Wanting to get a run in and do some easy climbs/scrambles/boulder problems I have wired.
My experience with trail running shoes is they often have big lugs for muddy trails and grip about as good as palming a bowling ball.
Anyone have a pair that balance stickiness and being able to run a bit.
I have also rocked the backpack with a change of shoes, but it really slows things down.

My Innov-8 Roclite 315s handle most terrain really well. Not the best for steep scree/talus fields as they are a bit too cleaty. But they do stick to rock slabs pretty well. And are just awesome on soft loose soil/mud.

If you can find a La Sportiva dealer near you check them out. Their frixion rubber has better grip than many of the other trail runners I've seen.

Try the La Sportiva Electrons. I've done V2 and run the Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon in them. Nice cushioning and sticky too.

Third that. Anything La Sportiva.

Anything with mud/snow/ice go with the vertical k's or C-lite. Their soles have good traction for that. I use my vertical ks as approach shoes and they work great

the other variations (with the smoother flowy bottoms) are great for slab and would probably hold up better than the K's or C-Lite

Sportiva all the way!

Use minimalists for scrambling/trail running. They are getting shredded pretty fast but kinda comes with shoes now days...

vertical K's are amazing, they don't climb all that well though. I've lead 5.6 alpine in them but probably wouldn't climb harder.

anything sportiva

According to the La Sportiva site the vertical k's and the C-lite have the same frixion sole as my Wildcats. I've soloed the Grand Teton a few times in the Wildcats and I've never felt like they were very sticky. (They didn't feel as sticky as my approach shoes for example.) Does anyone know if there is any difference between the soles on these models or are they really all the same?

Sportiva or 5.10 approach shoes... Get the ones with "dot" rubber not the lugs. Around here you find plenty of people doing 1000' routes for time and most of them are wearing one or the other. I slightly prefer the 5.10's for climbing, but the pairs I've had are too soft underfoot to be a good trail shoe. Vice-versa for the sportiva- better trail shoe, but the fit in the toe is not as good for climbing.

i think sportiva has 4 different compounds for their frixion soles. the x countrys pretty sticky, weigh almost nothing and can be had for cheap. no clip in loop on the heel though. way ugly too.

Evolv Cruzer

Try the Columbia descender. Sierra trading post for 40 bucks new. I know it's Columbia and all, but they are holding up great for me and I use them specifically for runs and approaches. They are minimalist though. Good luck.

I would recommend against the cruzer--it's more casual fashion than runner.

9th that. I run/scramble in LS wildcats.

Sickness.

I personally would not run in my 5.10 approach shoes - I can barely tolerate hiking in them. Good for scrambling but no support whatsoever.

Love my Montrail Rockridges for running. They are surprisingly sticky and do OK for easy scrambling. They are not the most durable shoe...I usually have to replace them every 300 miles or so.

Try the Scarpa Epic. At this point it is my favorite shoe. I run scrabble and use them as an approach shoes. They are made for all three specifically . I have both the gore and non gore versions of the Sportiva wildcats size 44.5 that don't do my feet right if anyone wants a good deal on pretty much new shoes. The Brooks Cascadia is a great all around shoe too.