Does anyone know where I can buy women's La Sportiva wildcats around Aviemore / Inverness or online? Bought my first pair from Cotswold and second from Needlesports. Neither seem to have them now. I can only find wildcat 2s online.

I'd like to get a replacement pair well before the current ones get near the end of their life.

Has anyone here tried Vivobarefoot shoes?

As you can see from the replies Steph there is a wide range of off road shoes, some good some not so good and certain aspects is you get what you get for the money you pay. Admittedly I have brought some of my shoes from Sports Direct but the main difference is there is that I knew exactly what I wanted and didn't require specialist advice, also they tend to stock popular makes and not specialise.

Trail shoes can be very specialised and you need to decide whether or not you wish to use it for trail only or a more general purpose shoe that will cope with both trail and harder surfaces.

For me I have Inov8 Talons which have very little padding and are quite snug, but as trail running is mainly across softer surfaces I consider I do not need all of that padding which I do when pounding the road. Also I want the shoe to drain easily and not come off when I plough through ankle deep mud or through streams which the Inov8's do quite nicely.

I Orienteer a lot and I use the Adidas Kanadia TR4 :D

On and off road running - I'd say try Salomon Crossmax

I agree with Jonathan about being loyal but sometimes finances dictate where you buy. I had a good relationship with the runnings shops in my City so if i call and say that I can get them for a certain price they are usually pretty decent in bringing the price down a notch.

I love my La Sportiva Wildcats - good in snow (I live in Aviemore) and good in mud too. All round comfort, good grip and they hug my feet like a second skin.

If you try on loads of shoes in a specialised running shop and take advantage of their facilities, I think you should really buy from that shop not then go off and order online....

I'd stay clear of Sports Direct! Go somewhere with a decent range and staff who know something about running...

Id stay clear of Innov8's if u need cushioning - they have none. they're pure off roaders. By all means buy from Start Fitness or Sportshoes Unlimited online - but go to a reputable running shop and try on as many as u can. We all have different shaped feet and alignment issues. Best to ask the experts to check out ur running gait and tell them where u run. Firm trail will require different from soft trail, as will rocky surfaces.