Mount to Coast P1 Review: Go the Distance

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Mount to Coast P1

LINDSAY: A roller coaster of thoughts rolled through my head just before I laced up the Mount to Coast P1 for the first time. First, it was, “Oh boy, another new brand to try,” followed by, “What’s so special about this one that I’d think about diverting from the classics?” Then, I capped it off with, “Why is the name so long?”

Alright, that last one doesn’t really matter in the larger context, but we’re all thinking it, amiright? Who needs three words in the name of a company? It’s not like Believe in the Run has four or anything…

But while this brand is new to me, it’s not new to Believe in the Run. Robbe introduced us to the brand back in February with the Mount to Coast R1, reviewers Austin and Alex checked out the Mount to Coast S1 back in August, and today, we’re talking about the Mount to Coast P1. Before we go any further, let’s address the elephant in the room: the nomenclature. To clear things up, the S1 is the daily trainer, the P1 is another road daily trainer with more stability, and the final model, the R1, is for racing (but it also kind of works well as a do-it-all shoe).

Straight out of the box, nothing really stood out to me. The P1 reminded me a lot of the Brooks Ghost/Glycerin on the outside, which isn’t always the most exciting company to keep. But this shoe is much, much more on the inside, so let’s get to it.

SAM: If you’ve spent time mindlessly scrolling Instagram lately, you’ve more than likely run into a few Mount to Coast ads. They have a similar cult following to what Atreyu built a few years ago, but with more of a social media rise akin to Bandit. Mount to Coast walks a fine line between the two, positioning itself within the endurance road running crowd. Its shoes are designed to last, and the idea is that they’ll keep you pounding the pavement for as long as it takes.

Needless to say, I was extremely excited to find out I’d be receiving a pair of Mount to Coast’s stability shoes to review. I love supporting smaller running companies and have generally found their products to be worth the hype. Let’s see if Mount to Coast holds up.

What we like about the Mount to Coast P1

LINDSAY: I didn’t try the S1, but according to the Mount to Coast sizing guides, the P1 is more suited for those who need a wider toe box. With that said, I had no issues, but I generally don’t require a wider shoe. Otherwise, the knit upper provides a very comfortable and plush step-in feel and is either waterproof or, at the very least, water-resistant, from what I could tell after a few rainy runs.

The Mount to Coast shoe engineers went above and beyond with their midsole construction. It’s lightweight, with just enough cushion to protect the joints without letting your legs get lazy. There’s a solid amount of arch support from the insole and the 3D Archrail, which is a support structure within the midsole that helps stabilize the foot from overpronating. It almost looks like a carbon plate. From what I gather, the difference between this stability shoe and others is the fact that the support structure focuses on forefoot stability rather than rearfoot stability. So, if it hasn’t worked for you before, this is definitely an opportunity to work on form again.

Sam will probably be able to provide more scientific insight into this because I’m not entirely well-versed in the different footstrikes and the pros/cons of each. What I can tell you is that I felt stable with each step, which allowed me to focus more on my form in other areas in order to maintain a very smooth stride.

The outsole is as durable as described, and I think it will hold up to the advertised ultra distances.

SAM: The more things change, the more they stay the same. I love the Mount to Coast P1 because it’s simple yet complex. Some subtle technologies guide the stability and stride path, but they’re well hidden and give this shoe an overall feeling of effective simplicity. Up first, let’s talk stability. From the outside, it’s not exactly clear what makes this shoe stable.

Upon further inspection, though, there are two main aspects. There’s a beveled heel cup within the insole and 3D Archrail technology within the instep. The beveled heel cup is similar to what many stability shoes do with the shoe platform itself. The goal is to immediately guide the foot away from pronation upon landing in the stride, and I think it does so without issue. The 3D Archrail is where things get fun. Mount to Coast’s goal with the archrail is to support the activation of abduction muscles within your foot (muscles that move your foot away from pronating) by creating a stable platform for your foot to follow in its stride.

Along with the 10 mm drop and GoFlow technology in the outsole, these stability features create a smooth and efficient ride. I loved the way this shoe felt underfoot and felt that I was able to use it for any sort of run I wanted — easy runs, strides, long runs, and even workouts were possible with this shoe.

Outside of the underfoot feel, I felt that there were several benefits to the construction of the Mount to Coast P1. I love the lace lockdown, and even though I never used the adjustable midfoot loops, I never had an issue with the shoe coming loose on a run. The other subtle part of the construction that I loved was the circular forefoot knit. I have a wider midfoot and forefoot, and I felt that this shoe was, at the same time, snug and roomy, which is the exact feeling I am looking for. The quality of simple shoes often relies on their construction, and the Mount to Coast team nailed the construction of the P1.

What we don’t like about the Mount to Coast P1

LINDSAY: I could see the knit upper becoming a bit warm on hotter days, but I can’t say I noticed it at all during my runs. The laces are also oddly designed in a diagonal pattern towards the outside of the foot. It reminds me a lot of the Nike Alphafly and Vaporfly, but I’m not sure it needs to be quite so aggressive. I’m sure some shoe engineer out there could school me on all the benefits of lacing like this, but from the person’s perspective, it looks cool and works great. Moving on.

The color options are limited, but if you’ve read any of my reviews, you know I only look for black/white options (and that’s all Mount to Coast has available).

SAM: The main con I have with the Mount to Coast P1 is that I think the advertisements are slightly misleading. Yes, it has the same LightCell midsole foam as Mount to Coast’s other models, and in the advertisements, you will see pictures of endurance athletes who have run for hundreds of miles at one time in their pair. I think we have to take these experiences with a grain of salt and remember that ultra athletes experience shoes and running in a different way to all of us.

I liked the LightCell foam and found it snappy and efficient, but I definitely felt it start to wear down and lose its initial softness after 50 miles. I will admit that after 100 miles, the shoe remains unchanged, but I will caution those who like softer shoes because this one might not be for you. All in all, there aren’t many issues with the Mount to Coast P1. But if you’re looking for a shoe that will stay soft into the hundreds of miles, I would look elsewhere.

Final thoughts on the Mount to Coast P1

LINDSAY: Call me a fan of the Mount to Coast P1, but do it with some surprise on your face. It’s an extremely comfortable and durable stability daily trainer at a competitive price of $160. If that one sentence doesn’t sum up this entire review for you, then I can’t help you.

Like most new things, though, it’s going to take some getting to know this brand before I can welcome it with open arms. If nothing else, it has certainly caught my attention. I also love the website — its simple design allows you to navigate the options easily to figure out which is best for you. Considering they only have the three aforementioned models, it shouldn’t be too hard, but keep this one bookmarked because we haven’t seen the last of Mount to Coast.

SAM: I’m a big fan of the Mount to Coast P1. I wasn’t absolutely blown away by it, but I don’t think I was supposed to be. It’s a simple, reliable, and effective daily trainer with great stability features that will keep it stable and efficient — but not soft — for many miles.

Also, shout out to Mount to Coast for sending us this shoe to run in. I appreciate it and wish them continued growth as a fledgling running company. If you’re still reading, I want to wish you continued growth as well. Enjoy the miles, friend.

You can pick up the Mount to Coast P1 for $160 from Running Warehouse (featuring free shipping and 90-day returns) by using the buttons below.