Mont Blanc Carbon

Various Altra models. Lone peak series are pretty decent. However, for comfort for 50ks and longer, I have been using the Altra Mont Blanc Carbons. More response and better all day comfort. The Exoerience series are pretty decent, my boys run trails races those and love them.

I've found four advantages to using plated trail shoes: * Improved running economy. * Forward propulsion when you’re running strong. * Reduced muscle fatigue later in the race. * Steady pacing and consistent turnover on long, runnable sections. That said, plated trail shoes are not always better. On highly technical trails with rocks, roots, and sharp turns, the stiffness can reduce ground feel and stability. You lose some precision, which can increase the risk of missteps. They also tend to be less forgiving when you’re hiking steep climbs, where the plate doesn’t offer much benefit. As for midsole comfort, there isn't much tradeoff here since the Adidas Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra has a heel stack height of 38mm. Read critical reviews about this shoe before purchasing, as we've seen repeated complaints about the comfort of the upper and poor traction on wet terrain.

Assuming you're not running in soft mud where deeper lugs are necessary and assuming it fits your foot, the Hoka Tecton X 3 is one of the best designs for wet trails. The parallel plate setup improves stability, which matters when footing is sketchy. It’s widely used in technical ultras because it handles uneven, wet terrain better than most plated shoes. Other options are the Nike Ultrafly Trail (Vibram Megagrip), Altra Mont Blanc Carbon (Vibram Megagrip with a wide toe box for extra ground contact), and lesser known shoes such as the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trail and Saucony Endorphin Edge.

I've run a 100 in LPs before but I switched to Timps for longer stuff and haven't looked back. They're awesome shoes and I think they're a happy balance between the ground feel of the LPs and not being too mushy. At the time I switched, I was also grateful for Vibram soles (before the 9+ came out). I've also raced in the Mont Blanc Carbons but I found the upper was uncomfortable and had a lot of give. On the downhills my feet were definitely shifting forward despite using a runners knot. I don't have this problem with Timps and I also really like the Timp BOAs. They are super comfy and it's so nice to not have to worry about shoes coming untied and being able to easily tighten or loosen them. My only fear in a 100 is that something breaks and I'm not able to tighten a shoe and it's a long ways to a drop back with another pair.

I like the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon, which is a custom (more flexible) carbon plate and offers some protection, underrated benefit! The MB Carbons are fantastic for 50k to 100M.

Sleeper shoe that is super versatile is the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon … can do it all and it’s a much snugger fit then most altras and durable … I run east coast terrain and 100k ultras in them. They have a new Mont Blanc Speed without carbon that’s a bit softer but not as propulsive…

The new on cloud ultra for training and then the pro for races … that’s probably going to be real nice… Personally I train a lot on paved paths so I wear Puma MagMax these days to protect my legs … and for trails I love love the Altra Mont Blanc Carbon because they are agile and drain well. I have done many ultras in the Mont Blanc Carbon and never any issues , I think zero drop on trail shoes is not as of a big deal…

The Mont Blanc’s are the “Standard” width while Lone Peak’s are “Original”. So slightly narrower but still wider than most.

If you’re a fast runner, max cushion shoes almost never offer any benefit during races. If you’re confident that you won’t roll your ankle 10 miles in on the course, then go for any top plated shoe. All depends on the terrain and how comfortable you are with the shoes. Personally I like the Altra Mont Blanc carbons bc it’s a do it all fast trail shoe with medium cushioning

I switched over to these and the MB Speed (the tempo companion for the carbons) in November of last year. I typically 5mm for running but walk in zero drops and haven’t had any issues! The rocker is quite nice on the carbons and doesn’t feel too different than what I’m used to on the trail. They run large though and I had to size down half a size. I’ve found that other altras have too flat of a rocker or aren’t stiff enough when toeing off, but the plate for the carbons does well on both those

You’d be hard pressed to find another shoe that is faster and as wide. Best suggestion would be to get the FKT insoles from Topo for a bit more energy return and get faster ™️ Or potentially the Altra Mont Blanc speed/carbon. They’re pricy though and potentially not enough volume. They do run faster than anything Topo has atm

Similar story having out used many pairs of the OG Xudos. I have been wearing Altra Mont Blanc Carbons but they really didn't cut it on my last mountain ultra and whilst I can tolerate zero drop I would prefer a drop. I have tried so many. I am currently waiting for the Altra Olympus with a matrix upper that come out next month and the new Xudos with vibram but I don't hold out much hope they will be any wider. Inov8 in wide is the widest shoe I have found but the foam just felt weird to me.