I have been intrigued a while now to try and would like to start to do some swimrun races next year. I like the thought of adventure over competition out in a nice environment. After the Ötillö article on the front page I thought I would ask some insights from the community here.
Would a trail shoe like Salomon speedcross or hoka speedgoat work as swimrun shoe, or do you really need to have very specific shoe types?
Very interested to hear what shoes, brands and types you guys are using.
I did casco swim run last year in some asics trail shoes with a couple holes drilled in the bottom. They worked great.
5 races and 3 years of training with the Inov8 X-Talon 200. Perfect for me. Minimum drag in the water is just as important as drainage and grip.
Just did the US Mackinaw race and had a blast. Trained and raced in Nike kigers and had good results. Do not worry too much about foot discomfort - I did not experience any.
Very happy with VJ Shoes iRock 3 Trail OCR shoes.Yes, name is cumbersome and description toward OCR events but worked perfectly - low signature in the water, does not retain water, very sticky on the wet rocks, and felt like normal running shoes on pavement and trails.
As for what is right for you, figure out first what races you will do and select shoes based on runs and swims distances, salt/fresh water, pavement or trails (sand, dirt, rock, shale, etc.), flat or hilly, and your feet anatomy…
I have VJ irock2 and they are great, id a little under/cushioned.
I was supposed to be at ötillö this week before an issue stopped it and I’d been training in adidas terrex speed ultras. They were actually great and I was going to race in them. My partner did it in saucony peregrine 12s and was very happy.
I’d also considered vj ultras, but didn’t want to buy another new pair of shoes.
I haven’t done a swimrun event, but I frequently do swim runs.
I wear my La Sportiva VK’s. They are ultra-light trail shoes meant for running the Vertical Kilometre.
They don’t absorb water and are perfect for going in/out of rocky shorelines, and decent on paved surfaces.
Generally any **lightweight **trail shoe will serve you well. Just avoid anything made with Goretex or made to ‘keep water out’ since it will also keep it in. Shoes with lots of padding in the upper will probably be very heavy the whole race.
I would avoid the Salomon Speedcross, they are super heavy and take on water, but lots of other Salomons will work (their lacing system is ideal for swimrun). I did my first race in Salomon Wildcross and wasn’t disappointed. The now-discontinued S/LAB Amphibs were the top choice for a while there, and I’ve done a couple races in those also.
You will need to find a balance between how much cushioning and protection you need for trail running, how lightweight a shoe you can get away with on a long day, and traction needed when on wet rocks.