Trail shoe options

Triathlon Forum
1

Ok trail runners. I’ve run trails for a long time but not raced except a couple of times and nothing really long at least not on rough terrain. Signed up for a 35mi run in the Franklin Mountains. Technical and rugged. I’ve run in them a lot but rarely more than 12-13mi so far and used endorphin pros, which take a beating on these.
I’d like to find carbon plated shoes that are light(ish) with enough grip for rocky terrain. I know hoka has one coming out but not sure about the date.

Thoughts/recommendations ?

2

Ok trail runners. I’ve run trails for a long time but not raced except a couple of times and nothing really long at least not on rough terrain. Signed up for a 35mi run in the Franklin Mountains. Technical and rugged. I’ve run in them a lot but rarely more than 12-13mi so far and used endorphin pros, which take a beating on these.
I’d like to find carbon plated shoes that are light(ish) with enough grip for rocky terrain. I know hoka has one coming out but not sure about the date.

Thoughts/recommendations ?

you oughta ping herbert on this. he’s gone from pro MTBer to confirmed, serious ultra trail runner. i want his race life.

3

Hoka Tecton has a plate, not super aggressive like a road plate but it’s in there. The shoe will be firmer then typical Hoka. Anything new has a question mark for delivery date right now.

TNF Flight Vectiv also is plated and pretty light. Does fit pretty narrow. Shouldn’t be hard to find, it’s been out for a year now.

No trail shoe will be as bouncy or responsive as a road racer, totally different worlds

4

Have you looked into inov-8 shoes? They have some reasonably light and aggressive shoes. Additionally, they are one of the lower drop trail running shoes out there.

5

I used to run in Inov8 but now only use Salomon shoes.

My favorite are the Speed Cross 5 for muddy and grippy need conditions, and the Ultra 3 which I will use in my 100k races

Another good option is the Sense Ride 3 as an all around shoe

None of these have rock plates but are comfortable in rocky terrain

6

Is that the s/lab ultra 3?

My wife has a 40mile and 60miler in the pipeline and new kicks. I was hedging for speedgoats but has loved her Salomon speedcross for fellracing

7

S/Lab Ultra 3 indeed in a weird purple color with orange soles.

Love the shoes but the lace pocket is useless / in the wrong spot on that shoe. So I just tuck them under the lowest lace crossing

8

Best running shoe reviews (trail and road) on the Internet are on the YouTube channel for Seth DeMoor. Reviews are nicely categorized in the playlists page.

https://www.youtube.com/c/SethDeMoor/playlists

9

Depending on your 35 miler. Saucony Endorphin Trail out later this year has the same foam as the Endorphin Pro and a two finger carbon plate. Salomon also coming out with a similar design and bouncy foam and I think it should hit the market earlier. No brand is giving a hard date because some or all of the shoes originate in China and right now not much is moving through China.