Timp 5 BOA

My one travel shoe is the Altra Timp 5 Boa in black. https://www.altrarunning.com/en-us/trail/mens-timp-5-boa/AL0A85Q9.html?dwvar_AL0A85Q9_color=280 The Boa is definitely a divisive choice, but I find the ability quickly adjust the tightness and take on/off the shoe quickly very useful for travel. Yeah, you can tie your laces loose enough to make them slip on, but if I need to power walk through the city to catch a train, I like being able to quickly ratchet down the tightness. Regardless, a trail runner seems like the best all round option as others have said. All of my shoes are Altra or Lems now because I highly value the natural, wide toebox and zero drop. I also bring some lightweight Xero sandals for water/sand/shower. If I'm doing more high end mountaineering, then I obviously need some more rugged boots too.

I've tried everything you mentioned except the Lowa's (I've even worn the cork Sole insoles). It's a crying shame that LaSportiva can't widen their toe boxes!!!! Two shoes worth your consideration per my efforts are: 1. Scarpa Ribble Run 2 (sizing is weird, must try on, not the same as previous Scarpa models). Toe box is more generous than LaSportiva, but not Altra. Very durable and good traction, not heavy.  2. Altra Timp BOA 5 (I've only tried BOA version, lace version may be fine) This version of the Timp has Vibram, Altra width and actually more like the Olympus than LP. Previous Timp models did not do it for me, this one is worthy.  I know nothing about the Flux footwear,  but am now curious. 

I haven’t tried the Columbia but the Timp and Speedgoat are both good choices with Altra’s fitting a bit wider in general. I would try both on if you can, the choice might be obvious after that

Hello everyone! I am a broke PhD student who trains for and runs ultramarathons, so I don't own multiple pairs of shoes at this point. I run roughly a 60/40 split of road to trails in my training, but all of my races are on trails. I've run these Altra Timp 5 trail shoes for 1,100 miles now, in training and races, on road and trails. I live near the East Coast and I run on gravel roads, paved roads, soft sand trails, hard pack beach sand, technical trails in Appalachian mountains, and rooty dirt trails. I ran a 50 miler in these that was raining the entire time. Also recently did a 6 day vacation where I did ~70 miles of super steep and technical trails in Shenandoah National Park in these shoes. I don't have a ton of performance comparison points, since I have only run in Altras (I have wide, flat feet and the 0 drop works for my strengths and natural running patterns). But, I can say that I am thoroughly impressed with how these shoes have held up. Despite running them on paved roads pretty regularly, the lugs held up enough to get me through this past 6 day trip with 0 falls. Though they don't drain super well in the water, I haven't had any durability complaints from the waterloggedness. Primary damage is that the tread is pretty much gone, around the ankle there is a lot of wear, and the sides are losing integrity where my feet fit. Obviously the foam is completely compressed at this point. I honestly prefer these to my old Olympus 5's, even for 8-10 hour runs. Feel free to ask me anything!

Appreciate it! Yeah I have about 30 miles on some new Altra Timp 5 trail shoes so those should work great. Are shoes too large of an item to get shipped if I mileage out of those over the 5-6 months? Yeah I have high hopes to do the marathon myself, so ill be packing gels and tailwind probably as well as maybe a vest. Thanks for the tips, the marathon would be relatively shortly after I get there if its January. Also, really appreciate all of the other gear info!