The Mizuno Wave Ascend is a very soft trail shoe. This shoe is more of a traditional trail running shoe in that it is not based off the design of a popular road version of the same shoe. The sole on this shoe is thinner than shoes like the Adrenaline ASR or Guide 2 TR. The tread on the bottom of the shoe is fairly aggressive making this shoe a great choice for technical and rocky trails. The Ascend is definitely considered a “Neutral” shoe and is VERY flexible.