Mount to Coast H1 Review: Hybrid Deserving of the Hype

Introduction to the Mount to Coast H1

TAYLOR: Hybrid, at its best, merges two separate qualities into a product that elevates the end product as a whole. A “rising tide lifts all ships” kind of thing, recognizing that a single idea on its own is not the most optimal choice for all. 

These are the grounds on which the Mount to Coast H1 was designed. It was specifically created as a bridge between roads and trails, taking on multiple design elements with the goal of traversing any surface with confidence. 

While it seems like a simple task to solve, this new crossover space has had only a few options that really stick out. Shoes like the Merrell Promorph, Craft Xplor Hybrid, Salomon Aero Glide 3 GRVL, Scott Pursuit Gravel, Nike Pegasus Trial 5, and Hoka Rocket X Trail all find favor for different reasons in this hybrid segment of shoes.  Whether you call the category gravel, door-to-trail, road-to-trail, or hybrid, the problem is always the same. Versatility on a variety of surfaces, without sacrificing performance, is a really tough one to solve.

The Mount to Coast H1 attempts a seamless transition between roads and trails. With that comes some new technologies from the brand, including the sustainably sourced Circle Cell foam, which they claim has the same energy return as PEBA, but with twice the durability. We also get 2 mm Versagrip lugs, a dual-material upper, and Zonal Fit system seen in past MTC models. This all seems suitable for the journey, but putting in the miles is the only real way to tell. 

And we put in the miles, let me tell ya. 

ROBBE: In their info guide to CircleCell, Mount to Coast begins with this: “In the past, runners have faced a familiar dilemma: durability, performance, sustainability – pick two. Sure, you can choose a sustainable, comfortable shoe, but it might only last 150 miles.” 

They’re not wrong. We’ve had some abysmal experiences with bio-based midsoles in the past, from Allbirds to Veja to even some Asics models. Castor beans and sugarcane are typically a dead giveaway for piss poor performance. So trust me when I say I had some serious doubts about this midsole.

For this project, Mount to Coast worked with BASF, the German chemical giant whose mission statement is to “create chemistry for a sustainable future, combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility.” This would align with those goals, as the midsole material in the H1 is BASF’s Ecoflex BMB material, made entirely from renewable feedstock, including recycled organic waste. According to Mount to Coast: “The renewable feedstock comes from organic waste and residual biomass. The Ecoflex BMB is then put through Mount to Coast’s unique supercritical foaming to create the midsole. There are no other chemical components or materials added to the Ecoflex BMB material pre supercritical foaming.”

Again, they claim that CircleCell delivers an energy return on par with PEBA, but with double the lifespan, which may be one of the boldest claims we’ve ever heard.

Even before we got the shoe on our feet, the midsole came with some legit bonafides. In January of this year, ultrarunner Jamil Coury ran more than 600 sidewalk miles in a single pair of H1 as part of the Chipotle challenge. Cody Poskin finished Cocodona 250 in 8th place, running in an H1 proto for the entire distance.

That’s enough to get my juices flowing. And while I knew I wasn’t coming close to either of those performances, I was looking forward to accumulating some long runs in the shoe and seeing how I came out on the other side. 

Let’s see how it performed.

What we like about the Mount to Coast H1

TAYLOR: Sustainability can be a controversial word within the performance space. I’m going there right off the bat. First of all, what does that really mean in this space? It could be material choice, focus on durability, the construction process, etc. For CircleCell, it actually means a bit of each. 

In our past experience, that sustainable tag will oftentimes mean mediocre performance. I have a hunch that we will all say that is not the case with the Mount to Coast H1. This foam’s formulation and geometries hit a middle ground like few others do. It’s a lighter, airy-feeling foam that boasts some surprising character traits. I felt that the foam density allows for noticeable amounts of cushion while allowing an appropriate amount of ground feel for trail scenarios.  

The medium/soft midsole and wider base also gives a more responsive ride that remains stable. These were both obvious sensations despite pace or surface. The ride itself is smooth, fun, and hard to compare to any other trail model, really. It had qualities reminiscent of Lightstrike Pro found in the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed, Dream Foam in The North Face Enduris 4, and even a little like the Norda 001A’s Arnitel midsole. At the same time, the CircleCell Midsole has a character of its own. The underfoot experience is the biggest box to check for the Mount to Coast H1, and it did so with flying colors. 

