Adidas terrex speed pro sg. I have these and inov8 talon 212. Talon slightly better grip but i always go to the terrex because they are more comfortable and slightly wider in the toe box if you order half size up.
If you don't care about the cost get the V2. The heel cup lockdown and overall fit was a lot better than v1. The V1 personally felt really sloppy and all over the place. The rubber is supposedly softer but I don't notice it, it's not as big of a difference as the jump to the vj butyl rubber or even the terrex continental (though this isn't as good as the vj rubber).
Depending on what you want them for inov8 has just re-released the x-talon 212 and the Adidas terrex speed pro SG are amazing for race day!
I race in Saucony Endorphin Rift and Adidas Terrex Speed. Both are fast for trail shoes. The Saucony is harder to find since they were discontinued. If the trail is real technical, the Speeds would not be my first choice. Same foam as the AP3, bit a mostly mesh type upper that doesn’t offer a ton of support. But they are fast.
Aero Glide/Blaze 3 GRVL perfect for this. I would lean towards the Blaze since they are firmer and you can find them super cheap right now. Take the Glide if you want to use them for >50% road vs. trail.
Adidas Terrex Speed would also work for this, but it's a faster tempo type shoe and works best at speed with a mid to forefoot strike.
All 3 of these shoes I would go 1/2 size down as they run long. Sizing down also helps makes them narrower.
Spikes typically have very little cushion compared to trail running shoes, so it really depends on the trails you plan to run. But unless you’re trying to break some personal record, it’s kinda pointless. I have dragonfly XC spikes that I use for 5k’s but I never do any kind of crazy trails in them. One wrong step on a rock and it’s a sprained ankle. Not a big deal in a 5k with a ton of people around and medical nearby. But out running alone, yea it can potentially be a big problem. XC shoes are also going to wear out a lot faster, especially in the heel.
I have 3 pairs of trail shoes I use if I go out alone. One pair of trail runners Adidas Terrex I picked up super cheap that I just use on flat dirt, and two pairs of hiking shoes, Columbia low tops and North Face high tops for rugged terrain that are both 5+ years old. I can honestly run fine in any of them, just not fast of course.
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