsole is smooth to put the maximum surface area in contact with the floor and to give a smooth transition from landing to push-off.

Although the midsole is stiff, which can hinder you when running up steep hills, I had no such problems with the C1. It negotiated uphill very well. On downhills, the midsole compression is just enough to give a comfortable ride, and the rocker keeps your cadence high and reduces over striding, so you can comfortably run quickly downhill. The effectiveness of the rocker means that you could probably comfortably run long steady or tempo runs in the Mount to Coast C1, but they are probably best kept for long easy runs or short easy recovery runs. In my experience, 5.30am runs, when the legs haven’t quite woken up, really appreciate the soft, smooth ride.

Like all the Mount to Coast running shoes, the C1 is very light, especially when you consider the solid, stable feel to the ride, which is usually supplied by denser midsole foams that are heavier than softer foams. A men’s UK 8 weighs 267 grams. That is amazing for such a durable, cushioned running shoe. The 6mm heel-to-forefoot drop helps to reduce heel striking, together with the rocker, which tends to keep you more upright and promote more of a midfoot strike. If you are a heavy heel striker, then it doesn’t matter, as the depth of firm, stable foam in the heel will support the impact and carry you through to toe-off.

Mount to Coast sizing does vary a little. The C1 was a similar UK size to the R1 and T1, but with more volume in the forefoot. The length is similar to Brooks, Saucony, Altra, Topo and 361. If you use New Balance, Hoka, Inov-8, Karhu or La Sportiva, then we would suggest trying half a UK size smaller to get a similar length. For example, a UK 11 in the Mount to Coast C1 is a similar length to a UK 11.5 in a New Balance running shoe.

In summary, the Mount to Coast C1 is the softest of the Mount to Coast running shoes that we have tried so far. It is perhaps a touch firmer than a lot of other running shoes, and most similar to the new Topo ZipFoam found in the Atmos 2. The C1 is best reserved for easy runs of any length. It is the kind of shoe that will be comfortable all day and still offer the same level of cushioning. The rocker gives a plush, smooth feel to the ride and does some of the work of running for you, which makes the C1 a nice shoe to run in on tired legs.

Alternatives to Mount to Coast C1

Topo Atmos 2: A broader more rounded toe box encourages more foot function. The cushioning feels similar but, the C1 feels more stable and the rocker is more noticeable and gives a bit more propulsion. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/topo-atmos-2-review/

361 Meraki 7: A more traditional feel to the shoes with more awareness of the floor. Feels nimble in comparison to the C1. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/361-meraki-7-review/

New Balance 1080v15: A narrower fit with less room in the toe box. Bouncier feel to the cushioning makes it feel less smooth. Available in three width men’s and two width women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/new-balance-1080v15-review/

Altra FWD Via 2: A broad rounded toe box with a much more natural feel to the ride. You have a lot more foot function and the rocker do less of the work. You must run in Altra shoes you don’t get carried a long by the shoes. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/altra-fwd-via-2-review/

Brooks Glycerin 23: A much more pointed toe box a softer feel to the cushioning and a bit more bounce. There is no rocker, so you do more of the work yourself but, the cushioning still has a smooth, plush feel to it. Available in two width men’s and women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-glycerin-23-review/

Inov-8 RoadFly Max: A broad rounded toe box and firm midsole helps to stimulate the feet to function and gives them the space to do it in. A lot more natural feel to the ride. Like Altra’s you must run in these. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/inov-8-roadfly-max-review/

Brooks Glycerin Max 2: Brooks most controlling shoe. Feels a bit bulkier than the C1. There is less compression in the tuned DNA cushioning but it is no less effective. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/brooks-glycerin-max-2-review/

Saucony Triumph 23: A more pointed toe box. Feels closer to the floor. Less compression in the midsole. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/saucony-triumph-23-review/

Hoka Bondi: A softer feel to the cushioning. The rocker is similarly controlling. The toe box is more pointed. Available in two width men’s and women’s. https://www.northernrunner.com/blog/hoka-bondi-9-review/