The CircleCell foam midsole sets the stage wonderfully for a truly hybrid shoe. 

So does the outsole. I have to admit that I scoffed at the 2 mm lugs initially. There are road shoes with deeper lugs, but that’s why we put the miles in. I found that the Versagrip outsole was quite adequate! Not only is the rubber fairly grippy, the unique pseudo-M-shaped lugs did their job at creating surface tension and punching through the top layer for some grip. While I wasn’t surprised at some shortcomings, it did really well for its intended surfaces. I can’t argue there. 

Even the upper takes on the hybrid concept. First, it has an upper portion that’s a softer jacquard mesh that’s comfortable and quite secure. A moderate amount of padding and structure are to thank for that. The lower portion has the same upper material as in the T1. The Kevlar mesh fibers do a really nice job with durability and overall comfort because it’s breathable and holds a consistent fit. 

Secondly, Mount to Coast is known for its dual lace chain; runners can adjust the top and bottom separately.  It’s the same TuneFit system utilized in the R1 and T1 models. I’m not sure it’s necessary; however, it always feels like a luxury feature. I think that’s the point, though. Micro adjustments for different foot shapes, terrain, paces, and distance are certainly appreciated and do allow small comfort and performance benefits. 

Truth be told, I only ended up using the lower lacing adjustment for when I knew I was hitting more moderate terrain. Otherwise, leaving it loose felt great most of the time because the forefoot is actually quite average in terms of width. 

Lastly, even with all the different materials, the Mount to Coast H1 ended up being quite light! My US men’s 10.5 comes in at 9.2 ounces (260g). Many other shoes in the category weigh in at a full ounce or two more than that.

ROBBE: Unsurprisingly, the most exciting part about this shoe is the midsole. The CircleCell is the real deal in that it provides just the right amount of cushion without being soft, while giving great energy return. There’s still a sense of ground feel and it has a nice rocker that creates a smooth transition. It reminds me of some of my more favorite midsoles from this past year and is somewhat reminiscent of the Lightstrike Pro found in the Adidas Evo SL. 

While Taylor and Thomas can testify to their experience on trails, I kept this strictly on the road, notching a couple 17-mile long runs in the shoe. It felt great from start to finish and my legs weren’t beat up the next day. I even threw in some faster paced stuff at times and it handled it fine, thanks to its incredibly light weight for a hybrid shoe. 

So let’s talk about that for a bit. At just 8.8 ounces for a men’s 10, you’re getting pretty close to tempo shoe territory. For the gravel shoe category, that’s a low number. Which is significant, especially considering its generous rubber outsole with 2 mm lugs.

That Versagrip outsole, by the way, is fantastic, for being called something other than Vibram. It’s sticky and grippy and offers surprising durability. I’ve seen pairs on Reddit with over 300 miles on them and the outsole looks almost exactly the same aside from some slight wear in the lateral heel. 

Then there’s the upper, which features an absurdly strong and durable construction, with a reinforced toe bumper and a Kevlar aramid portion closest to the midsole, essentially the same material used in bulletproof vests which is five times stronger than steel. Point being, you’re not blowing this thing out. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the overall fit, I did think it held the heel and top of the foot nicely, or at least adequately. It’s also fairly breathable, especially considering its durability, which is oftentimes a tradeoff.

From a road perspective? Yeah, this shoe is nice.

What we don’t like about the Mount to Coast H1

TAYLOR: Being the trail guy, I obviously tested this shoe pretty hard on some singletrack. It was only when terrain forced my foot in different angles that I found myself dissatisfied. Meaning, I wish this shoe had a more secure foothold so I could access more terrain! 

As with the T1, there seems to be extra material in the upper. I know the excess is purposeful to allow the TuneFit system material to work with; however, I think less material would allow for more confidence over all types of terrain.The H1 does run a little long. So, maybe going down a half size would help me feel better about this?

To be fair, I do know this is a road-to-trail hybrid shoe and isn’t necessarily meant for deeper woods wandering, but, again, the shoe feels so good otherwise that I just wanted it to work for everything. 

