Rabbit High Country Review: A Max-Stack Trail Shoe That Almost Has It All

Introduction

Rabbit has been an apparel-first brand for years, and the High Country is its third running shoe after the Dreamchaser 1 and 2.0. Those two were road models, so this is the brand’s first real trail shoe, and it arrives as a true max-stack option aimed at runners who want plenty of cushion and protection underfoot.

After around 30 to 40 miles, including a few long mountain runs, the picture is clear: this is a well-built, protective, stability-focused trainer that will suit a specific type of runner very well, while others may find the ride a little too controlled.

Upper and Fit

The upper uses a thicker engineered mesh that feels closer to a traditional or jacquard-style mesh than a thin racing knit. That density helps the fit feel structured and gives the shoe a durable, mapped-to-the-foot construction. Durability has been excellent in testing: after several long runs there was no visible wear and tear, though the thicker mesh is warmer on hot days and less breathable. It does dry very quickly when wet.

The fit is fairly generous and should accommodate a range of foot shapes. It is average in most dimensions, with just enough room to splay in the forefoot, and the upper does not stretch much beyond a slight give. The midfoot is nicely secure, and the heel collar is padded and structured, which adds some counterweight to a shoe with this much material underfoot.

There is one fit caveat worth knowing about. The inner liner is a fine, silky material over a very cushioned platform, and the ankle collar is fairly shallow. On a tall foot or a high arch, the vertical volume can feel slim, and that combination produced persistent heel lift that lacing tricks could not fully solve, especially on steeper terrain.

Midsole and Ride

Underfoot is where the High Country gets ambitious. The Flow State midsole foam is an ETPU compound known for being energetic and soft, arranged in a 38 mm heel to 33 mm forefoot stack for a 5 mm drop. That is a lot of ETPU, and it shows in the forefoot, particularly after the shoe breaks in over a few runs. The feel is dense rather than squishy, which is a good trait on trails where you want control along with cushioning.

A fairly extreme 4 mm rocker shapes the ride. Paired with the softer ETPU foam, the front half rolls you forward in a way that recalls aggressive rockered trail shoes like the Brooks Caldera 4 or the Speedland GS series. Once moving, the forefoot throws you into the next stride.

The back half is a different story. Flipping the shoe over reveals a dense EVA cavity under the heel with no rubber outsole coverage, housing two carbon tracks that run like miniature carbon fiber plates along either side of the shoe. The idea is stability in all directions, and it works, perhaps a little too well. The rear of the ride feels halted and over-controlled, with little torsional flex to let the foot help with the trail. For runners who prioritize stability and protection, this could read as a feature. For everyone else, it can feel like the shoe is working against the nice forefoot foam.

Honestly, the EVA cavity plus the carbon tracks together feels slightly overengineered. The stability and protection goal probably could have been met with just one of the two. All that material also adds weight: 11.1 oz (316 g) in a US men’s 9 and 9.4 oz (269 g) in a US women’s 7, which costs the shoe some runnability.

Two Insoles, Two Feels

One genuinely unique touch is that Rabbit ships the shoe with two insoles. The first is a traditional EVA insert for a standard underfoot feel. The second is a Maka zonal grip insert, a denser recycled material aimed at all-day standing comfort, which keeps the foot more connected to the footbed.

That connection is most noticeable on downhills, where the foot stays planted instead of sliding forward. Toes do not hit the toe box, but you can feel a gentle tension holding your foot in place. There was no excess friction or irritation, just a more locked-in feel on technical sections. Having both options in the box is a nice bit of value.

Outsole and Traction

The outsole uses a proprietary Rabbit rubber called 360 Grip with multidirectional lugs. It performs well overall, though the first couple of runs felt like there was a film over the rubber. It needed some mileage to break in before inspiring full confidence.

Once worn in, grip is good but not class-leading. It is not as tacky or as digging as the very best trail outsoles, so there is room for refinement here. On mixed terrain it was dependable enough for a max-stack daily trainer.

Should You Buy It?

Form, fit, and function each land at a three out of five. The individual ideas are strong: durable structured mesh, energetic ETPU foam, a purposeful rocker, carbon tracks for stability, proprietary rubber, and swappable insoles. What is missing is harmony. The pieces do not yet add up to a shoe that feels smooth and confident as a whole.

Buy it if you want maximum protection, durability, and stability in a cushioned trail shoe. The build quality suggests it will easily handle 100 miles and beyond as a daily workhorse. At $180, it asks a lot, and it asks for a runner whose priorities line up with its dense, controlled ride. If you want a lighter, more free-running trail feel, look elsewhere for now.

Conclusion

The Rabbit High Country is an encouraging first trail shoe from an apparel brand that clearly understands trail runners. The cushioning, protection, and durability are all here, and so is a stability package that will delight some runners and frustrate others. With a little tuning, mostly in the rearfoot, this platform could become genuinely great. For now, it is a solid pick for a specific kind of runner: one who wants a max-stack shield between their feet and the trail.