Hoka - Tecton X 2.5

Can confirm. Jim wore the 2.5 not this. Looks similar but not it.

Have tried a few and here are my thoughts Saucony endorphin edges Very similar to endorphin pro 3s in ride. They are a fast shoe but let down badly by the grip (atrocious on wet rocks) and i struggled with the upper. Go half a size up to normal for these Brilliant for open firetrail Speedland SFD Is it carbon plated? Well they are in there but they offer the least assistance of any i have tried. Broad base and good grip with the absolute highlight being the lock down from the boas. Down side is they drain like shit without cutting the plug out and if you do that they let water in from any wet ground. Price is absurd for what you get Adidas terrex speed ultra This shoe is fast! Probably the quickest trail shoe i have used BUT They are incredibly unstable on anything even remotely uneven, hit a rock wrong and goodbye ankle. The instep rubbed my arch badly so only got 30k in them before passing them on l Hoka tecton x2 These have been an absolute workhorse for me. 400ks in my first pair and they have tons of life left in them. Maybe not the quickest ride but they are on par with the speedlands for stability but much lighter (cheaper too) Highlight for me is the way they drain Downside would be the tongue could be longer and thicker. Had issues with lace bite early on but got the fit dialed now. Great shoe for up to 50ks for me so far. Hoka tecton X3 Very bouncy ride, for me the most on par with road going super shoes. Took me a little to like and trust these shoes but now my go to race shoe. The grip is easily the best of all I have used including the X2s (can't beat vibram megagrip imo) They are wearing well and the ride settled down a touch to not throw me on bad landings( note it still will a bit) Down side, the lacing system not allowing a heel lock. Have to use thicker socks than normal (i prefer steigens) to mitigate the heel not locking 100% The upper is thicker than the X2s and doesn't drain quite as well but on par with most others

I use mafate speed 4s for most my runs but with use tecton x2s or tecton x3s for races depending on terrain.

Few are duplicate pairs because i like the shoes that much. 3 pairs of hoka mafates and 2 pairs of tecton x2s

Not easy at all as each has its own roll to play really. For speed and versatility it's hard for me to go past the hoka tecton X2. Has been incredibly hard wearing, easy to hold quick paces in and yet to find terrain that is to much for it.

If you back yourself to navigate the mud relatively well I’ve found the Tecton is the best shoe I’ve worn for jumping between techy/rocky trail and running on the road. I’m also England based and have used it in the mud a lot (obvs) and while it’s not ~great~ it holds up well enough that the benefit you get on other surfaces is worth it.

I’m ~800 miles deep on a pair of Tecton X2s

I love the Tecton X3s and like others said if it’s working for you then maybe don’t mess with it. That said, $275/pair adds up quickly when you’re doing a lot of miles. For gravel / fire roads I usually run in Nike Ultraflys which have a plate and more or less the same foam, but go on sale for $160. I also do a lot of miles in whatever Tecton X2s I can still find for sale and actually feel more comfortable in them on single track.

Love my Tectons as well.

this is very helpful, thank you! Did you ever try the Tecton X2 (I did and absolutely abhorred it... cut into the back of my ankle hardcore and I read that was a common issue). The 3s are so pricy that I don't think I will try them. I will look inot the NF Enduris and Topo Vista. It's fun to try different shoes and ultimately, I could fall back on the Challengers if need be; I can get 500 miles or so on those and they are priced so well.

The tecton X2s cut into my ankle hardcore and I could not figure out how to make that not happen! They are also pretty firm!

Up to 9 models of trail shoe and still looking... La sportiva bushido (500+ mi): great shoe but not enough of a rocker and limited cushion for longer days. Salomon ultra glide (350 mi): great shoe but limited durability of midsole and not stable enough on varied terrain. Hoka speedgoat 5: loved this shoe but can only seem to get 300 mi out of the midsole before I notice significant decline (still brought 5 pairs of these to 300+) Hoka Mafate speed 4 (320+165mi): loved this shoe but a set or two of the eyelits are not reinforced and will eventually rip, and the toebox is too narrow for me and gives blisters on the outside of my big toes. Saucony peregrin 3 (150 mi): like this shoe but long days or steep ascents are too much and the heel counter gives blisters (disclaimer: I have bony heels). I wear this for shorter runs with some tech but not much steep uphill. Saucony xodus 1 (250 mi): like this shoe but doesn’t perform well on technical terrain in terms of stability and outsole-lugs sheered off on first technical downhill. I wear this for non technical trails. Altra lone peak 7 (300+ idk): like this shoe but just for non technical trails, Toe box is too wide to get a full lockdown. I use this shoe for hikes and walks on non technical terrain and it is the shoe i wear more than any other bc it is my daily shoe at work, where i am on my feet a few hours every day. Nnormal tormir 2 (200 mi): like this shoe but the lockdown doesn’t prevent my toes from cramming into the front of the toebox on steep descents. I wear this for technical trails without steep descents. Hoka tecton x2 (12 mi): I have only worn this shoe twice for shorter (6 mi) runs, but it doesn’t seem to have the level of midsole comfort/cushion that would get me past 20 miles. I wear this for workout/faster runs on trails. Hoka tecton x3: bought these for a race because of the upgrades to the midsole and then got injured and couldn’t do the race. Feel amazing on my feet and am excited to try these out when I have an opportunity. My trail shoe rotation is almost complete. But I am still searching for the unicorn: a trail shoe that has a grippy and durable outsole, a lockdown that is a good for technical trails and steep descents, and a midsole that is sufficiently stable, cushioned, and resilient. I like the outsole of the tormir, the midsole feel and durability of the tormir and xodus. And I like the lockdown of the bushido and speedgoat. If only the tormirs had a better lockdown…if only the speedgoat midsole didn’t degrade at 300 miles. Should I try the Nnormal Kjerag? Is there a frankenshoe out there for me? Redditors what say you TLDR: is there such a thing as a trail shoe that has a durable and grippy outsole, durable,stable, and cushioned midsole, and a lockdown for technical trails and steep descents?

I've found the Salomon Speedcross really super. Some folks find them slightly narrow. I have both the standard and Goretex edition and they gave been really super for mud, hills and all a trail can throw at you. My only note is if your route is trails and roads they are quite solid so the road section is not so nice but I suppose it's the flip side of why they are good on trails. I really feel that my foot is in the Speedcross where as my Hoka Tecton X2 are good but in comparison I almost feel like I'm running on them as opposed to feet in them and supported. You're going to get lots of different answers to your question. All the best

Curious what do you consider less technical? I feel like my tectons handle it better than most shoes I’ve ran with the wings and vibram outsole.

It took me awhile to figure the shoes out, but once I got the proper insole and switch the laces, they have become my go to long distance shoe. I’ve used the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro’s for my short distance mountain races and the MTC T1 for my long distance runs and races. I just finished RRR 50 in them, and they handle every element I ran into great, my feet were me tired or sore, zero black blue toe nails. I also PR’d by an 1h30min, 6th overall female and 1st in the Masters. Previous shoe was the Hoka Tecton.