The same angst was felt with the Versagrip outsole. While I was quite satisfied with the outsole in its intended terrain (pavement, gravel, and light trail), I wish it was a little toothier to extend the boundary. When terrain was soggy or had more than 2 mm worth of loose dirt, some slipping occurred simply as a result of a lack of digging power.

ROBBE: Taylor wasn’t wrong in his criticisms of the shoe. I had the same conclusion in that this shoe is either too voluminous or a half size too big. While it wasn’t immediately noticeable, after about 10 miles into a long run, I felt like things weren’t as locked down as I had hoped. This was on roads, by the way, so I can imagine it’d be even more pronounced on the trails.

While my foot wasn’t sliding around, it was just … roomy, especially in the forefoot. I didn’t have any hot spots or irritations, probably the midfoot lockdown was satisfactory (though not perfect). Tightening the separate zones didn’t really fix this problem. It just felt like there was too much upper, too much width, just too much. Not enough to be a dealbreaker or ruin the run, but I just didn’t have that exceptional locked-in feel that you really want from an upper. Which is a shame, because I feel like this may have been a top-5 shoe of the year for me if I had that.

I should point out that I do have a narrow foot, and I always feel like fit can be super subjective. Point being, this may be great if you have a wide or higher volume foot.

Funny enough, it reminded me of a better version of the Craft Xplor Hybrid, a gravel shoe that had a fantastic midsole and ride, but was ruined by a downright terrible upper. The H1 wasn’t as bad as that shoe, not at all, but if they nailed the fit, the H1 would be an absolute game changer.

Finally, the design of the shoe is controversial. Some think it’s minimalistic and clean, others think it’s a nursing shoe. I tend to side with the former, but I understand how others may not like it. To me, it feels a little like mid-to-late 2000s design with its Helvetica typeface, the shoe of choice for a Brooklynite dressed in American Apparel, shopping at Crate & Barrel, before settling into an evening game of Cards Against Humanity.

One more note about design: As interesting as the dual lacing zone seems on paper, I really don’t think it’s necessary for 90% of runners. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll end up cinching the front portion when your feet swell in an ultramarathon. But in reality, it just doesn’t matter for most people. In fact, it’s a little gimmicky to me, and the looped tail end could spell disaster if it comes untucked from wherever you decide to stash it (since it doesn’t have a lace garage). Hook that on a fallen branch and you may find yourself face-to-face with a rock on the ground.

We’re only a couple years away from that entire vibe coming back, so may as well stick with it at this point.

Final thoughts on the Mount to Coast H1

TAYLOR: Building a truly hybrid shoe is difficult. It runs the risk of three outcomes:  1) Having multi-personality disorder, 2) Shallow performance on both roads and trails, or, 3) Hitting the sweet spot. The latter is definitely where the Mount to Coast H1 lands. 

I believe someone could take this shoe as a road trainer and be perfectly happy. Others could take it as a light/moderate trail runner and also feel quite satisfied. As per their goal, Mount to Coast was able to create a shoe that does both very well. If you’re like me and run gravel roads to trails nearly every day, we are going to be the happiest customers of such a shoe. 

The highlight of the Mount to Coast H1 is the versatile ride that delivers day in and day out.  Grip and fit definitely enhanced the overall experience most of the time. Those are the two areas where I foresee runners could find a marginal sense of dissatisfaction. 

If you’re looking for a one-shoe wonder, the Mount to Coast H1 should be high on your list of considerations.

ROBBE: If the goal was to make a great gravel shoe (a category that may or may not be completely unnecessary and only exists for the purpose of selling more shoes), then I’m not sure you can do much better than the Mount to Coast H1. Especially if we’re talking about the bottom half of the shoe. Don’t change anything, this is the perfect combination of midsole and outsole of any gravel shoe on the market. 

However, I don’t think the upper is perfect, even if it’s indestructible. This was an issue I had with the T1, and I have the same one with the H1. I’d just like the shoe to be a bit more secure throughout. 

Overall, at $160, this is an excellent shoe and a fantastic introduction to one of the newest midsole materials in the game, taking things to the next level in performance and durability.

You can pick up the Mount to Coast H1 for $160 by using the buttons below.